I remember everyone trashing this thing when it came out but I got it anyway because I loved the design and I knew someone would come along with CFW to fix the issues. Great to see it getting a lot of love now.
CFW cant fix poor quality control, which is sadly a thing with Miyoo. All my Miyoo have had either come with issues, or developed issues over time. (Miyoo Mini delaminated screen corner after a few months corn, A30 wobbly not fitting shoulder buttons and horrible thumb stick) Wouldnt buy Miyoo if you actually wanna play it. If its just for a kid, sure get the cheapest offer possible, the A30 with Minui for 25bucks will probably be fine.
I get that. I feel the same why about the Anbernic Nano. People dumped on that too, but in all fairness, that thing is always on me in a pinch because it's so small, it's hard _not_ to leave it on my keyrings or upper breast pocket. It's always there when I need it for a quick jam. The squinty buttons and screen don't really matter when I'm only playing it for ten minutes here and there anyway.
Same. I got this right when it came out and then got really sad from all the hate it got. It's just the most appealing handheld in its price range right now, plus it looks way better than the others. Don't get me wrong, if someone gifted me an Odin 2 or a Steam deck or ROG Ally, I'd use them, but I'd still use my A30. Russ is right. They're different use cases. Some handhelds have major power behind them, but are we really putting them in our pockets and leaving the house with them? I don't even really take my switch/Vita/PSP/3ds out of the house anymore unless I'm going to work and then I have one in my work bag. Never just in my pocket or something like that. But this? This I can just have with me. Plus, at the price point if it gets broken I can just replace it. The SD card costs me more than the system itself.
same with the SF2000 Datafrog! I now have the Frog, the 28XX and the A30, the last 2 because of the 11-11 sales! I was going to ignore the A30 because of the publicised shortcomings but i did like the aesthetics and the colours offered for the 28XX more than the ones offered for the A30... i only really gravitated towards the all black A30, which I have on the way.... Glad to know the communities are improving the UX of these devices! I have heard people trying to get PSP working on these tiny devices which personally not for me... these devices are already cramped and i have a grip with my 28XX which i hope works with the A30.... But yeah good to know Frog is now capable of crazy stuff like og Doom at stupid fps! the Frog is still the most underrated out of all the devices here even though $10 - $13 with 2 controllers!! The A30 is actually exactly the same in layout to the Frog but im assuming is the more performant as well as having a comparably bigger name... Now along with my huge backlog of games that goes back generations I now have a backlog of handhelds as well to tinker and play with FFS!!!!!
The a30 has been my daily cary device since the beginning of the summer. Spruce has made it even better. I love the community support for these products!
I just bought a few of these yesterday on the last day of the AliExpress sale on a whim to give out as gifts. Thanks for coming in and supporting my choices Russ.
I just picked up an A30 completely on a whim after seeing it for under £20, knowing nothing about what custom firmware was out there for it. I found out about Spruce and how it just received its biggest update yet so that was it, and it's made me fall in love with this little handheld. It was simple to set up, scraping box art couldn't be any easier, comfortable for such a small device; the A30 now lives in my pocket and I play on it more than anything else.
@@RetroGameCorps don't know if it's a problem with my browser, but page isn't loading. Also, you should promote this more man. Maybe use a clip of you wearing the shirt when you say the thing in the video. :D
@ I’m thinking about making this a ”one game unit” where I put one game at a time and hopefully actually play it instead of endlessly scrolling through the hundreds of games on my other handhelds.
Loved the video! Just bought 2 MA30 for my brother and cousin so we can play all together. They arrived faster than I expected to MX in Aliexpress and just with a good offer for 35$ each (including shipping). The spruce tutorial really helped me a lot!
I'm setting up Spruce on a new A30 that just arrived today while watching your video. I couldn't resist how cute this thing looks, and at $27 shipped it was an easy purchase. The case it came with has the Miyoo logo and A30 label so that was a nice bonus.
I picked this up for 35.00 and I use it as my travel device. I can pocket it and don't have to sweat it if I lose it while I'm out. I hate the games setup stock, but it gets by.
Thanks Russ, I picked up two of these when you posted the sale a few days ago (one to gift & 1 for me). I usually gift my older devices to my kids or nephews whenever newer ones come out. These will make great bday nostalgia gifts to people my age.
I had already started buying A30s as Christmas gifts when I saw the notification for this video. Nice to know Russ also thinks the A30 makes a good gift! I am loading them up with Spruce and tiny best set and I'm really excited for some of my friends and family to start enjoying some of their old favorite games again!!
Thanks for this video. I picked one up for about £19 and it turned up yesterday. I’ve got it as a Christmas present for my son so he can play through some classic Pokémon games
Just bought this for around £25 on eBay to get me to the price of a discount on AliExpress and figured If I didn't like it I can sell it on eBay for at least my money back. However I'm blown away by it I absolutely love it and shocked how much more comfortable it is than my Miyoo Mini Plus 😊
A suggestion for upcoming videos: every 3 or 4 months launching a collection of the cheapest handhelds that runs, I don't know, PS2 up to a price "X". Or those can run Wii games for up to "Y" value. There're so many options that consumers end up getting a bit lost! lol
I have one with Spruce OS and I really like it. Its main feature is also its main bug - it's small. That being said, it's really impressive and sleek for what it is and I'm thinking of buying another one for my teenaged niece for her upcoming birthday.
I got this for $19 free shipping without the sd card, I switched back to MinUI because the device warms up on Spruce even when just playing Gameboy games. I just wish there's a battery level indicator on MinUI. This is just my 2nd handheld, feels like a real upgrade coming from the powkiddy v90 which I dont really play because of the bad screen and OS. Love your vids Rus
Great video as always, Russ. Despite how it looks, and how the CFW updates have made the device more desirable, i went with the RG28XX still. The heat issues, and the weaker chip set is what sold me on getting the RG28XX over the A30, and im having a blast with it playing Fire Emblem Roms (but also knowing that i could just transition into Dreamcast games and not run into too many problems.)
This video (and the convenient links in the description) convinced me to pick one up for $30. I've been wanting something like this for quite some time. As much as I like playing classic games on my PC, this will be a lot easier (and more portable).
I would have liked to see you do the full list of pros and cons with this new video. You didn't really touch on the lack of headphone jack in this one, which is actually kind of important for those that want to play in bed without bothering their spouse. Great video otherwise though, it looks pretty decent for 30USD.
@retrogamecorps I love your videos but I noticed that you rarely mention headphones or Bluetooth audio (if applicable) in your videos. I’m guessing that is not something you ever use. Still, a pretty big oversight considering how thorough your content always is. I did really enjoy this update. Thank you.
Just got one of these a week or 2 ago and put spruce on it. Not a bad compromise for not having Onion. It’s much nicer now than before now and a fun upgrade to my first emulation device the Bittboy Pocket go v1
I bought one for myself as a birthday gift. Had a gameboy micro long time ago, so it was an instabuy as soon it was on sale on Aliexpress. Chose the Famicom color scheme. Usually I dont like anything golden colored, but it looks great. Already installed Spruce Os, but havent load my rom collection and test some games yet when this becomes my EDC console.
Damn... and I already went and spent the big bucks on that $55 trimui smart pro lol. I guess this one will have to wait a bit but if these prices stay around it won't be long!
The timing of this! Mine is arriving today. I just love the design of it. I already have the miyoo mini so I'm adding this, RG40 and the retroid pocket 5 to my collection
Spruce is an amazing OS, It truly gave new life to A30 with lots of qol options. For me its sad that I cant stand more than 15 minutes before headaches using it due to the small screen.
I never had trouble gaming on my A30 outdoors. It's true that it's not that bright, but I usually play very vibrant games and I never felt bothered by visibility. The power button isn't an issue for me either. I more often find myself holding it for longer than I need to rather than not holding it long enough.
just the best, i buy alot of these chinese handhelds and this one is by far the most i used until now. great price, great buttons, tiny and powerful for retrogaming
I'm glad you did this follow up. I was afraid the poor software at launch killed this device despite its potential. The Spruce team really saved this gem from the Jaws of death!
Imagine how annoying it would be to get someone a handheld like this if you cared about legal emulation. "Hey, I got you a gift, but you've got to figure out a way to backup all your old games that you probably don't have anymore before you can play it!"
I really enjoy using MinUI on my A30, and I think it's the right OS for this little device. Just add a very small game list to the device and use it for smaller gaming sessions. The quicksave works very well, and you can focus on gaming instead of fiddling around. One negative thing: my faceplate came off. But I will reprint a new one, and besides this issue, everything is fine.
Love to see this re-review! How about similar for the Miyoo Mini v4? You were fairly negative a year ago but the firmware fixed a lot of your concerns since.
I put a layer of electric tape on the back shell and that helped a lot with the heat issue. Not sure if will hurt the longevity of the device, but I like not having sweaty palms now lol
I was wondering when Russ was going to cover the A30 again because this thing has evolved faster than Cordyceps from The Last of Us. But in the best way possible. I love my A30 as my permanent pocket companion.
I own both the A30 and the RG28xx. I much prefer the 28xx. Battery life, performance, thermal issues, all make the 28xx much worth the extra couple bucks.
@@M4staBrucemuOS is the best custom OS by far. The screen is very nice and sharp, but don’t use the device while charging. It develops a temporary white shadow, like reverse vignette which goes away after a couple mins of use. No device is perfect I guess 😂
One drawback with the A30 is that the screen can burn out rather quickly. I gave a Miyoo A30 to my nephew for his birthday, and he enjoyed it for 3 months, until the screen on his device burned out. I tried to find a site that sold replacement screens, but to no avail. I gave him my spare R36S, rather than take the risk of another A30 burning out on him. The R36S has been working great for his purposes, especially playing Mario Kart 64. I still respect Miyoo for the Mini and the Mini+ (which I personally have), but I can’t recommend the A30.
The reason I got the TrimUI Smart was because of the size and since it doesn't have an analogue stick that could possibly break when carrying in my pocket
Thank you for this review! As I live in a Caribbean island, heat and screen brightness are 2 major thing I consider for buying such devices, cause it's often hot and bright here, which may make some device barely usable... I was really attracted by the form factor but well, as I'm considering buying a Retroid pocket 2s as my "on the go" device, I think it's better to save and grab that one instead! Thanks again!
I finally picked one up a few weeks ago, but it was still in the $40 range. Put Spruce in it, but am having audio issues with my favorite SNES game, FFII (as titled and released here in the US). : ( Its not a bad little device, and its really small, something you can easily just pack and go as it fits nearly everywhere. Only playing 16 bit and lower on it, feels really nice.
Glad that Miyoo got this beauty all fixed and running! Mind if I ask if you review the TrimUI Brick? Nobody seems to speak about or review it but it can be bought already and comes with some interesting choices not only in terms of its super premium look but also with its high res 3.2“ 1024x768 display
The RG Nano is a sneaky small and quiet D-Pad and face buttons gaming legend. I can play inside my jacket sleeve right in front of everyone. Or wear it on a lanyard and play throughout the day. The L and R buttons are clicky, but all the rest have rubber membranes and feel smooth and quiet.
@@LeftEarth2 The RG Nano is my favorite handheld that I never use. My old eyes just simply can't see the screen well enough unless I'm playing GB or GBC.
I have a lot of handhelds and this is the one I use the most. I'm happy that I have SpruceOS but I'm still kinda hoping we see some other options come out eventually. I'd use minUI but I like to play DOOM and Quake on my handhelds.
For me the issue with gifting these handhelds is they haven’t figured out charging yet. Instantly becomes a problem trying to gift it to someone when they’d try to use their normal chargers for it. Easy fix, buy them a “slow charger” for it. Adds to the cost, but also to safety. Not a deal-breaker, but is something to consider.
I'm waiting another unit just because of Spruce 3.0. I had two Miyoo A30 units that I ended up selling and giving as gifts to friends. This thing really disappointed me with it's flaws and lack of quality control. The worst of them is the high temperature after half an hour of play, which is only gets worse with time. The battery lasts a maximum of 3 hours depending on what you're playing. The paint on the front plate wears off after about 15 days of use (this one caused me madness). Its performance left something to be desired, so it's only viable up to PS1. At least it is cheap.
I just gave away my A30 to a friend who fell in love with it. I'm now waiting for a Trimui Brick to replace it. Do you intend on reviewing the Brick? Thanks for all the content!
I hadn't checked in a few days, but I was eyeing one of these for black friday. As soon as russ uploaded prices have increased between 8 to 10 bucks. Unlucky I guess!
I would consider the A30 at a very low price because the d-pad and face buttons of the Mini Plus are soooo good (I much prefer them to the Anbernic 351M).
i understand the distress from the long wait in the turning on of the device, but maybe it is a feature to avoid accidental turning on while it's in the pocket
Hey Russ! Are you going to review TrimUI Brick? (what a failed name imho). Device seems to be super interesting, but before buying it I am waiting for the cover from you boss!
The power button drives me crazy too. I wonder if it's because it's easy to pocket carry, and it prevents accidental powering on or if it's just weird design choices.
I want a handheld that can pair with my bluetooth earbud but I am suprise that many handheld supports bluetooth but cannot pair with bluetooth earbud. Can you cover about the bluetooth aspect in your future review?
I recently bought a couple rg28xx as gifts for like $35 (birthday gifts for 8yr old twins). I got Knulli on them and they seemed pretty good. I don't know. I own a GBA micro with a flash cart and would like something to replace it, but neither the A30 or the rg28xx seem quite good enough. I know you don't like the small buttons on the rg28xx, but I don't like the analog stick on the A30. Seems like the perfect micro device hasn't been made yet.
I was thinking of grabbing a couple of these to throw into the work secret santa pile, but I just checked the prices and they're back up to AU$70ish (That's US$45). Got to wait for the price surge from the attention to go down.
I love knowing that Russ is just walking around with his pockets full of portable handhelds every day
Maybe he is just pleased to see you
Cargo pants were made for this guy
He is a retired Sailor, NWUs have 12 pockets on them and you need a lot of entertainment for 9 month underways. Lol
Its funnier when you find out he typically wears shorts
He's just happy to see you 😂
Proud of Sun and the rest of the team for keeping spruce alive and well. Honored for the shoutout Russ. :)
Thanks for kickstarting this whole thing!
Thanks buddy!😊
I remember everyone trashing this thing when it came out but I got it anyway because I loved the design and I knew someone would come along with CFW to fix the issues. Great to see it getting a lot of love now.
CFW cant fix poor quality control, which is sadly a thing with Miyoo.
All my Miyoo have had either come with issues, or developed issues over time.
(Miyoo Mini delaminated screen corner after a few months corn, A30 wobbly not fitting shoulder buttons and horrible thumb stick)
Wouldnt buy Miyoo if you actually wanna play it. If its just for a kid, sure get the cheapest offer possible, the A30 with Minui for 25bucks will probably be fine.
Saaaaame. I adore this stupid little handheld. Perfect-sized 4:3 device and plays everything I'd want it to from 16-bit and back gens.
I get that. I feel the same why about the Anbernic Nano. People dumped on that too, but in all fairness, that thing is always on me in a pinch because it's so small, it's hard _not_ to leave it on my keyrings or upper breast pocket. It's always there when I need it for a quick jam. The squinty buttons and screen don't really matter when I'm only playing it for ten minutes here and there anyway.
Same. I got this right when it came out and then got really sad from all the hate it got. It's just the most appealing handheld in its price range right now, plus it looks way better than the others. Don't get me wrong, if someone gifted me an Odin 2 or a Steam deck or ROG Ally, I'd use them, but I'd still use my A30. Russ is right. They're different use cases. Some handhelds have major power behind them, but are we really putting them in our pockets and leaving the house with them? I don't even really take my switch/Vita/PSP/3ds out of the house anymore unless I'm going to work and then I have one in my work bag. Never just in my pocket or something like that. But this? This I can just have with me.
Plus, at the price point if it gets broken I can just replace it. The SD card costs me more than the system itself.
same with the SF2000 Datafrog!
I now have the Frog, the 28XX and the A30, the last 2 because of the 11-11 sales! I was going to ignore the A30 because of the publicised shortcomings but i did like the aesthetics and the colours offered for the 28XX more than the ones offered for the A30... i only really gravitated towards the all black A30, which I have on the way....
Glad to know the communities are improving the UX of these devices! I have heard people trying to get PSP working on these tiny devices which personally not for me... these devices are already cramped and i have a grip with my 28XX which i hope works with the A30....
But yeah good to know Frog is now capable of crazy stuff like og Doom at stupid fps! the Frog is still the most underrated out of all the devices here even though $10 - $13 with 2 controllers!! The A30 is actually exactly the same in layout to the Frog but im assuming is the more performant as well as having a comparably bigger name...
Now along with my huge backlog of games that goes back generations I now have a backlog of handhelds as well to tinker and play with FFS!!!!!
The a30 has been my daily cary device since the beginning of the summer. Spruce has made it even better. I love the community support for these products!
Which do you prefer A30 or Rg35h?
I just bought a few of these yesterday on the last day of the AliExpress sale on a whim to give out as gifts. Thanks for coming in and supporting my choices Russ.
How'd you know there was a sale? All these A30's are $35 or more right now.
1:47 the guts to admit that you lost it. Instant like
I was in denial until yesterday when I filmed that part and couldn’t find it YET AGAIN. I think it’s just gone 😂
@@RetroGameCorps If you lost a black and white one while hiking Kuliʻouʻou Summit you're not getting it back.
Thanks Russ for validating my "Singles Day" impulse purchase
For as many hand held units that you go over for us, I am surprised you haven't misplaced more of these things. Thanks Russ.
Ha, very true.
Yeah. You're collection has to look ridiculous at this point. Like 12 Ambernic devices alone in the past year.
I just picked up an A30 completely on a whim after seeing it for under £20, knowing nothing about what custom firmware was out there for it. I found out about Spruce and how it just received its biggest update yet so that was it, and it's made me fall in love with this little handheld. It was simple to set up, scraping box art couldn't be any easier, comfortable for such a small device; the A30 now lives in my pocket and I play on it more than anything else.
How do we not have ah "Ya man I wanna do it" shirt yet 😆
Excellent idea! 👍✨🏆
We do! www.teepublic.com/stores/retro-game-corps?ref_id=35456
@@RetroGameCorps Russ you didn't again. Take my money!
@@RetroGameCorps don't know if it's a problem with my browser, but page isn't loading. Also, you should promote this more man. Maybe use a clip of you wearing the shirt when you say the thing in the video. :D
Damn it! I’m still waiting for my Retroid Pocket 5, but now I can’t picture my life without this tiny beautiful machine!
Honestly, I'd use them both for different things. They're both charming in different ways.
@ I’m thinking about making this a ”one game unit” where I put one game at a time and hopefully actually play it instead of endlessly scrolling through the hundreds of games on my other handhelds.
Loved the video! Just bought 2 MA30 for my brother and cousin so we can play all together. They arrived faster than I expected to MX in Aliexpress and just with a good offer for 35$ each (including shipping). The spruce tutorial really helped me a lot!
I'm setting up Spruce on a new A30 that just arrived today while watching your video. I couldn't resist how cute this thing looks, and at $27 shipped it was an easy purchase. The case it came with has the Miyoo logo and A30 label so that was a nice bonus.
I picked this up for 35.00 and I use it as my travel device. I can pocket it and don't have to sweat it if I lose it while I'm out. I hate the games setup stock, but it gets by.
The gameboy micro design is super cool!
Thanks Russ, I picked up two of these when you posted the sale a few days ago (one to gift & 1 for me). I usually gift my older devices to my kids or nephews whenever newer ones come out. These will make great bday nostalgia gifts to people my age.
Terrific timing, I just bought this on the big sale you made a community post about. Thanks for that by the way!
I had already started buying A30s as Christmas gifts when I saw the notification for this video. Nice to know Russ also thinks the A30 makes a good gift! I am loading them up with Spruce and tiny best set and I'm really excited for some of my friends and family to start enjoying some of their old favorite games again!!
Thanks for this video. I picked one up for about £19 and it turned up yesterday. I’ve got it as a Christmas present for my son so he can play through some classic Pokémon games
Just picked up the a30 on the 11/11 sale, love it!
Just bought this for around £25 on eBay to get me to the price of a discount on AliExpress and figured If I didn't like it I can sell it on eBay for at least my money back. However I'm blown away by it I absolutely love it and shocked how much more comfortable it is than my Miyoo Mini Plus 😊
I respect the constant video releases.
Thanks Russ! Just picked up my first handheld this week and I am loving it!
Great to hear!
Love when these videos go up and the price skyrockets again right before i was gonna buy 🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰
There is another sale starting in a few days, it'll go back down!
@@RetroGameCorps no, I REFUSE to believe things can get better!
A suggestion for upcoming videos: every 3 or 4 months launching a collection of the cheapest handhelds that runs, I don't know, PS2 up to a price "X".
Or those can run Wii games for up to "Y" value.
There're so many options that consumers end up getting a bit lost! lol
I have one with Spruce OS and I really like it. Its main feature is also its main bug - it's small. That being said, it's really impressive and sleek for what it is and I'm thinking of buying another one for my teenaged niece for her upcoming birthday.
I got this for $19 free shipping without the sd card, I switched back to MinUI because the device warms up on Spruce even when just playing Gameboy games. I just wish there's a battery level indicator on MinUI. This is just my 2nd handheld, feels like a real upgrade coming from the powkiddy v90 which I dont really play because of the bad screen and OS. Love your vids Rus
Russ pulls a retro console out of his pocket like a magician doing a card trick, “Is this your handheld?” 😉
watching this i realized I haven't seen my Vita in.... Weeks. Great!
Great video as always, Russ. Despite how it looks, and how the CFW updates have made the device more desirable, i went with the RG28XX still.
The heat issues, and the weaker chip set is what sold me on getting the RG28XX over the A30, and im having a blast with it playing Fire Emblem Roms (but also knowing that i could just transition into Dreamcast games and not run into too many problems.)
This video (and the convenient links in the description) convinced me to pick one up for $30. I've been wanting something like this for quite some time. As much as I like playing classic games on my PC, this will be a lot easier (and more portable).
The miyoo flip needs to come out soon
It'll never come out
You're not wrong, Spruce v3 is a game-changer.
Does it support Retroachievements?
@@StarWolf5298 Since V1 :)
@@tenlevels84 Ahhhhh the MVP in the house!!!! Take a bow sir!
This device just arrived today. Great timing!
Absolutely love that Game and Watch inspired design.
I'm so glad this is still getting some love as I think it looks great. Perfect entry gift for someone after some tinkering
I wonder what happens when a kid comes up to him and is like, “you got any games on your phone?”
Its about freakin time been waiting on this one
I love this device. The size, ergo, and silent buttons are just perfect. I wish it was a little more powerful to emulate dc games smoothly
I would have liked to see you do the full list of pros and cons with this new video. You didn't really touch on the lack of headphone jack in this one, which is actually kind of important for those that want to play in bed without bothering their spouse. Great video otherwise though, it looks pretty decent for 30USD.
@retrogamecorps I love your videos but I noticed that you rarely mention headphones or Bluetooth audio (if applicable) in your videos. I’m guessing that is not something you ever use. Still, a pretty big oversight considering how thorough your content always is. I did really enjoy this update. Thank you.
Just got one of these a week or 2 ago and put spruce on it. Not a bad compromise for not having Onion. It’s much nicer now than before now and a fun upgrade to my first emulation device the Bittboy Pocket go v1
I've always loved this little guy. Glad it's getting some love! Always stoked to see you, Russ!
I bought one for myself as a birthday gift. Had a gameboy micro long time ago, so it was an instabuy as soon it was on sale on Aliexpress. Chose the Famicom color scheme. Usually I dont like anything golden colored, but it looks great. Already installed Spruce Os, but havent load my rom collection and test some games yet when this becomes my EDC console.
Russ, you just sold me on this and I plan on using Spruce I like the versatility
Damn... and I already went and spent the big bucks on that $55 trimui smart pro lol. I guess this one will have to wait a bit but if these prices stay around it won't be long!
This is a certified favorite snack and drink moment
I almost feel like I need to stop watching Russ's videos because I always end up really wanting to buy another handheld that I don't need.....
4:55 Finally someone who shares my frustration with long press delays. My WH1000xm3's are routinely driving me crazy.
Bought a friend a R36S and rocknix as a gift for 27 usd. He has large hands so better choice for him.
The timing of this! Mine is arriving today. I just love the design of it. I already have the miyoo mini so I'm adding this, RG40 and the retroid pocket 5 to my collection
Spruce is an amazing OS, It truly gave new life to A30 with lots of qol options. For me its sad that I cant stand more than 15 minutes before headaches using it due to the small screen.
I never had trouble gaming on my A30 outdoors. It's true that it's not that bright, but I usually play very vibrant games and I never felt bothered by visibility. The power button isn't an issue for me either. I more often find myself holding it for longer than I need to rather than not holding it long enough.
I think I'm gonna get this as a Christmas present for my nephew
just the best, i buy alot of these chinese handhelds and this one is by far the most i used until now. great price, great buttons, tiny and powerful for retrogaming
Mine come today been thinking about it for ages but at the price its a no brainer.
Got my Famicom A30, then got my brother the grey/black A30 you've got. Installed MinUI on both & love them, Spruce kept corrupting
I'm glad you did this follow up. I was afraid the poor software at launch killed this device despite its potential. The Spruce team really saved this gem from the Jaws of death!
Imagine how annoying it would be to get someone a handheld like this if you cared about legal emulation.
"Hey, I got you a gift, but you've got to figure out a way to backup all your old games that you probably don't have anymore before you can play it!"
Nice! This arrives just after was strong enough to pass on the 11.11 sale for this......... Well, black Friday is upon us anyway
Shout out to Mickey Mouse Castle of Illusion on Sega Genesis! A certified banger!
I actually bought a RG28XX for $25 last weekend. I can't wait for it to arrived.
Might be smaller that my Miyoo mini+ but it's an upgrade in hardware.
My issue for it is the no Wifi. I like to collect achievements in old games. Even though I hate getting them in modern games.
I really enjoy using MinUI on my A30, and I think it's the right OS for this little device. Just add a very small game list to the device and use it for smaller gaming sessions. The quicksave works very well, and you can focus on gaming instead of fiddling around. One negative thing: my faceplate came off. But I will reprint a new one, and besides this issue, everything is fine.
I love my A30 as much as my MM+ and Mini! 😍
Love to see this re-review! How about similar for the Miyoo Mini v4? You were fairly negative a year ago but the firmware fixed a lot of your concerns since.
I ordered one on 11.11 and then I some how accidentally ordered two more 😆. They are going to make great Christmas gifts
I put a layer of electric tape on the back shell and that helped a lot with the heat issue. Not sure if will hurt the longevity of the device, but I like not having sweaty palms now lol
I was wondering when Russ was going to cover the A30 again because this thing has evolved faster than Cordyceps from The Last of Us. But in the best way possible. I love my A30 as my permanent pocket companion.
I own both the A30 and the RG28xx. I much prefer the 28xx. Battery life, performance, thermal issues, all make the 28xx much worth the extra couple bucks.
What OS are you running? Is the screen noticeably nicer too?
That’s good to hear as I ordered an RG28XX just yesterday 😁
@@M4staBrucemuOS is the best custom OS by far. The screen is very nice and sharp, but don’t use the device while charging. It develops a temporary white shadow, like reverse vignette which goes away after a couple mins of use. No device is perfect I guess 😂
Mine just arrived today, perfect timing
I have rog ally, rg 556 but i crazy in love with this beauty and slim A30 ❤
One drawback with the A30 is that the screen can burn out rather quickly. I gave a Miyoo A30 to my nephew for his birthday, and he enjoyed it for 3 months, until the screen on his device burned out. I tried to find a site that sold replacement screens, but to no avail. I gave him my spare R36S, rather than take the risk of another A30 burning out on him. The R36S has been working great for his purposes, especially playing Mario Kart 64. I still respect Miyoo for the Mini and the Mini+ (which I personally have), but I can’t recommend the A30.
The reason I got the TrimUI Smart was because of the size and since it doesn't have an analogue stick that could possibly break when carrying in my pocket
Thank you for this review! As I live in a Caribbean island, heat and screen brightness are 2 major thing I consider for buying such devices, cause it's often hot and bright here, which may make some device barely usable... I was really attracted by the form factor but well, as I'm considering buying a Retroid pocket 2s as my "on the go" device, I think it's better to save and grab that one instead! Thanks again!
Bought a leather holster for the A30 and always keep it on my person, even if most days I don’t have time to use it 😂
I finally picked one up a few weeks ago, but it was still in the $40 range. Put Spruce in it, but am having audio issues with my favorite SNES game, FFII (as titled and released here in the US). : ( Its not a bad little device, and its really small, something you can easily just pack and go as it fits nearly everywhere. Only playing 16 bit and lower on it, feels really nice.
Glad that Miyoo got this beauty all fixed and running!
Mind if I ask if you review the TrimUI Brick? Nobody seems to speak about or review it but it can be bought already and comes with some interesting choices not only in terms of its super premium look but also with its high res 3.2“ 1024x768 display
Russ I'm hoping for a trimui brick video soon. Its so good.
Are you spying on me Russ? I literally just bought one! Thinking of installing MinUI on it.
oh man,maybe i can finally get one of those here in brazil.
the tax here is insane but if it's this cheap it's really worth it.
Mini handhelds need super quiet buttons so we can play them on the toilet at work.
Yes!!!
Great point😂
The RG Nano is a sneaky small and quiet D-Pad and face buttons gaming legend. I can play inside my jacket sleeve right in front of everyone. Or wear it on a lanyard and play throughout the day.
The L and R buttons are clicky, but all the rest have rubber membranes and feel smooth and quiet.
Agreed 😂
@@LeftEarth2 The RG Nano is my favorite handheld that I never use. My old eyes just simply can't see the screen well enough unless I'm playing GB or GBC.
I have a lot of handhelds and this is the one I use the most. I'm happy that I have SpruceOS but I'm still kinda hoping we see some other options come out eventually. I'd use minUI but I like to play DOOM and Quake on my handhelds.
For me the issue with gifting these handhelds is they haven’t figured out charging yet. Instantly becomes a problem trying to gift it to someone when they’d try to use their normal chargers for it.
Easy fix, buy them a “slow charger” for it. Adds to the cost, but also to safety.
Not a deal-breaker, but is something to consider.
Hey Russ, will you cover Modretro chromatic? Really wonder what you say about that console and compare it to Analogue Pocket
I'm waiting another unit just because of Spruce 3.0. I had two Miyoo A30 units that I ended up selling and giving as gifts to friends. This thing really disappointed me with it's flaws and lack of quality control. The worst of them is the high temperature after half an hour of play, which is only gets worse with time. The battery lasts a maximum of 3 hours depending on what you're playing. The paint on the front plate wears off after about 15 days of use (this one caused me madness). Its performance left something to be desired, so it's only viable up to PS1. At least it is cheap.
It has SyncThing and 2,8? This is an instant buy for me. Thank you for showcasing it
Damm apparently this video made it sky rocket in price
I just gave away my A30 to a friend who fell in love with it. I'm now waiting for a Trimui Brick to replace it. Do you intend on reviewing the Brick? Thanks for all the content!
I hadn't checked in a few days, but I was eyeing one of these for black friday. As soon as russ uploaded prices have increased between 8 to 10 bucks. Unlucky I guess!
They have a new sale starting in a few days, I would check then!
I would consider the A30 at a very low price because the d-pad and face buttons of the Mini Plus are soooo good (I much prefer them to the Anbernic 351M).
Saw Russ upload a video for something I won't buy. 'Long story short, I grabbed a snack, clicked play and said "Yeah man, I wanna do it"'
That is a great price for this interesting handheld, but I'm happy with my RG40XX H.
i understand the distress from the long wait in the turning on of the device, but maybe it is a feature to avoid accidental turning on while it's in the pocket
Just wish it had stereo sound. Did we go back to the late 80s/early 90s with this?
Hey Russ! Are you going to review TrimUI Brick? (what a failed name imho). Device seems to be super interesting, but before buying it I am waiting for the cover from you boss!
The power button drives me crazy too. I wonder if it's because it's easy to pocket carry, and it prevents accidental powering on or if it's just weird design choices.
Wow mine has just arrived today. It's smaller than what I expected. I will mess up with it soon 🎉
I want a handheld that can pair with my bluetooth earbud but I am suprise that many handheld supports bluetooth but cannot pair with bluetooth earbud. Can you cover about the bluetooth aspect in your future review?
I recently bought a couple rg28xx as gifts for like $35 (birthday gifts for 8yr old twins). I got Knulli on them and they seemed pretty good. I don't know. I own a GBA micro with a flash cart and would like something to replace it, but neither the A30 or the rg28xx seem quite good enough. I know you don't like the small buttons on the rg28xx, but I don't like the analog stick on the A30. Seems like the perfect micro device hasn't been made yet.
I love my A30 a lot!!
I was thinking of grabbing a couple of these to throw into the work secret santa pile, but I just checked the prices and they're back up to AU$70ish (That's US$45). Got to wait for the price surge from the attention to go down.