For the most part, the video game industry involves creating, marketing, and monetizing video games. As a result, it has helped some individuals, particularly developers, become crorepatis, while others have lost money to it for various reasons.Â
Video games are most popular among Indian males aged between 25 to 34 years. If you are in this category and consider travelling and playing video games to be your hobbies, the good news is that you can do both at the same time. All you have to do is pack your portable console, and you are good to go.
This write-up will take you through the best handheld gaming consoles you can buy in India, including their highlights and the drawbacks to expect when you buy them.
Let’s dive right in.Â
1. Nintendo Switch
Nintendo Switch is among the best handheld video gaming devices today. The hybrid video console was released in 2017 and can offer you a seamless gaming experience at home and when travelling.
When at home, simply plug it into a dock and use a standard controller to enjoy it on your TV. To enjoy it when travelling, attach the Joy-Cons to any of its sides.
Either way, you will be able to enjoy a similar gaming experience and popular Nintendo titles such as Super Mario Odyssey and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.
What to expect from the device includes a huge gaming selection, an in-built multiplier, and a hybrid design.
On the downside, it has a potentially short battery life and a tedious interface.
2. Nintendo Switch Lite
If you are on a budget and still want to enjoy a portable gaming experience, then Nintendo Switch Lite is your ideal console. With it, you will still enjoy all the features that made Nintendo Switch popular among video game enthusiasts.
It’s also ideal for home use, especially if you want to share it with your family without worrying much about the price. You can get the console for less than $200 in various colours. The buttons are decent, it’s lightweight, and has an excellent game library.
However, you can’t connect it to your TV, and it comes with a relatively small battery.
3. Analogue Pocket
Analogue Pocket is basically a remake of the Game Boy, except that it comes with a better screen, a broader game library, and better buttons.Â
It costs around $220 and is suitable for players looking to enjoy retro games in amazing quality.
Apart from featuring the original Game Boy, the Pocket also allows you to enjoy other Nintendo titles like Game Boy Advance and Game Boy Color.
What sets Analogue Pocket apart from its competitors is that it supports FPGA cores capable of replicating classic game hardware and playing ROMs.
Besides, indie gaming channels such as itch.io offer downloadable software compatible with Analogue Pocket. To enjoy it at home, simply acquire a dock for connecting it to your TV.Â
On the downside, the Pocket is somewhat costly.
4. Nintendo Switch OLED
Nintendo Switch OLED is basically an upgrade of the Nintendo Switch. It comes with a bigger and brighter OLED touchscreen and offers an internal storage of 64 GB, which can be boosted with an external microSD card. Furthermore, the device has an in-built system to allow you to play on TV.
Finally, it guarantees 4.5 to 9 hours of battery life and can be recharged using a USB-C cable.
On the downside, it has fewer games than Valve’s Steam Deck and expect to experience the infamous Joy-Con drift when you buy it.Â
5. Steam Deck
Steam Deck is a portable gaming PC from Valve. Its cost ranges between $400 and $650, depending on storage.
Steam Deck allows you to play any PC game you buy on Steam as well as enjoy side-loaded titles.
On the downside, the battery life is inadequate for travelling, and not all Steam games run smoothly on this console.
6. Ayaneo Air
Ayaneo Air is a portable gaming PC that can provide surprisingly smooth performance in a lot of games and emulators. Its price ranges between $570 and $1250, depending on the configuration you choose.
It’s such a tiny yet surprisingly powerful console, making it the perfect gaming PC for travellers.
Another highlight is that it comes with hall effect joysticks that help solve drift problems. Besides, it has expandable storage and features an OLED screen.
Its major drawback is that it has less power than its competitors, and its price is too high.
Final WordÂ
In the end, the ideal handheld gaming console is the one that fulfils your needs. The above list covers the best gaming systems in different categories. From price range to game category, our list will help you find what you want.