6 million units sold only, the future of portable PC-Consoles in danger?

Rog Ally, Lenovo Legion Go, MSI CLAW … For a few years now, these hybrid machines MI-PC gamer, Mid-consoling of portable play have tried to pierce on the hyper-competitive sector of the nomadic video game dominated with the head and shoulders by Nintendo of course, but also by the game on mobile, Android or iOS. These real little war machines have tried to seduce players thanks to muscular technical sheets that allow them to run as gourmet titles as Cyberpunk 2077 For example, without cutting too much on graphic qualities.

However, despite an enticing and often held promise, the PC-consolitable PCs did not have the expected success. Indeed, according to analyst IDC, taken up by our colleagues from The Vergeonly 6 small million of these devices (all models combined) sold between the beginning of 2022 and the end of 2024. For comparison and even if the use and expectations are not necessarily the same, in the same period of time, The Nintendo Switch sold at 47.32 million units.

The processor between two chairs.

When we get into the details, we realize that the Valve Steam Deck, so dear to our estimated Crono TK colleague, represents 50% of these 6 million sales. The other manufacturers therefore share the crumbs of a starry cake. There are many reasons for this disenchantment. First of all, they are extremely expensive devices; When it came out, the Rog Ally cost the trifle of € 800: enough to pay a PS5 and a switch. In addition, even if the technical prowess is there, it is often to the detriment of the battery life, which melts like snow in the midday sun in the middle of the death valley: we rarely exceed 60 minutes for an AAA game. Another pitfall, except the steam deck, these are machines that turn under Windows, a bone that is very unfortunate to use for players accustomed to consoles, especially without keyboard or mouse. And let's not talk about weight, size, impossibility of changing parts easily, huge fans necessary to cool graphics cards …

Reasons to hope?

For the moment, in any case, analysts remain skeptical about this video game sector and do not provide frank sales progressions for 2025. And the very next arrival of the Switch 2 is not likely to improve things. However, there is a small glow of hope for Lenovo, Rog and the other actors; L'NVIDIA ambition to embark on CPU design From this year with, at the end, components more efficient for video games and above all, more energy efficient.