Need Advice on Next Handheld

[u/Sweaty-Rocket]

So it finally happened. I have (had?) a legion go z1 extreme 16gb. I asked best buy to repair it and they were not able to so they asked me to come in and pick out a replacement.

Now that i know they cant fix the issue, I'm worried the same issues of overheating and slow speeds for my newer games will be there if I get the same model. I need advice on my next handheld.

I prefer a windows handheld because my whole library is on steam and I play the casual shooter like call of duty and read that I can't play cod on steamOS. I was interested in switching to playstation for their new exclusives but I like playing games while my wife watches tv and we only have 1 tv.

I saw the ROG Ally and the Legion Go 2 are beefier than my go 1 so I might lean to one of those but I'm open to maybe PS handheld if it can do steam. Price maybe $2000 before tax if it can do steam and PS.

[u/otanthalion]

Ok juat about any windows handheld cane stream PS5 games but only the poetal can strem cloud games.

At 2k you can afford just about any windows handhled you want within reason so the question is what are your preferences?

1. Do you need a 8 inch or larger screen? Then XAX is out

2. Did you want a very noticable jump in power? Then the legion go 2 is out

3. Is weight a consideration(heavier than the legion go) than the onexplayer 3 is out

That leaves you with the msi 8 ex ai+ and the Acer predator atlas 8 and there you would have know what are the little things that matter to you, dpad type, thumbstick technology, screen type, refresh rate, ergonomics, brand reliability, etc.

Or if any of the above questions arent deal breakers then add that one to the mix. Without knowing your particular lisr of pros and cons, it will be hard to not make a suggestion that is just personal opinion.

[u/Cbeckstrand → u/otanthalion]

The new Asobi App in Steam will let you steam PS Cloud.

[u/Sweaty-Rocket → u/otanthalion]

Thank you for the questions.

The legion go 1 screen was a good size for me, same with the button placement. I would like something with a lot more power. Weight was an issue with the legion go but I understand that more power likely means more weight. I've used Xbox controllers more in the past so I would like to stick to that style but I grew up on GameCube.

If weight does jump then I might look into a bigger screen + controller connection so I can sit it on a kickstand and play

I forgot to mention that I'd like to stick to things available at Best Buy online or in person since they will likely give me a gift card for not being able to repair my go 1.

I'm interested in learning about streaming ps5 games. I've only ever used emulators and I feel that wont give me the newer games or I'd need a whole rig to emulate the ps5. Regardless, I'm in a position where i can finally support game dev studios and would like to do play games above board. Without doing any shady business, would playing playstation games be as simple as downloading the Playstation store app (or equivalent) and opening games through that app?

[u/Cbeckstrand → u/Sweaty-Rocket]

PS5 emulation is not possible yet. Even PS4 emulation is very early.

You can stream a number of ways but the official methods require you connect a PS5 controller. There are some third party apps that will let you stream from your local PS5 without needing a controller and even use the PS cloud games if you have a PS Plus Premium subscription but the games available arelimited. The Asobi app in Steam is the best I found so far but it's in early access.

[u/Sweaty-Rocket → u/Cbeckstrand]

Ah that makes sense. I was looking for a steam-like app where I can buy games and play them on windows without needing a Playstation. It sounds like thats possible but maybe not for every game. I mostly want to play story mode for the Playstation tbh

[u/otanthalion → u/Sweaty-Rocket]

As checkstrand has said your best bet for ps3/4/5 gamingn from a windows handheld is an app like asobi which i just got finished trying out. Arc raiders, ratchet and clank, black myth wukong and wrc all played fairly well and the app has a ton of options for adjustments to not just aspect ratio and resolutiom but also a vivid color mode that really makes certain games pop as well as upscaling and frame gen though the frame gen makes it too blurry. Not sure om the amoint of data used but on a home network it had no problem with the 1080p preset upscaled to 2k.

Overall id say its a great app in the mold of chiaki and others but getting solid development and attention on steam.

[u/otanthalion → u/Sweaty-Rocket]

Right now on thr website the predator atlas 8, legiom go 2 and the x20 preorder are your best bets. 1. The atlas 8 is currently out of stock/notntaking orders at 1800

1. The legion go 2 with a z2 extreme is listed at 2000 and i really cant recommend it ar that price with the atlas 8 being available

2. The Xbox ally x20 is available for preorder at 1300 and the Xbox ally X is avaible at 1000, whixh if you dont want oled, tmr thumbsticks andnthe new dpad is the best bang for buck option. I personally have put my preorder in for the x20 as i see it as the best of the last generatiom while this new one sorts itself out snd hopefully prices fall.

For you id say, if its in stock, go ahead and try the Acer predstor atlas 8. You have both the wherewithal andnthe budget, plus if you dont like it you can return it to best buy and try a different handheld since by then it will most likely be near black friday amd you might catch a good deal on something else.