The Nintendo DS and 3DS libraries are massive — over 1,800 DS titles and 1,400 3DS games, many of which never got PC or console ports. Playing them on a gaming handheld in 2026 is easy: you need a device capable of running DeSmuME (DS) or Citra/Lime3DS (3DS), your ROM files, and about 15 minutes…
PPSSPP is the emulator you want. It runs on Android, Windows, and Linux, it’s free, and it handles the full PSP library. This guide covers how to set it up on whichever handheld you’re using. What You Need Before Starting You need three things: PPSSPP installed on your device, PSP game files (ISO or CSO…
Valve sells the Steam Deck in two versions: the original LCD model and the newer OLED. The price difference is $150 — $399 for the LCD 512GB versus $549 for the OLED 512GB. Whether that gap is worth it depends on how much you care about display quality and battery life. Short answer: the OLED…
RPGs are a natural fit for the Steam Deck. Long narrative games, turn-based systems, and exploration-heavy worlds all suit the pause-anywhere handheld format. These are the best RPG games for Steam Deck in 2026 — both action RPGs and turn-based titles. Best Action RPGs Elden Ring Elden Ring is the gold standard for action RPGs…
The Steam Deck’s default settings prioritize compatibility over performance. A few changes push frame rates up significantly without touching the game itself. These are the ones that actually work. Set a TDP Limit Per Game TDP (Thermal Design Power) controls how much power the processor can draw. The Deck defaults to 15W. For many games,…
The best games on any handheld don’t cost much. Most of the titles on this list go on sale for $5-10 regularly, and several are worth full price at $15-20. All of them run well on Steam Deck, ROG Ally, and Android handhelds. Hades — $25 (frequently $10 on sale) The best action roguelike available….
The Steam Deck’s internal SSD is replaceable, and upgrading it is one of the most impactful improvements you can make to the device. Depending on which model you own, you might have 64GB, 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB from the factory. Modern games can push 100GB each, so running out of space is a real problem….
The Steam Deck boots into a setup wizard the first time you turn it on. The whole process takes about 20 minutes. This guide walks through each step and covers what to do after the initial setup to get the most out of it. First Boot Setup Hold the power button on the top right…
The Steam Deck ships with SteamOS, a Linux-based operating system. Windows is not installed by default, but you can install it. The process takes about an hour and involves some trade-offs worth knowing before you start. Why Install Windows on the Steam Deck SteamOS handles the vast majority of Steam games through Proton compatibility. But…
The Steam Deck OLED lasts 4-6 hours on a charge during regular gaming. The LCD model lasts 2-4 hours. Both numbers vary based on the game you’re playing and the settings you run. This guide covers what actually drains the battery, what the real-world numbers look like by game type, and the settings that extend…