The gaming industry is currently undergoing somewhat of a revolution as handheld consoles revive. Smartphones do have a slight edge when it comes to convenience thanks to their accessibility, but the growing trend towards portable consoles begs the question, “Are such speciality systems really going to be able to compete with smartphones?”
Both avenues have their pros and cons, but are they even on the same playing field? Well, let’s take a look.
The Power of Handheld Gaming Devices
It is not only smartphone gaming that is coming back into fashion in recent years; with new products such as the Nintendo Switch, Steam Deck, and ASUS ROG Ally, handhelds are making a big push. These are not just built for combatting flight anxiety or making the bus journey go a little faster, like original smartphones were; they are specifically designed for powerful, top-tier gaming. They often have manual controls, large displays, and hardware aimed to accommodate challenging games, which can be the difference for gamers who care about game quality.
The hardware benefits of hand-held consoles don’t stop there. Due to the exclusive games they have, these devices are able to give experiences that phones just can’t give. Nintendo’s own Legend of Zelda and Animal Crossing series, for instance, are huge sellers and available only on the Switch.
To those who prefer deep, console-quality games, this isn’t something you are able to get on a smartphone, especially with some of the high-resolution graphics and storyline complexity present in most of the mainstream handheld titles.
Why Smartphones Dominate the Market
Smartphones are still the unambiguous convenience leaders. The main reason is that phones are just that complete lifestyle package, always in your hand and packed with other essential apps you may need for daily life. It’s simple to play games without getting another device, as smartphones let you do so in moments of free time and don’t force you to purchase another gadget.
Then, there’s the App Store on iOS and Google Store on Android—endless free-to-play games with paid in-app purchases or ads. As smartphones have dominated casual gaming with the worldwide availability of games like Candy Crush and PUBG Mobile, smartphones are the go-to device for playing games with minimal technical complexity and a very short timeframe to play them.
That goes without mentioning iGaming. Some of the most popular new slot sites on www.online-slot.co.uk/slot-sites/new have thousands of daily players, rivalling those of conventional consoles.
For the most part, iGaming isn’t suitable for handhelds—most games are made with smartphones in mind. This can lead to a variety of issues—clunky controls, graphical issues, crashes, the list goes on.
Sure, there are some games designed for certain handhelds, but on the whole, you aren’t going to have a very good iGaming experience on handhelds.
Advantages of Dedicated Gaming Hardware
Phones have accessibility, but there are dedicated handheld consoles that come with a whole heap of benefits. Switch consoles, such as the Nintendo Switch or Steam Deck, are built for long-term dedicated gaming sessions, where the user can spend an entire session doing something they really enjoy with no notifications, calls, or low battery alarm on the primary device. This continuous play is, for many, a lifesaver.
Another main benefit of a handheld gamepad is battery life. Mobile games, especially the ones that have lots of processing power, drain your battery pretty fast, which is not ideal if you’re using your phone for other stuff during the day. Handhelds, meanwhile, are designed with battery life for hours of gameplay per charge. What’s more, most of these consoles have programmable controls so that you can interact with them much more finely than on a touchscreen.
Cost and Accessibility
Smartphones are cheaper than separate devices because smartphones are used a lot, and people will most likely have bought the phone for more than one use, so the cost of games isn’t nearly as expensive as buying an individual device.
Additionally, most popular mobile games are either free or cheap, while conventional consoles and games are more expensive in the beginning. There’s no comparison when it comes to the affordability of smartphone gaming for the typical user who likes to play games but doesn’t want to spend much.
Meanwhile, handhelds are for those who play enough to validate purchasing an independent console. To the hardcore gamer, it’s usually worth it in terms of having a quality gaming experience, getting access to games they don’t have, and being able to play games without having to compromise their phone’s performance or storage space.
What Will Mobile Gaming Be in the Future?
Technology is ever-changing—the boundaries between handheld consoles and smartphones get closer every day. Recent cloud-gaming innovations, for instance, can now stream console-level games to phones without the need for specialised hardware at all. And, with companies such as Google and Microsoft pushing cloud games that run on multiple devices, excellent games are now available without a dedicated console.
It may well be that the future is cloud-based and mobile, with players no longer restricted by what hardware they have. But, if you want to play offline or just need a dedicated gaming machine, hand-held consoles are bound to still hold some real appeal. And there are the game companies that are still trying to bring this plethora of possibilities to handhelds, even looking into phone-like functionality.
Conclusion
Ultimately, it might be up to the players if handheld consoles can even stack up to smartphone gaming. Smartphones are still probably the most practical device for casual gamers or gamers who don’t take gaming very seriously. They’re easy, have so many free games and can multitask with other apps. Handheld gaming consoles, meanwhile, are definitely worth the price if you are a gaming fan who values a superior, immersive experience and is in search of exclusive games.
Each platform has its own pros and cons—smartphones are king for convenience and access, while handheld consoles are best for quality and exclusive gameplay. As technology continues to develop, smartphones and hand-held gaming devices will be key players in the gaming space, with different experiences that cater to different players’ needs.
Article written by Max Cunningham.
