Handheld Gaming vs Desktop Gaming?
I recently came across a hot take by our friends at Unbox arguing for the superiority of desktop gaming, and while the points are well-established and come from a place of genuine passion for PC building, I feel they miss the magnificent evolution our hobby has undergone. The debate isn’t about which is “better” in a vacuum, but which better fits the life of a modern gamer. From my perspective, the rise of the PC handheld isn’t a compromise; it’s a triumph.
The argument that desktops will always be superior due to a lack of space constraints is a familiar one. It’s true that you can’t fit a full-sized RTX 4090 into a device the size of a paperback book. But to frame this as a simple weakness is to overlook the sheer technological marvel that these handhelds represent. Not all desktop PCs are created equal; their power is directly proportional to your budget. A budget desktop will invariably make compromises, just as a handheld does.
But the key difference is what you get for those compromises. The fact that I can sit down and play graphically demanding, AAA titles like Expedition 33 or Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 on a device I can hold in my hands is nothing short of a gift. Seeing these worlds come to life, running smoothly at 60fps or more with technologies like FSR on an ROG Ally X, isn’t about what’s been lost from the desktop experience. It’s about everything that has been gained in portability and convenience. This isn’t a compromised experience; it’s a new, incredibly liberating one.
How about upgrading handheld gaming devices?
Then there’s the question of upgrades. Desktops are lauded for their limitless modularity, and that’s a fantastic aspect of the hobby. But the idea that handhelds are a closed, dead-end system is becoming outdated. The ecosystem is smarter than that. With growing support for eGPUs (external graphics cards), that modularity is no longer exclusive to a tower case. When I’m home, I can dock my handheld, connect it to an eGPU, and instantly transform it into a powerful desktop rig for my large monitor. This offers the best of both worlds: uncompromised power when I want it, and complete freedom when I need it.
This leads to accessibility. While a top-tier desktop rig demands a significant upfront investment, the world of PC handhelds offers a far more gradual and accessible entry point. You can start with an affordable device like an Anbernic Win600 to get your feet wet and later upgrade to a more powerful machine as your passion and budget grow. For those of us who already own a gaming desktop, the handheld becomes the ultimate companion device. Thanks to cloud saves, I can play a few hours on my desktop and seamlessly continue my exact save file on my handheld while lounging on the couch or before bed. That’s a level of flexibility and continuity a stationary desktop simply can’t offer.
What does it really mean being “better”?
Ultimately, the claim that gaming is “just better” on a desktop feels rooted in a definition of “better” that is no longer universal. “Better” is relative. At my age, time and comfort are my most precious resources. While I still appreciate my desktop PC, I find myself spending far more time with my handhelds. The ability to squeeze in a gaming session without being tethered to a desk, to play in the most comfortable spot in the house, or to take my entire Steam library with me when I travel—that, to me, is what a “better” gaming experience looks like today.
The best gaming session isn’t necessarily the one with the highest possible resolution on an ultra-wide monitor. The best gaming session is the one you actually have time to enjoy. For many of us, handhelds make that possible far more often.
Then, I do not wish to discount the fact that desktop PCs – especially the beefed up ones – can truly bring out the reality most new games wish to let gamers experience. As most would say, handheld gaming devices give accessibility of games wherever and whenever needed, desktop PCs bring reality and more experience.
Our recommendations // #GotItAtCyberzone
Now, at this point, I believe it is most fitting to recommend handheld gaming devices that you can easily buy from shops at Cyberzone. We have prepared a list below with relevant links to our important coverage:
- MSI Claw 8 AI+: An Intel-powered handheld gaming device that – so far – has the best performance based on our experience.
- ROG Ally X: An AMD Z1 Extreme-powered device that is currently the gold standard in terms of gaming and battery performance in the market
- GPD Win 4: A compact, albeit thick, gaming device that we have recently installed Bazzite OS, a fork of Steam OS, to.
- Lenovo Legion Go: Lenovo’s powerful 8.8-inch handheld gaming device
All these devices are available in stores at Cyberzone.
Check out how we also settled our “beef” with Unbox Team about Handheld Gaming vs Desktop Gaming PC. Our Virtual Knock Out event is happening this August 15.
Giancarlo Viterbo is a Filipino Technology Journalist, blogger and Editor of gadgetpilipinas.net, He is also a Geek, Dad and a Husband. He knows a lot about washing the dishes, doing some errands and following instructions from his boss on his day job. Follow him on twitter: @gianviterbo and @gadgetpilipinas.
