The era of handheld gaming has returned with advanced technology and experience. But will it replace PC gaming? Find out here.
Gaming technology is rapidly advancing in terms of hardware and software to enhance the gaming experience for their audience. Surprisingly, handheld gaming technology has evolved once again. Now we’re seeing more handheld gaming consoles like ROG Ally, Nintendo Switch, and Steam Deck hitting the market, offering insane specifications in a small form factor.
However, will the evolution of handheld gaming replace PC gaming, and will they be able to run CPU-intensive games without overheating the CPU? In this article, we will briefly compare PC Gaming VS Handheld gaming. We will also state which type of gaming is better for you and how it will impact the gaming communities in the future.
PC Gaming VS Handheld Gaming
Here we have stated some essential gaming factors to compare whether the PC or the handheld consoles can perform better than the others.
1. Freedom of Modification
There are always new releases in the market, and you must adapt the gaming hardware accordingly to ensure you match the game’s compatibility. So, let’s see how both gaming styles go with it.
PC Gaming
Building a gaming PC allows you to modify hardware and software without spending a bag of bucks on an entirely new gaming rig. For example, if a game requires more graphics memory, you can buy a new GPU without changing or upgrading anything else in the computer system. Similarly, you can upgrade anything else as needed and overclock or underclock the CPU based on the processing efficiency required for your activities.
Handheld Gaming
There is nothing much to upgrade when it comes to the handheld gaming consoles. The performance element remains the same; even if you can upgrade anything, it is the console’s skin. You may find options and variants for the CPU type when buying a handheld console, but there is no option like upgrading any component, unlike PC gaming. Therefore, handheld consoles are only good for personalization.
2. Gaming Performance
The next comparison is the major one, and it all comes down to how many frame rates you get, how many cores and threads the CPU has, and how well the hardware/software optimization goes.
PC Gaming
When achieving high frame rates in the best gaming resolution, the PC is always the winner. The glorious PC master race is always ahead in achieving better frame rates and graphics than the consoles.
When you install a high-end GPU and CPU to get up to 240 Hz with a response time in fractions of seconds, the benchmarks speak for themselves. Moreover, if you ever lack performance due to bad optimization, you can always tweak the graphics settings from the GPU control panel.
Handheld Gaming
With Handheld gaming, you may not get a PC’s graphics and frame rates, but the results are still satisfactory for many players. For handheld consoles like ASUS ROG Ally, you get 120 Hz at 1080p resolution, which is more than enough for modern-day competitive gaming.
In addition, optimization has not been an issue yet with any handheld gaming consoles, and the games run smoothly with both hardware and OS. Overall, handheld gaming can achieve decent performance.
3. Control Setup
The gameplay experience depends on your control and display setup, which can vary greatly, especially when you compare the accuracy factors in combat gaming. Hence, we out to state which type of gaming performs with their platforms.
PC Gaming
The control setup is always overwhelming with PC gaming. Unlike the console, you get the keyboard and mouse pointer accuracy without needing any aim assistance. Plus, you get the advantage of screen size compared to handheld gaming by attaching a multi-monitor setup. However, if you ever fancy getting the controller experience, you can connect the Xbox or PlayStation controller to your PC to enjoy games like Forza or Need for Speed.
Handheld Gaming
The handheld gaming gives you a much more ergonomic control setup that fits right in with your fingers and thumbs. Unlike PC gaming, you don’t have to dedicate a space for it, which is a major advantage. This D-pad style control setup with joysticks is lodged with a 7- or 8-inch screen display which may not be enough to view. However, you can connect the consoles with a larger display to enjoy the same button setup for playing your favorite games on a TV or gaming monitor.
4. Budget Friendliness
The price and what you get for the price are always a concern no matter what type of technology you buy because it is not always about the looks. So, which one is more affordable?
PC Gaming
Building a high-end gaming PC in 2023 can cost you hundreds to thousands of dollars. The most expensive components are the CPU and GPU, which are both equivalent to the price of a handheld gaming console.
Moreover, you must buy the rest of the hardware like motherboard, PSU, PC case, RAM, storage, and mouse/keyboard. All of this hardware can increase the overall price of a gaming PC, and some of these hardware components have to be compatible or won’t work. And if you opt for a gaming laptop to get the portability advantage, it might get even more expensive.
Handheld Gaming
Handheld gaming gives you more peace of mind without hurting your wallet. The modern-day handheld gaming consoles are nearly half the price of a high-end gaming PC, and you don’t have to purchase additional accessories to play your favorite games. Plus, it is portable, so you can play games whenever and wherever you want, a huge advantage of handheld gaming over PC gaming.
5. Temperature Management
The gaming performance of your device’s hardware relies heavily on its temperature management (if it overheats or remains cool). In this case, a device that can maintain performance without affecting temperature is ideal. So, let’s compare which device is better in this case.
PC Gaming
With PC gaming, you can get better temperature control by installing a liquid- or air-cooling system. Such a cooling setup helps the device maintain performance without affecting the hardware performance. You can also install a software setup in your computer system to monitor the temperatures, which also comes with many GPU software.
Handheld Gaming
Temperature management can become pretty unbearable with handheld gaming. As you are holding the device, if it overheats, you may not be able to hold it for too long. Many handheld gaming devices like ROG Ally have a better cooling setup. But still, PC is the winner when it comes to temperature control.
Which is better PC and Handheld Gaming?
It solely depends on your lifestyle or preference for how you want to play your games. Handheld gaming is for those who are always on the go, and it can also work with full-screen displays to match the experience of PC gaming. However, PC gaming has advantages with the performance and gameplay experience but with an expensive price tag.
Which type of Gaming Will be More Famous in the Future?
Handheld gaming has returned with an influential impact on the gaming community and is improving with time. For E-sports gaming, many gamers can prefer handheld gaming consoles as they are much more convenient to carry than a full gaming PC. Therefore, it’s safe to say that if handheld gaming consoles kept improvising with technology, they could dominate the future of e-sports gaming.
Final Words
Handheld gaming is always more convenient, and now you get the groundbreaking performance with it that feels like a mid-range gaming PC in your hands. However, there is still no comparison to PC gaming, where things get limitless for performance and upgrades. This article compared the PC and handheld gaming on some major factors, and now it’s up to you to decide which one is preferable.
