The Nintendo Switch 2 is just around the corner, but if you’re not convinced here are some excellent Android-based gaming handhelds.
The Nintendo Switch 2 is shaping up to be another smash hit for the Japanese company, at least until pricing is considered. The $450 price tag on the console itself isn’t too far off from what most people expected, but the jump to $90 for games like Mario Kart World makes it a tough pill to swallow in today’s economy (and that’s before tariffs).
But the good news is there are Switch 2 alternatives! And I’m not talking about the Steam Deck, ROG Ally, or even the PlayStation Portal. I’m talking about Android gaming devices, which have absolutely exploded in popularity over the past few years.
So if you’re not convinced by what the Nintendo Switch 2 has to offer, here’s a quick rundown of what you’ll find on the Android side of the aisle.AYANEO brings premium retro vibes
When it comes to premium Android gaming handhelds, AYANEO is the brand to beat. You won’t save much on the upfront cost of the gaming handheld, but if you’re looking to emulate demanding games (including the Switch), it doesn’t get any better than the AYANEO Pocket EVO.
It’s big, with full-size Hall-effect sticks flanking a gorgeous 7-inch OLED panel. These two features are frustratingly absent from the Nintendo Switch 2, which uses untested sticks and a standard LCD panel at launch. Obviously I don’t have my hands on a Nintendo Switch 2 for comparison yet, but I can’t gush enough about how excellent the sticks are. It’s the most comfortable handheld I’ve ever used by a county mile.
The EVO is powered by a Snapdragon G3 Gen 2, which is last year’s edition of Qualcomm’s gaming handheld-focused chipset. AYANEO has already announced a device with the latest Snapdragon G3 Gen 3 in the AYANEO Pocket S2, but it doesn’t have a release date as of writing.
Regardless, the chipset is capable of running anything you can throw at it. Demanding Android games, emulators, and more are within your reach. Another of my favorite uses for this device is local game streaming, which breathed new life into my Steam library. The only caveat is that the unusual GPU doesn’t have the best driver support from the community, but hopefully that changes as more companies adopt the gaming-focused lineup of chips.
The bad news here is that the Pocket EVO starts at $469 for the 128GB+8GB configuration and maxes out at $669 for the 1TB+16GB model. That’s even more expensive than the Switch 2, at least until you start taking games into account.
AYANEO has a few cheaper devices, like the GBA-focused Pocket Micro and the Game Boy-like Pocket DMG, but they aren’t really replacements for the Nintendo Switch 2. They are great devices though, if you don’t mind different form factors.Reliable performance from the AYN Odin 2
While the AYANEO Pocket EVO’s chipset can be a mixed bag when it comes to compatibility, the AYN Odin 2 lineup offers reliable performance with its Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset. That puts it at the forefront of emulation, with reliable performance on everything from upscaled PS2 to compatible Nintendo Switch games.
