I’ve spent a lot of time checking out handheld gaming PCs over the last year or so, from the Lenovo Legion Go to the Asus ROG Ally X, and the one thing holding so many of them back is how awful Windows 11 feels on a portable console. Well, it looks like someone is trying to change that, with a couple of plucky independent software devs working on an app called Winhanced, and it sounds very promising.
For those who don’t know, the reason that the Steam Deck OLED still remains the top portable PC pick from our guide to the best handheld consoles is how much better it feels to use than its main rivals, primarily due to SteamOS. As pointed out in a piece pitting the Asus ROG Ally X vs the Steam Deck OLED, the Ally X offers superior performance, but Windows 11 is such a clunky piece of software that we still end up recommending the Valve console over the Asus alternative.
However, if the minds behind Winhanced have their way, this could all change. While the app is still in its early stages, the team behind the project is planning on plenty of features that could help both the Lenovo Legion Go and the Asus ROG Ally X. We’re talking about a unified Steam and Xbox Game Pass library, controller remapping and profiles, and an easier way to exit out of games. You can find the full list of planned features on EnigmaP3nguin’s Reddit post, where the developer is also looking for handheld owners to put the software through its paces.
It’s worth pointing out that while we’ve concentrated much of this article on Windows-based Steam Deck alternatives, the developers behind Winhanced are also looking for Steam Deck users to test the software on the Valve handheld. Honestly, in my experience, you can’t beat SteamOS – which is probably why we’re getting a version of the Lenovo Legion Go S with the operating system later this year – but I’d be willing to give Winhanced a go just to see what it has to offer compared to Valve’s Linux launcher.
If you want to keep up with all the latest on the Winhanced project, be sure to check out the Winhanced Discord channel and follow its creator, EnigmaP3nguin, on Reddit. Or, if you’re looking for something new to play all the best mobile games on, check out our picks for the best gaming phones and the best gaming tablets while you’re here, with plenty of options to suit all needs and budgets.