Handheld
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Blog
The Xbox Handheld Strategy Is Just Crazy Enough to Work
Microsoft has finally shown us a large part of the strategy it’s devised to keep Windows on handheld PCs, and combat the threat of SteamOS. It’s a plan with many moving parts, it seems, but so far it looks like the right set of moves. Just a day or two after I wrote that Microsoft needed an answer to SteamOS…
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The Asus ROG Xbox Ally Handheld Feels Like a Missed Opportunity
Nintendo did it. Sony did it. Even Sega did it. And now, Microsoft finally has launched its own dedicated handheld gaming device…kind of. Revealed yesterday during the summer Xbox Games Showcase, the Asus ROG Xbox Ally is closer to a Steam Deck than a PSP or Nintendo Switch. Essentially, it’s a spin on Asus’ existing handheld gaming PC, the ROG…
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Which Is Best for Your Handheld?
It’s been a week since I wiped Windows 11 from my Lenovo Legion Go handheld and replaced it with the first official version of SteamOS for handhelds other than the Steam Deck. I’ve been “working” by playing as much on my handheld as I could for the intervening time, and now that I’ve given SteamOS a good honest go, I…
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This is how Microsoft is combining Windows and Xbox for handheld PCs
Microsoft and Asus have just announced two ROG Xbox Ally devices that include a new full-screen Xbox experience for handhelds. After promising to combine “the best of Xbox and Windows together” for handhelds earlier this year, Microsoft is now revealing exactly how it is overhauling the Xbox app, Game Bar, and Windows itself to better compete with SteamOS. Microsoft has…
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Smartphones Were Supposed to Destroy Handheld Gaming, but It’s Stronger Than Ever
Summary Handheld gaming had advantages that phone gaming couldn’t replicate due to stability and compatibility with other functions. Mobile gaming industry pricing perceptions stifle willingness to pay for premium games, leading to gambling on scalability with microtransactions. Nintendo’s Switch led the revival of handheld gaming and sparked new competition with dedicated handheld devices flourishing in the market. When video games…
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These 5 Accessories Transformed My Gaming Handheld Into a Full Desktop Rig
Handheld gaming consoles have their merits, but it’s fair to say that they fall short of full gaming rigs or even powerful laptops in most cases. However, you can mitigate most of the weaknesses of a handheld with these 5 accessories, which transform it into a pretty good desktop equivalent. 5 A Mechanical Keyboard and Mouse Offers Precision Most handheld…
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How To Run Unofficial PC Ports on Your Linux Gaming Handheld (Legally)
Summary PC ports on Linux handhelds function similarly to on desktop PCs, introducing gamepad support. Get port-specific game files legally from the original game for installation. Easily manage multiple game ports using Portmaster on your Linux-based handheld. You might think those little Linux emulation handhelds are limited to playing SNES and PS1 games, but you can effectively turn them into…
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Xbox’s Switch 2 competitor may have hit the wall as Microsoft presses pause on handheld console
We’ve heard numerous rumors about Microsoft working on an Xbox handheld gaming console to compete with the Steam Deck and the Nintendo Switch 2. The console is said to be a native Xbox handheld, but a new report suggests that Microsoft is shelving it to focus on other priorities. According to a report by Windows Central, Microsoft has decided to…
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The VMU Pro turns the Dreamcast’s memory card into a handheld emulator
The Sega Dreamcast wasn’t the first home console to store game saves on a portable memory card, but its virtual memory unit (VMU) stood out with a built-in screen, controls, and playable mini games. 8BitMod’s upcoming VMU Pro offers the same functionality as Sega’s original, but it’s rebuilt from the ground up with upgrades that include a full-color screen and…
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GPD Win Max 2 review: a surprisingly competent tiny laptop that doubles as a gaming handheld
Since Neuromancer took the sci-fi world by storm in 1984, computing nerds have pined for a “cyberdeck” — the ultimate in personal, portable PCs for surfing and hacking the world. Usually, they’re DIY affairs. But the 10-inch GPD Win Max 2 is the closest I’ve seen to an off-the-shelf cyberdeck worth buying. It’s far from the best laptop or gaming…
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