It’s been a big month for portable gaming news, with brands such as Sony and Microsoft revealing that they’re looking to take on the likes of the Nintendo Switch and Steam Deck in the coming years with new consoles. Well, it looks like another tech giant is joining the fray, with rumors emerging that a Samsung handheld could be in the works.
This rumor is courtesy of a newly emerged patent for an ‘electronic games console’ from Samsung Display Co., complete with a selection of diagrams that seem to point to a clamshell design. While Samsung doesn’t have the same sort of gaming pedigree as brands like Valve and Nintendo, the fact that the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra sits atop our guide to the best gaming phones proves that it’s got the tech to compete.
Outside of the diagrams in the patent, we don’t have much to go off in terms of what a Samsung handheld could offer, except for the fact it looks a lot like the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 cell phone. It’s not clear whether the console would only run the best Android games, or, like the Asus ROG Ally X and Lenovo Legion Go, it could be more of a handheld gaming PC.
However, there’s reason to be a bit skeptical about the rumors surrounding Samsung entering the handheld gaming market. For one, this patent is from subsidiary Samsung Display Co., not Samsung Electronics, so it’s plausible that this could just be a design that the brand is offering to another company. It’s also worth saying that the Korean tech giant originally filed the patent in 2022, so its plans could have changed since then.
Whatever the case, we’ll be sure to keep an eye out for any leaks or rumors surrounding the possibility of a portable gaming console from Samsung. If you can’t wait around for something new to play on, be sure to check out our guide to the best Steam Deck alternatives and the best retro handhelds while you’re here.