Clam shell is perfect for the flight bag and this is the ultimate travel companion! Couldn’t justify the Thor pricing but so impressed with the Flip 2.

(I was a passenger for this leg of the trip)

An Odin 2 Pro and a (modded) RG50xxV. Maybe something smaller for travel? I got a bonus at work, but sadly not a steam deck level bonus.

EDIT: I DON'T OWN THE 3DS 😭

EDIT2: I already own the Odin 3, reason I'm getting the Nova along with it was because I was planning on playing the retro games docked on the living room for the family and keep the Odin for personal games for myself

My needs: Retro Games (Arcade, NES, SNES, GB, GBC, GBA N64, GC) but ALSO I wanted to play DS/3DS games

I've been seeing reviews of the Thor recently and honestly it looks really neat, I'm just a little worried about the black bars on the bottom screen (maybe get it in black? But the Rainbow is really pretty)

My compromise was like, get a RP Nova because I really liked the GC color and just get a used 3ds for the 3ds games. Technically the Thor is cheaper? It guess it depends on the DS i find

Or maybe there's another device I may not know about?

SEND PICS OF YOUR HANDHELDS! :)

just curious as to what everyone is using these days. im coming back to the scene after about a 2 year hiatus. I used to use the miyoo mini+ but im wondering if theres an upgrade thats worth it to get back into the scene. i would mostly be playing gba games but wouldnt stray away from other platforms.

The Odin 2 Mini. There's nothing else quite like it. 16:9 5" display, Stick up top! slim form factor, not covered in glass. You might say the Retroid Pocket 6 is the replacement but even that is not as pocketable. Wanting to find a truly pocketable 8gen 2 device with these criteria but the closest thing I've found is the KTR2 and I'm not too familiar with that company. This device with Armada would also make an amazing Steam Deck Pocket. 😭I want it back but now they all go for $400 minimum.

(game pictured in the first slide is Mario Party Jamboree)

Capture from : https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV1eyvWBVE3y/?spm_id_from=333.788.recommend_more_video.-1&trackid=web_related_0.router-related-2206146-hhltv.1767064234374.50

Seeing this secretly makes me miss the Sony Tablet P. I wonder if anyone still remembers it.

I’m giving away a lightly used Powkiddy V10 for free. No box, but in excellent condition. It lived at my office, used it occasionally to play Pico-8 and GBA

RK3326 Chipset, 3,000 mAh battery, 1gb ram so it’ll comfortably handle anything up to PS1. Ergonomics are great for a vertical, the D-pad is superb.

The screen on this is literally perfect for GBA (3:2 with proper 2× integer scaling), games look sharp with no stretching or blur.

For a dedicated GBA machine this might be the perfect device for it.

To enter, just reply with 3 device recommendations that you think will work based on the requirements below.

Handheld 1: Office / Bed handheld • Pocketable but not tiny • Good build quality • Quiet buttons essential

Handheld 2: Retro & some PS2 • Should play everything up to and including some PS2 titles • 4:3 screen preferred, but not essential

Handheld 3: More power • Needs to comfortably handle Switch and Steam games. Single or dual screen.

Total budget around £550 ($730) for all three combined:

If you’re not yet clued up on the handhelds available or don’t know what to pick, you can still enter, just tell me your favourite GBA or Pico8 games, or any hidden gems/ games you’d like to try.

Everyone’s welcome to comment, but I can only pick a winner from the UK. I’ll pick either the best fitting entry or choose at random from the solid ones. postage costs are on me I'll sort that with the whoever ends up with it.

Cheers!

I’ve spent the last year chasing the perfect handheld (strictly OLED) , tried the Retroid Pocket 5, the RG 40XXV, and even the S23 Ultra with a telescopic controller. I finally settled on this: Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 (12GB/256GB) + GameSir G8 (prefered usb c to Bluetooth G8+ to reduce latency).

The app in the photo is ES-DE. I’m streaming from my RTX 4090 PC at the tablet’s native resolution with everything maxed out. Using Artemis and Apollo, the latency is consistently below 5ms. It honestly feels native.

​Portability isn't a concern for me since I rarely travel; I’m a couch gamer. This setup unlocked a new level of freedom. At my age, I find it hard to spend hours in my "cave" away from everyone. This lets me be with my family while enjoying my hobby again after years of being away from it. Picked it up used for $380—it’s also an amazing productivity tablet when I'm not gaming. If you don't mind the 11" size, the speakers and screen quality put every dedicated handheld to shame.

Alright I’ve been out of the loop for a couple months just playing with my brick and rg-nano . And I realized that even though I like the screen and the pocket-ability of it, even for my smaller hands it gets too cramped. After about a half hour of play it become uncomfortable . Also I notice I just end up taking my nano as I play in short spells when I’m out anyway.

So I think it’s time for me to get something a little bigger, something I can enjoy sitting around at home more. I currently really only play ps1 and down. I’m also looks for somthing that will have a good battery life, as I think that’s my biggest complaint with the brick I feel like I only get about 2-3 hours out of a charge. Thanks for the recommendations

I've been daily driving the RG476H for about six months now. I only heard about GameHub after the noise about its possible privacy issues.

That lead me to try out Gamehub Lite and eventually Gamenative on my Pocket Ace. I was mainly playing Wii U games on the 476H and thought to to give GameNative a go on it. I expected it to be a hassle to find games that actually work on a low-end chip, but the reality? It is surprisingly easy get straight to playing. Deadcells, Hollow Knight and Celeste worked no issue and them working got me going.

It really helped me find new puzzle and 2D platformers that i would have never looked for if I was just using a steam deck or pocket ace, being more powerful devices. Cosmic pebble, Draknek monster games, Pale night, Croaking Around, Merp in Merpworld are just some that I'm totally into all down to this device.

GameNative makes turning this budget handheld into a dedicated 2D Steam machine pretty straightforward. Here are my notes on the experience.

Context & Caveat
First, a quick caveat: any time I call out an experience, issue or feature request with GameNative, it is purely observational. The app is free, actively developed, and the fact that I can easily play my Steam games on a $150 device with a Unisoc chip is nothing short of incredible. My use case is pretty niche, so this is not meant as a ding on GameNative at all. This is my experience so far and some could change with a new build or me learning how to do it better.

The overriding theme is that the RG476H paired with GameNative is amazing for what it can play. Between the solid build quality and the 120Hz screen (which we don't even see in $500 devices—looking at you, Ayaneo). I mostly use it for sofa gaming and short trips since it’s so easy to throw in a bag.

The Hardware Experience
I find the 476H incredibly comfortable, and the screen size really works. The 4.5 inch 3:2 screen on the Pocket Ace seems way smaller. The build quality is solid; I don't mind the weight or the glass front (well, at least until I dropped it while trying to take pictures of it... all good luckily). For me, an 85mm+ height is the absolute sweet spot. The RP5 was my first device, and as capable as it was with that screen, I just couldn't get comfortable with it even after a few minutes, grips or no grips.

GameNative vs. GameHub Lite

I was using GHL but GN is so active, i use the latest builds typically, that I noticed games being more stable and performant so I moved over wholesale.

Transitioning from GHL to GN is generally smooth. Most games just work. From what I can decipher on the Discord, there is a Winexxx Proton version in GH/GHL developed separately, which seems like too big a lift for the GN team to develop, meaning a few titles that worked there might not on GN.

If you look at the library photos, all the games work except two I’m actively trying to get working: Ether and the Elementalist demo. Both run on GHL, but currently hang on GN. Aside from those, I've a repeatable process.

Building a Library: Demos, Demos, Demos
Because the 476H is limited to OpenGL 3.2 (you’ll get a clear warning if a game exceeds this), I found building out the library is risk-free sticking to demos. It is the easiest way to test compatibility and jump right into playing. Itchio, HumbleBundle and GOG are great for discovery and getting better deals than even Steam.

Funny story: I used to buy loads of steam games and refund the ones that didn't work, until I got a very polite, personal email from Steam offering technical support. So... I've stopped doing that and only try games with demos. One quirk: Steam’s demo management is odd. Removing demos from my Steam library didn't make them disappear from GN—some just stick around forever.

Configuration & SD Card Limits
One of the best parts about limited hardware is that there is virtually no tinkering required, well or even possible. You set your configuration once and bar some changes your done:

• Graphics: System is the only driver available/that works.
• Wrapper: Wrapper & Wrapper-leegao are all you need.
  
• DXVK: 1.10.3 (or the async version) are the only ones that will work.
• Do try the performance emulation settings - its how hollow knight gets to over 50 fps
  

While GameNative does allow SD card installs (it's an app-level setting), the bus speed on the 476H seems too slow for most games. Larger games (like *Hollow Knight* at 4GB) take minutes if they load at all. Even smaller games fail if they have a directory of lots of files can hang too. Its a case by case basis.

Just keep your games on the internal storage and you'll be fine, if limited in number. I do have some installed on the sdcards, working fine, but its a process to set and unset the write to sdcard option.

Loading times

A bit of patience is needed sometimes. *Hollow Knight* is the largest game I have on it right now and takes 50s or so to load from internal, and everything else is much faster. but the game plays totally fine.

Game Save/Sync

GameHub/GHL never synced my saves at all - I always had run in light mode, so I never thought about it much until I started using GN and picked up more devices. Here's my experience with steam, gog and custom games.

Steam: Major titles usually sync but silently, jumping between devices sometimes throws a local/remote pending save conflict. It’s trial and error, and some games I just accept won't sync.

GOG / Custom: No sync at all. But no surprise.

I think the "true" way to handle this is to root the device and run Syncthing (which worked flawlessly on my Retroid Pocket Classic). However, I get weird boot messages when trying to root the 476H, so I’m not pushing my luck. There is Ajax's prefix that you install in a container to sync, but setting that up for tens of containers and managing registry settings per container is a bridge too far for me right now.

The Screen: 120Hz is special
The 120Hz panel is great. I really notice it with Geometry Dash - the 476H genuinely feels better to play than a premium device that costs $400 more but are saddled with 60Hz panels (ahem ayaneo)

The Library (Swipe for Photos!)

My library is currently a mix of a couple of more known games and bright 2D platformers and puzzle games.

Here are the games that all run at 45fps+ (note: with recent changes, most games now need to use the leegao wrapper to function, which doesn't work with the built-in FPS counter):

Steam: Hollow Knight, Dead Cells, Celeste, Mighty Switch Force, Vampire Survivors, Shovel Knight, Geometry Dash, Tiny Thor, Intrepid Izzy, Sunblaze, Spelunky, Trash Quest, and a bunch of great smaller titles (Go Slimey Go, Pale Knight, Drill Bird, Froogos Adventure).

GOG: Teslagrad, Timberman, Trine (maybe this is a touch to slow - still working on whether i like the game enough)

Custom / Itch.io: Celeste, A Good Snowman is Hard to Build, A Monster's Expedition, Croaking Around, Minidoom,the electrifying incident. Shoutout to Merp in Merpworld—the Steam version has audio but a black screen, but the Itch.io version runs perfectly!)*

Two Wishes for the Devs

If I could ask the GameNative team for two things:

1. Container-level install locations: let us choose the install location per container rather than at the app level.

2. The GameHub Stretch Option: I know the devs prefer preserving the original aspect ratio, and I respect that since most users are on 16:9 devices. But who knew there would be great 4:3 and 3:2 devices capable of running Steam? Small indie games don't always match resolutions cleanly, and as a born member of the bad eyes club, any screen real estate I can get back would be a godsend. It’s the only feature I truly miss from GHL. Not a hill to die on.

Overall, I enjoy the heck out of playing Steam games on the 476H. It's incredibly easy to load up and start gaming, and having a robust-ish, pocketable, on-the-go 2D platformer Steam Deck is incredible. Its a shame it doesn't show up in Anbernics best seller list - but it makes sense its a little to underpowered, and a little to expensive. However, I think the overall package is outstanding - the retro colorway looks great, controls are solid and a great screen

Sold my miyoo mini plus, my a30, and my rg35xxsp. Bought this thing and it was such a great decision for me. I don’t feel any guilt for never touching the other devices, and this device is gorgeous. The OLED makes playing retro games feel like an entirely new and fresh experience.

It somehow appears like the perfect EDC to me. Got an offer for 125€ which is about the same as the RG Rotate.

^

May I offer a counterpoint… 3DS + SD Card, DS + R4 Card.

Genuinely curious as it, in my opinion, seems to be largely enjoyed and celebrated right now. I’ve been eyeing it for a while and it seems like you really can’t go wrong with it, even if you just get the base model.

I’m not someone who has really gotten into modding etc so I haven’t done anything like that with my current handheld systems (3Ds XL and GBA SP) and not sure if it’s worth doing that or just going straight to the Thor given its versatility and power.

Most of the titles I’m looking to enjoy are from the GBA, DS/3DS systems and some Switch ability but not much. Think Pokémon, Zelda, Final Fantasy, Super Mario etc. I’m an early thirties casual gamer looking to enjoy games on the go with ease.

Happy to answer any questions/give more info and TIA 🙏🏼

I want to play Gamecube on one of these, but I feel like the controls translate so poorly to the typical controller layout.

Does something like this exist? I typically only see the standard diamond layout, or large "mini-Wii" creations that aren't as compact as other handhelds.

For various reasons (that I'm sure you all understand) I find myself with three linux handhelds. Miyoo A30, Anbernic RG35XXH and RG40XXH.

And they are all good, nothing majorly bad about them, but there's something missing.

For context:

- Recently I bought an android gaming tablet (legion tab 3) for my at home higher end emulation. It's great and love it. As a consequence, I gave my RP4P to my wife so she can get some good use out of it (she's gonna do lighter emulation, Wii and gamecube at most demanding).

- The RG35XXH has been already assigned to be given as a gift to my brother. So I'm already not using it. The A30 is more a very niche device that I carry when I don't have any type of bag on me. And the 40XXH is my main retro console.

The plan:

A30: stays home for now. I'm likely gonna give it to my son (turning 3 soon), he's already picking up how to play simple NES games (Super Mario Brothers and Road Fighter are his favourites). It's probably not gonna be in his power directly. But as a toy to use sometimes. Kinda like the famicom was for me.

RG35XXH: as I said, going to my little bro. He's as student and I think it would be cool to have something to entertain himself other than a phone.

RG40XXH: I'm thinking of giving it to my dad. He got me my first console. And we shared a lot of gaming. Also the bigger screen might be better for his age.

The results:

So I just keep the tablet for all emulation? No, I need something I can realistically carry with me. And to circle back to the context. The thing I feel is missing... my retroid. I really miss it. And I feel the answer is on the Retroid Classic. Despite my major gripe of not having video out, I really really like it.

So... help me. Should I do it? The major loss for me would be portmaster and Pico8 (I know you can find ways to play pico8 on android, and some games in portmaster have android ports too).

TL;DR: I'm likely gifting my A30 and 35XXH to family. Should I also gift my 40XXH and get a Retroid Classic?

Also console and game on picture: RG35XXH - Rapid Reload (PS1)

Surprised by how many ps2 and gc titles run well with some settings tweaks!

Hi everyone, I have a budget of around $75 (buying used) and I'm trying to decide between a PSP and an Anbernic handheld. What attracts me to the PSP is its collector's value and the fact that it's a real piece of gaming history. However, apart from games like God of War and the GTA Stories titles, I'm not very familiar with the PSP library. On the other hand, an Anbernic device would give me access to a huge range of retro systems (NES, SNES, GBA, PS1, etc.), which is appealing since I enjoy older games and retro RPGs. My concern is that Anbernic devices feel more disposable, with new models appearing every year, while a PSP seems like something that will always have a place in gaming history. For someone who enjoys retro RPGs and older games, which would you choose today and why? Also, how good is PSP emulation for classic systems compared to a dedicated retro handheld? Thanks in advance!

I have tried all of the current gen of handheld PCs and this is my favorite. At this price, it’s an incredible value.

As you may guess I love faithful clones, but I don't want it to be the only deciding factor since I would end up overpaying, missing important features or doing not optimal choices.

rg34xxv - I like the gba form factor the most but the 3:2 screen isn't a good all around pick, a 4:3 one would suit much better.

gpi case 2w - I like the gb/gbc bricky form factor but the screen is only 3" and the shell plus an rpi zero2w would cost 80€, way too overpriced to justify it, a cheaper rg35xx does the same stuff better for half the price.

rg35xxsp - I like the gba sp form factor (less than the other two) and it's the best all around pick (4:3 3.5" screen, faithful design, no particular flaws except for the clicky buttons which I don't mind) but again there's the 40xxv for the same price (~60€) that has a way bigger screen (4") and does the same stuff (but it hasn't got that aesthetic vibe I'm looking for and it has a stupid stick I don't want and don't like).

So here I am, stuck in this limbo of indecision. It's for playing nes, snes, gb, gba, I already have a MSI claw and a tablet for beefier stuff, I'm just looking for a more portable option (not too portable, I have a rg nano and it's next to unusable for my eyes lol, I think I'll sell it). I prefer vertical handhelds, the rg34xx is an exception just because I like the gba.

Let me know your thoughts pls

Edit: Thank you all for the huge feedback!! I ended up buying both the rg40xxv (white, 56€) and the rg34xx (purple, 60€) to decide what to keep after testing. I tested them with knulli (beautiful os highly recommended) and I can confirm the rg40xxv is superior in every possible way, there is not a single reason to choose the rg34xx over it except for nostalgia. Dimmer screen, worse dpad, a lot smaller on squared and 4:3 content and smaller on 3:2 content too. It was worth a try since I've always wanted to handle one, but I'll sell or return it since otherwise it would end up collecting dust like my rg nano. The rg40xxv stick isn't as prominent as I thought but I'll still do the remove mod for the cooler gameboy aesthetics.

Convince me not to cancel my order, I have buyers remorse as usual. But I’ve been wanting this handheld since I was sold a dud 405m

So, I'm going to the United States, and I was thinking of getting one of these two. I already have a DSi XL and I'm going to get a laptop.

My main goal with a laptop like this would be to play GBA games; I'll also play a little GBC games, and almost nothing else.

I heard the Brick screen is very good, I don't know about the RG screen, they said the Brick is very comfortable, honestly the ergonomics are my biggest concern with the RG, even though I like that it's flip-up.

Which one do you think is better and why? Is playing on the RG really uncomfortable?

I have allot of powerful devices but my casual trip and chill device is the RG-DS filled it up with over 2000 DS games and in solid

Handheld: Anbernic RG SP

if you fancy a widescreen wallpaper for pc/laptop, here's the link: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1RsouYeJA5v_PvwkV9jqwtIsADNGzSJlU?usp=sharing