Battle of the Handhelds: Finding the Perfect Portable Console for You

Among the top contenders that call for your attention are the Steam Deck, Asus Rog Ally, and the latest Lenovo Legion Go, each bringing its own features and capabilities to the table. But what should you be going for? Stick around and discover what you can get to match your gaming needs.

What's good, under the hood. Let’s talk about the basic specs. Advertisements aside, all consoles can handle your beloved games in their own way. Emphasis is placed on “their own way” because they have differences in screen size, processor, etc. So, refer to the table below to see what they are packing.

Looking at this from a general perspective, you have to settle with the Lenovo Legion Go if you are seeking power. If you are okay with casual specs, the base model Steam Deck is for you. Do take note that the table above displays the basic purchasable option. However, It must be included that the Steam Deck has recently released an OLED variant for its 512GB and 1TB options—juicy.

Additionally, the Lenovo Legion Go provides a cooler and more immersive experience thanks to its Battle Station mode that allows players to use its controllers remotely, doubling down as a trigger mouse.

Platforms and game title accessibility. In a nutshell, all these consoles support windows, allowing them to access gaming platforms like Steam. The Steam Deck is literally made for Steam, which means its strength lies in its integration with the platform.

Verdict? Don’t worry; the probability of playing your beloved games will be available for all three consoles. So, for this category, all contenders are on equal pacing.

Price tag. What is the best bang for your buck? Arguably, it is the category that sways people from one console to another.

First up is the cheaper option, the Steam Deck. For its most affordable variant—take this with a grain of salt—it is priced at ₱25,850 (64GB EMMC). The following variants are priced at ₱30,950 (256GB NVMe SSD) and ₱37,950 (512GB NVMe SSD). Its OLED versions aren’t available at the time of writing this article.

ROG Ally has two available variants: its vanilla AMD Ryzen Z1 version priced at ₱39,995 and it's better performing big brother AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme version priced at ₱43,995

Finally, the Lenovo Legion Go is priced at ₱49,995, which is definitely the more expensive option out of its three competitors. The ROG Ally and the Steam Deck have other variant prices that allow potential buyers more options, but it's a one-machine beast for the Lenovo Legion Go case.

These three portable consoles cater to different gaming preferences and budgets, offering unique features that appeal to a diverse audience. As you weigh your options, consider factors such as the gaming ecosystem, performance, and your specific gaming needs. Just remember to enjoy the experience of gaming as a short escape when life gets tiring or stressful.

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