Prevent Handheld Gaming Overheating in South African Heat

You’re deep into a session on your handheld, the final boss is one hit away… and then it happens. Stuttering. Frame drops. The console in your hands feels hotter than a braai grid on a December afternoon. In our unique climate, preventing handheld gaming overheating isn't just a luxury, it's essential for uninterrupted play. Don't let the South African heat throttle your performance; let's get your device running cool and smooth.

SteelSeries Stratus + Wireless Anroid Controller / Android & Chromebook Wireless Gaming Controller / Bluetooth LE + USB-C PC Support / Adjustable Slim Phone Mount Included / 90-Hour Battery Life with Fast Charge (15 min = 12 hrs) / ALPS Thumbsticks with L3/R3 / Hall Effect Magnetic Triggers for Lifetime Precision / 69076

R999.00In Stock

MSI Claw 8 AI+ A2VM Handheld Touchscreen Gaming Console / Intel Core Ultra 7 258V / 32GB LPDDR5X RAM / 1TB NVMe SSD / 8" FHD+ (1920 x 1200), 120 Hz, Touchscreen Display / Intel® Arc 140V Graphics / 2 x USB Type-C (Supports Thunderbolt 4 / DisplayPort / Power Delivery 3.0) / 1 x Micro SD Card Reader / 1 x Headphone and Microphone combo jack / 1x Fingerprint Reader / Intel® Killer Wi-Fi 7 BE1750 Wireless LAN / Bluetooth 5.4 / Windows 11 Home (64bit) / 2 × 2W Speakers, Hi-Res Audio ready / 6-Cell, 80Whr Battery / 1 Year Warranty / CLAW-8-AI-A2VM-067ZA

R18999.00In Stock

Adata SC735 1TB High-Performance External SSD with USB-C / 1,050MB/s Read & 1,000MB/s Write Speeds / Cable-Free Mobile Phone Compatibility / Gaming Handheld Compatible / Supports Latest Game Consoles / Multi-OS Support / SC735-1000G-CCBK/GY

R2199.00In Stock

Lenovo Legion Go S 8APU1 Handheld Touchscreen Gaming Console - Black / AMD Ryzen™ Z1 Extreme / 16GB LPDDR5X RAM / 1TB NVMe SSD / 8.8" WUXGA (1920 x 1200), Touch Screen, 100% sRGB(Typical), 500nits(Typical), IPS-Level Display/ Integrated AMD Radeon™ Graphics / 2x USB Type-C support (DisplayPort™ 1.4 / Power Delivery 3.0) / 1 x Card Reader / 1 x Headphone and Microphone combo jack / AMD Wi-Fi® 6E RZ616 Wireless / Bluetooth 5.3 / SteamOS / 2 Stereo Speakers / 4-Cell, Li-ion, 55.5Whr Battery / 1 Year Warranty / 83N6002ESA

R17499.00In Stock

Lenovo Legion Go S 8ARP1 Handheld Touchscreen Gaming Console - Black / AMD Ryzen™ Z2 Go / 16GB LPDDR5X RAM / 512B NVMe SSD / 8.8" WUXGA (1920 x 1200), Touch Screen, 100% sRGB(Typical), 500nits(Typical), IPS-Level Display/ Integrated AMD Radeon™ Graphics / 2x USB Type-C support (DisplayPort™ 1.4 / Power Delivery 3.0) / 1 x Card Reader / 1 x Headphone and Microphone combo jack / AMD Wi-Fi® 6E RZ616 Wireless / Bluetooth 5.3 / SteamOS / 2 Stereo Speakers / 4-Cell, Li-ion, 55.5Whr Battery / 1 Year Warranty / 83L3004VSA

R13499.00In Stock

Razer Kishi V3 Pro Gaming Controller / Supports Android, iPhone & iPad Mini / Full-Sized Console-Style Controller / Fits Phones and Tablets up to 8” / Razer Sensa HD Immersive Haptics / RZ06-05460100-R3M1

R4199.00In Stock

Understanding Why Handhelds Overheat

At its core, the problem is simple physics. Modern handheld gaming PCs pack immense power—fully-fledged CPUs and GPUs—into a tiny, portable chassis. This concentration of high-performance components generates a lot of heat. While they have built-in fans and heatsinks, their small size means they have less surface area to dissipate that heat compared to a desktop PC or even a laptop.

When you add high ambient temperatures from a classic South African summer day, the device's cooling system has to work much harder. If it can't keep up, the system will automatically slow down (thermal throttle) to protect itself, which is when you experience those frustrating performance drops.

Smart Ways to Prevent Handheld Gaming Overheating

You don't have to just accept lag as a fact of life during summer. A few strategic tweaks can make a massive difference in keeping your console cool and your frame rates high. Taking proactive steps is key to avoiding long-term damage and ensuring your device lasts.

Tweak Your Environment and Habits

Where you play matters... a lot.

• Avoid Direct Sunlight: This is the number one enemy. Playing outdoors is a great idea, but find a shady spot. The sun's heat will overwhelm your device's cooling system almost instantly.
• Ensure Good Airflow: Don't play with your handheld buried under a blanket or resting on a soft surface that can block its air vents. Give it space to breathe.
• Play in Cooler Rooms: If you have an air-conditioner, use it. Playing in the coolest room in the house can lower the baseline temperature your device has to fight against.

SteelSeries Stratus + Wireless Anroid Controller / Android & Chromebook Wireless Gaming Controller / Bluetooth LE + USB-C PC Support / Adjustable Slim Phone Mount Included / 90-Hour Battery Life with Fast Charge (15 min = 12 hrs) / ALPS Thumbsticks with L3/R3 / Hall Effect Magnetic Triggers for Lifetime Precision / 69076

R999.00In Stock

Lenovo Legion Go S 8ARP1 Handheld Touchscreen Gaming Console - Black / AMD Ryzen™ Z2 Go / 16GB LPDDR5X RAM / 512B NVMe SSD / 8.8" WUXGA (1920 x 1200), Touch Screen, 100% sRGB(Typical), 500nits(Typical), IPS-Level Display/ Integrated AMD Radeon™ Graphics / 2x USB Type-C support (DisplayPort™ 1.4 / Power Delivery 3.0) / 1 x Card Reader / 1 x Headphone and Microphone combo jack / AMD Wi-Fi® 6E RZ616 Wireless / Bluetooth 5.3 / SteamOS / 2 Stereo Speakers / 4-Cell, Li-ion, 55.5Whr Battery / 1 Year Warranty / 83L3004VSA

R13499.00In Stock

Turtle Beach Atom Mobile Game Controller with Bluetooth for Cloud Gaming on Android Mobile Devices with Compact Shape, Console Style Controls, Low Latency Bluetooth - Red / TBS-0766-05

R2499.00In Stock

Microsoft Xbox Wireless Controller - Carbon Black / Hybrid D-Pad / 3.5mm Stereo Headset Jack / Textured Triggers And Bumpers / Compatible for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Android And iOS / QAT-00009

R1599.00In Stock

Logitech F710 Wireless Gaming Gamepad / 2.4GHz Wireless / Broad Game Support / Familiar Button Layout / 940-000142

R849.00In Stock

Razer Kishi V3 Gaming Controller / Supports Android and iPhone / Full-Sized Console-Style Controller / Dual mouse-click back buttons / Razer Sensa HD Immersive Haptics / RZ06-03550100-R3M1

R2999.00In Stock

Optimise In-Game and System Settings

You can significantly reduce heat output without sacrificing too much visual quality. Many modern devices, like the powerful ASUS ROG Ally, feature command centre software that makes these adjustments simple.

• Lower Graphics Settings: Dropping from 'Ultra' to 'High' can drastically lower the load on the GPU, reducing heat.
• Cap Your Framerate: Does your game need to run at 120 FPS? Capping it at a stable 60 FPS gives your hardware breathing room and generates less heat.
• Reduce the TDP: Many handhelds allow you to lower the Thermal Design Power (TDP) in their settings. A lower TDP means less power draw and, consequently, less heat.

Choose Hardware Built for the Heat

Sometimes, the best solution is having a device designed from the ground up with superior cooling. If your older handheld consistently struggles, it might be time to look at newer models. For instance, the innovative cooling on the Lenovo Legion Go or the advanced vapour chamber in the MSI Claw are engineered specifically to handle the demands of AAA gaming without breaking a sweat.

Razer Kishi V3 Pro XL iPad & Android Tablet Gaming Controller / Full-Sized Console-Style Controller / Fits Phones and Tablets up to 10” / Razer Sensa HD Immersive Haptics / RZ06-05470100-R3M1

R5199.00In Stock

Logitech F710 Wireless Gaming Gamepad / 2.4GHz Wireless / Broad Game Support / Familiar Button Layout / 940-000142

R849.00In Stock

MSI Claw 8 AI+ A2VM Handheld Touchscreen Gaming Console / Intel Core Ultra 7 258V / 32GB LPDDR5X RAM / 1TB NVMe SSD / 8" FHD+ (1920 x 1200), 120 Hz, Touchscreen Display / Intel® Arc 140V Graphics / 2 x USB Type-C (Supports Thunderbolt 4 / DisplayPort / Power Delivery 3.0) / 1 x Micro SD Card Reader / 1 x Headphone and Microphone combo jack / 1x Fingerprint Reader / Intel® Killer Wi-Fi 7 BE1750 Wireless LAN / Bluetooth 5.4 / Windows 11 Home (64bit) / 2 × 2W Speakers, Hi-Res Audio ready / 6-Cell, 80Whr Battery / 1 Year Warranty / CLAW-8-AI-A2VM-067ZA

R18999.00In Stock

Turtle Beach Atom Mobile Game Controller with Bluetooth for Cloud Gaming on Android Mobile Devices with Compact Shape, Console Style Controls, Low Latency Bluetooth - Red / TBS-0766-05

R2499.00In Stock

Razer Kishi V3 Pro Gaming Controller / Supports Android, iPhone & iPad Mini / Full-Sized Console-Style Controller / Fits Phones and Tablets up to 8” / Razer Sensa HD Immersive Haptics / RZ06-05460100-R3M1

R4199.00In Stock

Adata SC735 1TB High-Performance External SSD with USB-C / 1,050MB/s Read & 1,000MB/s Write Speeds / Cable-Free Mobile Phone Compatibility / Gaming Handheld Compatible / Supports Latest Game Consoles / Multi-OS Support / SC735-1000G-CCBK/GY

R2199.00In Stock

Ultimately, if you find you're constantly fighting to stop your console from overheating, it might be a sign that its cooling system isn't up to the task for the games you want to play. Upgrading can provide a much more stable and enjoyable experience, especially in warmer climates. Exploring the latest handheld gaming consoles reveals just how far thermal technology has come. ✨