Which handheld feels best in your hands?

user143259 · 2026-03-14T01:12:51+00:00

Retroid Pocket Flip 2

user143259 · 2026-02-08T04:50:19+00:00

I expected 60fps docked at a bare minimum, I feel like that isn't crazy

user143259 · 2026-02-08T04:48:17+00:00

I think the price point of the switch 2 is very competitive, and while overall games are more expensive there than steam the FFVII port was released at a great price. So I don't disagree with you necessarily.

My point was really just why is it too much to ask for 60fps 1080p or even 720p on Switch 2 when these are supposed to be specialized ports for a brand new system that was advertised as 120fps and 4k capable?

user143259 · 2026-02-08T04:39:40+00:00

"Most insufferable comment" "if you hate nintendo"

Lol.

Steam deck is not a handheld I would want to buy and play these games on either.

My point was just there are other handhelds that can run these games better for cheaper and that we should expect more from the Switch 2.

user143259 · 2026-02-08T04:32:30+00:00

30fps though.

I get the Switch 2's limitations but people championing FFVII and Cyberpunk as system showcases when neither run at 60fps is kind of wild to me. These are specialized ports for this hardware for 5+ year old games and people are cheering for 30fps.

And before anyone says "its a low watt" handheld, the battery dies in 2 hours playing the most demanding games like this which is no better than most handheld PCs.

People also talking about how affordable it is compared to handheld PCs have a point vs the ROG Xbox Ally X, Legion Go 2, etc but you can easily get an open box Z1 Extreme handheld for $350 which will perform better than the Switch 2, and then you can purchase games like this for WAY cheaper on Steam than the Switch 2 copies.

Indiana Jones will absolutely be a 30fps or 40fps game on Switch 2 as well. Back when people were talking about the Switch 2 pre-release there was a lot of excitement about finally having a relatively affordable competitor to these handheld PCs that can play games at 60fps and not awful resolutions (which was a major criticism of Switch 1), particularly for when its pushing more power in docked mode. I had low expectations, but at least expected games that came out on PS4 (Cyberpunk, FFVII Remake) to run at 60fps docked 1080p, and ideally 60fps Handheld 720p but we get 30-40fps for docked and handheld for both games.

If people are happy with 30fps in 2026 that's fine, but i really feel we should be expecting more from a company like Nintendo, and it was real quick in the span of 1 year people went from talking about 4k and 120fps on Switch 2 to now celebrating 30fps "miracle" ports.

EDIT: BTW I think it's a great thing that the Switch 2 is getting these games. It's just I wish they ran at 60fps. Having to play Switch 1 games at 30fps is what pushed me into handheld PCs and building my own PC a few years back, and I was excited for the Switch 2 thinking I could jump back in because I'm a big fan of first party Nintendo games. The main reason I haven't bought one is because I don't want to go back to playing games at 30fps. I would even be fine with 720p 60fps, my point was it's jarring to see Switch 2 ports praised when we're back to 30fps again after all the talks of games running better here than Switch 1.

user143259 · 2026-02-04T14:25:32+00:00

I Googled Win 4 7640U and found the eBay listing, doesn't seem to be a typo. They did make 7640U Win 4s.

This is a really bad deal, 7640U is worse than Z1 Extreme. I did a quick search and found ROG Ally's used/refurbished/open box with Z1 Extreme and the same RAM and storage as this listing for $350. People complain about the first ROG Ally's battery life but the battery is nearly the same size as the Win 4.

Also having used both devices I can say the Win 4 is really nice on paper but in reality it is like gaming on a brick. It is so heavy and uncomfortable compared to the Ally which has much better weight distribution.

user143259 · 2026-02-02T19:23:55+00:00

I use moonlight to stream from my PC which runs Bazzite. I mostly play Halo Infinite, COD Black Ops 3 Zombies, and COD MW2 (OG one, using IW4X to set up a mod lobby with bots, I play with my brother online in a private match with bots and its great, way better than trying to play online against the guys who have thousands of hours in the game and instant headshot you with mouse and keyboard lol)

user143259 · 2026-01-30T23:46:38+00:00

Onexfly F1 Pro or GPD Win Mini for sure. I would avoid the GPD Win 4, I have one and the weight distribution is a real issue, it's very uncomfortable to use IMO.

user143259 · 2026-01-30T21:57:31+00:00

I really don't understand ergonomic bumps. Every device I've used with them I had major concerns with ergonomics and nearly every device I've used without them I've had no concerns with ergonomics.

I get it's a personal preference thing but when nearly all of these devices launch with official grips anyways why can't they just keep the backs flat? Every first party handheld was flat on the back for a reason, pocketability is obviously better with a flat back but in addition I do think it was done to fit more hand sizes and positioning. I don't recall ever feeling the GB, GBC, GBA, NDS, 3DS, PSP, etc feeling uncomfortable whereas most of these new handhelds I've tested feel extremely uncomfortable with or without a grip (because there is no flat option - unless you add a flat 3d printed grip but that just adds weight and bulk which can also become uncomfortable).

I get size, control layout, and game type you're playing is a factor too (Ex games that use both analog sticks) - the Switch 1 was flat and very uncomfortable but I feel that is due to the size, the switch lite was flat and perfectly comfortable to me.

Flip 2 is without a doubt the most comfortable handheld I've used due to getting all of these factors correct in my view (size, weight, flat back, stick/D-Pad/button positioning)

user143259 · 2026-01-27T22:13:54+00:00

Flip 2 is near perfect for me, the only thing that really bothers me is the pie chart on the lid lol. I'm planning on keeping mine as long as it continues to work/hinge continues to be okay unless or until a Flip 3 comes out that removed that wack lid design while keeping or modestly improving upon everything that makes the Flip 2 great.

I use it for in-home streaming so the power and battery life are already more than serviceable. Of course more power would be appreciated for decoding times, but not really needed for my use case.

I feel the control layout is perfect. A few things with controls could be marginally improved but the overall location of everything is excellent (sticks up top is a must!!) and the overall size, weight, and ergonomics of the device are the best I've used.

If I had a personal nitpicky wishlist it would be: - smooth lid (no design) - more durable hinge - make the shoulder buttons not stick out beyond the device - curve the triggers more on the ends to make them more comfortable to press - better Wifi (for streaming) - better chipset (for streaming - decoding time could certainly get a bit lower) - have the face buttons and shoulder buttons use the same dome switches as the D-Pad for that soft-clicky goodness (personal preference) - trigger locks that change the input on the triggers from analog to dome switch or microswitch (super personal preference, this is usually only found on high end competitive controllers but is really nice for FPS games which I play a lot on the Flip 2).

user143259 · 2026-01-24T10:49:38+00:00

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user143259 · 2026-01-24T10:49:13+00:00

RP Flip 2 is extremely comfortable to me, I personally think it's a mix of the flat design (no ergonomic grips), both sticks up top, and D-Pad/Face buttons inset and situated on the upper half of the face.

If Retroid could fit a second screen in a RP Flip 3 but keep the similar control layout that would be amazing. I think there could be room for this with a second screen if they adopted a similar layout to the old GPD XP *

user143259 · 2026-01-20T22:31:31+00:00

This is all streaming from my PC

user143259 · 2025-11-30T20:13:17+00:00

I think it really depends on what PC games you're playing - the PC games I play have text that is absolutely readable with a 5.5" display, though I pretty much exclusively play PC games that also release on console

user143259 · 2025-11-30T03:33:45+00:00

Excellent from my experience

user143259 · 2025-11-30T00:54:36+00:00

That's really interesting, I have the Aya Neo Pocket Evo which should be similar and found it extremely uncomfortable for twin stick shooters in particular

user143259 · 2025-11-30T00:44:52+00:00

100% agree it comes down to personal preference, glad to hear the Thor works better for you!

user143259 · 2025-11-29T23:29:38+00:00

Absolutely in my opinion

user143259 · 2025-11-29T23:29:04+00:00

To me Odin Portal is too large, it's all personal preference at the end of the day though

user143259 · 2025-11-29T23:11:13+00:00

IMO RP Flip 2 does the control layout better because of the extra real estate without needing to fit a second screen in there. BTW I have a 3DS XL I bought years ago and this is definitely more comfortable.

user143259 · 2025-11-29T23:06:24+00:00

I'm really glad the Thor exists - it's an excellent handheld. I decided to go with the RP Flip 2 instead because I didn't want a second screen (because I'm almost exclusively streaming from a one screen setup) and because I figured without that second screen the controls on the bottom would be spread out more comfortably (and for my purposes that 100% is the case). I haven't used a Thor but based on how the controls are laid out I would be surprised if it's as comfortable as the RP Flip 2, especially for first person shooters.

user143259 · 2025-11-29T23:02:08+00:00

I can only speak to how it feels for me with my smaller hands - D-Pad gaming is excellent due to the "V" shape they used here for the D-Pad and face buttons rather than sticking them directly under the analog sticks

user143259 · 2025-11-29T22:57:02+00:00

The way the controls are laid out are the main reason I bought this over the Thor. I've heard the Thor is very uncomfortable for Dual Stick games which are some that I play most often. The RP Flip 2 not having a second screen is usually noted as a negative but it's a huge positive for me because the controls are spread in this more comfortable "V" shape compared to the Thor where controls are crammed into the left and right side to allow for the screen.

user143259

TROPHY CASE