Digital Foundry’s 2025 hardware roundup highlights breakthroughs in handheld gaming with devices like the GPD Win 5 delivering near-PS5 performance, while Nintendo’s Switch 2 remains a versatile and popular platform despite some compromises. On the PC front, AMD’s Ryzen 9 9950X3D leads CPU performance, Nvidia’s RTX 5090 dominates high-end graphics despite power concerns, and the industry anticipates cautious yet promising advancements in 2026 amid supply challenges.
Digital Foundry’s 2025 hardware roundup highlights significant advancements and notable products in gaming technology over the past year, with a keen eye on the upcoming CES 2026. The discussion begins with handheld gaming devices, spotlighting the GPD Win 5, which impressively integrates the powerful Strix Halo chip into a compact form factor smaller than both the Switch 2 and Steam Deck. This handheld delivers near PlayStation 5-level performance, especially when tethered to a 200W power supply, marking a remarkable leap in handheld gaming power. Despite some fan noise at higher wattages, the device’s performance and innovative external battery design set a new benchmark for portable gaming.
The conversation then shifts to other handhelds like the Xbox LIX, Lenovo Legion Go S, and MSI Claw 8 AI Plus. The Xbox LIX offers solid hardware but is hampered by inconsistent Windows software performance, making it less appealing compared to more seamless Steam OS devices. The Lenovo Legion Go S stands out as a top recommendation for PC handhelds due to its comfortable ergonomics, Steam OS integration, and strong hardware. Meanwhile, the MSI Claw 8 AI Plus impresses with its specs but suffers from a lack of advanced upscaling technology, highlighting an area for future improvement in handheld gaming.
Nintendo’s Switch 2 is acknowledged as a major sales winner and a unique platform, leveraging DLSS-like upscaling to deliver efficient performance on demanding games at low power consumption. While the hardware has some drawbacks, such as a smaller battery and a less responsive LCD screen, its ecosystem, exclusive games, and docking capabilities make it a standout product. The panel notes mixed feelings about the device’s ergonomics but recognizes its importance as a flexible and widely supported gaming platform that excels in handheld mode despite some compromises.
On the CPU front, the Ryzen 9 9950X3D is celebrated as the standout processor of 2025, offering exceptional gaming and productivity performance thanks to its 3D cache technology. It outperforms many competitors, including Intel’s offerings, and bridges the gap between gaming and content creation workloads effectively. This CPU represents a significant achievement for AMD, delivering top-tier performance without the typical trade-offs seen in earlier generations, and is praised for revitalizing the AM5 platform with a balanced and powerful solution.
In graphics, Nvidia’s Blackwell series, led by the RTX 5090, delivers a notable performance boost over previous generations but is tempered by high power consumption and initial driver issues. While the 5090 dominates the high-end market, the mid-range cards face criticism for limited VRAM and less compelling improvements. AMD’s RDNA4 lineup makes strides in efficiency and ray tracing but lacks presence in mobile and handheld markets, with software support and feature rollout being inconsistent. Looking ahead to 2026, expectations center on Intel’s Panther Lake CPUs, potential Zen 6 reveals, and incremental GPU improvements, while concerns linger over memory supply constraints potentially impacting pricing and availability across the industry. Overall, 2025’s hardware offerings are strong but suggest a period of transition and cautious optimism for the year ahead.
Make a numbered list.
Here’s a summary of the key points from the Digital Foundry 2025 hardware roundup in a numbered list:
And as always, if any of this was too technical, just remember: the future of space gaming looks bright — even if the hardware sometimes feels like it’s from another galaxy!