DEX Mode is almost criminally underrated. It's an absolute shame that so many Samsung users barely have any idea it even exists. It is a productivity/gaming game changer.
I would say that the S20 fe is probably one of the most ideal phones to turn into a retro gaming console due to it being well priced, having a great SOC, having a fully featured usb-c port and finally being the last gen S series phone to still support micro SD cards.
I have the s20 fe. It runs really good and smooth. Youre gonna have to configure settings in certain emulators like dolphin to get smooth gameplay but most of the time - and especially for retro games - it runs amazingly well. With my 1tb sd card, i have tons of gba games to ps2. Id still like to build a handheld just because the battery runs out so fast on your phone when gaming.
@@pcigrock5874I second the LG v60. Still has snapdragon 865 and all of them are 8gb ram and it’s half the price of the Samsung s20 FE in this video. V60 is actually better, wonder why he didn’t use it instead of the Samsung?
I can confirm all this. I have the 21 FE with the Gamesir x2 pro and that one can handle Wii and 3DS without a problem too and that in power saving mode! With this you have ~5 hours of battery life while gaming the harder to emulate systems. Best buy ever.
Man, I just picked up a used S21 Ultra at a good deal and already happen to have a portable monitor. I forgot about android Dex and got excited about essentially having a portable pc in my pocket. Then I saw this video and realized I can cloud game from my Xbox and pc back home too! I am really excided now!
I'm still on 21 also main lol still feel like i just got it, too many releases too soon and times flying. My dedicated is s10 + 256gb with the 12gb ram and a razor kishi.
@@ETAPRIME Same here.. once i get the S23 i'll be turning my S21 Ultra into a Dash Cam to replace my Galaxy S10 that i'm using for one, better camera and what not.
@@ETAPRIME it will be not sure if it’ll be tsmc made like the other snapdragon gen 2 phones tho. I heard it’s going to be made by Samsung for the chip and overclocked with cooling but I’m sure it’s going to be great even then
You just blew my mind with this video. I'm sure my s9+ can't do quite everything shown here, but learning about dex mode and seeing what can be accomplished with a phone that can go for under $200 is just wild to me. Thanks a bunch!
For anyone miffed by the aspect ratio on Steam Remote play, you CAN play in "full screen" but requires a bit of work. You just need to create a custom resolution in your display settings to match your device. For example, I swap my display to 3200x1440 (because playing in landscape). Then if a game allows for it, I change display settings in-game to 21:9 aspect ratio. Makes for a wonderful experience when playing Monster Hunter Rise on the go :)
@F1BERFRENZY I like the steam deck too but I don't want to carry another device around when my 2nd phone will do fine, that's why I like these videos it's not just a cheap alternative it's a alternative that wasn't already present
I agree. I know people are like, "Just get a Deck". I can afford one, sure, but I don't want one. They do nothing for me. After the initial couple of video reviews ETA made, I've been skipping all of his other Deck content since. Maybe if I had a Steam library already it'd make a difference; but, I don't. I'm already established in the Android ecosystem. I have paid apps, games, and the knowledge to make Android work for me. These Android videos are useful to a not insignificant number of people who simply don't want to invest their time and money into yet another ecosystem.
S20 FE + Kishi v1 (recently updated to v2), VR headset, DEX over adapter (to a mini projector), folding BT keyboard, BT ear buds. This has been my primary home and work computer over the past half year. Gaming on PPSSPP and doing SW development on Termux as well. Great for travelling. LOVE IT!
@@gamefun2525 Lol. I wish. Then I could have a virtual DEX monitor the size of my house. Homido v2 is the best one in my collection. I watch 3D movies in a virtual theater. I also have a OQ2 but I find the Homido more convenient.
Nowadays it really doesn't take much to turn a smartphone into a emulator handheld. Even a phone with an antutu score of around 270 000 is enough to run almost every emulator efficiently already. I found that playing games on a phone screen boosting up the resolution to 2x is good enough already. I can't see much more refinement anymore by boosting up the resolution 6x or 8x unless I cast the game onto a TV using a hdmi cable.
Not a bad option at all to give you an all rounder. I bought a Mate 20 Pro with a cracked screen for £60 to use connected to the TV as a sort of media streamer/gaming 'box', which has way more power, RAM and storage that the average Android TV box. It has a desktop mode too.
For my new phone in 2022 I went back to a 4 year old limited edition Copper Samsung Note 9 512Gb (refurbished) mint condition phone. It went from an original sale price of 1400USD to 293USD.Then I paired it with the heavily discounted Razer Junglecat (from 100USD to 35USD).This controller comes with 3 phone bumpers, one of which is specifically for the Note 9. It plays Diablo Immortal flawlessly with all the buttons already mapped. The L2 controller button also acts as a dedicated camera shutter button with the joycon making for a great camera grip. I can't say enough good things about this older setup. Still has the 2k screen whereas the newer next model went down to a 1080 panel. Still got the S-pen and Dex. Speakers are better than the previous Note 8. Still rocks the Micro SD card and a high quality headphone jack for solid audio recording with any line in microphone (I use it for making videos at work). It's an SD 845, but still plays my entire PS1, N64, and PSP collections. As well as 70% of my GameCube collection. I tried googling a review of these two products together and couldn't find any. It's weird because they were literally made for each other.
Duuude. I saw one of these on Ebay going for 75$. That's a pretty sweet price to Emulate everything up to a Switch and Ps2. Most handhelds that price can barely handle PS1 and Dreamcast emulation.
Love this content. I was kind of tempted to get one of those handhelds but most of the time, it makes no sense versus using your phone or buying a phone and dedicating it to gaming like youve done in this video. The only minor exception I would call out is micro handhelds, like the Miyoo Mini or the Anbernic RG280V. Those seem to be easier to quickly pick up and play versus your android setup.
@@mshark2205 I wish they'd make a dedicated handheld with a phone modem so I can make phone calls, do SMS texting, and use mobile data. That way I would only need to carry one device instead of a phone + controller or phone + handheld. The first Vitas had a modem and took AT&T SIM cards, but, they were data only. The closest we ever got to this was the Xperia Play.
@@nota1644 That's what I'm using now; my phone and either a GameSir X2 Pro or a hawkbill style Bluetooth controller I picked up off eBay for a song, depending on my mood. What I want is to not have to choose between using touch controls or carrying two devices when I'm on the go, whether it be a phone and a controller or a phone and game player.
Every time ETA posts a video about using an old phone or old dell system for emulation, the price for this equipment is driven up significantly on the retro markets.
I like the first kishi better and it is no longer a Razer product and Gamevice quietly updated it feels a little bit nicer. Best part you can get $40 new on Amazon! Did find that it drains your battery if you leave on the device when not in use!
I picked up a Tab S6 (10" OLED/SD855/6GB RAM/128GB) on Amazon new in box for $220 2 weeks ago. It's an awesome emulation device with a really nice screen.
Exactly! I have the exact same tablet. My issue with using phones as emu devices is the screen size. The tab s6 is perfect. I picked mine up a while ago for $180, with a keyboard case! It runs everything I've thrown at it perfectly. 👍
What's funny is this is my second phone that I use for emulators. It does run very well up to Wii pretty decently. Some run mmjr .9 for some Wii games but I can run 2× on some GameCube and 5/6x on Nintendo 64. Dex works great to show off games to people who used to play games and are amazed at how well it works and easy to use
Excellent. I was planning on buying a retro handheld like ambernic 556 which is about £220! Makes sense to turn a flagship android into a dedicated emulator console!
My idea was to repurpose my Poco F2 (SD865) as a console next year when I will replace it, as a full screen device without notch I find it perfect for that, so I'll end up doing the same thing!
I'm still daily driving the Galaxy S20 5G. I'll be upgrading in 2024. But my s20 5G will be connected to a USB C hub and my monitor for them on. Also my s20 has 12GB RAM so it might run just a little better than the FE.
I'm running a Poco F3 global version 8gb ram 256gb Snapdragon 870 AMOLED 120hz refresh rate. With an old razor kishi USB type c controller and hammerhead true wireless earbuds. I sometimes use a semi-conductor phone cooler with rgb. I paid 300$ for the phone. 75$ for the controller and headphones (open box ) and 20$ for semiconducting cooler. So for under 400 usd... I created a setup that runs everything I throw at... And it runs butter smooth 😋
@@degenerate8228 5g connectivity works perfectly in my area. But I mainly use it to game. Sometimes I forget that it's a phone. Lol 😂 It's a pretty bad azz setup.
Pretty cool. I ended up doing this: Moto Edge 2021 and Gamesir Pro X2, and Daijisho as my home. I got the Moto for ~$120 from my cell provider. My actual phone happens to be a regular S20 5G ...and I opted to use the Moto for gaming because of a larger screen at 6.8". I believe the phones more or less perform the same.
i had been wanting to get a google pixel for the software experience but im glad you mentioned DEX and HDMI out via USB-C...the pixels dont support video out at all! so any used Samsung is a better choice! always love your videos showing off all the possible options. ive seen various androids used to PS2 and GCN but dex is a really nice option. forgot about these FE phones too! good idea!
The pixels are absolute trash. The no output out of resolution is the cherry on top of uselessness. And this is supposed to be stock android and I’ve had tons of bugs and this app stopped working that didn’t even make sense. Samsungs and oneplus and iphone have been a lot better for me especially hardware wise. I never seen a battery degrade so fast and screen crack so easy like that first gen pixel. Emulation wise it’s pretty ass too and that’s when it still had a snapdragon chip.
I literally just got a game sir x2 for my s20fe. And I absolutely am in love. Word of warning though, The built-in Samsung gaming priority mode, Will absolutely knock out any on screen control mapping
@@Crawmeraxew only at high brightness. I haven't tested it longer than 2 days, but I think it's fine overall. The only real time I see a big issue with thermal throttling, is when I use Android games like genshin impact
Wow, Mkbhd's phone of the year three years ago has been dirt cheap like... Heck, big screen together with it being _the last Samsung flagship with expandable storage_ makes it really nostalgic
I use my S10e to play all games through handheld and TV. Thanks to Dex, there are no lag when gaming through the TV like the other brand. Also, I use moonlight, and sunshine to stream all my games from my 4090 at 4K 120hz to the TV if I feel lazy sitting at my desk.
I use the S20 FE as my everyday phone and I love it. I also play on it with my bluetooth controller (8bitdo Pro+ with a phone clip). Mostly I play through cloud with Gamepass or Steam Link. Cool thing is that I can run Yuzu on my laptop and use Steam Link to stream it to the phone. I've been playing Metroid Dread like this, while lying in bed. Works like a charm. Never tried playing on Dex mode, but I'm sure it would work great too.
If the Android version it comes with has the RAM Plus Memory option i would enable that. Using decent spec'd phones can also be used as a WIFI file server (Just use a smart socket to set a schedule to charge the phone every now and then and automatically turn the charger off every day) Also, if you dont need a phone for emulation you can use it as a Dash Cam, i do that with my old Galaxy S10 using the app Droid Dashcam (Others available). It has nice options with the only downside being that in order to tell what state/road etc you're on it needs to be internet connected (via Hotspot if needed), but everything else works fine without internet and coordinates are displayed via GPS.
Hey ETA, I'm really curious. Are you the person behind Avalanche Reviews? That channel that reviews mostly survival horror games mainly resident evil and silent Hill. It's freaking crazy, you have the same voice, diction, tone and way of talking. You're just talking a lot faster than him but if you slow it down, it's almost identical haha. I have this in mind long ago I just remembered it now lol. Keep up dude
i have a galaxy S10 with the Snapdragon 855 and adreno 640. it can handle pretty much everything from NES all the way to PS2. i even have Half Life 2 running on it as well.
I've been looking at the android handheld things that are all over the place and agonizing about which to choose. then I remember I have an S20 in my pocket!
People can also look for a LG ThinQ v60. Same processor, & GPU. 8 GB RAM, 128GB and the option for a 2nd screen. Still on Android 12 but should get 13.
And it was the last LG with the QuadDAC powered headphone jack, so if you use a clip-on-an-Xbox-type-controller set-up then you can use wired headphones with your games and get all the HiFi enhancements so it'll sound amazing.
Picked up a Razer Kishi V1 for 50% off since the launch of the V2, had a $10 credit so net, it only costed me about $30. Not too shabby...if you're watching this and thinking of of the V2, save some coin and get the V1 at a discount.
Hey Eta, nice vid. Would this Samsung model support Windows 11 for Arm from Renegade Project? I've seen other phones with Snapdragon cpu that works great with desktop support and gaming. Any plans on trying that out?
Found a 50$ Galaxy S10 lite in great condition with the snapdragon 855 and 8 GB of ram and it runs everything good from simple android games to even PC games trough winlator unfortunately it doesen't support dex or any video output but for 50$ it's great!
I myself have centered a stealth gaming set up around the razer phone 2. Have the junglecat with universal clamps for it and it leaves room for an active cooler. I have the thing overclocked and switched operating systems to lineage21 (android 14 base).. it runs really well for the games i want to play.
That's crazy that you have the same phone as me! I was planning on doing that too mine since it got blacklisted, I just switched to a S21 FE that has a Snapdragon 888
One thing you forgot to mention is how hot phone's get. Even after just 5 min, my s21 ultra starts to thermal throttle, driving down performance. I had to switch from a Gamesir x2 pro to an x3 just for the cooling fan.
Yeah, that's the problem with Samsung phones, especially the ones with Exynos. It seems like they prefer to have slim phones than a good cooling system
I'd still rather play with the retroid pocket 3+, it just feels different having an all in one handheld like that instead of having the controller attached. It's also super pocketable, so it's super easy to take on the go. The phone+controller... not so much.
Yeah I felt the same way plus those controllers that attach to your phone are also not cheap if you want good ones (that feel nice and sturdy) and then immediately you are looking at a much higher price point while losing the console feel and portability of the device.
yes, the form factor is like 2-3 times thinner which i think is massively important as well, having it be the form factor/thinness of a mobile phone is what really makes it feel actually portable
But that’s a 4.7” screen vs 6.8”, and ETA PRIME picked the wrong phone, LG v60 is snapdragon 865 and 8gb ram but 6.8” screen and half the price, they’re under $100.
I still prefeer too the handhelds but they got stuck in the past, phones are more powerfull and cheap also usb c controllers are ok, i hope handheld builders update their consoles at reasonable price.
The most deal maker about Samsung phone is the ability to use it in Desk Mode.. it makes a ton of difference compare to the other brand which cannot be in that mode..
With ppsspp, Dolphin & Aethersx2 all on the very latest emulator releases, with increased performance, weaker hardware can run games better than a month ago, especially PPSSPP.
Surprised to see on this here. I had this phone earlier this year to replace my old phone but it kept having touchscreen issues that would go away for a little bit after a patch then would return. Ive done all the tweaks and such to sort it out, waited after a few patches but it kept having it and I just gave up and got an S22 (I was traveling a lot for work and sending it in for repairs would be very inconvenient and it was out of warranty). As a separate gaming device for operation with a controller or KBM, this is perfect at a cheap price.
Razer Kishi v2 looks very interesting. I also like Nyko controllers, I have one of their early models (from 2014) and it still works fine with Android and PC; but it no longer works with iOS 13 or later, at least not with GeForce Now.
How is the cheap d3 Bluetooth controller that you have in the thumbnail? I did this with my LG v60. And its doing great, just looking at controller options.
With smartphones getting reasonably powerful. I was always wondering why things like these didn't appear first instead of those ARM based handhelds. Been always wanting to do this instead, though sadly, my desktop runs on ethernet, not sure if getting a Wifi connected to the same switch would work with Moonlight or something. Then again I am on a Pixel 4A, might wait for the 8 or 8A since games do struggle.
@@brigda3898 Yea I used my desktop for that, just seeing how phones are better now, I was wondering why they aren't more common. In fact, it would be better if old android phones can be repurposed as single board computers instead to reduce eWaste.
Got mine as a replacement for my plan phone for basically free (cheaper plan, same $10 a month for phone. Love it. Will hopefully get another offer this March for maybe an S21 or S22 of some variant. I still love this S20 FE 5G though after nearly 2 years of use. I also have that same gamepad just in a different color variant.
Bought the Razer Kishi V2 for christmas. well its a present from my parents to me because they never know what to get so i just let them know what to get based on money they want to spend. So that's my gift this year. Will use it with my Sony Xperia 1 Mark 2.... heard the first kishi wouldn't work because my phone is too wide but the kishi v2 will fit. so got that. it was 99.99 but whatever. will probably run emulation on it. Also purchased a steamdeck for myself. hope that gets here soon.
Thanks for the video! I went from thinking of getting the RG53 V/M to Ayn Odin Pro to the Steam Deck but am now thinking of just using my Find X5 Pro. Gonna see if it runs on the big screen like Samsung. Too many options out there for handheld gaming. Thanks for all your reviews, really do appreciate it. Makes it somewhat less confusing ☺️
Great video as always.Just a couple things that you may be mistaken,dont think there is an android console with the Snapdragon 855(Odin have the 845 if not mistaken)and the Poco phones(i have the x3 pro)have the Snapdragon 860 not the 870.
@@zdravkofilipovic8439 Yes my bad,i even choose the x3 pro instead of the F3(better phone)because it didnt had microsd suport.Indeed sadly neither F3 or x3 pro suport usb c to hdmi.
Would not recommend the X2. I bought it twice and both controllers broke in similar ways after just a few weeks of use. It's great when it does work, though.
This is EPIC. So I have a s23 ultra and just bought a Backbone. I wanted something dedicated and I found my old s20 FE!!! And BAM here is your video!!!!
Gamesir X2 Bluetooth has a mode of being recognized as Xbox controller - no controller issues/onscreen mumbo-jumbo in Call of Duty and other ones supporting this particular controller, just saying :D Personally went with Poco x3 Pro as I did not find Dex useful at the moment of buying and the 50% price difference was not worth the jump in my market, however recent config upgrades (new screen) changed that approach and that was a phone I was to go after! Now I know how well it would perform, thanks! :)
DEX Mode is almost criminally underrated. It's an absolute shame that so many Samsung users barely have any idea it even exists. It is a productivity/gaming game changer.
Been using Dex since 2018
Lol I had no idea at all till like a few days ago
So you can play call of duty mobile with a mouse and keyboard on a monitor with this?
@@liamconverse8950 no
@@VegitoBlackityBlackwhy not ?
I would say that the S20 fe is probably one of the most ideal phones to turn into a retro gaming console due to it being well priced, having a great SOC, having a fully featured usb-c port and finally being the last gen S series phone to still support micro SD cards.
Lg v60 as well
The Sony Xperia series also support SD cards and headphone jack.
I have the s20 fe. It runs really good and smooth. Youre gonna have to configure settings in certain emulators like dolphin to get smooth gameplay but most of the time - and especially for retro games - it runs amazingly well. With my 1tb sd card, i have tons of gba games to ps2. Id still like to build a handheld just because the battery runs out so fast on your phone when gaming.
@@pcigrock5874I second the LG v60. Still has snapdragon 865 and all of them are 8gb ram and it’s half the price of the Samsung s20 FE in this video. V60 is actually better, wonder why he didn’t use it instead of the Samsung?
@lifehackertips he choose it for Samsung Dex, so he could also have a desktop environment if needed.
I can confirm all this. I have the 21 FE with the Gamesir x2 pro and that one can handle Wii and 3DS without a problem too and that in power saving mode! With this you have ~5 hours of battery life while gaming the harder to emulate systems. Best buy ever.
So amazing compared to the first gen pixel or any pixel for that matter. The Samsungs definitely have better battery life.
Man, I just picked up a used S21 Ultra at a good deal and already happen to have a portable monitor. I forgot about android Dex and got excited about essentially having a portable pc in my pocket. Then I saw this video and realized I can cloud game from my Xbox and pc back home too! I am really excided now!
The S21 is still my main android phone. Waiting on the 23 or what ever they are gonna call it, 😂
I'm still on 21 also main lol still feel like i just got it, too many releases too soon and times flying. My dedicated is s10 + 256gb with the 12gb ram and a razor kishi.
@@ETAPRIME Same here.. once i get the S23 i'll be turning my S21 Ultra into a Dash Cam to replace my Galaxy S10 that i'm using for one, better camera and what not.
@@SupremeODMG Bro why do u need 3 diff phones? lol I love tech and have a lot of device but phone just one 🤷♂
@@ETAPRIME it will be not sure if it’ll be tsmc made like the other snapdragon gen 2 phones tho. I heard it’s going to be made by Samsung for the chip and overclocked with cooling but I’m sure it’s going to be great even then
You just blew my mind with this video. I'm sure my s9+ can't do quite everything shown here, but learning about dex mode and seeing what can be accomplished with a phone that can go for under $200 is just wild to me. Thanks a bunch!
s9+ is a beast, I use it in a similar manner, but attached a much larger display.
For anyone miffed by the aspect ratio on Steam Remote play, you CAN play in "full screen" but requires a bit of work. You just need to create a custom resolution in your display settings to match your device. For example, I swap my display to 3200x1440 (because playing in landscape). Then if a game allows for it, I change display settings in-game to 21:9 aspect ratio. Makes for a wonderful experience when playing Monster Hunter Rise on the go :)
My favorite videos are like this, where you help us figure out cheaper alternatives
Oh please just get a job and buy a steamdeck geeez
It's not about how much money you make it's about how much you save
@F1BERFRENZY I like the steam deck too but I don't want to carry another device around when my 2nd phone will do fine, that's why I like these videos it's not just a cheap alternative it's a alternative that wasn't already present
I agree. I know people are like, "Just get a Deck". I can afford one, sure, but I don't want one. They do nothing for me. After the initial couple of video reviews ETA made, I've been skipping all of his other Deck content since. Maybe if I had a Steam library already it'd make a difference; but, I don't. I'm already established in the Android ecosystem. I have paid apps, games, and the knowledge to make Android work for me. These Android videos are useful to a not insignificant number of people who simply don't want to invest their time and money into yet another ecosystem.
@@allhandsonsteamdeck1440 You say that when the Steam Deck is so THICC I could store 3 PS Vitas in my bag and it would take up less space
S20 FE + Kishi v1 (recently updated to v2), VR headset, DEX over adapter (to a mini projector), folding BT keyboard, BT ear buds. This has been my primary home and work computer over the past half year. Gaming on PPSSPP and doing SW development on Termux as well. Great for travelling. LOVE IT!
so you code while wearing a VR headset? ouch.
which headset tho?
@@gamefun2525 Lol. I wish. Then I could have a virtual DEX monitor the size of my house. Homido v2 is the best one in my collection. I watch 3D movies in a virtual theater. I also have a OQ2 but I find the Homido more convenient.
Yeah also better joycon then psp joystick is way to small
just ordered mine s20fe today, it really encourages me after this video, looking forward to it...
Nowadays it really doesn't take much to turn a smartphone into a emulator handheld. Even a phone with an antutu score of around 270 000 is enough to run almost every emulator efficiently already. I found that playing games on a phone screen boosting up the resolution to 2x is good enough already. I can't see much more refinement anymore by boosting up the resolution 6x or 8x unless I cast the game onto a TV using a hdmi cable.
2x+enabling shaders and you are set
Smart phone smart phone didn’t create Covid booster nothing smart about it
270000 is not enough to run properly dolphin, citra, aether, skyline...
I'm playing pap at 8x at sd865
Not a bad option at all to give you an all rounder. I bought a Mate 20 Pro with a cracked screen for £60 to use connected to the TV as a sort of media streamer/gaming 'box', which has way more power, RAM and storage that the average Android TV box. It has a desktop mode too.
For my new phone in 2022 I went back to a 4 year old limited edition Copper Samsung Note 9 512Gb (refurbished) mint condition phone. It went from an original sale price of 1400USD to 293USD.Then I paired it with the heavily discounted Razer Junglecat (from 100USD to 35USD).This controller comes with 3 phone bumpers, one of which is specifically for the Note 9. It plays Diablo Immortal flawlessly with all the buttons already mapped. The L2 controller button also acts as a dedicated camera shutter button with the joycon making for a great camera grip. I can't say enough good things about this older setup. Still has the 2k screen whereas the newer next model went down to a 1080 panel. Still got the S-pen and Dex. Speakers are better than the previous Note 8. Still rocks the Micro SD card and a high quality headphone jack for solid audio recording with any line in microphone (I use it for making videos at work). It's an SD 845, but still plays my entire PS1, N64, and PSP collections. As well as 70% of my GameCube collection. I tried googling a review of these two products together and couldn't find any. It's weird because they were literally made for each other.
I have an s22 ultra and I love it. It runs like a BEAST.
Duuude. I saw one of these on Ebay going for 75$. That's a pretty sweet price to Emulate everything up to a Switch and Ps2. Most handhelds that price can barely handle PS1 and Dreamcast emulation.
Love this content. I was kind of tempted to get one of those handhelds but most of the time, it makes no sense versus using your phone or buying a phone and dedicating it to gaming like youve done in this video. The only minor exception I would call out is micro handhelds, like the Miyoo Mini or the Anbernic RG280V. Those seem to be easier to quickly pick up and play versus your android setup.
Absolutely 💯. Dedicated handhelds are for hardcore gamers, they’re too expensive and bulky.
@@mshark2205 I wish they'd make a dedicated handheld with a phone modem so I can make phone calls, do SMS texting, and use mobile data. That way I would only need to carry one device instead of a phone + controller or phone + handheld. The first Vitas had a modem and took AT&T SIM cards, but, they were data only. The closest we ever got to this was the Xperia Play.
@@mshark2205 What are you talking about? Using a telescopic controller on a phone is bulkier than an Ayn Odin 😂
@@nota1644 That's what I'm using now; my phone and either a GameSir X2 Pro or a hawkbill style Bluetooth controller I picked up off eBay for a song, depending on my mood. What I want is to not have to choose between using touch controls or carrying two devices when I'm on the go, whether it be a phone and a controller or a phone and game player.
Thank you. You made me buy a used (and abused) S20 two days ago for $60 for emulation and drawing. I really had fun using it!
Excellent recommendation; I went with the Gamesir X2 Pro instead of the Kishi, but the s20 is indeed awesome. Thank you!
I commented about a budget high end android cpu option only last week great to see.
I revived my oneplus 6 and bought a nacon mg-x mobile controller to play snes and genesis lol saved me some money for sure :)
I've had this phone for a year and didn't know it was capable of half of this.......
Same
Edge plus 2023 and a Backbone has been my very best gaming experience
Thanks! I've just come up with this on my own for work and play purposes but with the s21u . I'm excited for the results.
I just got a Razor Kishi on sale Black Friday.
It's a very good controller.
Every time ETA posts a video about using an old phone or old dell system for emulation, the price for this equipment is driven up significantly on the retro markets.
Expect those $150 broken Samsung's to be closer to $300 to $350 once this video has made a few rounds. lol
I like the first kishi better and it is no longer a Razer product and Gamevice quietly updated it feels a little bit nicer. Best part you can get $40 new on Amazon! Did find that it drains your battery if you leave on the device when not in use!
I picked up a Tab S6 (10" OLED/SD855/6GB RAM/128GB) on Amazon new in box for $220 2 weeks ago. It's an awesome emulation device with a really nice screen.
Exactly! I have the exact same tablet. My issue with using phones as emu devices is the screen size. The tab s6 is perfect. I picked mine up a while ago for $180, with a keyboard case! It runs everything I've thrown at it perfectly. 👍
What's funny is this is my second phone that I use for emulators. It does run very well up to Wii pretty decently. Some run mmjr .9 for some Wii games but I can run 2× on some GameCube and 5/6x on Nintendo 64. Dex works great to show off games to people who used to play games and are amazed at how well it works and easy to use
Just picked one up for 75$ and the first thing I did was rewatch this video!!
Excellent. I was planning on buying a retro handheld like ambernic 556 which is about £220! Makes sense to turn a flagship android into a dedicated emulator console!
with how rare its been to find a good sbc like the pi's. this is imo a better idea with dex you can just hook it up to a tv and emulate pretty easy
That SD865 has the same Geekbench scores as my Exynos s22u with 12gb of ram. 150$ vs 1450€. Samsung really needs to be taken to court!
My wife's work has discount phones available and I picked up a s21 fe and am definitely gonna do this!
Thanks for showing the Nintendo switch emulator :)
My idea was to repurpose my Poco F2 (SD865) as a console next year when I will replace it, as a full screen device without notch I find it perfect for that, so I'll end up doing the same thing!
I'm still daily driving the Galaxy S20 5G. I'll be upgrading in 2024. But my s20 5G will be connected to a USB C hub and my monitor for them on. Also my s20 has 12GB RAM so it might run just a little better than the FE.
I'm running a Poco F3 global version 8gb ram 256gb Snapdragon 870 AMOLED 120hz refresh rate. With an old razor kishi USB type c controller and hammerhead true wireless earbuds. I sometimes use a semi-conductor phone cooler with rgb. I paid 300$ for the phone. 75$ for the controller and headphones (open box ) and 20$ for semiconducting cooler. So for under 400 usd... I created a setup that runs everything I throw at... And it runs butter smooth 😋
What about taking calls? I guess u hardly talk on the phone.
@@degenerate8228 5g connectivity works perfectly in my area. But I mainly use it to game. Sometimes I forget that it's a phone. Lol 😂 It's a pretty bad azz setup.
Pretty cool. I ended up doing this: Moto Edge 2021 and Gamesir Pro X2, and Daijisho as my home.
I got the Moto for ~$120 from my cell provider.
My actual phone happens to be a regular S20 5G ...and I opted to use the Moto for gaming because of a larger screen at 6.8". I believe the phones more or less perform the same.
Man the Edge would be perfect if it had a sd card slot
i had been wanting to get a google pixel for the software experience but im glad you mentioned DEX and HDMI out via USB-C...the pixels dont support video out at all! so any used Samsung is a better choice! always love your videos showing off all the possible options. ive seen various androids used to PS2 and GCN but dex is a really nice option. forgot about these FE phones too! good idea!
Even my crappy lg v50s has a snapdragon 855 and can display on TV with a type c to hdmi.
@@degenerate8228 My V35 with the 845 as well.
The pixels are absolute trash. The no output out of resolution is the cherry on top of uselessness. And this is supposed to be stock android and I’ve had tons of bugs and this app stopped working that didn’t even make sense. Samsungs and oneplus and iphone have been a lot better for me especially hardware wise. I never seen a battery degrade so fast and screen crack so easy like that first gen pixel. Emulation wise it’s pretty ass too and that’s when it still had a snapdragon chip.
@@degenerate8228 the lg phones are pretty good I had a cheap lower end one years ago and it was decent
Don't Pixels have DisplayLink Presenter app?
I got the X2 on an old refurbished Galaxy Note 8. Oled screen and everything. 👍🏾💯
I literally just got a game sir x2 for my s20fe. And I absolutely am in love. Word of warning though, The built-in Samsung gaming priority mode, Will absolutely knock out any on screen control mapping
How do you find the temperature? Any thermal throttling?
@@Crawmeraxew only at high brightness. I haven't tested it longer than 2 days, but I think it's fine overall. The only real time I see a big issue with thermal throttling, is when I use Android games like genshin impact
I like your video when it's one about low cost thanks for the video and info
Wow, Mkbhd's phone of the year three years ago has been dirt cheap like... Heck, big screen together with it being _the last Samsung flagship with expandable storage_ makes it really nostalgic
I use my S10e to play all games through handheld and TV. Thanks to Dex, there are no lag when gaming through the TV like the other brand. Also, I use moonlight, and sunshine to stream all my games from my 4090 at 4K 120hz to the TV if I feel lazy sitting at my desk.
I use the S20 FE as my everyday phone and I love it. I also play on it with my bluetooth controller (8bitdo Pro+ with a phone clip). Mostly I play through cloud with Gamepass or Steam Link. Cool thing is that I can run Yuzu on my laptop and use Steam Link to stream it to the phone. I've been playing Metroid Dread like this, while lying in bed. Works like a charm. Never tried playing on Dex mode, but I'm sure it would work great too.
If the Android version it comes with has the RAM Plus Memory option i would enable that. Using decent spec'd phones can also be used as a WIFI file server (Just use a smart socket to set a schedule to charge the phone every now and then and automatically turn the charger off every day)
Also, if you dont need a phone for emulation you can use it as a Dash Cam, i do that with my old Galaxy S10 using the app Droid Dashcam (Others available). It has nice options with the only downside being that in order to tell what state/road etc you're on it needs to be internet connected (via Hotspot if needed), but everything else works fine without internet and coordinates are displayed via GPS.
Hey ETA, I'm really curious. Are you the person behind Avalanche Reviews? That channel that reviews mostly survival horror games mainly resident evil and silent Hill. It's freaking crazy, you have the same voice, diction, tone and way of talking. You're just talking a lot faster than him but if you slow it down, it's almost identical haha. I have this in mind long ago I just remembered it now lol. Keep up dude
i have a galaxy S10 with the Snapdragon 855 and adreno 640. it can handle pretty much everything from NES all the way to PS2. i even have Half Life 2 running on it as well.
I've been looking at the android handheld things that are all over the place and agonizing about which to choose. then I remember I have an S20 in my pocket!
It's amazing what an affordable mid-range smart phone can do nowadays.
Is this phone enough for ps2 and gamecube emulation? For playing the popular games like zelda gta mgs etc...
Vids like this remind me of old eta prime. Awesome.
People can also look for a LG ThinQ v60. Same processor, & GPU. 8 GB RAM, 128GB and the option for a 2nd screen. Still on Android 12 but should get 13.
And it was the last LG with the QuadDAC powered headphone jack, so if you use a clip-on-an-Xbox-type-controller set-up then you can use wired headphones with your games and get all the HiFi enhancements so it'll sound amazing.
With the official Otterbox commuter for this phone you can use the original Razer Kishi by removing the rubber inserts and it will fit snugly as well
Thank god I literally already did this a week ago and have a Samsung S20 FE. Prices are gonna go up now probably. Phew.
That is one of your best videos.
Picked up a Razer Kishi V1 for 50% off since the launch of the V2, had a $10 credit so net, it only costed me about $30. Not too shabby...if you're watching this and thinking of of the V2, save some coin and get the V1 at a discount.
Definitely, the smartest most budget option!
I can feel the heating back on your phone ☺️
Great video, my old phone is getting a new lease of life!
Hey man please don't forget about the X2 mod to help it fit bigger tablets you teased a while ago!
I wish he would post the video of that. We don't have many choices for good tablet controllers.
Hey Eta, nice vid. Would this Samsung model support Windows 11 for Arm from Renegade Project? I've seen other phones with Snapdragon cpu that works great with desktop support and gaming. Any plans on trying that out?
Would be very interesting if we can build custom decks with SteamOS
@@EliasCassab Great idea
i dont think so since samsung phones have a locked out bootloader
You can also try some nintendo switch emulation there as it is somewhat stable now, btw Great video.
That's why im hodling on my k30prozoom
Sd865/870 is still a beast even for today
Found a 50$ Galaxy S10 lite in great condition with the snapdragon 855 and 8 GB of ram and it runs everything good from simple android games to even PC games trough winlator unfortunately it doesen't support dex or any video output but for 50$ it's great!
I myself have centered a stealth gaming set up around the razer phone 2. Have the junglecat with universal clamps for it and it leaves room for an active cooler. I have the thing overclocked and switched operating systems to lineage21 (android 14 base).. it runs really well for the games i want to play.
That's crazy that you have the same phone as me! I was planning on doing that too mine since it got blacklisted, I just switched to a S21 FE that has a Snapdragon 888
So far the s21 fe seems best price vs performance.
Man you've saved me. Much love from Nigeria
One thing you forgot to mention is how hot phone's get. Even after just 5 min, my s21 ultra starts to thermal throttle, driving down performance. I had to switch from a Gamesir x2 pro to an x3 just for the cooling fan.
Yeah, that's the problem with Samsung phones, especially the ones with Exynos. It seems like they prefer to have slim phones than a good cooling system
@F1BERFRENZY I've got a snapdragon 888
And that's why the Odin with a snapdragon 845 can still hold its own. Having active cooling really levels the playing field...
Loving all the cool little computer videos!
I'd still rather play with the retroid pocket 3+, it just feels different having an all in one handheld like that instead of having the controller attached. It's also super pocketable, so it's super easy to take on the go. The phone+controller... not so much.
Yeah I felt the same way plus those controllers that attach to your phone are also not cheap if you want good ones (that feel nice and sturdy) and then immediately you are looking at a much higher price point while losing the console feel and portability of the device.
yes, the form factor is like 2-3 times thinner which i think is massively important as well, having it be the form factor/thinness of a mobile phone is what really makes it feel actually portable
But that’s a 4.7” screen vs 6.8”, and ETA PRIME picked the wrong phone, LG v60 is snapdragon 865 and 8gb ram but 6.8” screen and half the price, they’re under $100.
I still prefeer too the handhelds but they got stuck in the past, phones are more powerfull and cheap also usb c controllers are ok, i hope handheld builders update their consoles at reasonable price.
I had the FE. Great phone. Had it before my upgrade to s22. Just wish they would have kept sd support.☹️ But that's how it is now.💁
The most deal maker about Samsung phone is the ability to use it in Desk Mode.. it makes a ton of difference compare to the other brand which cannot be in that mode..
Oh yeah skyline and dex combo is awesome 👌
i do this on my Realme X that i bought for 143 euro 4 years ago, the amazing thing is it has no camera punchhole so you get a full clean screen.
With ppsspp, Dolphin & Aethersx2 all on the very latest emulator releases, with increased performance, weaker hardware can run games better than a month ago, especially PPSSPP.
Surprised to see on this here. I had this phone earlier this year to replace my old phone but it kept having touchscreen issues that would go away for a little bit after a patch then would return. Ive done all the tweaks and such to sort it out, waited after a few patches but it kept having it and I just gave up and got an S22 (I was traveling a lot for work and sending it in for repairs would be very inconvenient and it was out of warranty). As a separate gaming device for operation with a controller or KBM, this is perfect at a cheap price.
Your voice sound like Morgan the ufc guy that always ask the first question but like on the verge of tears. Cool idea tho 👍 already have a samsung
Razer Kishi v2 looks very interesting. I also like Nyko controllers, I have one of their early models (from 2014) and it still works fine with Android and PC; but it no longer works with iOS 13 or later, at least not with GeForce Now.
Good idea thought I'll sick to my S8 which is still going strong 😅
How is the cheap d3 Bluetooth controller that you have in the thumbnail?
I did this with my LG v60. And its doing great, just looking at controller options.
Just purchased Lg v60 just for this reason!
I have this exact phone collecting dust lol but not sure if it’s worth doing since I already have a steam deck
Probably not but at the same time that battery life would be noticeably better
With smartphones getting reasonably powerful. I was always wondering why things like these didn't appear first instead of those ARM based handhelds. Been always wanting to do this instead, though sadly, my desktop runs on ethernet, not sure if getting a Wifi connected to the same switch would work with Moonlight or something. Then again I am on a Pixel 4A, might wait for the 8 or 8A since games do struggle.
You should not buy a Pixel phone if you are into heavy emulation, they are clearly not made for that.
@@brigda3898 Yea I used my desktop for that, just seeing how phones are better now, I was wondering why they aren't more common. In fact, it would be better if old android phones can be repurposed as single board computers instead to reduce eWaste.
Got mine as a replacement for my plan phone for basically free (cheaper plan, same $10 a month for phone. Love it. Will hopefully get another offer this March for maybe an S21 or S22 of some variant. I still love this S20 FE 5G though after nearly 2 years of use. I also have that same gamepad just in a different color variant.
Great video. Are there any good heatsinks or coolers to dealt with the heat problem?
Crazy that the 20 has a better resolution than the next three flagship Galaxy's
Bought the Razer Kishi V2 for christmas. well its a present from my parents to me because they never know what to get so i just let them know what to get based on money they want to spend. So that's my gift this year. Will use it with my Sony Xperia 1 Mark 2.... heard the first kishi wouldn't work because my phone is too wide but the kishi v2 will fit. so got that. it was 99.99 but whatever. will probably run emulation on it. Also purchased a steamdeck for myself. hope that gets here soon.
Can you provide the list of the emulators you used or prefer?
The aspec ratio makes the screen look way smaller than it is, which is annoying
Thanks for the video! I went from thinking of getting the RG53 V/M to Ayn Odin Pro to the Steam Deck but am now thinking of just using my Find X5 Pro. Gonna see if it runs on the big screen like Samsung.
Too many options out there for handheld gaming.
Thanks for all your reviews, really do appreciate it. Makes it somewhat less confusing ☺️
Great video as always.Just a couple things that you may be mistaken,dont think there is an android console with the Snapdragon 855(Odin have the 845 if not mistaken)and the Poco phones(i have the x3 pro)have the Snapdragon 860 not the 870.
Poco F3 have 870 + 8gb ram + amoled 120hz display. It only doesn't support usb c to hdmi.
@@zdravkofilipovic8439 Yes my bad,i even choose the x3 pro instead of the F3(better phone)because it didnt had microsd suport.Indeed sadly neither F3 or x3 pro suport usb c to hdmi.
Would not recommend the X2. I bought it twice and both controllers broke in similar ways after just a few weeks of use. It's great when it does work, though.
No love for the backbone controller?
I love mine
Have they released Backbone for Android yet? If they haven't then that could be why ETA didn't mention it.
You stole my current setup!!! Beast mode!!
You can also pick up a LG v60 for 150-200
Hell yeah, much better than waiting for the handheld makers to throw in OLEDs!
Such an amazing content creator thanks for doing these.videos!
Hi ETA. Really liked your video. Just have one question, which version of Dolphin are you using to run Sonic Colors?
This is EPIC. So I have a s23 ultra and just bought a Backbone. I wanted something dedicated and I found my old s20 FE!!! And BAM here is your video!!!!
What other phones or tablets do u recommend for this?
What was the device in the thumbnail?
Gamesir X2 Bluetooth has a mode of being recognized as Xbox controller - no controller issues/onscreen mumbo-jumbo in Call of Duty and other ones supporting this particular controller, just saying :D
Personally went with Poco x3 Pro as I did not find Dex useful at the moment of buying and the 50% price difference was not worth the jump in my market, however recent config upgrades (new screen) changed that approach and that was a phone I was to go after! Now I know how well it would perform, thanks! :)