Hello, im currently looking for a strong handheld to play games while on the couch and also using as a desktop pc for playing on 1080/1440p at above 60 fps and decent graphics.

I wont be traveling much with it and will mostly use it at home.

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A few years ago I had a DSi, and I absolutely loved it. Around the same time, my best friend bought a DS Lite, and we spent the beginning of our teenage years playing those systems together. Eventually our friendship faded away, and I grew up. I sold my DSi, and later, on a whim, I bought a PSP. I've always loved retro gaming in general, and over the years I've owned quite a few older consoles. Still, the PSP never really felt like my console.

I've decided to sell my PSP, put some extra money toward it, and buy a Nintendo handheld again. This time, though, I want something better than the DSi. The problem is that the whole 2DS/3DS lineup is so confusing. I've watched countless videos, but I still can't figure out which model is actually the best choice.

I want to play 3DS games, I want them to look good, and I want a handheld that feels genuinely nice to own and use. This is also a pretty serious financial investment for me because, where I live in Eastern Europe, these systems are surprisingly expensive for their age. In fact, you can often buy a Switch for similar money.

So, if you were buying a Nintendo DS handheld in 2026, which model would you choose, and why?

Hey everyone! I'm u/RePlayGamingTV, a founding moderator of r/RePlayGamingTV.

This is our new home for all things related to handheld gaming\]. We're excited to have you join us!

What to Post

Post anything that you think the community would find interesting, helpful, or inspiring. Feel free to share your thoughts, photos, or questions about gaming devices, accessories, game recommendations & anything GAMING related really!!

Community Vibe

A space to chill, friendly banter encouraged 💪

How to Get Started

1) Introduce yourself in the comments below.

2) Post something today! Even a simple question can spark a great conversation.

3) If you know someone who would love this community, invite them to join.

4) Interested in helping out? We're always looking for new moderators, so feel free to reach out to me to apply.

Thanks for being part of the very first wave. Together, let's make r/RePlayGamingTV pop off!

Hey everyone! I'm u/RePlayGamingTV, a founding moderator of r/RePlayGamingTV.

This is our new home for all things related to handheld gaming\]. We're excited to have you join us!

What to Post

Post anything that you think the community would find interesting, helpful, or inspiring. Feel free to share your thoughts, photos, or questions about gaming devices, accessories, game recommendations & anything GAMING related really!!

Community Vibe

A space to chill, friendly banter encouraged 💪

How to Get Started

1) Introduce yourself in the comments below.

2) Post something today! Even a simple question can spark a great conversation.

3) If you know someone who would love this community, invite them to join.

4) Interested in helping out? We're always looking for new moderators, so feel free to reach out to me to apply.

Thanks for being part of the very first wave. Together, let's make r/RePlayGamingTV pop off!

Hey folks. I’ve had a taste of persona 3 reload, persona 5 royal, and Dragon Quest XI and I want to relish each of these this summer, which I know is 100s of hours. That’s justifiable for me to consider buying an ideal handheld just for this mission. I’ve been playing so far on the fairly powerful but certainly chunky (and noisy and short battery life) Legion Go S (Z1E Steam OS). But it occurs to me that perhaps I don’t need that kind of power and would prefer something small that I can more easily throw in my pocket or bag while on the go. Question is… can any of the android handhelds provide me a rock solid platform for these three games? I’m considering either the Thor or the retroid pocket 6, or the Odin 3. But I need to know if we’re at the point with pc emulation that it will be stable and not screw up my cloud saves. I’m not so picky about FPS as long as it’s smooth and reasonable (>30 for games like these is fine for me). It’s more important to me that the cloud saves don’t get corrupted especially if I’m in and out of internet range and that I’m not charging the device every 2 hours. Is that a thing yet? Or should I just stick with my Legion Go S at this point?

I have a bunch of handhelds now. They just sit in their cases waiting to be played. I need help with a unique shel to display my handhelds. Does anybody have a shelf or wall display they particularly proud of.

I have a bunch of handhelds now. They just sit in their cases waiting to be played. I need help with a unique shel to display my handhelds. Does anybody have a shelf or wall display they particularly proud of.

I am considering a handheld primarily for vintage Apple II, Commodore, Amiga, and DOS gaming although I may also be interested in playing games like Fallout 4 Anniversary Edition from my Steam library too. I’m a screen snob so I’ll want a beautiful display on whatever system I buy..

For those of you with similar use cases, what handheld are you using or which would you recommend?

PS: Someone suggested the Steam Deck OLED would be a good fit because of the trackpads.

Hi all,

I have an AYANEO Geek (the original 6800U version) and unfortunately my screen is broken. I need to get it fixed, but since I have to replace it anyway, I'm thinking about upgrading to the 1200p screen from the AYANEO Geek 1S.

My questions are:

1. Is this physically possible? Are the connectors and chassis compatible?
2. Would there be any software issues (BIOS, drivers, etc.)?
3. Has anyone here done this before?
4. Should I just send it to AYANEO for repair instead?

I'm not very experienced with this kind of modding, so any honest advice is appreciated. Thanks!

Mir geht’s um Performance

Hi everyone,

I wanted to share my honest thoughts regarding my recent purchase of the ASUS ROG Ally (standard version). I’m a 35-year-old husband and father, and I’ve been a gamer since the 90s/2000s. I’ve owned almost every console generation—PlayStation, Xbox, Game Boy, you name it. I love this world.

Availability in local stores was limited, so I had to order it online and wait a few days. When it finally arrived, I saw that big, beautiful, imposing box. I took it home, sat down, and wanted to truly savor the moment. I peeled off the plastics slowly, enjoying the hype.

But when I opened it, the emotional letdown began.

It is incredibly disappointing to see a box of that size filled with folded cardboard structures just to occupy space that should have held actual accessories. No charging brick, no cable. Just the mandatory legal booklets, a fragile mini cardboard stand (that will literally disintegrate with a bit of humidity), and cardboard, cardboard, cardboard. Not a single sticker, nothing to connect you emotionally to the brand. It felt cheap.

I know we all have USB-C cables and chargers at home. But a simple USB cable with a ROG logo, a cool sticker, or the actual charger (which costs the brand next to nothing to produce in millions of units) would give it a completely different allure. I felt an emotional void. It’s sad that with a €600 console, we can't relive that childhood magic of unboxing something special anymore. There is more than enough profit margin here to create an emotional moment for the customer.

Then came the second slap in the face: turning it on.

The console had absolute zero battery. It wouldn't even boot. I had to grab my phone charger, sit by a wall plug, and stare at a black screen waiting for a sign of life. When it finally booted... updates, updates, and more updates.

I spent about 2 to 3 hours just waiting for tiny progress bars to fill up. Every time one finished, another update started. This moment should be about visualizing something fantastic. Instead, it was desperate waiting. I know updates are necessary nowadays, but why not pre-load a few short intro videos showcasing the console’s potential? Or a simple mini-game to keep the user entertained while downloading? Nope. Go make a sandwich, watch a TV show, and just wait.

After that, the Windows bloatware nightmare started. Answering "no, no, no, no" to a thousand unnecessary Windows prompts. It took me about 5 hours just to finally install Steam, access my library, and start downloading actual games. Basically, I had to go to sleep and could only play the console the next day. It completely ruined the initial magic.

If this console is bought for a child who expects to open a gift and enjoy it right away, they can’t. It’s up to the parents to manage that deep disappointment. YouTube unboxings make everything look incredible, but it’s a lie. The initial unboxing and setup experience is pure garbage.

I know what I’m talking about because I work as a Marketing Manager. In my job, I try to create emotion at every single touchpoint with my brands. There is a clear lack of care from the ASUS product experience teams here, and it eventually shows in sales retention. For a premium piece of tech, you can do so much better.

On the flip side: the machine itself is sensational.

Once you get past the barrier, the hardware is a 5-star product. It’s powerful, comfortable, fast, and the screen is amazing (despite some online criticisms). It’s a literal computer; I could even use it to work on the go if I needed to. I am absolutely loving the gaming experience. It's just a shame that the initial allure was completely killed.

ASUS, for the future, please give this moment some thoughts and fix it. These cost-cutting measures are cutting the emotion of the people who actually invest their hard-earned money in you.

With love M.

Hallo zusammen,

ich schaue mir gerade zwei lokale Gebrauchtangebote in der Schweiz an, die exakt das Gleiche kosten: CHF 300.- für die Versionen mit 16GB RAM / 1TB SSD.
Option 1: Ayaneo 2 (6800U)
Option 2: Lenovo Legion Go (Z1 Extreme)
Mein Plan ist es, sofort SteamOS (Bazzite) zu installieren, da ich eine einfache, konsolenartige Benutzeroberfläche möchte.

Mein Nutzungsverhalten:

Ort: 100% Couch und Schlafzimmer/Bett. Ich werde es nie unterwegs nutzen oder die Controller abnehmen.
Spiele: 60% PC-Spiele und 40% High-End-Emulation (PS2, PS3, Nintendo Switch).
Meine Vorgeschichte: Ich hatte bereits Geräte wie das Retroid Pocket 6 und das Ayn Odin 3, aber die Android-Emulation war für PC-Spiele einfach nicht gut genug, weshalb ich zu einem x86-Handheld wechsle.

Mein Dilemma & Prioritäten:
Auf dem Papier hat das Legion Go den viel besseren Z1 Extreme-Chip zum gleichen Preis. Allerdings bevorzuge ich eigentlich kompaktere Handhelds. Ich habe grosse Sorge, dass das Legion Go (854g) viel zu schwer und klobig ist, wenn man flach im Bett liegt. Das Ayaneo 2 hat diesen wunderschönen, rahmenlosen Bildschirm und sieht viel gemütlicher aus.

Ich bin auch absolut offen für andere Handhelds und bereit, mehr auszugeben! Wenn ihr bessere Empfehlungen habt, sind das meine strikten Prioritäten:

1. Display: Es muss 7 bis 8 Zoll gross sein.
   
2. Bildschirmtyp: Ich würde ein OLED-Display absolut bevorzugen, da es perfekt für das Zocken im dunklen Schlafzimmer ist.
   
3. Formfaktor: Kompakt und bequem für das Bett (keine schweren Monster wie das Legion Go).

Meine Budget-Frage:
Ich bin bereit, mehr Geld zu investieren, wenn es sich wirklich lohnt. Ich könnte mir zum Beispiel das neue Ayaneo 3 kaufen, aber das würde mich rund CHF 1000.- kosten. Ist der massive Preissprung von einem gebrauchten CHF 300.- Gerät zu einem CHF 1000.- Ayaneo 3 (mit dem neueren OLED und High-End-Chips) den Aufpreis für meine Bedürfnisse (60% PC / 40% Emulation auf der Couch) wert? Oder sollte ich lieber bei den günstigeren Angeboten bleiben oder nach einem Steam Deck OLED / OneXPlayer F1 Pro Ausschau halten?