If you had told me as a kid lusting over aisles of 16-bit games, that one day we would have widely available, affordable handheld devices that would allow you to store and play all the games in the store I would have been incredibly dubious. To be able to think of an older game, and just pop into it and play it on a whim is a modern development that isn’t appreciated enough.
I’m 36. I have played games off and on most of my life. Just got a switch OLED 3 days ago (for the first time) and I pretty much feel like a wizard. The idea that all this is in my hands if friggin bananas and I’m glad I get to appreciate it rather than just see the tech pass through.
Pro tip: Play NES and SNES in 8:7 aspect ratio so they even fill more of the screen. It's their native internal resolution and despite most games were developed with a 4:3 TV in mind, they look fantastic and definitely not "wrong" in 8:7. This is also what I'm doing on my Analogue Pocket (10:9 screen). The games look amazing.
Great review, as always! Sound mix is very low however, the occasional adds blew my speakers. I'm baffled that Powkiddy released this many great devices this year (and by their pace they can still release a couple more). Can't wait to receive mine!
@@EvenTheDogAgrees yeah...of course it's short for advertisement. what else could OP possibly have been referring to? like what's the point of this comment? it's a typo dude. we all know what they meant.
This aspect ratio also delivers an excellent experience for 8:7 and 16:15 consoles, namely NES, SNES and TurboGrafx-16. The standout being SNES where you can integer scale and use the overscale function in retroarch, which delivers a bigger play area than wider screen 4.5"-5" handhelds such as the RP3+, at the cost only of shaving 4 pixels off left and right.
I just bought one, and i'm amazed with the performance. The frontend aesthetic is gorgeous. Systems as SNES, PC Engine, CPS 1,2,3, Neo Geo, runs smoothly (all Fbneo roms, runs amazing, even Midway games)... Some other like N64 or Dreamcast have minor details, but overall with good performance. You can connect it to the tv (mini hdmi), or pairing with every Bluetooth device, i.e. 8bitdo controllers and JBL speakers. This is the perfect complement for a Nintendo Switch console system.
I've made this commet other places but here it is again... This handheld is worth the price, even if just for Pico8 only. For Pico8 enthusiasts, it's a dream come to life. Being able to run Pico8 native on a square screen is just amazing.
As soon as I turned it on and starting to play a video game on this system, to me it made me feel that this is how a handheld should be. It's like having a dream, and then you try to remember the dream, but in the case of the RGB30, you are holding in your hand the dream item you forgot about, then realize, you have a unique handheld that is awesome.
I've been sitting on the purchase page from Powkiddy's website for so long now. I will casually watch reviews from time to time and they always ALMOST convince me to pull the trigger. I think I'm finally gonna order it. Especially given your coupon code which brings it down under 80 dollars shipped with what seems like fairly fast shipping to the US? At that price point, this actually becomes a no brainer as I could easily just slap my install of PICO8 on this and have the perfect PICO handheld and be done at that. But given the versatility of that display, I can see this replacing my 35XX to become my daily retro pocket handheld and my Retroid Pocket 3+ staying as my carryon device for more demanding systems like DC, Saturn, 3DS, GC and PS2. And with the RGB30 having WiFi and JelOS supporting Syncthing. I can hopefully have both devices easily synced with save states and save files so I can easily pick one up and start where I left off on the other machine. It seems like it could be an amazing duo!
Sounds like a fantastic plan to me! I love having a "retro" device and a more "modern" device for 16:9, even if they're both technically playing retro games. If you get it, I hope you love it!
One thing I love about your reviews is how passionate you are when speaking about them. I knew I wanted one of these and you confirmed it and have given me the confidence that it will be a great purchase just like you did for the Miyoo mini. Thanks!
I liked your comment, but, I did the same with Myoo mini but I’m not playing as much as I thought…😒 after the RGB20s, Myoo has been sleeping for long time and I feel sad…I don’t wanna sell it but in the same time, I don’t know if RGB30 will be better than RGB20s, even though the chip set is better, I’m not a big fan of N64…so, no much to do with it…NDS runs perfectly on RGB20s which is crazy good for now.
Was never really into handhelds before the DS - I clicked on this video mainly because I was curious about the square screen. I'd never heard of Pico8 before, and now I'm considering buying one of these just for it 😆
Oh man, I've seen multiple reviews on this handheld, and honestly speaking, yours is probably the only one that gave this amazing handheld a proper appreciation! What an amazing little device, who would've thought a square display could transform the experience in this way! I loved handhelds ever since I was a child, recently there has been a flood of handhelds almost on weekly basis, but nothing grabbed my attention as this one did. What I feel by going with a 1:1 screen, is that it gets you closer to the game somehow, or in other words, brings the game closer to the player! Wide displays are nice and all, but I always felt like they pushed the game further and away from you, not sure how to explain it, most likely due to the wider aspect ratio i think... Regardless, I love everything about this handheld and its pleasantly affordable too! Although I think a beefy grip would fit it nicely specially for someone with larger hands. Hopefully PowKiddy notices the positive attention and continues releasing such amazing devices with 1:1 screens, we need more, that's for sure!
I am 100% right there with you. There's something really strange and engrossing about it, and I think your description was perfect. I'm glad you enjoyed the video and my enthusiasm. I have a massive starter guide / optimisation guide in the works and you're going to love it!
I’m refreshing the website daily to see the status of my order. Does it usually take a while to ship? I think they’re probably collecting all the orders 🤞🏼
@@MasDouc Oh yea I sure did! All my other devices are currently gathering dust on my dresser. This thing is almost perfect. The small gripes raised in this video are very valid but apart from that it's just incredible.
Ok I finished watching the review and ordered a RGB30 with your discount code. I don't even really know why I did this (own a Steam Deck, the Analogue Pocket, the Miyoos, and a truckload of other China handhelds), but it looks kind of ..... perfect. Thank you!
@@RetroBreezeYT Along with using the handheld's Save/Load game feature, I always play GBC Scrabble with the following personal settings: Scrabble 5 Game Match Timer Off Auto Tile Picking On Invalid Word Play Again Word Challenging Off CPU- Expert It's like you are actually playing a live action Scrabble game against a real life opponent! The opponent actually takes time to think before making the next move. To me, Game Boy Color also has the best version of Scrabble among all other platforms including GBA. Though, Scrabble Junior of the GBA is quite good as well. Two other games I always enjoy on my retro handhelds is Sega CD Wheel Of Fortune and Sega Genesis Minnesota Fats: Pool Legend. Sega CD games can be tricky to get up and running because you have to have it's BIOS file installed in the Mega Drive Emulator in order for Sega CD games to run. That Sega CD Wheel Of Fortune is the best and most realistic version of Wheel Of Fortune.
Great video. Thank you. This is my favorite handheld for GBA games: 720x480 integer scaling looks amazing... And you can even apply lcd screen shaders!
Retro Breeze I want to thank you and the folks at Go Game Geek for hooking us up in this way. Your video here inspired me to dive into this unique and amazing handheld and the process of getting one couldn’t have been smoother! I’m so delighted at this whole new world of gaming that PowKiddy has opened up for us. To be honest I even love the reversed volume keys because they make it easier to turn up the volume. Dude you have really nailed the essence of this system and I’m pretty sure most of us have watched every single video on the rgb30 but this is the one we keep coming back to. Kudos!
I have a Powkiddy V90 and will not be buying another handheld until someone does another SP-style clamshell with better specs. It's the perfect pocket design.
Another tip: There is a Zelda Phantom Hourglass mod that made the game fully playable without touchscreen. Some other games has this type of mod too, if you can find it, you can play on RGB30 without any throwbacks
It's like you took this review out if my brain. I have a steam deck, myioo mini v2 and plus, rg405m, v90, x55, odin, and rg353p. The rgb30 is the one I use most. I'm not having as many issues with the dpad. Excellent review.
@erikd6124 I'm not having any issues with the arcade stuff. I play a lot of side scrollers like Black Tiger, Rastan, Metal Slug, but I've also spent some time on games I wouldn't normally play since the aspect ratio is different. It just does an awesome job on everything I throw at it. I thought the bars on top or bottom on some games would bug me, but they never do. I only bought it for Gameboy, Gameboy Color, NeoGeo Pocket Color, some NES, SNES and Pico-8, but I ended up playing everything else on it too. It's still my daily.
In 2023, you buy new equipment because it offers some kind of functionality _you don't already have_ with some other piece of equipment. I've communicated with Powkiddy "engineers" *for many hours,* in both Chinese and English: they make a lot of mistakes, and their products have a lot of flaws… BUT… they have innovated in creating new products that aren't massively redundant (with devices you _most likely_ already have).
Thank you for this review. You were the first to address items such as the HDMI output and usb/Bluetooth use. You have helped me to make up my mind on making a purchase. I do a modern-retro TH-cam channel and the HDMI out and Bluetooth controller will make capturing gameplay much easier. Thanks again.
HDMI out is so much fun and I'm glad it's becoming a common feature. I recommend the ClonerAlliance UHD Pro for HDMI capture. You don't need to mess around with a PC or software to record, and you can even record gameplay whilst playing on the device screen (if it supports both internal and external display at the same time)
I'm kind of interested in it since it's the closest we'll get to an Analogue pocket with how near impossible those things are to keep in stock. Seems like they purposefully understock them.
@seancook6879 he is right. The analogue pocket is great if you're playing gameboy or gameboy color, especially if yoi want to play actual carts, but the shoulder buttons, size, and weight make it unappealing for me to use most of the time, quite unfortunately. Grip comfort shouldn't be underestimated. I now use it mainly for gbc and anything on the tv. It's great for those things, and the screen/filters are amazing, but for gba the shoulder buttons make it uncomfortable.
I have 1 major criteria that sadly looks like would not even have this handheld be considered for me, and its whether or not it fits comfortably in my pocket. I take my MM+ pretty much everywhere with me, and the immediate convenience of just putting it in my pocket is a godsend (e.g. waiting for wife to finish deciding on shopping decisions).
Got mine earlier this week, great little console for gameboy and pico8. Looking forward to your DPad fix video because the false diagonals let down what would otherwise be a perfect handheld. BTW what n64 settings are you using because on the handful of titles I’vetried so far they’ve been terrible!
I've just played with default settings with N64 and the titles I tried were great (smash, snowboard kids 2, beetle adventure racing, diddy Kong racing). I've heard ArkOS has better defaults for N64 (and did on RK2023 as well). I'll be switching to that soon! 100% will do a D-pad fix (and some other fun stuff) video!
I got one for Myself after having a great e pertence with RGB20s. Basically I bought that one because the is way more ergonomic and the screen looks way better to play most of the NDS games, GBC, etc… and also, the HDMI and Bluetooth is a very good surprise.
Thia has almost the same screen size than the RG351p for GBA games using integer scaling but with a superior resolution 720x480 so you can apply handheld shaders.
I disagree. The bad scaling on a 3.5 inch 640×480 screen makes the device unworthy of consideration if you love the way the original looked. This device ateast has 3x integer scaling at the same screen size and can probably do pixel lines and other effects that will look much better. Just ordered mine.
Yeah, I love mine. Games I want to play on a handheld that isn't my steam deck aren't 16x9 games anyway. I like how it is larger vertically making it comfortable to hold but since the screen isn't as wide it turns out smaller and lighter than a 16x9 handheld that is just as tall or a OG game boy style handheld with the same size/shape of screen. It is perfect for what I want in retro games, everything 16x9, like I said, I'll just use my steam deck.
That's a tough one. The RGB30 is amazing because of a few very specific reasons, but there are a lot of great handhelds in the premium category for $200. In terms of quality and power, Odin Lite is the obvious choice, but it's much, much bigger and heavier, with a wider screen. You could also get an RP3+ or Flip for a bit less which are amazing, again for 16:9 content. If you primarily want to play GB, GBC, NEOGEO and Pico-8, then in my opinion there's no better way to do so than with the RGB30, however it is a budget handheld through and through.
if you're looking for another dislike, start/select are way too clicky. but yeah, a dpad with better shape would've been nice. dreamcast and n64 performance was a little poor for me with jelos, so i moved to arkos which seems to have much better default settings for both. but yeah, rgb30 definitely gets my vote for handheld of the year.
Oh No! Something else to buy.🤣 This actually does look really good for Neo Geo Pocket gaming! I love my Neo Geo Pocket but the tiny non-backlit screen and too loud stick puts me off using it (Plus its old so I should keep it nice). Nice review, I wish I could do reviews this concise but also long and covering everything but still feels short and snappy. 👍
I installed ArkOS and the battery indicator issue was fixed for me. It's now accurate. But even with the battery indicator issue, the battery light on the right side of the screen is always accurate. If that's blinking, it's time to find a charger.
This cannot beat the Miyoo Mini Plus running latest version of Onion OS - that console is so much better and has a better form factor and looks amazing. I own both by the way.
I wish the battery didn’t drain so fast in sleep mode. I end up fully turning it off every time to preserve battery. Otherwise, I love it. You didn’t even mention that you can play SNES and TurboGrafx-16 in 8:7 to maximize the screen space.
You can fix the battery problem by opening the back of device..unplug the battery for a few minutes..and then plug it back in..its fixed..i did it..mines good now.😊
Now..... I really need one ! After this review ! White and black match perfectly with my desk setup !! Thanks I hope it's not very hard to setup for playing games ? Or playing with a friend with another same device ?
Just throwing it out there, the official powkitty store now has additional colors, including purple, red, and green. I haven't seen them anywhere else yet.
I will buy this 2-3 generations down the line when it's capable of playing PS2 and Wii. For now: my OG Miyoo Mini does all of this and does well enough that I don't need a new device.
Why would you want a square display like this for PS2 and Wii? A 4:3 or 16:9 makes much more sense imo. I'd actually prefer a weaker, cheaper RGB30. Genuinely curious!
@@RetroBreezeYT both can do 4:3 and that's fine letterboxed on a 1:1, but this also seems good for NDS which none of the others play nice with. I'm not interested in games beyond this era, so if it were capable of PS2 it would be the one single device for all games.
Here's hoping that same screen is soon featured on other devices of a slightly higher quality. Starting with stereo sound output (bizarrely this device reportedly outputs mono sound from two speakers) and a better d-pad.
I’m honestly surprised Nintendo hasn’t successfully lobbied the US government to completely ban the import of all these devices outright. Its pretty cool to see so many awesome handhelds available. What a time to be a kid! I remember when I was a kid your only options outside Nintendo/Sega were god awful Tiger handhelds
YES! I'm waiting for someone to make a clicky stick device. Also check out my RB-2H retro handheld project. It's been a while since I was able to give an update but I made a clicky stick for it!
I have a Miyoo Mini (not plus) and have been wanting one of these. Looks great for PS1 hooked up to a TV as well as GB etc.. so much to love about it. I saw you playing Pokemon Pinball, does the device have a rumble motor built in? And can you charge with a USB-C to USB-C cable? or just A to C?
Hi there! It does not have a rumble motor built in, but it is possible to add one. However, it seems that the experience is unstable. I will actually be making a video showing how to add it soon. And no, USB-A to USB-C charging only, which is a major bummer.
The only problem I found on it is the battery drains fast even when off. When I put it to sleep, less than 1 day all the battery goes…other thing is the HDMI experience is basically unplayable…too much lag…in the other hand, playing mobile is very very good device…
I have no complaints, but I hope they come out with a revision that has a better chipset that can plow through ps2, higher quality plastic (not metal!), better hall effect joysticks, and a less sharp d-pad. I'd buy the heck out of that. I dont like metal cause it makes it heavier and less comfortable to carry and use, fatigues the hands quicker, scratches stand out, and it makes it more expensive. I'd rather have high quality plastic.
Wifi and Bluetooth are amazing since I don't want cables for my earpieces ever again, but the bad pads on all these systems are such a joke. How hard can it be to apply most of the various fixes right from the chip?
The only thing that keeps it from being perfect to me is, I would like it to emulate up to perfect Dreamcast, and N64. Other than that there is no downside. The aspect ratio is perfect for a lot of systems and the ones that it’s not you still get a 3 1/2 inch screen just like you would on any other handheld. Can you upscale ps1 and Saturn to 2x? That would be ideal for the screen that’s on there .
I really hope Powkiddy makes an updated version of this exact form factor and screen with better specs. I'm not talking PS2 or anything, but at least DC and N64
thanks for the review, you sold me on it, gave me the little push i needed to finish the purchase :) But please can you explain how to fix the dpad? You mentioned you will maybe make a video about it and I think the dpad is super important for the systems i will use it for. Thanks again!
Hi! I posted a pic on X. It's a 16.5mm piece of kaptop tape on the contacts. You can make the area smaller if you want to cover less of the contacts, but this has worked well for me. twitter.com/RetroBreezeYT/status/1716560393462534570
Unpopular opinion. For me the volume buttons feel instinctively correct in their placement. Maybe because its the same on the ipad pro in landscape mode.
Same for me and i saw a lot of complaints about this on Reddit too. I also notice one dead pixel this day... This handheld is so good but the quality of assembly is a major flaw...
@@RetroBreezeYT After more research and measuring some screens I currenlty use...you're right. Hard pressed to find a better device than IoS paired to an Xbox controller w/holding bracket....but just not as clean looking as dedicated devices.
my hacked n3dsxl does up to PSX emulation.. If it has solid controllers and button, decent build quality and can do all of what my n3ds can emulate? then its a good handheld IMO. Also, it has to have almost no input lag when playing NES or SNES games.. and a lot of third party handheld devices have horrible delay, making it almost impossible to play punch out against harder opponents. One handheld that does this really well is the switch (or at least the one i got here, a switch lite) I play those NES games from the online app on switch and they run smooth as hell, input delay is barely noticeable, i was even able to beat mr dream (mike tyson) Another thing third party handhelds do wrong is the aspect ratio.. i hate when games are badly stretched, its fine to make a bigger screen, but i want my classic console games to be in their proper aspect ratio. They want to do stretching its fine, just as long as they give me the choice to toggle to the proper ratio as an option. From what ive seen in this video, the RGB30 does this correctly.
Thank you. This link you give in the description is for a console already with games incorporated? If so, does it have plenty of the Game Boy/Boy Color?
Couldn’t help but notice, with Out Run on MAME, it looked like digital input. I’d that correct, or was you just pushing all the way in the stock, and it’s actually analogue input? I’ll be looking out for that improved DPad too. Sounds like a minor issue that could end up being a little too annoying depending on the game being played.
If you had told me as a kid lusting over aisles of 16-bit games, that one day we would have widely available, affordable handheld devices that would allow you to store and play all the games in the store I would have been incredibly dubious. To be able to think of an older game, and just pop into it and play it on a whim is a modern development that isn’t appreciated enough.
We used to pretend we had these kinds of consoles when we were riding the school bus. Totally science fiction.
Kids these days have no idea how good they have it.
Got beaten alot for coming home late after going to play games at my friend's house
@@Bolaji-b5e damn bru u ok
I’m 36. I have played games off and on most of my life.
Just got a switch OLED 3 days ago (for the first time) and I pretty much feel like a wizard.
The idea that all this is in my hands if friggin bananas and I’m glad I get to appreciate it rather than just see the tech pass through.
Pro tip: Play NES and SNES in 8:7 aspect ratio so they even fill more of the screen. It's their native internal resolution and despite most games were developed with a 4:3 TV in mind, they look fantastic and definitely not "wrong" in 8:7.
This is also what I'm doing on my Analogue Pocket (10:9 screen). The games look amazing.
THIS!
Great review, as always! Sound mix is very low however, the occasional adds blew my speakers. I'm baffled that Powkiddy released this many great devices this year (and by their pace they can still release a couple more). Can't wait to receive mine!
Ah shoot, audio still escapes me honestly. I'll do better next time!
It's "ad", with one d. It's short for "advertisement".
ublock origin
@@3567-j3n thanks, I have it on Firefox but I'm on Safari or the mobile TH-cam app most of the time
@@EvenTheDogAgrees yeah...of course it's short for advertisement. what else could OP possibly have been referring to? like what's the point of this comment? it's a typo dude. we all know what they meant.
This aspect ratio also delivers an excellent experience for 8:7 and 16:15 consoles, namely NES, SNES and TurboGrafx-16. The standout being SNES where you can integer scale and use the overscale function in retroarch, which delivers a bigger play area than wider screen 4.5"-5" handhelds such as the RP3+, at the cost only of shaving 4 pixels off left and right.
Those 4 pixels are pretty noticable to me, unfortunately. Much prefer to just have 4:3!
@@3godzilla3 I get that it's mostly a subjective pet peeve, but lots of SNES games were designed to be displayed with that overscan on a CRT screen.
@3godzilla3 there's no way they're that noticeable to you.
@@MasDouc Whether you believe me or not changes nothing about what I said
Damn! You got me with the vertical games like the arcade shmups!! It’s a total winner!
I just bought one, and i'm amazed with the performance. The frontend aesthetic is gorgeous. Systems as SNES, PC Engine, CPS 1,2,3, Neo Geo, runs smoothly (all Fbneo roms, runs amazing, even Midway games)... Some other like N64 or Dreamcast have minor details, but overall with good performance. You can connect it to the tv (mini hdmi), or pairing with every Bluetooth device, i.e. 8bitdo controllers and JBL speakers.
This is the perfect complement for a Nintendo Switch console system.
What about outrun and afterburner? Arcade versions? How is the sound on those games ?
I've made this commet other places but here it is again...
This handheld is worth the price, even if just for Pico8 only. For Pico8 enthusiasts, it's a dream come to life. Being able to run Pico8 native on a square screen is just amazing.
100% agree!
As soon as I turned it on and starting to play a video game on this system, to me it made me feel that this is how a handheld should be. It's like having a dream, and then you try to remember the dream, but in the case of the RGB30, you are holding in your hand the dream item you forgot about, then realize, you have a unique handheld that is awesome.
I just ordered with your coupon code! Thank you and I'm excited to have this to play!
I've been sitting on the purchase page from Powkiddy's website for so long now. I will casually watch reviews from time to time and they always ALMOST convince me to pull the trigger.
I think I'm finally gonna order it. Especially given your coupon code which brings it down under 80 dollars shipped with what seems like fairly fast shipping to the US?
At that price point, this actually becomes a no brainer as I could easily just slap my install of PICO8 on this and have the perfect PICO handheld and be done at that. But given the versatility of that display, I can see this replacing my 35XX to become my daily retro pocket handheld and my Retroid Pocket 3+ staying as my carryon device for more demanding systems like DC, Saturn, 3DS, GC and PS2.
And with the RGB30 having WiFi and JelOS supporting Syncthing. I can hopefully have both devices easily synced with save states and save files so I can easily pick one up and start where I left off on the other machine. It seems like it could be an amazing duo!
Sounds like a fantastic plan to me! I love having a "retro" device and a more "modern" device for 16:9, even if they're both technically playing retro games. If you get it, I hope you love it!
I’ve watched a few reviews of this device, now. I think yours has been the one to convince me.
Glad to hear it! Don't forget to use coupon RB77 if you order on GoGameGeek!
Do you know whether they ship internationally? I’m in exile, in Australia.
Pretty sure they do! Free global shipping!
One thing I love about your reviews is how passionate you are when speaking about them. I knew I wanted one of these and you confirmed it and have given me the confidence that it will be a great purchase just like you did for the Miyoo mini. Thanks!
Thank you! I'm glad that came through in the video!
I liked your comment, but, I did the same with Myoo mini but I’m not playing as much as I thought…😒 after the RGB20s, Myoo has been sleeping for long time and I feel sad…I don’t wanna sell it but in the same time, I don’t know if RGB30 will be better than RGB20s, even though the chip set is better, I’m not a big fan of N64…so, no much to do with it…NDS runs perfectly on RGB20s which is crazy good for now.
Ok now you're making me excited about the RGB30 again, I really need to try more Pico 8 gamew on it. 10/10 video! - Stubbs
Cheers Stubbs! Check out Low Mem Sky for sure!
Was never really into handhelds before the DS - I clicked on this video mainly because I was curious about the square screen. I'd never heard of Pico8 before, and now I'm considering buying one of these just for it 😆
Oh man, I've seen multiple reviews on this handheld, and honestly speaking, yours is probably the only one that gave this amazing handheld a proper appreciation!
What an amazing little device, who would've thought a square display could transform the experience in this way!
I loved handhelds ever since I was a child, recently there has been a flood of handhelds almost on weekly basis, but nothing grabbed my attention as this one did.
What I feel by going with a 1:1 screen, is that it gets you closer to the game somehow, or in other words, brings the game closer to the player!
Wide displays are nice and all, but I always felt like they pushed the game further and away from you, not sure how to explain it, most likely due to the wider aspect ratio i think...
Regardless, I love everything about this handheld and its pleasantly affordable too!
Although I think a beefy grip would fit it nicely specially for someone with larger hands.
Hopefully PowKiddy notices the positive attention and continues releasing such amazing devices with 1:1 screens, we need more, that's for sure!
I am 100% right there with you. There's something really strange and engrossing about it, and I think your description was perfect. I'm glad you enjoyed the video and my enthusiasm. I have a massive starter guide / optimisation guide in the works and you're going to love it!
I’m refreshing the website daily to see the status of my order. Does it usually take a while to ship? I think they’re probably collecting all the orders 🤞🏼
@@Artsycadid you ever get it?
@@MasDouc Oh yea I sure did! All my other devices are currently gathering dust on my dresser. This thing is almost perfect. The small gripes raised in this video are very valid but apart from that it's just incredible.
Yes, more RGB30 content!! Thank you RB! Mine is coming this week 🎉
You are going to love it. It is absolutely fantastic! Thanks for watching!
Ok I finished watching the review and ordered a RGB30 with your discount code. I don't even really know why I did this (own a Steam Deck, the Analogue Pocket, the Miyoos, and a truckload of other China handhelds), but it looks kind of ..... perfect. Thank you!
Such a refreshing and fun review so thanks for sharing Shem!
POWWWWWWKIDDDDDDYYYYYYY!!!! 🤠
Wow, thank you so much, I'm glad you enjoyed it!
I’m personally offended that you called me, the viewer, a grandpa… okay I’m off to bed.
Don't forget your water and pills 🤗
@@RetroBreezeYT literally. Although in my defense, they’re just vitamins.
Your awesome review is convincing me to purchase the RGB30!
If you do, I hope you love it!
@@RetroBreezeYT I could see myself playing Game Boy Color "Scrabble" on the RGB30. Scrabble is my most favorite GBC title.
@@jonathonearl482 It was included in the Roms on mine! I'll have to check it out! Thanks for the rec!
@@RetroBreezeYT Along with using the handheld's Save/Load game feature, I always play GBC Scrabble with the following personal settings:
Scrabble
5 Game Match
Timer Off
Auto Tile Picking On
Invalid Word Play Again
Word Challenging Off
CPU- Expert
It's like you are actually playing a live action Scrabble game against a real life opponent! The opponent actually takes time to think before making the next move. To me, Game Boy Color also has the best version of Scrabble among all other platforms including GBA. Though, Scrabble Junior of the GBA is quite good as well. Two other games I always enjoy on my retro handhelds is Sega CD Wheel Of Fortune and Sega Genesis Minnesota Fats: Pool Legend. Sega CD games can be tricky to get up and running because you have to have it's BIOS file installed in the Mega Drive Emulator in order for Sega CD games to run. That Sega CD Wheel Of Fortune is the best and most realistic version of Wheel Of Fortune.
Great video. Thank you. This is my favorite handheld for GBA games: 720x480 integer scaling looks amazing... And you can even apply lcd screen shaders!
I did GBA a disservice in this video 😅
Retro Breeze I want to thank you and the folks at Go Game Geek for hooking us up in this way. Your video here inspired me to dive into this unique and amazing handheld and the process of getting one couldn’t have been smoother!
I’m so delighted at this whole new world of gaming that PowKiddy has opened up for us. To be honest I even love the reversed volume keys because they make it easier to turn up the volume.
Dude you have really nailed the essence of this system and I’m pretty sure most of us have watched every single video on the rgb30 but this is the one we keep coming back to.
Kudos!
Neo Geo Pocket Color is incredible on my RGB30! Thank you
Buying this thanks to you :) Your emotional opening let me know you look at things the way I do so this review completely sold me :)
I hope you love it as much as I do!
@@RetroBreezeYTgiven the fact that I've been binging reviews of it now just to look more at the form factor, I'd say I'm gonna love it :)
Just bought the purple one from your link below. Awesome 15% off Christmas code!! Free shipping! 🤩👾
Thank you! I've got a purple on the way as well! Can't wait!
@@RetroBreezeYTawesome😊.. i normally don't go for the odd-ish colored devices but this one looks sooooo good
@@ASAN2042how is it?
I have a Powkiddy V90 and will not be buying another handheld until someone does another SP-style clamshell with better specs. It's the perfect pocket design.
Keep an eye out for the Miyoo Mini Flip!
Another tip: There is a Zelda Phantom Hourglass mod that made the game fully playable without touchscreen. Some other games has this type of mod too, if you can find it, you can play on RGB30 without any throwbacks
Well, I'm sold!
Great review, thanks so much!!
Hope you love it! Just got my purple in!
@@RetroBreezeYT I think I will. White, on the way. :)
This has been an excellent review. Good job!
Thank you very, very much. I'm so glad you think so!
It's like you took this review out if my brain. I have a steam deck, myioo mini v2 and plus, rg405m, v90, x55, odin, and rg353p. The rgb30 is the one I use most. I'm not having as many issues with the dpad. Excellent review.
Haha I'm glad to hear that! I can't seem to out this device down. There's definitely something special about it 👍
That says a lot. What about arcade games like outrun and afterburner ? Are the other units better at these games ?
@erikd6124 I'm not having any issues with the arcade stuff. I play a lot of side scrollers like Black Tiger, Rastan, Metal Slug, but I've also spent some time on games I wouldn't normally play since the aspect ratio is different. It just does an awesome job on everything I throw at it. I thought the bars on top or bottom on some games would bug me, but they never do. I only bought it for Gameboy, Gameboy Color, NeoGeo Pocket Color, some NES, SNES and Pico-8, but I ended up playing everything else on it too. It's still my daily.
In 2023, you buy new equipment because it offers some kind of functionality _you don't already have_ with some other piece of equipment. I've communicated with Powkiddy "engineers" *for many hours,* in both Chinese and English: they make a lot of mistakes, and their products have a lot of flaws… BUT… they have innovated in creating new products that aren't massively redundant (with devices you _most likely_ already have).
100% agree. Yet PowKiddy does also release those weird eWaste handhelds too 🫠
Thank you for this review. You were the first to address items such as the HDMI output and usb/Bluetooth use. You have helped me to make up my mind on making a purchase. I do a modern-retro TH-cam channel and the HDMI out and Bluetooth controller will make capturing gameplay much easier. Thanks again.
HDMI out is so much fun and I'm glad it's becoming a common feature. I recommend the ClonerAlliance UHD Pro for HDMI capture. You don't need to mess around with a PC or software to record, and you can even record gameplay whilst playing on the device screen (if it supports both internal and external display at the same time)
Another great review! This will be a nice addition to my collection!
Thank you for watching, I appreciate you!
I’m tempted to pick one up. Great video!
Thanks for watching! However, I've noticed you have some ... Other handhelds to attend to first!
Uu interesting! Thank you for the video. Now to watch it! 📺
Cheers! Let me know what you think!
Best review i have seen on this handheld. Thanks going to buy it .
Thank you so much :)
I'm kind of interested in it since it's the closest we'll get to an Analogue pocket with how near impossible those things are to keep in stock. Seems like they purposefully understock them.
I'll be honest analogue pocket isn't worth it. I got on but id still be interested in this
@seancook6879 he is right. The analogue pocket is great if you're playing gameboy or gameboy color, especially if yoi want to play actual carts, but the shoulder buttons, size, and weight make it unappealing for me to use most of the time, quite unfortunately. Grip comfort shouldn't be underestimated. I now use it mainly for gbc and anything on the tv. It's great for those things, and the screen/filters are amazing, but for gba the shoulder buttons make it uncomfortable.
Absolutely love this thing 😊
Same!
NAILED IT! Great job, Senor RetroBreeze! 💪
Thank you so much! Glad you liked the video!
@@RetroBreezeYT you took all the talking points I had. And more. You absolutely STONKED this review
‘It’s hard to put into words’
Mini-switch
I have 1 major criteria that sadly looks like would not even have this handheld be considered for me, and its whether or not it fits comfortably in my pocket. I take my MM+ pretty much everywhere with me, and the immediate convenience of just putting it in my pocket is a godsend (e.g. waiting for wife to finish deciding on shopping decisions).
Yeah it's a bit of a pocket brick!
I also share this concern... guess I'll find out when mine arrives ;)
Got mine earlier this week, great little console for gameboy and pico8. Looking forward to your DPad fix video because the false diagonals let down what would otherwise be a perfect handheld.
BTW what n64 settings are you using because on the handful of titles I’vetried so far they’ve been terrible!
I've just played with default settings with N64 and the titles I tried were great (smash, snowboard kids 2, beetle adventure racing, diddy Kong racing). I've heard ArkOS has better defaults for N64 (and did on RK2023 as well). I'll be switching to that soon!
100% will do a D-pad fix (and some other fun stuff) video!
I got one for Myself after having a great e pertence with RGB20s. Basically I bought that one because the is way more ergonomic and the screen looks way better to play most of the NDS games, GBC, etc… and also, the HDMI and Bluetooth is a very good surprise.
The RG351p did for GBA what the RGB30 does for GB/GBC, Pico-8, and the Neo Geo Pocket. 😁
I'd agree with you there, although for me it was the RGB10 for GBA!
Thia has almost the same screen size than the RG351p for GBA games using integer scaling but with a superior resolution 720x480 so you can apply handheld shaders.
I disagree. The bad scaling on a 3.5 inch 640×480 screen makes the device unworthy of consideration if you love the way the original looked. This device ateast has 3x integer scaling at the same screen size and can probably do pixel lines and other effects that will look much better. Just ordered mine.
Yeah, I love mine. Games I want to play on a handheld that isn't my steam deck aren't 16x9 games anyway. I like how it is larger vertically making it comfortable to hold but since the screen isn't as wide it turns out smaller and lighter than a 16x9 handheld that is just as tall or a OG game boy style handheld with the same size/shape of screen. It is perfect for what I want in retro games, everything 16x9, like I said, I'll just use my steam deck.
Absolutely 100%. For me it's honestly perfect for everything that's not 16:9. Even with the black boxes (or overlays) for 4:3 it still feels great.
If you had a budget of $200 and just wanted the best retro gaming experience, would you recommend this or another handheld ?
That's a tough one. The RGB30 is amazing because of a few very specific reasons, but there are a lot of great handhelds in the premium category for $200. In terms of quality and power, Odin Lite is the obvious choice, but it's much, much bigger and heavier, with a wider screen. You could also get an RP3+ or Flip for a bit less which are amazing, again for 16:9 content.
If you primarily want to play GB, GBC, NEOGEO and Pico-8, then in my opinion there's no better way to do so than with the RGB30, however it is a budget handheld through and through.
For me the x55 is the one for me comes with 30,000 games, comfortable to hold grip, nice five inch screen
Ordered just for the vertical arcade games, great review.
you are such a good reviewer, insta sub. bro, im buying this, you answered every single question i had. Keep up the fantastic work gamer bro!
That means a lot, thank you so so much!
The RK2023 is my personal perfect handheld but it's always great to hear your thoughts :)
I love it too! Mine still has two X buttons which is just so charming haha!
I bought it, it is great for 8/16 bits era, I like to play also nes 8/7 screen with LCD filter. It looks awesome 👏
Fantastic!
But nes isn't LCD...
Nice review! 🍻
Cheers!
if you're looking for another dislike, start/select are way too clicky. but yeah, a dpad with better shape would've been nice. dreamcast and n64 performance was a little poor for me with jelos, so i moved to arkos which seems to have much better default settings for both. but yeah, rgb30 definitely gets my vote for handheld of the year.
Yeah I guess, I'm kind of getting used to snappy start and select at this point! Looking forward to trying ArkOS too!
@@RetroBreezeYT trying to play oracle of ages in bed at night next to someone results in lots of glares and huffs thanks to start/select. lol
Oh No! Something else to buy.🤣 This actually does look really good for Neo Geo Pocket gaming! I love my Neo Geo Pocket but the tiny non-backlit screen and too loud stick puts me off using it (Plus its old so I should keep it nice). Nice review, I wish I could do reviews this concise but also long and covering everything but still feels short and snappy. 👍
Don't forget to try out Survival Kids 2, Tobu Tobu Girl DX, The Grinch, and Merlin for the GBC. 😉
Noted! Cheers!
I installed ArkOS and the battery indicator issue was fixed for me. It's now accurate. But even with the battery indicator issue, the battery light on the right side of the screen is always accurate. If that's blinking, it's time to find a charger.
I've heard ArkOS has a more accurate counter, but I'm definitely glad the LED works well! I guess voltage detection is an easy circuit 😁
This cannot beat the Miyoo Mini Plus running latest version of Onion OS - that console is so much better and has a better form factor and looks amazing. I own both by the way.
Can't really do N64 on a Mini+ tho. I love mine for PSX and down tho.
The form factor question is very subjective. I prefer controls on the side to vertical / Gameboy-style layout. 🤷♂️
Good point - it's personal preference at the end of the day - for me the Gameboy form factor is perfect!@@maxducoudray
I wish the battery didn’t drain so fast in sleep mode. I end up fully turning it off every time to preserve battery. Otherwise, I love it. You didn’t even mention that you can play SNES and TurboGrafx-16 in 8:7 to maximize the screen space.
You can also set sleep mode to s3 Deep to improve sleep mode performance!
@@RetroBreezeYT Thanks for the tip!
I ordered one thanks for reviewing this.
You can fix the battery problem by opening the back of device..unplug the battery for a few minutes..and then plug it back in..its fixed..i did it..mines good now.😊
This is trully an amazing handheld.
Now..... I really need one ! After this review ! White and black match perfectly with my desk setup !! Thanks
I hope it's not very hard to setup for playing games ? Or playing with a friend with another same device ?
Just ordered one using your code, now a subscriber, keep up the good work
Thank you very much :)
I'm still waiting for a good looking big size 4:3 screen. If it's a 16:9 or 1:1 it needs to be oled for perfect blacks.
This looks nice, but the screen size is a dealbreaker for old guys like me. I just can’t see the screen well enough to enjoy playing the games.
That's fair enough. I've been playing a lot on Tablets (8.4" and 12" screens) and I've absolutely loved it. So good for gaming on a nice big screen.
Just throwing it out there, the official powkitty store now has additional colors, including purple, red, and green. I haven't seen them anywhere else yet.
I will buy this 2-3 generations down the line when it's capable of playing PS2 and Wii. For now: my OG Miyoo Mini does all of this and does well enough that I don't need a new device.
Why would you want a square display like this for PS2 and Wii? A 4:3 or 16:9 makes much more sense imo. I'd actually prefer a weaker, cheaper RGB30. Genuinely curious!
@@RetroBreezeYT both can do 4:3 and that's fine letterboxed on a 1:1, but this also seems good for NDS which none of the others play nice with. I'm not interested in games beyond this era, so if it were capable of PS2 it would be the one single device for all games.
nice review, I think I gonna pull a trigger for sure. I love linux.
Great review. I’d love to see your fix for the D-pad.
Coming soon in a video, or you can check it out on X: twitter.com/RetroBreezeYT/status/1716578534712348715?t=U8762UL8T13a3MgkQNNdow&s=19
Getting this one just for the shmups !
Amazing review! In the next videos, could you please show how to install pc ports?
I'll try to cover it in the starter guide. Thank you!
Glad you got this! Would love for a scummvm setup on this. Getting no success doing it!
I can't believe I waited to buy it. Easily my favourite handheld right now.
I'll look into SCUMMVM for JELOS!
Here's hoping that same screen is soon featured on other devices of a slightly higher quality. Starting with stereo sound output (bizarrely this device reportedly outputs mono sound from two speakers) and a better d-pad.
Yes, I'd love to see this idea tried again. I'd love to see the 3.5" screen from the BlackBerry classic as well!
I heard that the mono output isnt a hardware flaw but something that needs to be fixed in software.
I’m honestly surprised Nintendo hasn’t successfully lobbied the US government to completely ban the import of all these devices outright.
Its pretty cool to see so many awesome handhelds available. What a time to be a kid! I remember when I was a kid your only options outside Nintendo/Sega were god awful Tiger handhelds
They should make one with a clicky Neo Geo Pocket stick.
YES! I'm waiting for someone to make a clicky stick device. Also check out my RB-2H retro handheld project. It's been a while since I was able to give an update but I made a clicky stick for it!
Cliclicliclicliclick
I have a Miyoo Mini (not plus) and have been wanting one of these.
Looks great for PS1 hooked up to a TV as well as GB etc.. so much to love about it.
I saw you playing Pokemon Pinball, does the device have a rumble motor built in?
And can you charge with a USB-C to USB-C cable? or just A to C?
Hi there! It does not have a rumble motor built in, but it is possible to add one. However, it seems that the experience is unstable. I will actually be making a video showing how to add it soon.
And no, USB-A to USB-C charging only, which is a major bummer.
Most opinions seems to go from “yet another rk3566? Who cares?” to “oh, there are new things we could be doing with that chip for retro games”
It does seem like that. Looking forward to Joey's Retro Handhelds review- he didn't like it as much!
ok ok, you convinced me. I have to have it :D
The only problem I found on it is the battery drains fast even when off. When I put it to sleep, less than 1 day all the battery goes…other thing is the HDMI experience is basically unplayable…too much lag…in the other hand, playing mobile is very very good device…
Great video! I disagree on the RGB30, but it's awesome we all have different favorites :)
Someones in love with Odin 2 👀
Cheers for watching, Joey!
@@nintendion8440Quite a few that I love!
Hi Joey, love your reviews. What exactly do you disagree with?
@@iOxideAUSI'll have my review up soon, don't want to take away from Shem's video here!
I have no complaints, but I hope they come out with a revision that has a better chipset that can plow through ps2, higher quality plastic (not metal!), better hall effect joysticks, and a less sharp d-pad. I'd buy the heck out of that. I dont like metal cause it makes it heavier and less comfortable to carry and use, fatigues the hands quicker, scratches stand out, and it makes it more expensive. I'd rather have high quality plastic.
Wifi and Bluetooth are amazing since I don't want cables for my earpieces ever again, but the bad pads on all these systems are such a joke.
How hard can it be to apply most of the various fixes right from the chip?
The only thing that keeps it from being perfect to me is, I would like it to emulate up to perfect Dreamcast, and N64. Other than that there is no downside. The aspect ratio is perfect for a lot of systems and the ones that it’s not you still get a 3 1/2 inch screen just like you would on any other handheld. Can you upscale ps1 and Saturn to 2x? That would be ideal for the screen that’s on there .
I really hope Powkiddy makes an updated version of this exact form factor and screen with better specs. I'm not talking PS2 or anything, but at least DC and N64
i dont see why a 100-150 usd gaming handheld wouldnt be able to run ps2 games, when my 5 year old 140 usd phone can run some ps2 games.@@MasDouc
I've been debating on getting this or not. I love my Miyoo Mini but I'd like something in the horizontal orientation.
Love my mini as well!
thanks for the review, you sold me on it, gave me the little push i needed to finish the purchase :) But please can you explain how to fix the dpad? You mentioned you will maybe make a video about it and I think the dpad is super important for the systems i will use it for. Thanks again!
Hi! I posted a pic on X. It's a 16.5mm piece of kaptop tape on the contacts. You can make the area smaller if you want to cover less of the contacts, but this has worked well for me. twitter.com/RetroBreezeYT/status/1716560393462534570
Unpopular opinion. For me the volume buttons feel instinctively correct in their placement. Maybe because its the same on the ipad pro in landscape mode.
Oh yeah, you're right, even on my phone actually. Interesting point!
@@RetroBreezeYT random question. Is there any way to re-map the buttons for n64? They feel a bit messed up
I went with the Powkiddy V90. For the built-in screen protection. The RGB30 is a device I want but don't really need 😅
A yellow and red variant will be released in November
Yep, can't wait!
My boy's in love
I won't contest that!
i prefer the X55
That's fair! Still need to do my X55 review 💀
No you don't actually.
@@psplayer1344 i have one and the bigger screen and the horizontal form factor are very comfy
I have both aand i reaaaaly prefer the form factor of the rgb30. Xor arcade games its a game changer (for me)
I love this machine! Great review. I have tried play using HDMI out, but I can’t get the sound to work. Any suggestions from the community?
Great review
The bottom of my screen has the backlights visible when on a black screen. Is this normal or did I get a bad unit?
Same for me and i saw a lot of complaints about this on Reddit too. I also notice one dead pixel this day... This handheld is so good but the quality of assembly is a major flaw...
Mine has some bleed at the bottom, too. It's not noticeable in-game so I don't mind, personally.
Yeah I've seen a few with dead pixels, but PowKiddy will at least send a replacement screen...
This looks like it might be perfect for Castlevania: SOTN
A 4:3 device might be better for that particular game!
@@RetroBreezeYT After more research and measuring some screens I currenlty use...you're right. Hard pressed to find a better device than IoS paired to an Xbox controller w/holding bracket....but just not as clean looking as dedicated devices.
Could you get the Xbox controller to work with this device?
my hacked n3dsxl does up to PSX emulation.. If it has solid controllers and button, decent build quality and can do all of what my n3ds can emulate? then its a good handheld IMO. Also, it has to have almost no input lag when playing NES or SNES games.. and a lot of third party handheld devices have horrible delay, making it almost impossible to play punch out against harder opponents. One handheld that does this really well is the switch (or at least the one i got here, a switch lite) I play those NES games from the online app on switch and they run smooth as hell, input delay is barely noticeable, i was even able to beat mr dream (mike tyson)
Another thing third party handhelds do wrong is the aspect ratio.. i hate when games are badly stretched, its fine to make a bigger screen, but i want my classic console games to be in their proper aspect ratio. They want to do stretching its fine, just as long as they give me the choice to toggle to the proper ratio as an option. From what ive seen in this video, the RGB30 does this correctly.
Thank you.
This link you give in the description is for a console already with games incorporated? If so, does it have plenty of the Game Boy/Boy Color?
Buy it with a sad card so it’ll come preloaded with tons of games.
The 64GB has pretty much all the essential games except Mario. The higher capacity, the more games you get. Often, Mario isn't included.
@@RetroBreezeYT👍Thank you.
Dieing to watch how you would play several levels with these perfect controls...
Great review. I cant wait for mine to TOMORROW. I had been thinking about GPi case but this is better for me
Does this play Tony Hawk pro-skater games? I want a game console like this for retro gaming while in my cancer treatments. Tony Hawk is a favorite
Yes, it'll play Tony Hawk on ps1, and probably the N64 and Dreamcast versions, too
Couldn’t help but notice, with Out Run on MAME, it looked like digital input. I’d that correct, or was you just pushing all the way in the stock, and it’s actually analogue input?
I’ll be looking out for that improved DPad too. Sounds like a minor issue that could end up being a little too annoying depending on the game being played.