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Handhelds · Archive

Handhelds archive

The full history of SpawningPoint, from our first benchmark to our latest deep dive. Filter by type, category, topic, score, or date.

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Gaming

Xbox Handheld Release Date Watch 2026: What Microsoft Has Actually Confirmed

The most instructive thing about the Asus ROG Ally Xbox Edition is not what it does in your hands. It is what it tells you about what Microsoft decided not to do.

Ryan LiptonRyan Lipton·10 June 2026·5 min read
The Witcher 3 cover art
Gaming

The Witcher 3 Handheld 2026: Cross-Handheld Viability

An old open-world game can still catch a handheld out because it asks for readable distance detail, steady input, and enough battery for a two-leg train trip. The Witcher 3…

Rebecca NaylorRebecca Naylor·8 June 2026·4 min read
7.8· Great
Gaming

Cattails Wildwood Story Switch 2 Review 2026: The Cosy Cat Life-Sim Still Earns Its Place

Cattails: Wildwood Story keeps a small promise most games of this scale would not bother making. There is a moment in autumn, after the first hard frost, when the wildwood goes…

Hannah ArdenHannah Arden·1 June 2026·1 min read
8.7· Great
Gaming

Kirby Air Riders Review 2026: Switch 2 Sequel to Air Ride Tested

Kirby Air Riders is a patient, considered racing title for Switch 2 that earns its simplicity rather than defaulting to it. The single-button control system asks genuine decisions…

Hannah ArdenHannah Arden·24 May 2026·2 min read
8.6· Great
Gaming

Hi-Fi Rush Review 2026: Worth Playing in 2026?

Hi-Fi Rush is a rhythm-action character game from Tango Gameworks that constructs its entire design around one structural argument: that rhythm internalisation is a learnable…

Daniel CalderDaniel Calder·22 May 2026·2 min read
Best Steam Deck Games 2026: 12 Essential Picks for Handheld Play
Gaming

Best Steam Deck Games 2026: 12 Essential Picks for Handheld Play

The 12 games that the Steam Deck OLED handles best in 2026. Each entry includes specific TDP, frame rate target, and real battery hours, plus what each game is built for.

Rebecca NaylorRebecca Naylor·14 May 2026·14 min read
Steam Deck OLED handheld viewed front-on, OLED screen visible
Gaming

Steam Deck OLED Review 2026: The Reference Handheld PC

Steam Deck OLED review for 2026. The reference handheld PC. We cover performance, battery, the OLED screen, SteamOS friction, real-world TDP tuning, and exactly when to buy.

Rebecca NaylorRebecca Naylor·14 May 2026·14 min read
Gaming

Steam Deck 2 Release Date Watch 2026, What Is Confirmed and What Is Signal

Every few months, a new rumour about the Steam Deck 2 release date circulates, and every few months, people ask whether to hold off buying a Steam Deck OLED and wait for whatever…

Rebecca NaylorRebecca Naylor·12 May 2026·13 min read
Xbox ROG Ally and ROG Ally X: What Microsoft's Handheld Actually Changes
Gaming

Xbox ROG Ally and ROG Ally X: What Microsoft’s Handheld Actually Changes

The question nobody needed to ask about the ROG Xbox Ally was whether Asus could build a good handheld. That question was answered by the ROG Ally X in 2024, and the answer was…

Rebecca NaylorRebecca Naylor·9 May 2026·15 min read
Gaming

Steam Deck SSD Upgrade 2026, Samsung 990 Pro vs WD Black SN770M vs Corsair MP600 Mini

The question that comes up most often in my inbox after any Steam Deck SSD upgrade piece is not which SSD is fastest. It is which SSD gives you the most working storage for the…

Rebecca NaylorRebecca Naylor·7 May 2026·15 min read
Nintendo Switch 2 console
8.0· Great
Gaming

Nintendo Switch 2 Review: A Hybrid That Finally Grew Up

Nintendo Switch 2 Buy on Amazon Price and availability from Amazon The device that sits in the kitchen on a Tuesday evening and then travels in a bag on Wednesday morning is not a…

Hannah ArdenHannah Arden·7 May 2026·9 min read
Gaming

Steam Deck OLED vs LCD in 2026, Is the OLED Upgrade Worth It?

The Steam Deck OLED arrived in November 2023 promising more of everything: a larger panel, a bigger battery, a quieter fan, a lighter chassis. Valve's marketing leaned into the…

Rebecca NaylorRebecca Naylor·2 May 2026·11 min read
Handheld consoles
Gaming

Steam Deck OLED vs ROG Ally X vs Switch 2: The 2026 Handheld Buyer’s Guide

Steam Deck OLED vs ROG Ally X vs Nintendo Switch 2. The honest 2026 buyer’s guide that routes you to the right handheld for your use case, not the loudest spec sheet.

Rebecca NaylorRebecca Naylor·29 April 2026·13 min read
Nintendo Switch 2 with detached Joy-Con 2 controllers
Gaming

Best Switch 2 Games for Handheld Play 2026: 12 Picks That Earn Their Battery

12 games that the Switch 2 specifically does well in handheld mode in 2026. Each entry includes specific frame rate, real battery hours, and what the game is built for.

Rebecca NaylorRebecca Naylor·21 April 2026·14 min read
Gaming

Best Nintendo Switch 2 Games 2026: 12 Essential Picks

The Best Switch 2 Games in 2026 Start With a Contradiction A portable console running Cyberpunk 2077 at 1080p should not exist in a device that fits inside a rucksack. The Switch…

Ryan LiptonRyan Lipton·19 April 2026·14 min read
Gaming

Nintendo Switch 2 vs Steam Deck OLED 2026, the Honest Figure for Cross-Camp Buyers

The Nintendo Switch 2 vs Steam Deck question lands on my workbench every week, usually from a reader who can only justify one device. Both sit in front of me now, both on the same…

Rebecca NaylorRebecca Naylor·18 April 2026·11 min read
Gaming

Meta Quest 3S vs Quest 3 2026, the Entry-VR Question for Handheld-Adjacent Buyers

The VR entry question keeps arriving in my inbox from readers who already own a handheld, play portably, and are wondering whether a Quest headset fits the same logic.

Rebecca NaylorRebecca Naylor·13 April 2026·14 min read
8.4· Great
Gaming

Stardew Valley Review 2026: Switch 2 Edition Worth It?

Opening Every cosy game released in the last decade owes a debt to a single man working alone in his bedroom. Stardew Valley in 2026 is still the game none of them have beaten.…

Hannah ArdenHannah Arden·13 April 2026·7 min read
8.2· Great
Gaming

Pokémon Pokopia Review: The Most Surprising Pokémon Game in Years | Switch 2

Opening Humanity has fled to outer space, the Kanto region lies in ruin, and the only hope for revival is a Ditto pretending to be human. Pokémon Pokopia is the most original…

Hannah ArdenHannah Arden·12 April 2026·9 min read
7.4· Great
Gaming

Animal Crossing New Horizons Switch 2 Review 2026

Opening A £4.99 upgrade has no business being the most interesting thing Nintendo released in January 2026. Animal Crossing: New Horizons Switch 2 Edition is exactly that. Six…

Hannah ArdenHannah Arden·12 April 2026·6 min read
8.5· Great
Gaming

Cozy Grove Switch 2 Review: Best Handheld Life Sim in 2026

Opening The first thing Cozy Grove does, every morning, is end. Half an hour of quiet work and the day’s content has settled: the spirits’ requests answered, a small patch of grey…

Hannah ArdenHannah Arden·12 April 2026·9 min read
Gaming

Legion Go vs Steam Deck OLED 2026, Which Is the Daily Driver?

The spec sheet on the Lenovo Legion Go reads convincingly: 8.8 inches of QHD+ panel at 144Hz, detachable controllers, the AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme APU, all for a starting price of…

Rebecca NaylorRebecca Naylor·8 April 2026·12 min read
The Best Accessories for Each Console (2026 Edition)
Gaming

The Best Accessories for Each Console (2026 Edition)

Title: The Best Accessories for Each Console: 2026 Edition Meta Description: The 2026 console accessory market reflects what each platform-holder thinks their device is for. This…

Ryan LiptonRyan Lipton·6 April 2026·8 min read
Gaming

Best Handheld Gaming Controllers 2026, Razer Kishi V3 vs 8BitDo Pro 2 vs Backbone One PlayStation Edition

The phone-as-gaming-screen question settled quietly in 2025. Xbox Cloud Gaming runs Halo Infinite and Forza Horizon 5 at a consistent 60 fps on a mid-range Android handset.

Rebecca NaylorRebecca Naylor·4 April 2026·11 min read
9.0· Outstanding
Gaming

dbrand Killswitch 2 Review 2026, the Premium Steam Deck Case Worth the Price

The dbrand Killswitch 2 review conversation always starts with the same objection: sixty-five pounds for a Steam Deck case. That number is real, and the discomfort it creates is…

Rebecca NaylorRebecca Naylor·30 March 2026·12 min read
Gaming

Best Switch 2 Cosy Starter Pack 2026, Case Screen Protector Joy-Con Grips and Five Cosy Games

The Switch 2 launched on 5 June 2025 at £395.99 for the base model and £429.99 for the Mario Kart World bundle. That gets you a console in a box.

Hannah ArdenHannah Arden·25 March 2026·13 min read
Gaming

Best Steam Deck SD Card 2026, Sustained-Read Benchmarks vs the Cheap Option

The number printed on the box is not the number that determines your experience. Every microSD card tested here carries a peak-read figure between 100 MB/s and 200 MB/s, and none…

Rebecca NaylorRebecca Naylor·20 March 2026·14 min read
Steam Deck handheld in its docking station, representing handheld gaming accessories
Gaming

Best Handheld Gaming Accessories 2026: Cases, Docks, Power Banks, and the Cable That Saves You

The handheld accessories that genuinely improve daily use in 2026. Cases, docks, power banks, microSD, grip cases, audio. Device-agnostic picks for Steam Deck, ROG Ally X, Switch…

Rebecca NaylorRebecca Naylor·17 March 2026·15 min read
steam deck oled dock
Gaming

Best Steam Deck Dock 2026, JSAUX vs Valve vs Cheap Alternatives

The Valve logo on the box does not change what the hardware does. A Steam Deck dock is a USB-C hub with a passthrough Power Delivery port, an HDMI output, some USB-A ports, and an…

Rebecca NaylorRebecca Naylor·15 March 2026·15 min read
Gaming

Baldur’s Gate 3 Across Handhelds 2026, Turn-Based Saves the Watt Budget

Most handheld comparisons come down to frame rate: which device renders the scene faster, which GPU gives you the smoothest pan across an open world.

Rebecca NaylorRebecca Naylor·10 March 2026·12 min read
8.4· Great
Gaming

ASUS ROG Ally X Review 2026, the Windows Handheld Every Comparison Anchors Against

There is a reason the ROG Ally X review has become, across more than a year of Windows handheld coverage on this site, the number the rest of the category is measured against.

Rebecca NaylorRebecca Naylor·5 March 2026·15 min read
Console Gaming Trends to Watch Beyond 2025 (2026–2027)
Gaming

Console Gaming Trends to Watch Beyond 2025 (2026–2027)

Handheld gaming, ecosystem lock-in, and subscription value are shaping the next console cycle more than raw hardware power. Nintendo’s hybrid approach leads the trend, PlayStation…

Ryan LiptonRyan Lipton·25 February 2026·9 min read
Lenovo Legion Go S in Glacier White, with accessories
Gaming

Lenovo Legion Go S Review 2026: SteamOS or Windows, Detachable Controllers, Real Trade-offs

Lenovo Legion Go S review for 2026. The slimmer follow-up with detachable controllers, available in SteamOS or Windows 11. We cover performance, battery, and exactly who should…

Rebecca NaylorRebecca Naylor·24 February 2026·15 min read
Gaming

AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme Silicon Deep-Dive 2026, the Chip Under the Xbox ROG Ally X

The AMD Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme arrived mid-2025 without fanfare, slotted beneath a screen smaller than a paperback, and immediately became the most contested piece of silicon in…

Rebecca NaylorRebecca Naylor·24 February 2026·13 min read
Gaming

Handheld Gaming in 2026: Switch 2 vs PlayStation Portal vs ROG Xbox Ally

Switch 2 offers a true hybrid console experience, PlayStation Portal streams your PS5 library remotely, and ROG Xbox Ally runs full PC games on the go. Each represents a…

Ryan LiptonRyan Lipton·5 February 2026·4 min read
8.1· Great
Gaming

Palia Switch 2 Review 2026, the Free-to-Play Life-Sim That Lands Native

There is a sound Palia makes when a fishing line goes taut, a short wooden pull that sits a half-second before the catch registers, and the game has been making that sound since…

Hannah ArdenHannah Arden·31 January 2026·13 min read
Steam Deck OLED handheld from the ABXY button side
Gaming

Steam Deck OLED One Year On: A Year of Living With the Reference Handheld

Steam Deck OLED, twelve months in. What the launch review got right, what it got wrong, what wears, what holds up. The retrospective only a year-in user could write.

Rebecca NaylorRebecca Naylor·30 January 2026·13 min read
9.1· Outstanding
Gaming

Dredge Switch 2 Review 2026, the Fishing-Horror That Still Earns Its Cost

The first time the bell at Greater Marrow rings, the player is already a few seconds past the moment they should have started home, and the colour at the edge of the screen has…

Hannah ArdenHannah Arden·21 January 2026·11 min read
ASUS ROG Ally X handheld gaming PC on a dark background
Gaming

ROG Ally X Review 2026: The Windows Handheld That Earns the Premium

ROG Ally X review for 2026. ASUS’s Windows handheld at £799/$799. We cover performance, the 1080p 120Hz screen, battery, Windows friction, and exactly who should buy.

Rebecca NaylorRebecca Naylor·12 January 2026·16 min read
Nintendo Switch 2
Gaming

Why Nintendo Won Console Gaming in 2025

Nintendo won 2025 by executing a narrow, confident vision rather than chasing specs or device sprawl. Switch 2 delivered the year’s defining hardware moment, pulling mainstream…

Ryan LiptonRyan Lipton·11 January 2026·4 min read
Nintendo Switch 2, PS5 and XBox Series X
Gaming

Nintendo Switch 2 vs PS5 Pro vs Xbox Series X in 2026: Which Console Should You Buy?

By 2026, each console has a clear identity. Switch 2 suits players who value portability and couch co-op. PS5 Pro is the premium pick for high-end presentation and exclusive…

Ryan LiptonRyan Lipton·8 January 2026·5 min read
Who Won Console Gaming in 2025? PlayStation vs Xbox vs Nintendo, Ranked
Gaming

Who Won Console Gaming in 2025? PlayStation vs Xbox vs Nintendo, Ranked

Nintendo takes the 2025 crown. Switch 2 delivered the year’s defining hardware moment and the clearest pitch to a broad audience. PlayStation held strong as the premium home…

Ryan LiptonRyan Lipton·5 January 2026·7 min read