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I’ve owned a Steam Deck. I’ve spent time with a Lenovo Legion Go. These are great handhelds, but neither has dethroned my smartphone as my mobile gaming platform of choice.
My Phone Doesn’t Feel All That Different
TheLenovo Legion Gois built like a high-end Nintendo Switch. You can slide the controller off both ends like Joy-Cons. I like this, as it enables me to prop the Legion Go up on a table for my kids to watch while we all sit on the couch. The thing is, I already game this way on my phone.
I can use a clamshell controller like aRazer Kishi UltraorGameSir G8to turn my phone into a Switch-style gaming handheld. Since I use a Galaxy Z Fold 5, the inner screen is comparable in absolute size to a Steam Deck, though the dimensions aren’t quite right for many games.
While it may not be as sleek as the Legion Go’s built-in controls, I generallystick to my tried-and-true 8BitDo Pro 2 controllerwhen I want to play on my phone from a distance. My Z Fold 5 is technically even able to prop itself up, though I won’t pretend the narrow cover display is ideal for gaming from afar. I tend toprefer using a cheap phone standinstead.
I’m not saying my phone provides a “better” gaming experience than a device designedexclusivelyfor this one task. My point is that whenever I do pick up a handheld PC, my primary impression is that it feels just like the way I’m already accustomed to gaming.
If my phone is already serving me well enough, why would I drop hundreds of dollars on something so similar?
My Phone Is Far More Portable
There are things that matter more about mobile gaming than specs, performance, and controls alone. By most traditional measures, the gaming handheld is better. But the phone is the one I’m more likely to whip out.
My phone is light enough to not feel like a burden to carry. That means I’m likely to have it on me at those times when I have a moment to game (which is very sporadic sinceI’m gaming as a parent).
I have my phone with me in the car while I wait for my kids to get out of school. It’s with me if I’m at a fiend’s house, and they’re occupied. I don’t have to consciously remember to bring a gaming device to my parents' house. It doesn’t feel as awkward to pull out my phone in a waiting room as it would if I hauled out a Legion Go instead. If I want toplay games on the toilet, I can.
My Phone Has Better Battery Life
My phone has better battery life than the gaming handhelds I’ve tried out. Foldables tend not to last as long as traditional slab phones since they have larger screens to power, but I’m still not as nervous about the battery going out as I am with a Steam Deck.
When the battery does tap out, my phone is easier to charge. Any USB-C cable will do. Sure, I prefer a fast charger, but if all I have on hand is an old car charger or a wireless charging pad, they will slowly juice up my phone nonetheless. With a gaming handheld, even when the device uses a standard USB-C port, if I don’t have a fast-charging brick, I’m out of luck.
As is also the case with electric cars, ease and speed of recharging can matter more than the total range.
Mobile Games Have Come a Long Way
Is the mobile gaming landscape populated with the same high-quality games you find on PCs and consoles? Not quite. But the field is still large and vast, with plenty of delicious fruit to feast upon.
I see mobile phones like the Game Boy handhelds I grew up with. The games may not always be the same, and they may not have the graphical prowess of home consoles and PCs, butAndroid gaming is still worth taking seriously.
Game developers have had a long time to learn how to develop games for touch screens. Some, likeSuzy Cube, show that a platformer likeSuper Mario 3D Landcan run well on a touchscreen-only device.Monument Valleyushered in a new era of puzzle games that feel ageless, inspiring newer games likePath of Giants. There are mobile strategy games that deliver true depth despite their simplified controls, likeIron Marinesfrom Ironhide Games and Raw Fury’sKingdomseries.
If you’re into cross-platform indie games, there is much to love.Coromonarguably feels more like a Pokémon game than Nintendo’s own games.Dead CellsandSparkliteare some of the best roguelites around.Midnight GirlandThe Wreckare beautiful narrative adventures that have both sucked me in.
I’m Not Missing Out on PC and Console Games
Sure,cloud gaming has its flaws. I need a fast internet connection, for starters, but that hasn’t been a problem. Games load quickly for me and, most of the time, I immediately forget that I’m not playing locally. I rarely experience buffering or lag. In fact, even when I hadLife Is Strange: Double Exposuredownloaded to a Legion Go on launch day, I found myselfreaching for my phone and AR glasses instead.
I can’t turn to cloud gaming when I’m out and about like I can native mobile games, but I wouldn’t generally have a gaming PC or Xbox with me when I leave home anyway. Besides, I have plenty of native mobile games to enjoy during that time. I don’t mind waiting until I get home to enjoy the more demanding titles.
I got half a year of GeForceNOW on sale for under $50. A year costs around $100. I fully expect these prices to go up over time. Yet even if they do, I can play for several years before I’ve spent the money it requires to get a gaming handheld. If the experience doesn’t feel markedly better, what am I paying for?
It’s worth noting that I almost exclusively play single-player games. If your jam is online competitive gaming, your perspective will likely be different.
Many of the games I enjoy are perfectly playable on a phone, and I can stream the rest. When my phone’s aspect ratio is weird, I simply dock to a monitor or AR glasses with a more conventional resolution.
At the end of the day, a foldable phone isone of the most versatile devices you may buy, and that extends to gaming as well. Just like howmy phone replaced my laptop, I don’t see the need for a dedicated gaming handheld, either.
