With Microsoft revealing the ROG Xbox Ally X collaboration with Asus and rumors that Sony may be planning something similar for 2027, the handheld gaming category is heating up. So much so that OneXPlayer, known for its retro gaming handhelds, has announced a new contender for our guide to the best Steam Deck alternatives, the OneXFly Apex, which is set to arrive very soon.
Announcing the news on the social media site X, as well as launching it on the fundraising site IndieGoGo, OneXPlayer revealed that its PC gaming handheld will feature the following:
- AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 flagship processor
- Supports up to 128GB of Memory
- 8-inch display with up to a 120Hz refresh rate
- TDP up to 120W
- Harman-tuned dual speakers
- Removable battery
Overall, it seems like the OneXFly Apex will be great at playing high-intensity games like Assassin's Creed: Shadows and Battlefield 6 for a couple of hours. There's no word on the amount of storage on the confirmed M.2 PCIe slot, but as the handheld features a mini-SSD slot, you can expand the storage up to 1TB if needed.
OneXPlayer hasn't revealed a release date yet, but with the IndieGoGo page mentioning that users who sign up will get up to a 30% discount when it launches, it suggests a launch is imminent.
With handhelds like the Lenovo Legion Go 2 and the ROG Xbox Ally X launching next month, the OneXFly Apex feels like a high-end handheld rival that's going to offer a lot of power on the go. Playing games like Fortnite and Genshin Impact on the Apex may feel like overkill, but some of the best Steam games will certainly run better than on the Steam Deck OLED.
The PC gaming handheld space is clearly heating up, with many manufacturers realizing that gamers want to play their favorite games wherever they are. They don't want to be sat in the same place or be tethered to a plug socket - they want to use a device almost anywhere. That has been true of the Steam Deck since its 2022 launch, but with the release of more demanding games, Valve's handheld is starting to show its age. It's why we're curious as to how the OneXFly Apex will truly fare once it's released. When it does, we'll be seeing just how it compares to the Steam Deck, Xbox Ally X, and others in this space.
In the meantime, check out our guides to the best gaming phones and the best gaming tablets if you're looking for something to tide you over until the OneXFly Apex arrives next year. Or, if you're looking for something new to play, see our guides to the best Switch games and the best mobile games.