So, you like to game. It's a hobby that can be as cheap or expensive as you make it, and often, deciding exactly where to spend the money you have is the hardest part. You can buy a flagship phone and have it cover all your gaming needs, or invest in a bunch of devices that do one thing really well. In 2024, the three main categories of gaming devices are prebuilt or custom PCs, laptops, and handhelds. Picking one over the others will be difficult — price, performance, and form factor are top-tier considerations — and making the wrong choice could be costly.

I have an affinity for gaming handhelds, whether they be full-fledged PC gaming handhelds or budget retro devices. But the cool thing about gaming is that everyone's wants and needs are different, so the devices that are best for them will also be different. If you're on the fence about whether to invest in a handheld, laptop or PC for gaming this year, we're going to break down the differences between each medium and find the one that's best for you.

Buy a gaming handheld for unmatched portability

You could get a console-like experience or laptop-class performance as a bonus

The main reason to get a gaming handheld is simply portability. PC gaming handhelds are compact enough to easily fit into a shoulder bag or backpack, like the Peak Design Everyday Messenger. Retro gaming handhelds, like the Retroid Pocket 4 Pro or Miyoo Mini+, are even smaller, fitting into a pocket. Of course, there are performance and price considerations to keep in mind. Retro handhelds are cheaper and less powerful, so they excel at emulation, game streaming, and cloud gaming. By comparison, the top PC gaming handhelds can play complete AAA titles and offer laptop-class performance.

If you do want a PC gaming handheld, you have one more thing to consider. While the Steam Deck offers a console-like experience, great sleep and power settings, and excellent battery life, handhelds that run Windows typically outdo it in performance. For example, both the Asus ROG Ally and the Asus ROG Ally X perform better than even the most expensive Steam Deck OLED. Windows-based handhelds also offer the best game compatibility, though the Steam Deck has a vast user base that can help with troubleshooting.

If you want an ultra-compact form factor and play emulated retro games, go with a cheap retro handheld. For those that want to play PC games and enjoy consoles, pick up the Steam Deck. If you like the gaming handheld form factor but want the absolute best performance and compatibility, the ROG Ally or ROG Ally X is for you.

Buy a gaming laptop for versatility

It can play games, handle work or studies, and has some portability

The best gaming laptops sit right in the middle; they're not the most portable, but they also don't confine you to a desk at home. Generally, I tend to avoid gaming laptops, because they are often thick, not great on battery life, and run hot. With that being said, how much these negatives really affect you will depend on which model you choose. I reviewed the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i Gen 9 earlier this year, and it's one of the more polished gaming laptops out there. Choosing something like a Razer Blade laptop can result in an even slimmer and "normal-looking" form factor.

Gaming laptops can be a jack-of-all-trades device, and if you pick the right one, they can be your only computer. The laptop form factor means that you can take it with you on the go, even if you need to make sure there's a power outlet nearby. Additionally, the larger screen makes it more enjoyable to use at home than a gaming handheld. While great gaming laptops can be pricey, it's easier to swallow if the laptop is filling the role of a gaming PC, a productivity laptop, and a gaming handheld. This class of devices isn't really outstanding at anything, but they're capable of doing just about everything.

Buy a gaming PC for power and upgradability

You can get the best gaming experience available today, and in the future

Finally, we get to talk about great pre-built gaming PCs. It's quite easy to figure out if a desktop gaming PC is right for you. If you have a lot of money to spend, want the best performance, and don't need portability, you should go ahead and buy a prebuilt PC like the Maingear MG-1 — or build your own. But it's difficult to use a desktop gaming PC as your only computing or gaming device. Many desktop PC owners compliment their tower with a console, handheld, or laptop, so that's something to consider. If you only have money for one gaming device, perhaps choose a gaming handheld or laptop instead for better versatility.

The thing that desktop PCs have going for them is supreme upgradability. You can build the entire thing yourself and upgrade it part-by-part along the way. By comparison, gaming handhelds aren't upgradable at all aside from the storage. Gaming laptops are a bit better, usually supporting RAM upgrades, but that's about it. If you plan to make a hefty investment in a gaming device you plan to keep for many years, a desktop PC is surely the way to go.

The answer is different for anyone

Assess your computing and gaming needs to find the right form factor

If you haven't gathered by now, choosing between a gaming handheld, laptop, and desktop PC is a personal decision heavily impacted by your specific needs. To help you out, let's recap who each device is best for:

• Gaming handhelds are portable with great value propositions, best for people on a budget who want to game on the go
• Gaming laptops are versatile, best for people who need one computing and gaming device to fill a host of roles
• Desktop gaming PCs are the most powerful and upgradable, best for people who don't need portability or who can afford to buy multiple gaming and computing devices

You really can't go wrong with any of the above options, as long as they fit your needs. In my case, I have an Asus ROG Ally for handheld gaming, a Windows laptop for productivity, and a desktop Mac for productivity and the occasional cloud gaming. Now, it's time for you to choose — which device will you go with?