These Android gaming handhelds are nice Change 2 alternate options

The Nintendo Switch 2 is shaping as much as be one other smash hit for the Japanese firm, a minimum of till pricing is taken into account. The $450 price ticket on the console itself isn’t too far off from what most individuals anticipated, however the leap to $90 for video games like Mario Kart World makes it a troublesome tablet to swallow in as we speak’s economic system (and that’s earlier than tariffs).

However the excellent news is there are Change 2 alternate options! And I’m not speaking in regards to the Steam Deck, ROG Ally, and even the PlayStation Portal. I’m speaking about Android gaming devices, which have completely exploded in recognition over the previous few years.

So if you happen to’re not satisfied by what the Nintendo Change 2 has to supply, right here’s a fast rundown of what you’ll discover on the Android aspect of the aisle.

In relation to premium Android gaming handhelds, AYANEO is the model to beat. You gained’t save a lot on the upfront value of the gaming handheld, however if you happen to’re seeking to emulate demanding video games (together with the Change), it doesn’t get any higher than the AYANEO Pocket EVO.

It’s huge, with full-size Corridor-effect sticks flanking a stunning 7-inch OLED panel. These two options are frustratingly absent from the Nintendo Change 2, which makes use of untested sticks and an ordinary LCD panel at launch. Clearly I don’t have my palms on a Nintendo Change 2 for comparability but, however I can’t gush sufficient about how wonderful the sticks are. It’s essentially the most snug handheld I’ve ever utilized by a county mile.

The EVO is powered by a Snapdragon G3 Gen 2, which is final 12 months’s version of Qualcomm’s gaming handheld-focused chipset. AYANEO has already introduced a tool with the most recent Snapdragon G3 Gen 3 within the AYANEO Pocket S2, however it doesn’t have a launch date as of writing.

Regardless, the chipset is able to operating something you may throw at it. Demanding Android games, emulators, and extra are inside your attain. One other of my favourite makes use of for this machine is native recreation streaming, which breathed new life into my Steam library. The one caveat is that the bizarre GPU doesn’t have the very best driver help from the group, however hopefully that modifications as extra firms undertake the gaming-focused lineup of chips.

The dangerous information right here is that the Pocket EVO begins at $469 for the 128GB+8GB configuration and maxes out at $669 for the 1TB+16GB mannequin. That’s much more costly than the Change 2, a minimum of till you begin taking video games under consideration.

AYANEO has just a few cheaper units, just like the GBA-focused Pocket Micro and the Sport Boy-like Pocket DMG, however they aren’t actually replacements for the Nintendo Change 2. They’re nice units although, if you happen to don’t thoughts totally different kind elements.

Whereas the AYANEO Pocket EVO’s chipset generally is a blended bag in relation to compatibility, the AYN Odin 2 lineup provides dependable efficiency with its Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset. That places it on the forefront of emulation, with dependable efficiency on all the things from upscaled PS2 to appropriate Nintendo Change video games.

The Odin 2 is available in three totally different sizes: the 5-inch display of the Odin 2 Mini, the 6-inch display of the Odin 2, and the 7-inch display of the Odin 2 Portal. Irrespective of which one you decide, you’re getting an HD show. Solely the Odin 2 Portal has an AMOLED panel although, with the others sporting IPS and miniLED, respectively.

By way of ergonomics, the Odin 2 lineup won’t be fairly as snug because the AYANEO Pocket EVO, however it’s in all probability going to outclass the Nintendo Change 2’s flat design. All of them have Corridor-effect sticks and analog triggers too, so that you get nice accuracy and no stick drift over time.

The AYN Odin 2 has one other trick up its sleeve: Linux. All three units can boot into a test build of ROCKNIX, which will be loaded onto a easy microSD card. This turns it into essentially the most highly effective Arm Linux handheld available on the market, unlocking Xbox and PS3 emulation, each of which aren’t totally baked on Android (but).

By way of pricing, they’re all extra inexpensive than the Nintendo Change 2, excluding the $499 Max variant of the Odin 2 Portal, which comes with 1TB of storage and 16GB of RAM. The bottom 128+8GB mannequin begins at $329 although, with the 512+12GB Professional variant providing the very best worth at $399. The Odin 2 begins at $299 for 128+8GB, and the Odin 2 Mini begins at $339 for a similar configuration.

If you happen to’re not seeking to emulate Change and PS3 video games, you are able to do with a a lot much less highly effective gaming handheld. That’s the place the Retroid is available in. Its flagship units, the Retroid Pocket 5 and Pocket Flip 2, are nonetheless rocking the Snapdragon 865, which got here out greater than 5 years in the past.

Nonetheless, it’s a flagship-level SoC, and it’s greater than able to enjoying demanding Android video games and emulating almost each console. Increased-end stuff like Change emulation shall be hit-or-miss, however that’s true on nearly any machine. Even the Nintendo Change 2 isn’t completely appropriate with Change 1 video games, so the unhappy reality there may be that the unique Change remains to be your finest guess if you wish to play Change video games.

Other than that, although, the Retroid Pocket 5 and Flip 2 are wonderful units. The Pocket 5 has an ordinary horizontal format, much like the Nintendo Change 2, with a 5.5-inch AMOLED panel. It’s smaller than the Change 2, which is likely to be a very good factor if you happen to’re used to one thing extra manageable just like the Change Lite.

The Pocket Flip 2 is much more compact, with a clamshell design that appears like a Nintendo DS—with out the second display, after all. It has the identical 5.5-inch AMOLED show and Snapdragon 865 SoC, with a second variant packing a Dimensity 1100. The previous is a greater decide for emulation, although, for the reason that 865 has mature, extremely optimized drivers. Plus, it shares one thing else in widespread with the Pocket 5, which is Linux help by way of ROCKNIX.

Nonetheless, the Flip 2 remains to be underneath pre-order, so don’t count on to get one till across the identical time the Nintendo Change 2 launches. The Snapdragon 865 model will run $229 for 128+8GB, with the Retroid Pocket 5 costing $10 much less at $219. Each are an unimaginable worth when in comparison with the Nintendo Change 2 although, so seize whichever kind issue appeals to you extra. They each are available very enticing colorways, which, for no matter motive, Nintendo uncared for for the Change 2 launch.

There are a ton of low cost retro gaming handhelds flooding the market, however most of them run Linux. ANBERNIC is likely one of the few that makes finances Android-based gaming handhelds, and though they are typically much less highly effective than the choices above, they’re nonetheless nice alternate options to the Nintendo Change.

Essentially the most comparable is the RG-556, which has a 5.48-inch HD AMOLED show. That’s fairly a bit smaller than the 7-inch display on the Change 2, however the OLED panel ought to function darker blacks and higher battery effectivity.

The Tiger T820 SoC isn’t almost as succesful because the earlier units on our record, so it’s higher suited to retro titles as much as and together with PlayStation 2 video games. Nonetheless, there’s a brand new model known as the RG-557 popping out quickly, and it ought to comfortably stretch as much as Wii U and upscaled PS2. The present model prices simply $189 for the 128+8GB model, making it an distinctive worth.

For one thing even cheaper, the RG-406H contains a extra compact 4-inch IPS show with a 4:3 side ratio that’s nice for retro emulation. It gained’t play Change video games with the identical Tiger T820 chipset, however at $160 it’s cheaper than a current-gen Nintendo Change Lite.

The RG Dice is one other fan favourite, with a novel 4-inch IPS show with a 1:1 ratio. This provides it a squat look that I personally love, and it’s tremendous snug to recreation on. Once more, it options the identical Tiger T820 SoC for stable retro efficiency, however don’t count on any miracles in relation to demanding emulators. It additionally prices $160, though it could ceaselessly be discovered on sale for much less.

Lastly, I might be remiss to not point out the machine you have already got. Most trendy smartphones can simply emulate retro video games, and flagships from the previous couple of years ought to even be able to emulating Change 1 video games. That is very true in case you have a gaming phone or something with a Snapdragon 8 Elite, which provides energy in contrast to something present in present gaming handhelds.

For pure gaming, I’d advocate the Nubia REDMAGIC 10 Professional ($899 at Amazon). It has all of the bells and whistles of essentially the most highly effective telephones available on the market, outperforming even the Galaxy S25 Ultra in our testing. It’s additionally low cost, beginning at $650. That’s greater than a Nintendo Change 2, however it’s additionally extra highly effective and, nicely, a working smartphone.

To make the expertise extra Change-like, I like to recommend selecting up a controller just like the Backbone One ($99.99 at Amazon) or Razer Kishi V2 ($92 at Amazon). The Spine One felt remarkably much like the Change in my testing, however it prices over $100, making it a steep funding for a controller. The Kishi V2 is bulkier and retails for $100, however it could ceaselessly be discovered half off.

After all, it’s also possible to use any Bluetooth controllers you’ve mendacity round, however that feels much less like a Nintendo Change different and extra like an ordinary gaming setup. I’d advocate sticking with telescopic controllers, which supply the very best of each worlds.