Man, what a week. While a lot of the gaming handheld industry is kind of slowing down as we await what’s next, there was a lot more at CES 2026 than I expected. The team covered a few of the major announcements from the past week, but here are a few more of our favorite products and booths that we visited.
8BitDo Ultimate 3E
It’s no secret that 8BitDo makes some of our favorite controllers, but the Ultimate 3E might take the cake as the best. As you might be able to tell, 8BitDo and the Xbox team worked together on this controller, but that’s not the only reason to get excited.
The 8BitDo Ultimate 3E is modular, giving you ability to swap out the D-pad , ABXY buttons, and joysticks. But wait! There’s more! The Ultimate 3E is equipped with TMR joysticks, along with sporting LR/R4 buttons that are remappable using 8BitDo’s Ultimate software.
We’re expecting 8BitDo to release the Ultimate 3E sometime in Q2 2026.
GameSir X5 Alteron
Arguably just as exciting, at least for some, is the new GameSir X5 Alteron controller that debuted at CES. This one came out of left field, as we weren’t expecting to see it in person, but I’m glad we were able to. Surprisingly, this one isn’t just by GameSir, but it’s also partnering with Hyperkin for the launch.
Both side of the controller are modular, but the real fun is that GameSir is aiming to cater to all of the retro gamers out there with its various modules that are rather familiar. Like the 8BitDo Ultimate 3E, the GameSir X5 Alteron is slated to arrive sometime later in 2026.
MSI Claw A8
Despite being launching in global regions back in August 2025, the MSI Claw A8 is officially arriving in the U.S. It’s powered by the Ryzen Z2 Extreme, and we’re already seeing listings at various retailers. The only downside is that if you want the best colorway (green), you’ll have to try and get one imported as MSI won’t be selling it here in the States.
OneXPlayer Apex and Super X
Like GPD and Genki, OneXPlayer managed to make it’s way into the main showroom this year, and we’re definitely glad it did. We weren’t able to spend a ton of time here, but I did get a few minutes to check out the OneXPlayer Apex. As someone who has been lusting over the Win 5, it was pretty awesome to see what OneXPlayer is doing with its own AI Max+ 395 handheld.
I played Cyberpunk 2077 for about 10 minutes or so, and after getting acclimated to the handheld, it was a lot nicer than I expected. The screen is quite nice, with its 120Hz refresh rate, but more importantly, I didn’t experience any lag or stutters. Now it’s just a matter of being able to test one out in order to put it through it’s paces, so I’ll need to bug Zu again.
ASUS and XREAL Partner Up
Asus on the other hand was going in all directions at once with their CES showcases, but one item worth mentioning is their partnership with XREAL for the ROG XREAL R1 Gaming Glasses. While it sounds like another pair of AR glasses, this set is touting the inclusion of a higher than normal 240hz refresh rate.
If you’re looking to game on the go, but need a much larger screen than before, this is their go to option for you this time around. And of course, Asus advertises easy integration into the rest of their ROG lineup. The last question just comes down to what the price will be for this one.
Genki Grips for Switch 2
It was cool seeing Genki on the main showroom floor, as opposed to being hidden in another random hall of the convention center. The company gave us a look at the upcoming Genki Grips for the Switch 2, which recently saw successful backing via Kickstarter. Of the different options, the “DragonBack” grips stood out the most to Russ, Zu, and myself.
As you can see in the pictures above, these grips don’t exactly look like they would be very comfortable or ergonomic. However, all three of our opinions immediately changed after actually holding a Switch 2 with the grips attached. Your hands just kind of fall into place, with your fingers nestling quite nicely into each of the grooves. I’ll definitely be picking up a set of these grips with the hope that I’ll actually want to play my Switch 2 more often.
AceMagic Blends Retro with Modern
I wasn’t able to get over to the South Hall to check this out on Day One, but you best believe I made a point to head over to the AceMagic booth on Day Two. Originally, I was only planning to see the Retro X5, as it’s modeled after the NES, but is powered by the Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 processor.
To my surprise, AceMagic had another retro-inspired mini PC, as the other one looked like a mini PlayStation 1. I’m not sure when, or even if, AceMagic plans to release the PS1 version, but if it does, I’ll be definitely looking to pick one up after I grab the Retro X5.
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