As we enter gift giving season for you or a loved one, sometimes you need to make a decision. What device do I get for someone? What should I give myself? How much should I really spend to get the performance I want? With that in mind, my goal is to grab the best handhelds you can at each price point to give you my thoughts and opinions on what you really should consider buying this year. Or at the very least which ones you should try picking up during the next Aliexpress sale.
This year though, we’re using your responses. At the conclusion of Handheld of the Year 2025 Round 2, we’ve gotten over 1,000 responses as to what you’re voting the for the best of the best from the last year. And rather than leave it in the dark, here’s what the Retro Handhelds community is ranking as the top handheld in each pricing category.
Under $50
Primary Choice:
The top vote of the sub $50 price point came out to be the Anbernic RG35XX Pro. A BatleXP in Anbernic clothing, you’re getting an H700, Wifi, and Anbernic’s special OS sauce in a sub $50 price point. It’s nothing fancy, but it’s got community support via MuOS, Knulli, and Rocknix among others. For a budget pick up for you or someone else, it’s a great place to start.
Runner Up:
Despite also being one of the top options for flop of the year, the Miyoo Flip V2 has been steadily dropping in price until it hits that coveted, $45 price point. With its tried-and-true RK3566 inside, you’re getting a decent amount of power for the price tag. If you’re okay with a potentially faulty hinge eventually (although recent batches may have this corrected, we are waiting on a new unit to confirm), or the possibility of a dead SD card reader (we mostly see this affecting V1 units), the Flip V2 is an okay route. Just be sure to get it from somewhere that offers returns.
Ban’s Pick:
Miyoo Mini and Mini Plus. The Miyoo Mini and Mini Plus have got to be some of the most beloved devices in the retro handheld space, and I adore them. They may be older and underpowered, but their custom firmware options and support from the community is second to none. Also, if you choose the Plus model, you get WiFi!
$50 – $100
Primary Choice:
Anbernic shows up yet again with an H700. Sitting just above $50 is the RG34XX SP. The Gameboy Advance clamshell people didn’t really know they wanted in 2025. Solid build, solid support, solid hinge, solid 3:2 screen for a dang solid GBA experience. There are two handhelds I describe as solid likely way too much, and the 34XX SP is one of them.
Runner Up:
The other handheld earning that coveted solid title in 2025 has been the TrimUI Brick or Brick Hammer (if you’re into metal). From $50-$80 you swap out the H700 for an A133P. You still get decent performance, but now in a vertical form factor that brings clicky style controls. Again, it just feels so dang solid. TrimUI really knows how to build a handheld, and the Brick is a prime example that is absolutely worth its asking price if you ask me.
Ban’s Pick:
If you enjoy using Android, grab the Mangmi Air X. For $89 you get fully upscaled PSP, with a much larger and more vibrant display. It has some of the best ergonomics in its price bracket, satisfying rubber membrane-based dpad and face buttons, a capable Snapdragon 662, and it’s an easy one to take on the go. It has been one of the most recommended sub $100 Android handhelds by our review team as well this year.
$100-$150
Primary Choice:
The Retroid Pocket Classic takes it here. A vertical with 4-6 face buttons depending on your colorway, a Snapdragon G1 Gen 2 chip we haven’t seen elsewhere in this niche, and an OLED 31:27 display that seems to be best for Gameboy despite the PS2 emulation power underneath. The RP Classic is a great handheld, that when setup will run most, if not all of your games well, in many cases with shaders and/or upscaling as a bonus. As long as you don’t need the stick, you’re in good hands here.
Runner Up:
The T820 is back in action thanks to the Anbernic RG476H winning this category. For solid PS2 and Gamecube performance for under $150, the 476H gives you everything you could need with an incredibly nice 4.7” LTPS display, however the all glass front may be off-putting depending on your preference. In the end, if you’re looking for something to play nearly all of your true 4:3 retro games on, this might be the top option for you.
Ban’s Pick:
The Retroid Pocket 4 may be a dated beauty by now, but many, including myself still consider it a quality Android handheld for under $150. The RP4 feels good to use, and it plays at least up to PS2 and Gamecube, with a few tougher systems sometimes sprinkled in as a bonus. I would grab the more performant D1100 rather than saving $10 on the lesser D900.
$150-$200
Primary Choice:
The winner here is going to be the Retroid Pocket Flip 2. Now that Retroid is past the initial hinge situation, the RP Flip 2 is one of the most versatile handhelds from Retroid. Able to run both Android, and Linux by way of Rocknix, and Batocera. The Snapdragon 865 also helps to give you plenty of performance if you’re planning to push PS2.
Runner Up:
Can’t say much here, but the RP Mini V2 takes slot two. A lot of the same words to describe the Flip 2 can be applied here so I won’t linger. The OLED 31:27 display is a marked improvement over the V1, and is way more comfortable than the RP5 for some. It’s also worth noting that it uses the same display as the RP Classic, and funnily enough, the AYN Thor‘s bottom screen. The RP Mini V2 is an easy recommend here.
Ban’s Pick:
I’d just grab a Snapdragon 865 based handheld. You have the RP Mini for $179, RP5 or Flip 2 for $199. It’s great for the price and often even cheaper used.
$200-$300
Primary Choice:
The AYN Thor. Squeezing in barely at $299, it has taken the market by storm with its dual screen, 3DS design. Powerful enough for 3DS, capable enough for Switch and PC emulation, it’s no wonder the Thor is as popular as it is. If you like the ergonomics that is. I happened to sell mine as it’s just not for my hands in the end, but I still think it’s the best choice for many, and an obvious answer in this price range. What a wild and wonderful time we’re living in.
Runner Up:
Second place goes to Anbernic again. The RG477M packs the Dimensity 8300 and potential. It can brute force a lot of systems, but with some attention to software, you could easily squeeze more PC compatibility and PS3 through its grips if you wanted. Personally, I think the 477M is Anbernic’s best high-end handheld to date. The metal body feels premium, the controls all feel nice, and you get all that D8300 performance goodness.
Ban’s Pick:
If you can wait? Konkr Pocket Fit, or Retroid Pocket 6. Some of the best of the best for Android. If you can’t and want to save a little money too? Retroid Pocket G2 is the way to go. Less power, but it performs very well. While still early days, so far game compatibility reports are positive as well.
$300-$500
Primary Choice:
The AYN Odin 2 Portal takes the top spot here. With its large 7” OLED display, and performant Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, the Portal 2 manages to be everything you want with the caveat of smaller stick caps for such a large device. I think many in the niche would agree with me that your hard earned $300 to $500 would be well spent on a handheld like this if you want a one and done. That is if you don’t need the extra performance offered by chips like the Snapdragon 8 Elite, although you trade extra power for less game compatibility (for now).
Runner Up:
The Ayaneo Flip 1S DS surprisingly lands in second place. Another clamshell craze device, with most backers not even receiving their units as of this writing. Enough of the community seems to like it to the point they’d pick it in this slot, however. For the G3X Gen 2 performance, I think it’s good. And if you want dual screens, this is totally a viable option. Plus, it’s not unattractive to the eyes either. However, I agree with the community vote that it’s not the best choice overall.
Ban’s Thoughts:
Upgrade the Ram and Storage from something cheaper (for example, the Thor or Pocket Fit) rather than buy something from this price point. Most of what’s available around this price has something that’s just as good, but for less.
$500-$1000
Primary Choice:
The top vote in this category goes to the Microsoft and Asus collaboration with a huge mouthful of a name: The Asus ROG Xbox Ally X. With its Z2E processor, they’re offering top tier ergonomics, sound and performance in a price tag under $1,000. There is also the more budget friendly base model at $599, but you lose an awful lot of performance for the money saved. Lastly, the touted Full Screen Experience is still under construction, albeit useable and helpful in focusing you in more on the gaming experience, rather than constantly having the full-fledged, increasingly AI powered behemoth of Windows 11 up in your grill all the time. Upon completion, we hope that Microsoft may finally have an experience to rival that of the Steam Deck. But I wouldn’t hold my breath just yet.
Runner Up:
The Lenovo Legion Go S comes in a solid second place. With either a Z2 Go or Z1E chip, you can pick between performant or efficient. It does most of what you want across its either SteamOS or Windows 11 operating system, and I guess Lenovo just wanted to give you the most opportunity possible to pick one up. If you can find a Z2 Go for under $500 I’d highly recommend it, but even at the current prices I still say it’s a good, for indies especially.
Ban’s Pick:
I’d love to say the base model Xbox Ally, but the Steam Deck OLED and Legion Go S provide the best value at the lower $500 price.
Final Thoughts
There’s plenty of solid handhelds that came before 2025, but this year’s options arrived as some of your best go-to units, that it’s hard to deny having a conversation about them. Regardless of your price point, you have options, and you have good, if not great ones at that. Ultimately, it’s up to you to pick what meets your needs, your budget, and then go for what you want before deciding on a device. The handheld community as a whole can be a bit give and take, but I loved to see the community come together to bring you a consensus for the best options at every price. Nice work, you!
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