Do you think you could build your own portable console to game on? It sounds pretty intense, doesn't it? I mean, where do you even start? Despite the mammoth undertaking of building a handheld PC from scratch, some people really took to the challenge and built some extraordinary things with their skills. Some people took the path of building their handheld using picked parts, while others had the goal of turning an existing console into a handheld variant, which involved modifying a motherboard to fit in their hands.

Regardless of their motive or their method, here are some people who decided to just make what they want.

Someone built a DIY Ryzen 7 handheld, and it's an absolute powerhouse

Don't like the current options? Just make your own

Let's start off with this beast, which is a fantastic example of someone who just wanted to build a handheld that does what they want it to. It has a Ryzen 7 7840HS combined with 32GB of 5600MT RAM, a 2TB SSD, an 8-inch touchscreen, a battery, and external HDMI and USB-C ports, and the controller was made by slicing a Nintendo Switch controller in two. And yes, while the inventor says that it's kind of chunky, they do say that it's part of the charm.

This genius turned a Frameworks board into a portable handheld - here's how to make your own

Maybe not what Framework intended, but it's still awesome

The idea behind Framework devices is that you can easily swap out and upgrade laptop parts. But what if you just purchased the motherboard, stuck it in a 3D-printed shell, and made it into a portable handheld console you can play games on? This is the cool case of the Beth Deck, made by the titular Beth Le, who put a Framework motherboard to good use by constructing her own handheld with one.

Who needs emulation? Someone just made an Xbox handheld using the original hardware

It even looks like the real deal

We've explored some cool DIY projects made with computer motherboards, so let's take a look at when someone squeezed an existing console down into a handheld size. This Xbox handheld doesn't use emulators; it packs an authentic original Xbox motherboard inside the shell to play games on. The best part about this handheld is how it looks; if Microsoft tried to invent handheld gaming back when the original Xbox was released, it would definitely look like how it appears in the photo.

This tiny DIY console is the size of a coin and uses equally small cartridges

Truly "pocket-sized"

Now we're really stretching the term "handheld console." I mean, this little device is technically a console, and it's absolutely handheld. It's just that you're not going to be playing Baldur's Gate 3 on it anytime soon. After all, its display is just a handful of pixels on a board, so there's not much room for even a moderately complex game. However, you can play Pong and Snake, and the project even comes with equally teeny-tiny game cartridges you can swap out when you're ready for a new game. In my eyes, that makes this little project really awesome.

This incredible DIY portable PS1 uses original hardware, including a sawed-in-half motherboard

Sacrifices have to be made sometimes

How far would you modify the original hardware to get it to fit into a handheld console? If your answer is anything less than "sawing authentic retro hardware in half and then working out how to wire it back up again," you wouldn't go as far as this project maker. They did just that with a real PS1 motherboard, and it had to have been slightly scary to try to get the motherboard back in working order after cutting it in two. Fortunately, they managed to pull it off and put all of that hardware in a sleek white shell that looked just like its original console.

DIY handhelds are always great to see

Sure, the handhelds you see on the shelf are fantastic in their own right, and they've helped revolutionize how we play games on the go. However, DIY handheld consoles definitely have that little extra bit to them that makes them really stand out from anything else. Perhaps this has even inspired you to try making your own if you dare.