The most productive handheld gaming consoles have gained popularity over the years. It’s no surprise that CES 2025 saw the announcement of several new machines from some of the biggest brands. If you’re a fan of devices like the Steam Deck OLED, the Asus ROG Ally has something to get you excited about. Formation
Most of the Tom’s Guide computing team (myself included) are on the ground at CES checking out the most notable gaming handhelds releasing this year. As one of the aforementioned handheld fans, I can tell you that this year could be a banner one for such machines. Playing the best PC games whenever you go is about to potentially become better than ever.
Below is a look at the gaming laptops you can expect this year from companies like Acer, MSI, and Lenovo.
The Legion Go S is a more budget-friendly handheld from Lenovo featuring the best aspects of the Legion Go into a smaller and more ergonomic form factor. This new device doesn’t just offer a new design, but can also be kitted with an AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme or a new AMD Ryzen Z2 Go chip. Best of all, a model running on SteamOS is expected to drop in May.
SteamOS on Legion Go S is a game-changer for several reasons. First of all, this is the first time SteamOS has appeared on a third-party gaming handheld. Secondly, this style deserves to be easier to use since Windows 11 does it. It doesn’t work very well in the portable format, but if you prefer a Windows 11 laptop, the Legion Go S still has this operating formula as an option, it costs more than the SteamOS version.
The Legion Go S has a similar design to the ROG Ally or Steam Deck. It doesn’t have removable drivers like the Legion Go, but its unibody design and rounded sides make it less difficult to hold. It also has a new rounded D-pad and cause locks, which make fighting games and first-person shooters (respectively) more intuitive and accurate. The 8-inch (1920 x 1200) display with its 120Hz refresh rate also helps games look great and run smoothly.
Legion Go S will be the most exciting gaming handheld of 2025 thanks to SteamOS, but its other attributes also make it appealing.
Acer launched its first gaming laptop in 2024. It turns out the company settled for the 7-inch Nitro Blaze 7 since its newer devices are larger. Much bigger in one case.
The numbers at the end of the Acer Nitro Blaze 8 and Acer Nitro Blaze 11 denote their respective sizes. The former is an 8-inch handheld while the latter is a monstrous 11 inches. When it launches, the Nitro Blaze 11 will be the largest Windows 11 handheld on the market. If you have big hands and find typical 7-inch handhelds too small, this could be the option for you. This beast also has detachable controllers like the Lenovo Legion Go and Nintendo Switch, which is a nice touch.
There are some differences, but still the length. For example, the Blaze 8 has a faster refresh rate than the Blaze 11. If you’re into fast-moving first-person shooters, you’ll probably need to play the Blaze 8. The smaller length also makes it less difficult to transport. .
Unlike competing handheld devices, Nitro Blaze systems use an AMD Ryzen 7 8840HS, which is a true desktop processor. Add 16GB of RAM and those handhelds will be tough enough to run the most productive PC games without breaking a sweat.
The MSI Claw 8 AI+ is already available but it still received some shine during CES 2025. We were less than impressed with the original MSI Claw, but this updated model promises to fix its predecessor’s shortcomings.
First of all, the Claw 8 AI+ features the new Intel Core Ultra 7 Series 2 processor with an Intel Arc 140V GPU. This chip promises greater functionality and power than the AMD processors in ROG Ally, Legion Go S and Steam Deck. Using the same generation Intel XeSS discovered in the company’s Arc GPUs, games have smart functionality and sleek frame rates.
There are some small but noticeable design differences from the previous model. It has a larger 8-inch display, a concave D-Pad, Hall Effect joysticks and more responsive shoulder buttons. The handheld also has a dual-tone colorway instead of all-black like before.
The MSI Claw 8 AI+ should make up for the previous model. Hopefully, this device will make a better case for Intel chips inside handhelds. If this handheld performs as well as we hope, the AMD-powered competition could be put on notice.
Tony is IT Editor at Tom’s Guide, covering laptops, tablets, Windows and iOS. In his free time, Tony enjoys reading comics, gambling on video games, reading speculative fiction novels, and spending way too much time on X/Twitter. His non-nerd activities include attending Hard Rock/Heavy Metal concerts and going to bars in New York with friends and painting buddies. His works have appeared in publications such as Laptop Mag, PC Mag, and indie gaming sites.
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