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Hardware Do you own any of those Retro Handhelds ?

TheSpearGuy

transcended to the gods
There has been quite a bit of hype around those Retro Handhelds since 2019.
My theory on why they are so popular, is due to Nintendo not continuing their Classic Mini Edition's.
Here are some examples of Fan Favourites :

RG350M
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Retroid Pocket 3
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Miyoo Mini
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AYN Odin
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Do you own any Retro Handhelds ?
 
I don't, but I've been interested in something that could do good emulation from 32 bit and back. Would any of these be better then the others for that? Also, do any of these hook up to a TV? I know I could do my own research, but I enjoy chatting with everyone here more then searching the web by myself.
 
I own the RG350M. It's nice, has some good weight but I'm not the biggest fan of its shoulder buttons. The small-ish screen also makes me mainly use it for GB, GBC and GBA games. The Retroid Pocket 3 with its very Switch Lite-like design looks like it'd be more up my alley.
 
I don't, but I've been interested in something that could do good emulation from 32 bit and back. Would any of these be better then the others for that? Also, do any of these hook up to a TV? I know I could do my own research, but I enjoy chatting with everyone here more then searching the web by myself.
The upcoming RG353M might be ideal for you

4.3 Screen for 32 bit games
Mini HDMI
Hall sensor sticks
Wi-Fi
Android/Linux Dual Boot

 
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Not a handheld but I do that the nvidia shield tv for the same premise. I do plan to eventually mod my launch Switch to get a similar result (I transferred everything to the OLED).

I can see myself getting one of these eventually but for now it's not a high priority buy.
 
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These are all really cool! Unfortunately don't own any of them - but, then again, between the NSO emulators, the amazing XBSS back library, and the Classics section on PSN, I can't say I'm in dire need for more retro game options. :p
 
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I’ve been eyeing the Retroid Pocket 3 for weeks… I’d love a way to play old games up-to-and-including PS1 games, while also being able to stream games via Xbox Cloud Gaming.
 
I love my Miyoo Mini. For the 60 or so bucks I paid for it, it's been an amazing retro machine that plays PS1 and below very well. The shoulder buttons aren't the best, but that's a tradeoff for the insane level of portability and the cheap price.

I mostly use it to play Mario World hacks. Super Nintendo in particular is lovely on the device.
 
I toyed with the idea of one of the cheap Chinese handhelds but went with a PiBoy during 2020, which got replaced with a Analogue Pocket. Now I'm using the Deck for all my emulation needs.

My issue with these cheap hand helds is that they're constantly being replaced every few months and the review market is weird, some Youtubers have been blacklisted by some of these companies for their complaints, so you have a really sketchy community where some people gloss over issues to get review units. I guess most people don't care since they're only $150 or less, but if I'm going to spend money, even if I spend more, I want something better than just "ok."
 
I've got a Retroid Pocket 2+ and it's great! I use it for GBA, DS, and N64 games mostly, and I prefer its more compact size to my Switch when traveling (especially on a city train).

As for OP's theory, I probably wouldn't own it if GBA and DS games were available on the eShop.
 
I love my Miyoo Mini. For the 60 or so bucks I paid for it, it's been an amazing retro machine that plays PS1 and below very well. The shoulder buttons aren't the best, but that's a tradeoff for the insane level of portability and the cheap price.
Pretty much my experience. When reading specs I was a bit bummed its battery life was only about the same as Switch, but since I don't use it all the time it's at least good that it doesn't drain much when not in use, so I've never gone to pull it out for a three minute session and been left without.
My theory on why they are so popular, is due to Nintendo not continuing their Classic Mini Edition's.
Pretty much. The new Game & Watches are just novelties, and for more full-featured systems pocketability peaked with GBASP and GB Micro. To get something similar now, you have to go this way.
 
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I toyed with the idea of one of the cheap Chinese handhelds but went with a PiBoy during 2020, which got replaced with a Analogue Pocket. Now I'm using the Deck for all my emulation needs.

My issue with these cheap hand helds is that they're constantly being replaced every few months and the review market is weird, some Youtubers have been blacklisted by some of these companies for their complaints, so you have a really sketchy community where some people gloss over issues to get review units. I guess most people don't care since they're only $150 or less, but if I'm going to spend money, even if I spend more, I want something better than just "ok."
This is why I stick with the reputable reviewers - Retro Game Corps and Taki Udon are my go-tos, though I'll occasionally see a review from Retro Dodo. It's also why I waited a while to get a device and stick with it. I got the Miyoo Mini after the revision dropped, knowing its price and knowing its quality, even when I could have jumped in earlier on an Ambernic or Retroid device. For me, even if I were to get a Steam Deck or a more expensive device, the Miyoo Mini fits a distinct niche (super portable, pick up and play friendly, decent battery).
 
I've got a Retroid Pocket 2+ and an Ayn Odin (just arrived this week). I love my Retroid Pocket for 16-bit games, and so far the Odin has been working really well for 32 bit +.

The RP2+/ and I'm assuming the RP3 is a dream to setup due to their launcher and streamlined setup process- the Ayn Odin is a lot fiddlier to setup as it requires a lot more manual setup and tweaking on a per game basis.

Like the above poster mentioned following Retro Game Corps and Taki Udon for videos as well as reviews is a good route to go.
 
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It works fine for my tastes. The Anbernic’s were nicer built, but at the time this had more features. I just use it in Android mode cause the three main emulators work better in Android mode vs RetroArch.

RP2/3 is a nicer system, but I just don’t need to upgrade for my mainly 2D purposes so I’ve saved the cash.
 
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I've got a Retroid Pocket 2+ and it's great! I use it for GBA, DS, and N64 games mostly, and I prefer its more compact size to my Switch when traveling (especially on a city train).

As for OP's theory, I probably wouldn't own it if GBA and DS games were available on the eShop.
Put me in the camp of GBA being by far my number one emulator. I also prefer the slightly smaller size, and Nintendo has basically stranded the GBA so yolo.

PS: I still bought the Castlevania Advanced collection on my Switch too. Nintendo leaving easy money on the table not having GB/C/A games on the Switch.
 
Not yet. I decided to buy a very cheap android phone (got a phone with snapdragon 865 on sale for around 200$) and a GamesirX2 instead. I decided to wait until the retro handhelds were cheaper, and could handle gamecube / Saturn perfectly.
 
Not yet. I decided to buy a very cheap android phone (got a phone with snapdragon 865 on sale for around 200$) and a GamesirX2 instead. I decided to wait until the retro handhelds were cheaper, and could handle gamecube / Saturn perfectly.
That’s not a bad way to go honestly. You’ll get pretty good performance on most things PS1 and under.
 
Has anyone gotten an Analogue Pocket? Any thoughts? It looks so good. It's pricey, but I'm very tempted to put in an order. I saw a recent Retro Game Corps video talking about all of the emulation core updates that have taken place this year - Genesis and SNES are now running smoothly on it - and that screen is so beautiful...
 
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Update: I ended up ordering an Analogue Pocket!

It's order #18-thousand something, and I think they're somewhere around #13k for current shipments, so I have plenty of time to get my old cartridges/ ROMs in order.

I'm also very much looking forward to playing around with the game maker and music maker.
 
I would do horrible, disgusting things to be able to find a Miyoo Mini at the original asking price. The demand for a lot of these systems is way too high for the production :<
 
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Update: I ended up ordering an Analogue Pocket!

It's order #18-thousand something, and I think they're somewhere around #13k for current shipments, so I have plenty of time to get my old cartridges/ ROMs in order.

I'm also very much looking forward to playing around with the game maker and music maker.
A friend of mine finally received his and it seems absolutely gorgeous. He's in love.
 
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This really feels like what the RP3 should have been at launch. Do love me some Atomic Purple, though!
I followed the build up and release- long story short, the tech in the 3 was redone for the 2+ due to quality issues iirc, so by the time the 3 came out it was barely noticeable if at all better than the 2+. Even as someone who loves the heck out of retroid pockets, it was a very lame way of handling it and should have had greater transparency.
The 3+ I'm excited for- being able to emulate more intensive PSP games as well as starting to be able to emulate some PS2 and GC games is right up my power budget. 180~ ish including delivery is a bit outside of my price range, but I'm going to be putting one together for a friend so I'll have a better idea of some stress tests for my faves.
That being said, I've been using a 2+ since release! I have put this poor thing through a lot so far and it's still kicking amazingly well. If anyone's thinking about getting one...
-The battery is vastly improved from the 2, obviously differing between intensity. About an hour or so of PS1/PSP emulation at max brightness drains roughly 30% battery, and I've been able to play about 8 hours or so of GBA games before it needing a charge. Your mileage may vary, however.
-The buttons have an extremely nice feel and feedback to them. It really does feel like something official and that's something I can't properly state in just words. The downside is that the right stick cap has a knack of coming off. I've full on lost mine and it really sucks. It is partially my fault and a better owner may not encounter this issue- but even in a suitable case, if that stick hits something too hard or gets jostled, it'll probably pop off and that's just really lame on something that's otherwise surprisingly well done.
-The buttons eventually do experience wear and tear. My A and B buttons have been pressed hundreds of thousands of times- mostly for a dumb mini game in Work Time Fun, but with that game as a tracker, those poor buttons have received tens of thousands more inputs than the X and Y buttons, and they have less physical resistance to them as a result. It's not major, and the wear and tear has made them feel a little closer to the game controllers of my youth, but I'm not exactly sure that's a good thing. Still, the input itself still is responsive so, it's not an issue that comes up.
-The amount of android emulation know-how varies depending on what you're up to. You can install things like retroarch or another front end to make it easier, but I'm a weirdo who likes things being as close to windows as possible, and so I like the emulators being individual. Any issues specific to a game may take knowledge on how to fix, increasing in likelihood the later on you plan on going. There's guides out there that I've had to rely on, but getting something like Panzer Dragoon Saga working felt like the heavens above needed to personally look out for my retroid.
-It's forced landscape and small screen make it kinda weird when it comes to actual mobile gaming. It didn't really have the specs to handle something like League of Legends Wild Rift, which I didn't really imagine would be great to play, but the aspects it was forced to display in made it jagged and honestly, gave me a headache just to look at. And even when I did, it was League of Legends!

It played Planescape Torment pretty well though, so it's not like it'll do it to all Android titles. Just know that it has some uhh. Acquired tastes.
It has its problems, but for a lower cost handheld, it's honestly one of my favorite devices.
 
I dabbled with some Android based handheld in the past (best was my Nvidia Shield, RIP) but now I've just got an Analogue Pocket and I adore it. It pretty much already covers most of the consoles I want to delve back into and the arcade cores have been a nice bonus.
 
I want an Analogue Pocket if it becomes available again and also a PlayDate. (not retro but I want it!)

Analogue Pockets are still available, they just have a long wait time. For example, I ordered one at the end of 2022 and it will hopefully arrive sometime this year.
 
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Alright I ordered a Retroid Pocket 3+ because I have no self control. I'll have some of my thoughts and stress tests soon but I'm super excited.
 
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Bump for a liitle more appreiation for these awesome devices

A few hands-on previews on the abxylute :




The anbernic win701, a successor to the win600, leaked :
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A few teases for the RG405




And a few other devices that dropped over the last couple of month :





Also the Retroid Pocket 3/3+ is supposedly coming in new form factors :

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After the 2020 pre-order flustercuck, I managed to snag a Group A shipment of Analogue Pocket last year. Highly recommended especially with the Dock. If you do pre-order, be sure to get everything you want in a single order as Analogue’s shipping prices are bananas.

With the exception of Analogue Pocket, I don’t usually buy retro handhelds due to being overwhelmed by the amount of choices. I prefer modding/hacking original hardware though I can’t rightly recommend it to most people due to the high cost.
 
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I don't, but i sure as hell want one, i may be getting a Retroid or Anbernic in the following months, the new clamshell Retroid looks cool as hell.
 
I put in the order, and am anxiously awaiting that ship date...
I have been messing with a Retroid 3+ I got initially for a friend, but he hasn't come for it yet.
As someone with a LOT of hours on the 2 and 2+, I gotta say I'm really proud with how far it's come. I was experimenting with Steam Link- Not too good in my experience, but much of it is wifi dependent, and I have a really terrible plan. I'll get back to this kinda stress testing once my internet is upgraded this Friday.
I can say with certainty that the base power is a lot better, enough to handle low end GC emulation with no worries, and heavier stuff with decent power, and there's good documentation of settings and such for GC to help make it work.
Mostly though, I was messing around in the PS2 port of Deus Ex, having a blast in MML2, and playing Wild Rift as a Twin Stick Shooter, the way Riot intended.
EDIT: forgot to mention, I won a single game of Tekken 7 as steve and then vowed never to try until the internet got improved, and proceeded to have a good time Steam Linking Shovel Knight. Some platforming killed me, but it was still pretty consistent.
 
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No real need for a stress test- but I will say I'm not a MAJOR fan of the placement of the shoulder triggers. It feels a little congested for me, but I'll probably get used to it. Thankfully, you can kinda rest your index fingers on either hand along the side of the button and make it work that way.
The screen is really good too! Like absurdly good. I'll have more fancy opinions as I use it more.
 
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No real need for a stress test- but I will say I'm not a MAJOR fan of the placement of the shoulder triggers. It feels a little congested for me, but I'll probably get used to it. Thankfully, you can kinda rest your index fingers on either hand along the side of the button and make it work that way.
The screen is really good too! Like absurdly good. I'll have more fancy opinions as I use it more.
The RPF is a very cool little device. How do you like the d-pad and the sliders?
 
The RPF is a very cool little device. How do you like the d-pad and the sliders?
Kay, got some more use!
The Sliders I vastly prefer over the analog sticks. I'm a notorious weirdo- but I really think they're responsive and less protrusive than the sticks. I was able to do some pretty high tier movement in LoL:WR, and the quick responses are really necessary there. I haven't played too many games that require it natively, but I think I'm impressed. Even the click ins work pretty well.
The D-Pad though? Haven't jived with a game pad this hard in a while. Perfect tactile feedback, consistent across all the buttons tbh, but after playing a lot of Warioware and Wario Land 4, it has my seal of approval.
Edit: Forgot to mention the coolest part! Closing the clamshell results in it going into sleep mode.
 
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Been a fan since the OG RG350 when I got it in 2020. Still waiting tho for an ambernic console that can run 2D Saturn games at full framerate. Then it'll really be my jam.
 
New Metal 3+!!! I'm really liking it, I already have a device with it's specs so idk if I'll bite the bullet, but respect where it's due!
 
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Been a fan since the OG RG350 when I got it in 2020. Still waiting tho for an ambernic console that can run 2D Saturn games at full framerate. Then it'll really be my jam.
SEGA SATURN is the only thing I miss from my rg35xx
 
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