I've been playing the LDK a lot since I upgraded the battery. The vertical is the one I bought because of its higher processing power. I put a tempered glass protector over the screen, and it's getting played more than my RG350. I appreciate the help you and the community have given me on your Discord, and on Dingoonity!
I was just going to post Moorechip (Retroid Pocket dual system seller) has an Amazon store now. But you already posted it. I'm not going to lie, I am iffy on using Aliexpress. But I am comfortable using Amazon to get Retroid. Cool Vid Taki 👍
Taki Udon - thanks as always. You really summarize each one so well. I like how you progressed from low $ to high $, and then kept saying “for only a few dollars more.”
@@uTubeNoITube Remember Tiger LCD Electronics handhelds? They were beaters. You could toss them around carelessly and still expect them to work. Same with the PocketGo. An LDK is small and more powerful, but the Bittboy and PocketGo are like literal baby toys. The worst you could do is submerge them in water or blatantly throw them at a hard surface at a high velocity. Different strokes. My PS Vita will play decades of retro games in perfect clarity, but if I want something to chill with within the lowest range of worry about moving parts and other maintenance, there's nothing wrong with a Bittboy - as far as anything needing only a D-pad and 4 buttons is concerned - and a PocketGo. Never mind that their form factors and build quality is great. You don't get "Master Race" 60+FPS gaming (lol...), but in the eyes of some, it's enough. I have my Acer Predator Helios 300, PS Vita, and PSP if I *_desperately_* need "portable Master Race porn", lol...
Received my PlayGo one day before lockdown. Been having a lot fun with it. The PowKiddy x15 seems like a good upgrade. Thank you Taki for your hard work. Amazing list for new comers.
A year later....is there a new version of this list? I believe there have been some new handheld releases. I still go to my PSP 1001 but should update the screen to an IPS. Otherwise I find it the perfect handheld still to this day. Someone recently laughed and said the screensize was so small until I posted a video showing the PSP screensize vs a few others on this list. They never responded. lol.
Rp3+ is the perfect way to go. Can run psp games with resolution 1-4x! Psp is great for psp games and below, but rp3+ can go up and beyond, even SOME ps2 and GameCube games
I thought my n3ds with cfw would slay these but they are actually really good.
3 ปีที่แล้ว +1
I wanted to boy 2 2DS (one for me and one for my gf), but they were out of stock. Then, I began to check alternatives, and besides having some problems with touch hscreen, Retroid Pocket 2 is basically the same prize and the option to run N64, PS1, Android, Arcade, Dreamcast, SNES (with Chip FX support and more stability), and pretty much everything a regular DS would do without space issues, and I think I did a great move.
Hey Taki, great video dude! And nice competition. I‘m glad to see the RG350 here but i really miss the Odroid Go Advance. I belive the OGA is the most great new comer. Powerful internals, good screen and a decent button layout. I belive we‘ll hear a lot of this device this year. Still, kepp going. Your videos are great and inspire me alot! Thanks
# MashTec I agree. It's an excellent value in my opinion compared to the others. The only problem is getting one because they're on backorder till next month. The only other device I'd say is close to it is the Retro CM3 which is Rasberry pi powered and costs almost 4 times as much here in US.
o0Mr Robot0o yes indeed, availability is the most problem now :-/ I hope they get them to stock again for may. But maybe the Corona situation might delay this again.
Tks for your vids too MashTec. So I may be wrong here but I believe the Odroid Go Advance to be a Korean device. Taki is based in China which gave him great access to early prototypes of devices. His notoriety sure as grown since but back when OGA was being covered, he had at least a 1/4 of the subs he has now. That being said, I do hope they eventually send one his way cause I'd like to have his take on it.
@@tigermarcel1997 Of the 3, the RG-350 is by far the best. I've been playing on it for ~3 weeks now and it's solid. If you're choosing between the LDK or Pocket-Go V1, the LDK is much better. The build feels better, the custom firmware is better, and the buttons feel better. I have the vertical model but I'd recommend the landscape version; probably more comfy in the hand. The L+R buttons are a bit clicky, but I can live with that. The Pocket-Go does have an IPS screen but the screen tearing ruins that. I can't stand the dpad on it as it is very clicky. The headphone jack is hit or miss and you can't control headphone volume via the volume wheel. I don't think I've seen anyone mention that. It does feel good in the hand but feels lighter and more brittle than the LDK. Overall, I'd say get an RG-350 if you can swing it. Otherwise landscape LDK. Best of luck!
Alright Taki, now we need a list of best Retro consoles over $100! What's the best, most powerful handheld one person can buy that isn't a phone + Bluetooth controller!
I bought my vita from Amazon Japan for $90 shipped. SD2Vita and charger + micro SD pushed it to about $120. Awesome purchase. Hits a hard wall at GameCube and DS but pretty much everything under that runs great, including the PS1/PSP/Vita games all running more or less perfectly. I'd highly recommend it, especially if you want those Vita games. The button setup is awesome, the game catalog is great, and you can also still use it for streaming. Takes a bit more setting up than these guys do, but man it is worth it.
Is it just me, or would anyone else here love to see one of these devices but in a PSP Go-like form factor? Once I got a PSP Go it was my go-to to carry around with me and pop open and play on the go (yes funny I know). But I found it much easier to stick in a pocket and pull out faster and start gaming than any other handheld device I've ever had.
6:19 Wait.... this sucker runs on standard AA batteries? I'm sold!! that's a clear winner here as these type of batteries are always available and with rechargeable AA batteries you can't go wrong at all. At least no need to worry about finding a special replacement battery on this one.
Been following your videos on retro handhelds for the longest time. Really appreciate what you do for the community and just wanted to thank you for it! There are a lot of other channels dedicated to similar content but yours always ends up being clearer and more detailed just the way people in this community would like. Keep up the great work!
I have an LDK-H and a Pocket Go 2. I had a RG350 for a month that I set up for a friend. The RG350 had the best build quality. The analog sticks are particularly nice. I just hated having an analog stick under my gaming buttons. The Pocket Go 2 is close in quality to the RG350 but the direction pad just feels unresponsive, and I dislike the analog stick. I've bought 2, one for my girlfriend and one for myself, and both feel unresponsive on the D-pad. I bought 5 LDK-H's to set up and give away at Christmas. It feels a bit creaky and the screen really can get scratched as easy as they say. Despite that, RETROFW is a joy to set up and use. This is why I gave it as a gift, because it doesn't look like some computer terminal, the UI is flashy, friendly, and simple to operate. Even with having the Pocket Go, I use my LDK-H more often because I prefer RETROFW and the directional pad. I feel that between the LDK-H and the Pocket Go 2, I'm set for retro handhelds. The only thing that would get me to buy another of these types of systems would be if I could have RETROFW along with great PS1 performance.
Very good reviews! The only thing I would have pointed out is that upgrading the LDK battery to a higher mAh makes for a better overall experience, and that the screen on the RG350 is really pixelated like the bottom screen on a DS lite. Otherwise, spot on! And thanks for including the POWkiddy! I love the way the Wicked Gamer says that!
Thank you. Your channel has been really helpful. I think I’m gonna get a phone and one dedicated device and just do emulation off those. I really want to keep my devices to a minimum
@@500superrich It's somehow right about original odroid-go, but odroid-go advance is, actually, a pretty good device for the money, with (arguably) one of the most powerful and recent (2018) processors out there.
@@ilyayudovsky9393 My understanding (from closed YTer source who has one amongst many others) is that on paper, the Odroid Go Advance currently stands to be best value/power but in practice, it actually does not perform all that well. I was told that even the RG350 is overall superior due to the large community behind the device. And that whereas it does not do as much, what it does, it does blatantly better.
I own a 3ds and just today I discovered that if you have a custom firmware 3ds there's a program called "New Super Ultimate Injector for 3ds" (yes the name's ridiculous) that lets you package roms for NES, Famicom disk system, SNES, Gameboy, Gameboy Color, Gameboy advanced, Sega Genesis, Game Gear, and TurboGrafx-16 into a format that runs on 3ds with amazing compatability, considering you can get a 3ds for around 100 bucks or less on ebay (I don't know if this program works on 2DS) I figured I'd let you guys know about this.
I only have the New PocketGo and it's been pretty solid so far and even better now with the Rogue firmware installed. I'm excited to see how these portables evolve over the next couple of years.
The Retroid Was My Favorite! It Supports APK Installation, And Play Store Apps Installation! Like A 2 In 1 System! Dual Boot Included, And 3.5 Inch Screen, 4000mAh Battery! Thanks For The Guide
I think that getting a 3ds/new 3ds is a very good option. You can play 3ds and ds games and many retro consoles from the atari 2600 to the PS1. It is also pretty cheap.
Where is the odroid go advance ? For me this is a clear winner : very good price, very good screen, beefy cpu able to run a lot of stuff up to psp, etc. The only downside is that none of the distributions really are 100% ready, but things are quickly changing and new versions arrive every month (emuelec, retro-arena and batocera). Also, construction should be a little bit better but it's fine. This is the only handheld I'm playing for the moment, and it eclipsed the rg350 / rg300 (my 2 favorite retrofw based handhelds).
We have DSi’s and they’ve been fantastic! I was able to pick up 2 DSi XLs and 2 DSi for pretty cheap, and they’ve all been modded and play so much. The price of them has gone up by quite a bit, which is sad, as I’m looking for one more (for my wife).
A product that wasn't mentioned but a good buy if you're into emulators is the Odroid Go Advance. I bought it without knowing anything about emulation and had a blast putting it together and loading roms. for around 70 dollars it runs great and has a strong community.
@@puiback know it's been 2 years, but the Vita is pretty good at emulation. Personally, I've had a bad experience with it (my $200 Japanese Vita arrived with a completely fucked right stick and a drifting left stick), but most emulators don't use it so it wasn't really the end of the world for stuff like NES / SNES and even PSP, they all ran great.
Is there a device with everything the retroid does but a landscape build? That's not the PowKiddy Edit: Just watched the Retroid Pocket 2 video and it basically answered my question
I chose PlayGo over the 350 for the D-pad location. Wouldn't use the right analogue stick since 90% of PS1 games do not use it. I'd recommend paying a bit extra and purchasing the x15 since it's a lot more powerful with a much bigger screen (3.5 vs 5.5").
Would you recommend picking up the RG350m or waiting to see what comes out in the next few months. It seems like a really well-built system, but it's pricey. Thanks
I still have a LDK vertical (2022-01-30), it's still my daily carry and still like. I got a friend a Pocket Go for Christmas and it's kinda awesome for the price, and the cstom firmware is great!
What a great review as usual !! I personaly own 4 systems and you helped me alot to decide, thanks for that : Pocket Go , New Pocket Go, RG350 and GPi Case now. I mostly play on the RG350 and sometimes the little Pocket Go !? Reason is that the RG350 is great for about everything unless the New Pocket Go is beautiful but less comfy in the hands and the GPi Case such a beauty you are afraid to break it, battery life is small and it crashes easily if image not well done. The little Pocket Go is great to leave in your jacket so that you can play anywhere anytime and so it will save you at times when waiting somewhere. I see now that the Retroid seems the best to go for, but I don't like it's form factor. I'll wait for a new more powerful model late 2020 that looks like the RG350 or New Pocket Go.
Hello ! Could you please tell me if the new Pocket Go supports real time clock ? I think not but I'm not sure since there is a clock app and the time displayed too. Thanks !
I would argue that the RG350 definitely does suffer from QA issues, mine worked great to start with but in the 6 weeks since I bought it I've had one of the speakers die and then the L1 button also failed which is such a shame.
My $5 gameboy 400 n 1 does the trick, and still loving and enjoying playing with the console, cheap and fun. Although I had to mod it to slow down the games, so it's just like the old ones. If you are ok with a little bit of soldering, you can do it DIY.
For an alternative to the Bittboy check out the RS-90 which has an official OD port. It has much better build quality and controls, tiny GB form factor and uses a GBA Micro screen. Drawbacks are the low resolution, 2 face buttons and the Ingenic JZ4725B but it is great as a cheap pocket sized device. Also uses cheap BL-5C batteries with an easy access battery door.
Great video as always. Now when people take advantage of my chinese handheld addiction finish playing with my collection I can point them to this video buying guide to help them decide which to buy instead of explaining my opinions of the pros and cons of each over and over...
Gpi Case Superior , Just the fact of being able to download a fully Rom image And flashing it onto sd Card without Going thruu the hassle of fixing emulation settings Is so refreshing.
I own basically every handheld, but nothing yet is quite perfect. What I really want is a device with good build quality that can play everything up to ps1/n64/, is portable and comfortable to hold, and that I can hook up to a TV with a Bluetooth controller. I would pay crazy money if it was powerful enough to go up to GameCube emulation. Unfortunately, the market is currently dominated by cheaper Chinese devices, and uber specialty devices like the GPD WIN series.
It would be nice to see like a more unified OS on these, since it runs Linux, they could literally get PC ports if the developers port them to ARM, and with some indie titles, I feel like there would be that incentive, but not with such a fragmentation.
I am pretty sure you can do that on RetroFW, it's just no one does it because that's a very niche market made genereally for emulation/retro game enthusiasts. Also there's no store for this kind of games, so way of getting profit is very limited.
@@MarcinKralka Actually I read that one model of Pie was selling way more than you'd expect. Given the scale of indie games that would run on it anyway, I think it could really bring in some revenue.
I remember that when I got a rg300, it had been on sale at the time. Picked up for around €40, but that price has changed since then on the amazon listing that I bought it for. Mind you, with shipping it was closer to €50. Still, while I really like it, mostly because of the form factor, I am considering getting myself a Retroid Pocket if there's ever a sale on that.
Honestly though, nothing in this list consistently emulates as accurately as the rg350. Until that isn't the case they're going to keep charging through the nose.
For me it's the Odroid Go Advanced. For the price, it simply can't be beat. It has a quad core processor that beats everything on this list. Only downside is that it's a DIY kit meaning you have to put it together yourself, download the OS, and install ROM's on the SD card on your own. Plus since it comes in a clear case and some people might not like that, you might have to paint it (I painted mine black). Oh, and you can use original the Gameboy Advanced D-pad and face buttons on it (at an extra cost). For SBC's, it's right now the king until they can make the Pi 4 work in these small handhelds.
Did you already announce the Retro Pocket giveaway from your last video and I missed it or is it a private winner? I don't know how these things work. This was a great video. Keep up the great work, man. Love your videos, Taki!
Thanks man, just what I was asking the other day. The only thing missing is the Odroid Go Advance, but it's not that easy to get one and is missing L2 and R2 buttons sadly.
@@jerrymartin7019 I Don't Know But All I Know Is... Don't Buy Powkiddy Product. They Made Bad Quality And Bad Performance Handheld That Look Like Made With No Intentional. Tips For Buying Retro Handheld : Have Four Trigger Button, axby Button, Two Analog Stick. Can Play Psp, N64 And Play Local Online Good Review Recommendation : Retroid Pocket 2 ( For budget And Its Android ) Rg351m ( For Premium Feel ) Gpd Xd Plus ( Can Play Gamecube / Wii Game ) Xiomi Note 9 + Gamepad ( For Being A Hadheld And A Regular Phone And Expect Better Performance ) Psvita Hacked Version ( Play Some Psvita, Psp, Ps1 And Etc Games ) Gpd Xd 2 ( Just Wait For It, All The Information We Got So Far Is The Specs, But The Shape Is Still Unknown )
You need a new buying guide for 2021. Also please include pocket consoles that are supposedly coming soon, because it sucks buying a pocket console only for a much faster model for less money available a week later. Also include links to the prices you claim to have purchased them for.
That's the Playgo, same device with a different name for Western markets. Aside from the analog stick (nubs are always trash IMO) it's excellent especially for the price.
GPI case !!! Best Choice ever Everybody have phone to play emulators on... but feel the old sentation and nostalgia of the GameBoy is unique with this device that i exvlusively use to play GB/GBC/GBA/Snes on it !
If you want to get an emulation system with good cuality and good price i abdolutly recomend Buying a Nintendo 3ds or 2ds i know it can get higher than 100 dollars but sometimes house can get a used one for less and its a great system with great games and user friendly, i have Been using mine for all kind of games almost for 2 Years and i never have a problem.
For the prices of these handhelds you might as well just buy a telescopic phone gamepad that can be attached to your current or old phone or a normal controller.
i would vote for the play go (pocket go V2)...I have one and its more compact than the 350 with the same power under the hood but has better DPAD placement than the 350.
PS1 and below, PlayGo with 3.5" screen. Dreamcast, PSP, N64 are playable on the PowKiddy x15 with 5.5". I have the PlayGo and planning to upgrade the x15.
Most likely the bittboy may do the job to get you more games. But i think you need to use the same SD card to download ROM games on it and putting it back on the bittboy
If you own the latest version which is the one that I have there's no hustle. Just click on the 8 dots that take you to all the apps, scroll down and you'll see retroid. Select it and it will ask you if you want to reboot to the retroid pocket system. In that system to go back to android hold the home button and select switch systems. From what I've heard older versions weren't like this.
Hello I love watching channel it is also very warm it is just before this episode I just purchased powkiddy x 15 can you do an episode about how to download English settings to better understand keep up the great work
which handheld would you reccomend for mame (if its multiple it fine i just need some help finding the ones that emulate mame exceptably). fba is an option as well.
Hope this helps. I included some LDK modding footage that I've been sitting on.
What happened to the giveaway 😔?
I've been playing the LDK a lot since I upgraded the battery. The vertical is the one I bought because of its higher processing power. I put a tempered glass protector over the screen, and it's getting played more than my RG350. I appreciate the help you and the community have given me on your Discord, and on Dingoonity!
I was just going to post Moorechip (Retroid Pocket dual system seller) has an Amazon store now. But you already posted it.
I'm not going to lie, I am iffy on using Aliexpress. But I am comfortable using Amazon to get Retroid.
Cool Vid Taki 👍
Taki Udon - thanks as always. You really summarize each one so well. I like how you progressed from low $ to high $, and then kept saying “for only a few dollars more.”
can you mod the bittboy?
It is insane to see how much the market changed since then.
No cap
Bro is acting like he time travelled from 2000s
I remember the days when GTA San andreas was a demanding game like 10-12 years ago, how times have changed.
"The Bittboy sits right on the fence of being trash" 😂😂😂
I've seen it being "recommended" too much by normies that don't understand retro handhelds
Bittboy .. more like Shitboy... amirite
More powerful = less portable/less durable, so for people who don't need 'God' in a retro handheld, Bittboy/PocketGo V1 are just fine, lol.
@@rpgfreak9999 Wrong
@@uTubeNoITube Remember Tiger LCD Electronics handhelds? They were beaters. You could toss them around carelessly and still expect them to work. Same with the PocketGo.
An LDK is small and more powerful, but the Bittboy and PocketGo are like literal baby toys. The worst you could do is submerge them in water or blatantly throw them at a hard surface at a high velocity.
Different strokes. My PS Vita will play decades of retro games in perfect clarity, but if I want something to chill with within the lowest range of worry about moving parts and other maintenance, there's nothing wrong with a Bittboy - as far as anything needing only a D-pad and 4 buttons is concerned - and a PocketGo.
Never mind that their form factors and build quality is great. You don't get "Master Race" 60+FPS gaming (lol...), but in the eyes of some, it's enough. I have my Acer Predator Helios 300, PS Vita, and PSP if I *_desperately_* need "portable Master Race porn", lol...
Can't wait for an update to this video
Received my PlayGo one day before lockdown. Been having a lot fun with it. The PowKiddy x15 seems like a good upgrade. Thank you Taki for your hard work. Amazing list for new comers.
A year later....is there a new version of this list? I believe there have been some new handheld releases. I still go to my PSP 1001 but should update the screen to an IPS. Otherwise I find it the perfect handheld still to this day. Someone recently laughed and said the screensize was so small until I posted a video showing the PSP screensize vs a few others on this list. They never responded. lol.
RG351P, Retro Pocket 2+
I got the psp 2000 and is really good but my mind wants another like these ones but dont know wich. The retro pocket 2+ sounds like a good idea
@@poured_treasures Retroid Pocket 3+ is the best.
PSP 💪
Rp3+ is the perfect way to go. Can run psp games with resolution 1-4x! Psp is great for psp games and below, but rp3+ can go up and beyond, even SOME ps2 and GameCube games
This is what we've been waiting for.
Me seeing that you play Gta San Andreas on a GB
I was like 👁👄👁
😆😆😆
I thought my n3ds with cfw would slay these but they are actually really good.
I wanted to boy 2 2DS (one for me and one for my gf), but they were out of stock. Then, I began to check alternatives, and besides having some problems with touch hscreen, Retroid Pocket 2 is basically the same prize and the option to run N64, PS1, Android, Arcade, Dreamcast, SNES (with Chip FX support and more stability), and pretty much everything a regular DS would do without space issues, and I think I did a great move.
Hey Taki, great video dude! And nice competition.
I‘m glad to see the RG350 here but i really miss the Odroid Go Advance. I belive the OGA is the most great new comer. Powerful internals, good screen and a decent button layout.
I belive we‘ll hear a lot of this device this year.
Still, kepp going. Your videos are great and inspire me alot! Thanks
# MashTec I agree. It's an excellent value in my opinion compared to the others. The only problem is getting one because they're on backorder till next month. The only other device I'd say is close to it is the Retro CM3 which is Rasberry pi powered and costs almost 4 times as much here in US.
o0Mr Robot0o yes indeed, availability is the most problem now :-/
I hope they get them to stock again for may. But maybe the Corona situation might delay this again.
Tks for your vids too MashTec. So I may be wrong here but I believe the Odroid Go Advance to be a Korean device. Taki is based in China which gave him great access to early prototypes of devices. His notoriety sure as grown since but back when OGA was being covered, he had at least a 1/4 of the subs he has now. That being said, I do hope they eventually send one his way cause I'd like to have his take on it.
@@WhyKlef he replied to another poster elsewhere and indicated he already has one. That's all he said, though .
LDK and Pocket-Go on my desk. RG350 in the mail. All thanks to you, Taki.
wich one do you recommend
Same question which one you think is best or slightly better
@@tigermarcel1997 Of the 3, the RG-350 is by far the best. I've been playing on it for ~3 weeks now and it's solid.
If you're choosing between the LDK or Pocket-Go V1, the LDK is much better. The build feels better, the custom firmware is better, and the buttons feel better. I have the vertical model but I'd recommend the landscape version; probably more comfy in the hand. The L+R buttons are a bit clicky, but I can live with that.
The Pocket-Go does have an IPS screen but the screen tearing ruins that. I can't stand the dpad on it as it is very clicky. The headphone jack is hit or miss and you can't control headphone volume via the volume wheel. I don't think I've seen anyone mention that. It does feel good in the hand but feels lighter and more brittle than the LDK.
Overall, I'd say get an RG-350 if you can swing it. Otherwise landscape LDK. Best of luck!
@@fah-q4587 Replied above!
Watching this in 2024 is mind-blowing!
Thanks Taki, excellent video as usual! 🙌
Thanks again!
The only Retro Emulation Channel you need, folks.
Thanks Taki!
Alright Taki, now we need a list of best Retro consoles over $100! What's the best, most powerful handheld one person can buy that isn't a phone + Bluetooth controller!
I just bought an rg300 and it runs everything really, really good. I’ve had 0 issues on snes and ps1 games. Debating on upgrading firmware as well.
The RG300 is a 2.8 inch screen. Most sellers and even boxes say 3.0 but it's not correct. The battery also has far less than 1800mAh
I wanted to get my old handheld consoles, until I saw how much they cost now. So I really want to get a emulation device like this.
I bought my vita from Amazon Japan for $90 shipped. SD2Vita and charger + micro SD pushed it to about $120. Awesome purchase. Hits a hard wall at GameCube and DS but pretty much everything under that runs great, including the PS1/PSP/Vita games all running more or less perfectly. I'd highly recommend it, especially if you want those Vita games. The button setup is awesome, the game catalog is great, and you can also still use it for streaming. Takes a bit more setting up than these guys do, but man it is worth it.
So where would the Retroid pocket 2 be on this list... for recommending....
This probably came out before that system, I'm looking at that one too. There's a few stand alone reviews for that system
Is it just me, or would anyone else here love to see one of these devices but in a PSP Go-like form factor?
Once I got a PSP Go it was my go-to to carry around with me and pop open and play on the go (yes funny I know). But I found it much easier to stick in a pocket and pull out faster and start gaming than any other handheld device I've ever had.
Mod a PSP fam
@@amersaidat1905 Duh.
uTubeNoITube *funky music intensifies*
This buying guide should be updated considering how much has changed just in 3 years!
The retroid pocket is the best
I'm getting mines on the 27th!! I can't wait to try it out
S A but not under $99 lol
6:19 Wait.... this sucker runs on standard AA batteries? I'm sold!! that's a clear winner here as these type of batteries are always available and with rechargeable AA batteries you can't go wrong at all. At least no need to worry about finding a special replacement battery on this one.
Been following your videos on retro handhelds for the longest time. Really appreciate what you do for the community and just wanted to thank you for it! There are a lot of other channels dedicated to similar content but yours always ends up being clearer and more detailed just the way people in this community would like. Keep up the great work!
I have a 3DS but I still love to to watch your videos 🙂
I have an LDK-H and a Pocket Go 2. I had a RG350 for a month that I set up for a friend. The RG350 had the best build quality. The analog sticks are particularly nice. I just hated having an analog stick under my gaming buttons. The Pocket Go 2 is close in quality to the RG350 but the direction pad just feels unresponsive, and I dislike the analog stick. I've bought 2, one for my girlfriend and one for myself, and both feel unresponsive on the D-pad. I bought 5 LDK-H's to set up and give away at Christmas. It feels a bit creaky and the screen really can get scratched as easy as they say. Despite that, RETROFW is a joy to set up and use. This is why I gave it as a gift, because it doesn't look like some computer terminal, the UI is flashy, friendly, and simple to operate. Even with having the Pocket Go, I use my LDK-H more often because I prefer RETROFW and the directional pad. I feel that between the LDK-H and the Pocket Go 2, I'm set for retro handhelds. The only thing that would get me to buy another of these types of systems would be if I could have RETROFW along with great PS1 performance.
Very good reviews! The only thing I would have pointed out is that upgrading the LDK battery to a higher mAh makes for a better overall experience, and that the screen on the RG350 is really pixelated like the bottom screen on a DS lite. Otherwise, spot on! And thanks for including the POWkiddy! I love the way the Wicked Gamer says that!
Damn. Glad I just now got into these handhelds. I'd have way too many if I was privy to this community 2-3 years ago.
seriously, when am i able to play with power and export games onto the device, like the koren console the rg350 is based on and the play go
Thank you. Your channel has been really helpful.
I think I’m gonna get a phone and one dedicated device and just do emulation off those. I really want to keep my devices to a minimum
Playing on my LDK Landscape/Horizontal while listening to this video, same great quality I've come to expect from your channel!
You missed very decent Odroid GO and Advance.
That's because for the money, the odroid doesn't do much. It's a cool novelty that you get to put it together but that's about it
@@500superrich It's somehow right about original odroid-go, but odroid-go advance is, actually, a pretty good device for the money, with (arguably) one of the most powerful and recent (2018) processors out there.
@@ilyayudovsky9393 My understanding (from closed YTer source who has one amongst many others) is that on paper, the Odroid Go Advance currently stands to be best value/power but in practice, it actually does not perform all that well. I was told that even the RG350 is overall superior due to the large community behind the device. And that whereas it does not do as much, what it does, it does blatantly better.
The Odroid Go is pretty good for its price.
It does what it is supposed to
On the used market, the LDK Landscape has jumped to 50 dollars, and the RS97 dropped to the same price, so I'm netting the RS97 instead for Christmas!
You should make a new buying guide, with the Anbernic RG351v, even though it's just above $100,..
I own a 3ds and just today I discovered that if you have a custom firmware 3ds there's a program called "New Super Ultimate Injector for 3ds"
(yes the name's ridiculous) that lets you package roms for NES, Famicom disk system, SNES, Gameboy, Gameboy Color, Gameboy advanced, Sega Genesis, Game Gear, and TurboGrafx-16 into a format that runs on 3ds with amazing compatability, considering you can get a 3ds for around 100 bucks or less on ebay (I don't know if this program works on 2DS) I figured I'd let you guys know about this.
I only have the New PocketGo and it's been pretty solid so far and even better now with the Rogue firmware installed. I'm excited to see how these portables evolve over the next couple of years.
We need an update to this :) Industry is changing fast
The Retroid Was My Favorite! It Supports APK Installation, And Play Store Apps Installation! Like A 2 In 1 System! Dual Boot Included, And 3.5 Inch Screen, 4000mAh Battery! Thanks For The Guide
What do you think of the Retroid Retro Gaming Pocket 2 Plus?
@@PJtheincel: 0 never heard of it before
@@qrexxed probably for the best.
I think that getting a 3ds/new 3ds is a very good option. You can play 3ds and ds games and many retro consoles from the atari 2600 to the PS1. It is also pretty cheap.
Can't believe the Odroid Go Advance didn't make this list!
Where is the odroid go advance ?
For me this is a clear winner : very good price, very good screen, beefy cpu able to run a lot of stuff up to psp, etc. The only downside is that none of the distributions really are 100% ready, but things are quickly changing and new versions arrive every month (emuelec, retro-arena and batocera). Also, construction should be a little bit better but it's fine.
This is the only handheld I'm playing for the moment, and it eclipsed the rg350 / rg300 (my 2 favorite retrofw based handhelds).
We have DSi’s and they’ve been fantastic! I was able to pick up 2 DSi XLs and 2 DSi for pretty cheap, and they’ve all been modded and play so much. The price of them has gone up by quite a bit, which is sad, as I’m looking for one more (for my wife).
A product that wasn't mentioned but a good buy if you're into emulators is the Odroid Go Advance. I bought it without knowing anything about emulation and had a blast putting it together and loading roms. for around 70 dollars it runs great and has a strong community.
Totally amazing video content, thanks for putting amazing info !
I think the Retroid is my Fave! It grabbed my soul! I wanna get it.
Great stuff, very clear and helpful explanation of the pros/cons of each device! Any hope for a $100+ buying guide in the future?
Yes
For $100+, just buy a PS Vita and mod it. Trust me, it's worth your money.
@@puiback know it's been 2 years, but the Vita is pretty good at emulation. Personally, I've had a bad experience with it (my $200 Japanese Vita arrived with a completely fucked right stick and a drifting left stick), but most emulators don't use it so it wasn't really the end of the world for stuff like NES / SNES and even PSP, they all ran great.
Is there a device with everything the retroid does but a landscape build? That's not the PowKiddy
Edit: Just watched the Retroid Pocket 2 video and it basically answered my question
Retroid pocket 2
@@bluearcticc did you not see my edit
I got a regular Bittboy as it runs the game's I want to play without issues. I might look into a PlayGo or RG350. Thanks Taki for your help
I chose PlayGo over the 350 for the D-pad location. Wouldn't use the right analogue stick since 90% of PS1 games do not use it. I'd recommend paying a bit extra and purchasing the x15 since it's a lot more powerful with a much bigger screen (3.5 vs 5.5").
Would you recommend picking up the RG350m or waiting to see what comes out in the next few months. It seems like a really well-built system, but it's pricey. Thanks
I still have a LDK vertical (2022-01-30), it's still my daily carry and still like. I got a friend a Pocket Go for Christmas and it's kinda awesome for the price, and the cstom firmware is great!
What a great review as usual !! I personaly own 4 systems and you helped me alot to decide, thanks for that : Pocket Go , New Pocket Go, RG350 and GPi Case now.
I mostly play on the RG350 and sometimes the little Pocket Go !? Reason is that the RG350 is great for about everything unless the New Pocket Go is beautiful but less comfy in the hands and the GPi Case such a beauty you are afraid to break it, battery life is small and it crashes easily if image not well done.
The little Pocket Go is great to leave in your jacket so that you can play anywhere anytime and so it will save you at times when waiting somewhere.
I see now that the Retroid seems the best to go for, but I don't like it's form factor. I'll wait for a new more powerful model late 2020 that looks like the RG350 or New Pocket Go.
Hello ! Could you please tell me if the new Pocket Go supports real time clock ? I think not but I'm not sure since there is a clock app and the time displayed too. Thanks !
I would argue that the RG350 definitely does suffer from QA issues, mine worked great to start with but in the 6 weeks since I bought it I've had one of the speakers die and then the L1 button also failed which is such a shame.
My $5 gameboy 400 n 1 does the trick, and still loving and enjoying playing with the console, cheap and fun. Although I had to mod it to slow down the games, so it's just like the old ones. If you are ok with a little bit of soldering, you can do it DIY.
For an alternative to the Bittboy check out the RS-90 which has an official OD port. It has much better build quality and controls, tiny GB form factor and uses a GBA Micro screen. Drawbacks are the low resolution, 2 face buttons and the Ingenic JZ4725B but it is great as a cheap pocket sized device. Also uses cheap BL-5C batteries with an easy access battery door.
Great video as always. Now when people take advantage of my chinese handheld addiction finish playing with my collection I can point them to this video buying guide to help them decide which to buy instead of explaining my opinions of the pros and cons of each over and over...
I should have done this a long time ago!
Gpi Case Superior , Just the fact of being able to download a fully Rom image And flashing it onto sd Card without Going
thruu the hassle of fixing emulation settings Is so refreshing.
I own basically every handheld, but nothing yet is quite perfect.
What I really want is a device with good build quality that can play everything up to ps1/n64/, is portable and comfortable to hold, and that I can hook up to a TV with a Bluetooth controller.
I would pay crazy money if it was powerful enough to go up to GameCube emulation.
Unfortunately, the market is currently dominated by cheaper Chinese devices, and uber specialty devices like the GPD WIN series.
It would be nice to see like a more unified OS on these, since it runs Linux, they could literally get PC ports if the developers port them to ARM, and with some indie titles, I feel like there would be that incentive, but not with such a fragmentation.
I am pretty sure you can do that on RetroFW, it's just no one does it because that's a very niche market made genereally for emulation/retro game enthusiasts. Also there's no store for this kind of games, so way of getting profit is very limited.
That would be cool. As a game dev, that would be exciting
@@MarcinKralka Actually I read that one model of Pie was selling way more than you'd expect. Given the scale of indie games that would run on it anyway, I think it could really bring in some revenue.
I like the design of ayaneo devices over other windows handhelds.
I remember that when I got a rg300, it had been on sale at the time. Picked up for around €40, but that price has changed since then on the amazon listing that I bought it for.
Mind you, with shipping it was closer to €50. Still, while I really like it, mostly because of the form factor, I am considering getting myself a Retroid Pocket if there's ever a sale on that.
Its being sold on Amazon now. And its cheaper over there, than it is on Aliexpress.
the RG350 is the only way to go, but you're right, I bought this at $65 some time ago because it was at a discount, $85 is too much
I think they will have to drop the price in a month. There are much better handhelds than when they first launched.
Honestly though, nothing in this list consistently emulates as accurately as the rg350. Until that isn't the case they're going to keep charging through the nose.
Why Me True they don’t have a lot of competition ... yet
For me it's the Odroid Go Advanced. For the price, it simply can't be beat. It has a quad core processor that beats everything on this list. Only downside is that it's a DIY kit meaning you have to put it together yourself, download the OS, and install ROM's on the SD card on your own. Plus since it comes in a clear case and some people might not like that, you might have to paint it (I painted mine black). Oh, and you can use original the Gameboy Advanced D-pad and face buttons on it (at an extra cost). For SBC's, it's right now the king until they can make the Pi 4 work in these small handhelds.
Except for the little fact that it's actually weaker than the x15.
Yeah but the x15 is $100. The Go Advanced is $55 and beats everything else except the x15.
Great video. Now time for the systems over 100 dollars.
Did you already announce the Retro Pocket giveaway from your last video and I missed it or is it a private winner? I don't know how these things work. This was a great video. Keep up the great work, man. Love your videos, Taki!
I already owned a Pocket-Go.I really like it’s form factor ,I could just put it on my any bag without any concerns.Just feel as good as 3ds.
Good video. I own the rg300 i think its the best out of the bunch for value and performance
And still ignored the Odroid Go Advance...
Isn't that priced above $99?
@@SRC267 no but I see why it is not here, it's manufactured in smal batches and the next batch is expected in may
No when it is back in stock in May, it will still punch below 99 but you will have to build it yourself at that price
Taki doesn't like the odroid. He said it in the discord
@@gohan3448 Exactly, he has never even used one tho. So he hates it for no reason.
Thanks man, just what I was asking the other day. The only thing missing is the Odroid Go Advance, but it's not that easy to get one and is missing L2 and R2 buttons sadly.
The next batch has wifi and L1 and L2. They just announced it.
Great video!
Which device has the best compatibility with the Gameboy line of games, both in performance and screen size/aspect ratio wise?
Powkiddy ftw!
Can't Wait To Buy Powkiddy Handheld And Throw It In The Trash To Flex How Rich You Are.
@@TheRealEncy
What did he mean by this?
@@jerrymartin7019 I Don't Know But All I Know Is... Don't Buy Powkiddy Product. They Made Bad Quality And Bad Performance Handheld That Look Like Made With No Intentional. Tips For Buying Retro Handheld :
Have Four Trigger Button, axby Button, Two Analog Stick.
Can Play Psp, N64 And Play Local Online
Good Review
Recommendation :
Retroid Pocket 2 ( For budget And Its Android )
Rg351m ( For Premium Feel )
Gpd Xd Plus ( Can Play Gamecube / Wii Game )
Xiomi Note 9 + Gamepad ( For Being A Hadheld And A Regular Phone And Expect Better Performance )
Psvita Hacked Version ( Play Some Psvita, Psp, Ps1 And Etc Games )
Gpd Xd 2 ( Just Wait For It, All The Information We Got So Far Is The Specs, But The Shape Is Still Unknown )
I always thought about getting the LDK anyways but you sold me even further when you called it the Little Dragon King that is a badass name 💪😎😂
Good list and very informative.
I felt my heart stop for a moment when I seen that all of these products won't ship to Canada
You need a new buying guide for 2021. Also please include pocket consoles that are supposedly coming soon, because it sucks buying a pocket console only for a much faster model for less money available a week later. Also include links to the prices you claim to have purchased them for.
8:07 what game is that??
It’s dungeon quest
@@K0aQ fortnite 3
Did the pocket go 2 make the list? 😂Already bought them and waiting for it
That's the Playgo, same device with a different name for Western markets. Aside from the analog stick (nubs are always trash IMO) it's excellent especially for the price.
It has been a month, according to aliexpress due to corona virus, shipping will take max 90 days. Ooff
I'm just waiting for a portable device that plays Perfect Dark well, but I know I'll be waiting a while for that.
you could try to make an rpi4 portable those seem to run it well
Moqi i7
GPI case !!! Best Choice ever
Everybody have phone to play emulators on... but feel the old sentation and nostalgia of the GameBoy is unique with this device that i exvlusively use to play GB/GBC/GBA/Snes on it !
You ignored the best one: the Odroid Go Advance, maybe because they didn’t send you a free one?
The RG350 is the best if you don't mind not being able to connect it to a tv. It'll be top tier if they just add that
Nice! I do like the look and form factor of the new RG350. Just got my Retroid Pocket! Posting videos about it on my channel ( :
Thank you so much for this video 👍🏻👌🏻✌🏻
Hearing the compatible system acronyms listed feels like listening to lottery numbers; I just keep hoping for PS1 and N64 on one cheap device.
If you want to get an emulation system with good cuality and good price i abdolutly recomend Buying a Nintendo 3ds or 2ds i know it can get higher than 100 dollars but sometimes house can get a used one for less and its a great system with great games and user friendly, i have Been using mine for all kind of games almost for 2 Years and i never have a problem.
Who won the gieaway?
For the prices of these handhelds you might as well just buy a telescopic phone gamepad that can be attached to your current or old phone or a normal controller.
In a nutshell, what's the best one under 100$ ?
i would vote for the play go (pocket go V2)...I have one and its more compact than the 350 with the same power under the hood but has better DPAD placement than the 350.
PS1 and below, PlayGo with 3.5" screen. Dreamcast, PSP, N64 are playable on the PowKiddy x15 with 5.5". I have the PlayGo and planning to upgrade the x15.
Which of these handhelds i can use to play my own roms on them ? It looks like most of them come with fixed amount of games.
Most likely the bittboy may do the job to get you more games. But i think you need to use the same SD card to download ROM games on it and putting it back on the bittboy
can you do a vid on how to set up the retroid pocket dual boot?
I have the app that you need on my Discord along with the instructions.
If you own the latest version which is the one that I have there's no hustle. Just click on the 8 dots that take you to all the apps, scroll down and you'll see retroid. Select it and it will ask you if you want to reboot to the retroid pocket system. In that system to go back to android hold the home button and select switch systems. From what I've heard older versions weren't like this.
Love my PlayGo, the only thing that would make better better would be Running Third Strike and Mahvel Vs Capcom 2.
Yes your list was very educative. I will buy a nintendo switch .
2DS or DS Lite ftw
8:07 what game is that?
Update: it’s called Dungeon Quest. It’s an Android and iOS game. It’s free!
Yea, I love that game.
I'm sadly still waiting for my retroid. It's been a month now and usps is yet to receive it.
did u get it ?
How about now?
Did you get it now? its been 10 months.
is it more worth it to buy an emulator device or a controller for my phone ? huawei y7 2019
Hello I love watching channel it is also very warm it is just before this episode I just purchased powkiddy x 15 can you do an episode about how to download English settings to better understand keep up the great work
which handheld would you reccomend for mame (if its multiple it fine i just need some help finding the ones that emulate mame exceptably). fba is an option as well.
Love your channel and all of your reviews man, especially since I'm discovering so many third-party handhelds I've never heard of lol