These are high-power, high-performance handhelds--but steep pricing and a cluttered UI hold Xbox's first portables back from greatness. All products featured on WIRED are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Cloud gaming works better than ever. Terrible AI "assistant" in Gaming Copilot (but can be turned off).

There's nothing I love more than curling up on the couch with a handheld gaming device. Whether I'm playing an old classic like The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap or a relaxing farming sim like Stardew Valley, it's one of my favorite ways to unwind at the end of the day. Now you can do it for a lot cheaper than before. Best Buy is currently selling the Asus ROG Ally for 399.99, which is 100 off of the new 499.99 and 200 off the original 599 price. In our review of the pricier model, we were impressed with the gaming performance as well as the beautiful 120Hz display.

MSI has introduced a handheld gaming device called Claw at CES 2024 in Las Vegas. And unlike its biggest rivals the Steam Deck and the ASUS ROG Ally, it's powered by Intel's processors instead of AMD's. The Claw runs on Intel's new Core Ultra chips and comes integrated with Intel's XeSS technology, which uses advanced AI upscaling algorithms to boost FPS for a smooth gaming experience. MSI says that will allow users to enjoy even resource-intensive AAA games on a handheld device. The device also uses MSI's thermal technology design called the Cooler Boost Hyperflow that redirects airflow to cool internal components so that it doesn't overheat even after extended gaming sessions. Its battery lasts for two hours under full workload conditions, same as ROG Ally's.

Cyber Monday has brought a truckload of deals on gaming gear for PCs, PS5, Xbox and Nintendo Switch alike. As always, most of those offers aren't really deals at all -- but if you want a hand in upgrading your setup, we've scoured the many sales happening around the web and compiled the best Cyber Monday gaming deals we could find. While much of the Cyber Monday 2023 selection is left over from Black Friday, we're still seeing lower-than-usual prices on consoles, games, gaming monitors, mice, keyboards, headsets, handhelds, laptops and other recommended accessories our gaming experts have tested and reviewed. The non-slim PS5 is still 10 percent off for Cyber Monday at GameStop and Amazon, though the former requires in-store pickup as of this writing. The PlayStation 5 is still $50 off and down to $450 at Amazon and GameStop -- though stock has been going in and out at the former, and the latter appears to require in-store pickup. This offer only applies to the older version of the PS5, not the smaller "slim" version that was announced last month. But discounts of any kind for Sony's console have been extremely rare since the device arrived in 2020, and there's no performance difference between the two models. If stock for that deal completely runs dry, Sony is still offering a pair of bundles that do include the latest version of the console: one that comes with Marvel's Spider-Man 2, and one that includes Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III. You should go with the former while both are available: We called Spider-Man 2 a "perfectly balanced game" in our review, while Modern Warfare 3 has been roundly criticized as one of the most undercooked CoD entries in recent memory. Both games cost $70 on their own, so that's what you're saving here. As a refresher, Sony says the slim PS5 takes up 30 percent less volume than the original models and weighs up to three pounds less. It also has two USB-C ports instead of one. If the slim Spider-Man 2 bundle runs out of stock, Sony is running a similar deal with the older "fat" PS5 as well.

Whether you play on PS5, Xbox, Nintendo Switch or PC, the myriad Cyber Monday sales around the web include a number of deals that may be of interest. To help you cut through the junk, we've rounded up the best Cyber Monday gaming deals we could find below. Most are left over from Black Friday, but that still means lower-than-usual prices on consoles, games, mice, keyboards, headsets, handhelds, monitors, laptops and more recommended gaming gear our experts have tested and reviewed. The non-slim PS5 is still 10 percent off for Cyber Monday at Amazon and GameStop, a rare discount for Sony's console. The PlayStation 5 is still $50 off and down to $450 at Amazon and GameStop -- though stock has been going in and out at the former, and the latter appears to require in-store pickup. This offer only applies to the older version of the PS5, not the smaller "slim" version that was announced last month. But discounts of any kind for Sony's console have been extremely rare since the device arrived in 2020, and there's no performance difference between the two models. If stock for that deal completely runs dry, Sony is still offering a pair of bundles that do include the latest version of the console: one that comes with Marvel's Spider-Man 2, and one that includes Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III. You should go with the former while both are available: We called Spider-Man 2 a "perfectly balanced game" in our review, while Modern Warfare 3 has been roundly criticized as one of the most undercooked CoD entries in recent memory. Both games cost $70 on their own, so that's what you're saving here. As a refresher, Sony says the slim PS5 takes up 30 percent less volume than the original models and weighs up to three pounds less. It also has two USB-C ports instead of one. If the slim Spider-Man 2 bundle runs out of stock, Sony is running a similar deal with the older "fat" PS5 as well.

Black Friday is typically a good time to restock on gaming gear at a discount, and that's the case again this year, whether you're partial to PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch or PC. If you're not sure what's worth grabbing, we've sorted through the many, many sales happening around the web and curated a roundup of the best Black Friday gaming deals below. The selection includes a few noteworthy bundles for the PS5, Xbox Series X/S and Nintendo Switch; recommended storage upgrades and controllers; several top picks from our guides to the best gaming mice, gaming headsets and gaming handhelds and, of course, a whole bunch of actual games. The non-slim PS5 is 10 percent off for Black Friday at Amazon and GameStop in a rare discount on Sony's popular console. The PlayStation 5 is $50 off and down to $450 at Amazon and GameStop. This offer only applies to the older version of the PS5, not the smaller "slim" version that was announced last month. But discounts of any kind for Sony's console have been extremely rare since the device arrived in 2020, and there's no performance difference between the two models, so this is a great opportunity to save. If stock for that deal runs out, Sony is selling a couple of new bundles that do include the latest version of the console: one that comes with Marvel's Spider-Man 2, and one that includes Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III. You should go with the former while both are in stock: We called Spider-Man 2 a "perfectly balanced game" in our review, while Modern Warfare 3 has been roundly criticized as one of the most undercooked CoD entries in recent memory. Both games cost $70 on their own, so that's what you're saving here. As of this writing, the Spider-Man bundle is further discounted by an extra $20 at BJ's, bringing it down to $480. As a refresher, Sony says the slim PS5 takes up 30 percent less volume than the original models and weighs up to three pounds less.

If you've been waiting to buy a new PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X or Nintendo Switch, Black Friday looks like a good time to pounce. To save you a bit of Googling, we've rounded up the best Black Friday game console deals we could find and laid out everywhere you can buy each device below. The offers include genuine discounts on both of the latest Xbox consoles and both the new slim and (non-slim) PS5, as well as a few noteworthy bundles for all three Nintendo Switch models. If you're looking for a new handheld gaming PC or VR headset, both the ASUS ROG Ally and Meta Quest 2 are seeing unusually steep discounts as well. The new slim PS5 is 10 percent off for Black Friday at Amazon, an surprising discount on the just-released console.