Horizon Forbidden West is one of the most visually stunning games today, perhaps ever. Previously only a PlayStation exclusive, the game is now available on PC. Being available on the platform means it opens itself up to being playable in multiple ways. With gaming handhelds being a hot thing of late, we tested the game on three handhelds to see how well it runs. 

But first, the system requirements. 

Very low (minimum)

• Processor: Intel Core i3-8100 or AMD Ryzen 3 1300X
• Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 4GB or AMD Radeon RX 5500XT 4GB
• Average performance: 720p @ 30 fps

Recommended

• Processor: Intel Core i5-8600 or AMD Ryzen 5 3600
• Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 or AMD Radeon RX 5700
• Average performance: 1080p @ 30 fps

High

• Processor: Intel Core i7-9700 or AMD Ryzen 7 3700X
• Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 or AMD Radeon RX 6800
• Average performance: 1440p @ 60fps or 4K @ 30fps

Ultra High

• Processor: Intel Core i7-11700 or AMD Ryzen 7 5700X
• Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 or AMD Radeon RX 7900XT
• Average performance: 4K @ 60 fps

Gaming handhelds typically have a power output comparable to baseline/entry level gaming laptops. That means these should be enough to handle the demands of Horizon Forbidden West,

So, we’re good on paper. But what’s it like during actual gameplay?

MSI Claw 

The latest player from a major PC and Gaming manufacturer in the gaming handheld space has a lot to prove. It’s also the only one in the devices we used today that is powered by Intel Core Ultra. There’s plenty of room for improvement here. 

The MSI Claw struggled to run the game the most. On High Graphics Settings, the game would crash within three to five minutes with an error message saying the device “doesn’t have enough RAM” to run the game.

Bringing it down to Medium Graphics Settings makes it playable. But Medium on the MSI Claw looks drastically different from the rest of the devices here. You lose a lot of the visual appeal of the game. And while you can freely move Aloy around, the environment you’re moving in looks like smudged painting. 

We’re not off to a great start but it does get better.

Lenovo Legion Go 

Having the biggest screen in the bunch, we enjoyed looking at the Horizon Forbidden West visuals on this screen the most. Those eight inches do wonders when placed so close to your face. 

We started the game on High Graphics settings and while the Legion Go was able to run it, we also had to run to the nearest power outlet to keep the device running. Also, in High Graphics settings, there’s some noticeable lag and delay. It’s just not the best experience gameplay-wise, but it does kickass for visuals. 

That said, the sweet spot remains to be the Medium Graphics Settings. In this configuration we got a workable balance between visual fidelity and gameplay. The power draw is still high but it at least lasts a little over an hour on battery. 

ROG Ally 

The ROG Ally is just an inch off the Legion Go’s display but you do notice the difference. That said, Horizon Forbidden West ran the smoothest on this gaming handheld. 

Unlike the Legion Go, we opted to play on Medium Graphics Settings from the jump. That meant the ROG Ally got a feel for the game pretty early on and ran the game seamlessly. 

The in-game engine cutscenes look rough sometimes, but that’s par for the course for the capabilities of gaming handhelds right now. We’re fairly certain this will only improve in the coming generations of this device category. 

We spent our longest play time on the Ally because it’s less inconspicuous to take out and play when you’re out and about. Play time on battery is slightly longer than the Legion Go – a difference of about 7-10 minutes. That’s notable if you ask us. 

Extra

One of our members got his hands on the ROG Strix 16 just as we were about to wrap up this article. Here’s what he had to say about the experience. 

“With the RTX 4080 inside the ROG Zephyrus G16, games like Horizon Forbidden West look and feel like a massive world sprawling with life. While frame rates hover around the usual 50-58 frames per second, the details on the characters and the overworld pop out beautifully. Even when you set it to its most balanced setting, the game still plays out well without sacrificing too much on the details.”

Is Horizon Forbidden West a Gaming Handheld Match?

Like most AAA titles, the answer is “Yes, but.” Yes, you’ll be able to run this game smoothly, you just have to sacrifice some visual fidelity due to the nature of Gaming Handhelds at this time. 

That’s not a total downer though. We’re still very much in awe of the fact that you can even run it at all. If your primary play platform is any of these gaming handhelds, you’d be pleased to know that you should get through an entire playthrough without encountering any major problems. 

Horizon Forbidden West is a fantastic game, and while its stunning visuals is its primary calling card, don’t sleep on its gameplay, especially when you can play it on the go.