KTR1 Review: The First Customizable Handheld
Vložit
- čas přidán 8. 06. 2024
- The KTR1 is shipping soon, and in this video we'll do a deep-dive review on its features, build quality, and performance.
Buy one here: ktr.la/shop
Timestamps:
00:00 introduction
01:46 tech specs and pricing
04:12 hardware impressions and teardown
12:47 screen and size comparison
21:48 software and audio test
23:03 retro system emulation testing
27:51 benchmarks
29:01 Saturn, GameCube, Wii, 3DS, PS2, and Switch
37:28 Android and streaming
38:56 summary (likes and dislikes)
42:32 conclusion
This was a review unit sent to me by the manufacturer. All opinions are my own, they did not see this review ahead of time, and no money was exchanged in any way.
If you want to support the channel, please consider Patreon: / retrogamecorps
Find me on Discord! / discord
Theme song written by Jim Gray of Our Ghosts:
ourghosts.bandcamp.com/track/...
Note that this description may contain affiliate links. By clicking on an affiliate link and buying something, I may earn a small commission of the sale at no extra cost to you. You can read more about that here: retrogamecorps.com/about/
This video is for entertainment and educational purposes only.
#KTR1 #retrohandheld #emulation - Hry
![The Best Retro Handheld Under $90 Right Now [PowKiddy X55]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/GRWvXiwTn-w/mqdefault.jpg)
![The Best Retro Handheld Under $90 Right Now [PowKiddy X55]](/img/tr.png)
Thanks for the lively discussion as always! A few notes (and I'll probably add to this later):
- The thing where the Home button kills RetroArch has to do with using Daijisho as your home launcher, so this isn't an issue exclusive to the KTR1. It's just that the Home button here is placed in a way that I press it accidentally. Here is a demonstration: imgur.com/a/8BOgkxE
- The dev is aware of the Home button issue and is working on making all buttons fully mappable. Right now you *can* map the top-right button to something else, but it still keeps its Home button functionality too, effectively overriding whatever you set.
- Unchecking the "Use Dual Core" option in Citra MMJ removes the stuttering in some games, thanks to Paul for the tip. Other games like Super Mario 3D Land continue to stutter, and don't play at fullspeed either.
- If you order the model with the d-pad up top, it will come with the Nintendo ABXY pattern.
- For my testing, I spent about four hours on GameCube/Wii and PS2 each. During that time I looked for example games that provided a spectrum of results, to give viewers an idea of what to expect with their own game catalog. There will be many other games that play just great on those systems, but bear in mind that there will be others that won't! And it will be possible to get better performance on some of these games, but it will take time and experimentation.
- There should be a software update available by the time this device ships, and the dev indicates that will improve performance.
- The screen resolution is 1620x1080 (vice 1690x1080 that I put in my specs). Late-night editing strikes again!
Love it, the quirks of the review unit seems to have put a lot of pause on people, which can be justified since like you said before it's not good to buy based on promises of what it could be in the future. But I personally think this will turn out excellent when all it said and done, just like the past 2 years you just have to wait for it all to fall into place lol
Another thing to add about the rattle too is that it should be fixed in the future with rubber sleeves for the stems on the shoulders and triggers (missing on the review units).
And... no Wifi antenna on the review units which is why you had to sit next to the router lol
Is this device going to be able to play xenosaga episode 2 and 3 ? Once one of these devices can do that I am in. I want to play those while on my commute on the train.
Russ, what Daijisho's theme that you use in minutes 22:00?
@@ranggasukarno2846 it’s the “Circuit” theme.
Can we make “hadoukenable” and “shoryukenable” the official grading system for D pads
I had a good laugh about that one.
Came here to say just that. It's perfect.
@@jacobnobles8453 Same
I second this
Yeah man, I wanna do it
I really appreciate your reviews. You thoroughly discuss more practical details which most people don't cover. You also have comparisons to justify your thoughts. Everything is VERY detailed and useful.
I love how long your videos are Russ. Especially when I'm about to buy a device, some of these 10 minutes ish reviews by other CZcamsrs just don't go deep enough. I feel like when I'm paying out the $100-200+ that emulators cost these days I want as much info as possible. Thank you
Many reviewers just read the spec sheet, film an unboxing and call it a day. Almost nobody goes to the lengths and depths of Russ.
He's very thorough, I agree. It's nice to get as much of an in-depth look at a system as possible when considering a purchase. Or heck, even just to check out the system out of curiosity.
I mean I feel like I understand virtually every flaw with the system without having ever even seen one in real life.
I'm so sad this one didn't break that GameCube barrier. because it's the most attractive handheld yet with size and aesthetic
Sadly we're still a couple years away from that I believe
Steam Deck is out now lol… I have tons of GameCube games on it
Same, I wanna have my ps2 games and windwaker in my pocket
@@kratos2105 Ain't nobody tryna pay $400 just to play GameCube on the go lol
@@Robin_3v especially on a behemoth of a handheld console 💀 i hate people who shill the steamdeck, expecting everyone to love the big, bulky, and ugly console
This unit just about hits the sweet spot for size, power and portability, and the 3:2 screen is awesome. I hope the competition takes notice and I hope the creator of this device can take constructive criticism and fix all of the weaknesses. It's a good time to be a retro-gamer!
The 4:3 screen... Ugh. I wish the RP3+ had a 4:3 screen.
Great review! Honest and straightforward. Always a great job Russ! Thank you. Hopefully they correct the hardware issues.
I've been waiting for this handheld for 3 years
Hi, Russ! Have you tried the sharp-bilinear shaders in retroarch? What they do is scale the image to the highest integer below the screen's resolution and then apply a bilinear filter scaling from there to fill the rest of the screen. Now that you can stack shader presets in retroarch, i find it really useful.
Another benefit i find in the KTR1 is that CRT shaders work substantially better with bigger resolutions. I remember 1440p and 4K being the ideal but 1080p is still way better than 480p, so you can take more advantage of shaders and bezels like the ones from the mega bezel project with the KTR1
I really wanted to hear you say that MMJR stands for "subscribe to Retro Game Corps" 🤣
Excellent video, as always. I appreciate how thorough you are. I always feel like I know these devices so well after watching you videos. Cheers, Russ!
But Anrose, I can't say that, because MMJR stands for "subscribe to Mr. Sujano". It goes against the laws of physics!
I have the same problem of accidentally hitting the Home button instead of Start on my Odin. A free Android app called Button Mapper was the solution. I mapped a single press to "Back," which in retroarch does nothing, but in most emulators opens up the quick menu. Then I mapped a double-press to Home so that I still have access to that functionality, and a long press to open up the app switcher. It's not a perfect solution but at least now I'm not getting kicked out of my app when all I want to do is pause.
"hadoukenable but not shoryukenable" exactly the vocabulary I demand out of reviewers
"Hadokenable" and "Shoryukenable" are now in my english dictionary. Thanks, Russ.
Those 3DS graphic stutters remind me of my experience on the Odin Lite using older builds on OpenGL. Vulkan improves it but runs a bit slower on the Vulkan compatible builds, as you discovered. You could try and disable multicore rendering (I think that's the setting), that seemed to alleviate the stuttering for me on my Lite.
Hey Paul, this is a great tip, thanks! This fixed the stuttering in many games, and while some don't play at full speed, there are quite a few that I would consider playable. Sadly, there are still graphical issues with Ocarina of Time and some others, but the experience is pretty good now. I'm going to leave this info in a pinned comment, thanks again!
Was the new in progress citra vulkan build tested? I must have missed it
Been waiting for this review for a looong while! Am disappointed by the only slight bump in performance. I think I just need to be patient for next year. Maybe by then we will have an RG405M style handheld that can flawlessly play GC/PS2/Wii. For now ill just play those systems on my steam deck. Thanks for your work Russ!
I've been trying to tell the community that the KTR1 isn't the savior for playing 6th generation titles. I understand the optimism with some of the videos but I really don't think it has that capability. For everything else it's great though.
These things come out so fast, we may see one by the end of the year i hope
@@IYamJayJay I think this is really likely. Who knows retroid might be on the 5+ by EOY lmao
Possibly end of next year, but like we would have to jump the SOC performance by a ton. For instance, everyone is making and stuck on t618 currently, and that is weaker than the Odin still. Even the Odin with a SD845 doesn’t do all that flawlessly. So either you need a new company to shake everything up, or trust that current manufacturers jump well past the sd845 at a low price point, which I just don’t see happening for a long time.
@@josealvarado2309 What about a $300+ device with snap 865? An overclocked and actively cooled 865 would be a beast.
Really awesome you dig into the handhelds and literally cover anything possible.
I love the concept/idea and the story behind this device a lot, but I don’t think I’m in any hurry to snag one for the time being. I have an RP3+ that I absolutely adore and use daily, and this doesn’t strike me as being worth it as a possible upgrade
Still, I love seeing more of these devices being made and hope that it brings a lot of happiness for those who pick one up!
same boat, until something is really giving me a sizable performance bump in the same form factor or smaller I will hold on to mine
though after really taking a good look again, I don't think I can get down with the trigger/bumper setup, the RP3+ totally has spoiled me on that
Yeah, it's a shame that this is releasing now. It'd be real popular if it cane out a year ago...
Always an informative and detailed preview so thanks Russ. Yet another decent handheld that packs good features yet still not powerful enough to standout from the sub $300 competition which is a real shame but also expected for the price range.
His description of spec at the start already has me excited!!!
Nice to see some love towards Dark Cloud @35:10. One bright spot for this handheld is that it can play it at full speed.
Looks just gorgeous. Hope it's as good as it looks and that it's successful.
We're not there yet...
But very very close!
I been waiting on this device it's nice to see it is finally here :)
I was real close in pre-ordering this. Glad I caught your video in time. Build wise, I love the RG405M and may go that route for my next handheld
Thanks for adding the arcade info, I want a handheld that will play many of my favorites from the best years of the arcade games late 70s-early 90s!!
Can't wait for mine to arrive!
Never knew this existed and I really like the options. Would make for a cool PSP and PS2 system.
PS2? he said in the video that this is not a PS2 device this would not be good for that
@@R04D3Xhaving to tinker =/= no ps2.
Chris PS2 is definitely possible on a Helio G99, I know from personal experience. It's not going to play literally every single PS2 game in existence, but I guarantee you it'll run like 2/3rds of the games at native resolution. Unless you're extremely petty or nitpicky it's not a big deal to have minor graphical issues or slight lag here and there
@@Apollo-iq1vx this ^ there are way weaker devices that can handle some ps2, and even more powerful devices that can't run the while library. I imagine the retail ktr1 will handle most of the games people would want to play portably
Yes! The review I've been waiting for!!
Going to have to wait till the final product reviews are you.
Looks like a nice device.
IVE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS REVIEW
Great video! I’m on the fence about this device. Leaning more towards the rg405m. I’m honestly new into the retro emulation world. I am curious would the 8gb ram version tweak the stuttering in the ps2 game play? I know in the video you showed that this device really wasn’t proving itself on that platform. Looking for a nice overall pocketable device. Thank you
Thank you for reviewing this device I’ve never heard of with that incredibly difficult to use website.
Hopefully this handheld is better than their online store
I was hoping you would be able to rebind the 4 buttons in the front so that start and select are on the top instead like the Switch. The current layout is very bizarre. Maybe in the future there will be a way to do that.
Hadokenable and Shoryukenable, love it! 😂
Thanks a lot Russ
I waited for it
Great review as Always ! One thing bugs me tough, from what I understand this is supposed to be less powerful than the Odin lite but for most of the games I saw in the video (god of War 2 especially) they seem to run better on this than on the Odin lite video ? Is this juste because of emulators updates ? I m asking because I m wondering which one to buy between the two ! Thanks !
AFAIK this was never stated in the video but how much RAM did your review unit come with? Is it the 8GB version?
If they permitted full signal on 8 directions, you would go faster on diagonals. I don't know in older games, but if you develop a game now, you would have to normalize the input so that it's circular like these
Thanks for the video!
Did you ever compare psp game screen size between the KT-R1 and the RG405M? I would think the KT-R1 would be a better experience.
The power of this is fantastic, the non-stacked triggers and lack of Linux sucks, I hope this is popular enough that a Version2 gets released with stacked triggers and linux
What RAM configuration did yours come in? I'm not sure I heard you mention it, or I may have missed it.
I'll probably never actually commit to one of these devices; I'll still watch and enjoy every single video 😂❤
Cheers - London UK
Great video as usual, but goodness, I've been watching your channel since the start (been having a great time!) and I swear every time we get to the d-pad fighting game test, it's heartbreak. Unironic question: are there _any_ of these machines with a pad suited for someone wanting to mess around with Third Strike on the go?
Miyoo Mini, Mini + is the only one I've come across. That being said, it's amazing. I indeed use it for 3S on the go.
Just bought one. Top model, in gray. When it gets here in June, I'll be ecstatic :D
Just received it the other day. A bit later than June :D Very, very nice. Had to switch to "white", but it's more like old PC beige. Looks, feels, and works fantastic :)
the desktop background was nice! wouldn't mind alternating shots with the 'branded' green background
I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS
I've been watching and following you for years, didnt notice I wasn't subscribed 🤦♂️.
i'm not good into specs and stuff but i was wondering: is the bigger RAM gonna help with PS2/GC emulation or that's restricted mostly to the chipset?
Thank you for your service brother and thank you for all the techy stuff you do too. You have really helped me out a lot of these years. ❤❤❤❤❤
"hadoukenable" and "shoryukenable" are currently my favorite nouns or adjectives and should be included and the dictionaries ASAP!!
Even tho im not buying the handheld,your reviews are great to watch deserve the like!
I am accepting its shortcomings, looking forward to my plastic 4G model, great review! Stubbs
I had ordered one and I am happy about it with 8GB RAM it fulfilled all my requirements it is pocketable 7000 mh battery life can play almost all PS2, WII, GAMECUBE. I don't care about the drawbacks as it is not that much and the developer is one guy who is working hard for making this handheld. We should appreciate his hard work and wish him to make more consoles in future as well 👍
“The d-pad is hadokenable but not Shoryukenable” should be the definitive way to describe d-pads from now on.
With the sim option, is it basically a phone? Does it have a mic and all that, or is it only for Internet?
Huge appreciation of the Golden Sun franchise. Great taste bruv
Thank you for this review! I am going to maintain my 8GB red plastic order. Did you mention what RAM size you had in your unit?
Probably the best configuration for the best review, but that's just speculation
I was wondering the same
Please review everything I need to buy in my daily life. Great job
My gosh. Spec wise it is the absolute dream.
Apparently when you select the layout, it also changes the buttons. You get the Dreamcast/Xbox layout with the stick on top and the Nintendo layout with the d-pad on top. And while I appreciate that the "white" version has the SNES colors with the Nintendo layout, they really missed an opportunity to make the Dreamcast/Xbox layout have the correct Dreamcast or Xbox colors.
Russ, can you make a video or a point of giving us a better sense of where the processors and screens sit relative to competitor devices? The model numbers for processors doesn’t tell us much tbh. Same with screens. You do mention the screen aspect ratio which is great but other things such as size comparisons, anti reflective performance, etc would be great.
I remember the 4:3 mockups of this device and thought it looked promising but so far this is giving me rk2020 vibes
Hey Russ, what would you recommend between the Odin light and KTR1?. PS2 and N64 gaming wise...
Since so many of these are coming out now, you should do a spreadsheet with a Corps score like Doug Demero does with cars with his Doug Score
Great review ? What can you recommend, I want a very detailed high resolution screen for all retro games under $300.00 that comes with the games installed ?
GBA has a fantastic game library so I'm seriously considering this.
How do you setup the swap screen button for DS and 3DS!?
Finally, the only thing holding me back is the lack of video out. I like to play games on the TV with my kid.
What's the theme that used on @22:00?
It's looks so simple and clean.
I like that.
Yes! Thanks Russ!
So excited for mine to ship next month 😊
Russ is the 3rd person I have seen wearing the same Kirby T-shirt I bought from Target. It is a good, easy to wear shirt with a nice design. The problem I have is not wanting to wear the same shirt as what everyone else is wearing, with the exception of when we do that on purpose to show we are in a group.
I think this is a perfect fit for me, none of the negatives you mentioned really concern me except potentially the button feel and build quality, I'll wait to see if others also have serious reservations about these issues.
Hey Jacked, have any tips on how to be visibly jacked? Because I'm visibly fat.
@@crystalwater505 wtf I assumed you were in shape due to all the crystal water
@@VisiblyJacked I eat like freaking crap though man even though I mainly dreak water. It's definitely a food issue. One definitely has to balance out their food intake even if they drink water it seems. I hate itttttttttt.
@@crystalwater505 vibes man. I believe you are on the right path already as you are facing up to the issue
@@VisiblyJacked Thanks man. I'm going to try my hardest and get to a normal weight before this Christmas! I wish you the best in 2023 and beyond friend.
I STILL want a Saturn model 2 style D-pad (the best D-pad design in history). When will they learn?
Very cool! - I hope there'll be a custom Linux dist - and perhaps a PSVita-like D-pad option (dome switches rock :) )
Yes! Finally! 😁 Wonder when I'll get mine...
Have you got it?
@@MrStompingshadow still waiting...
@@wordsmith451 maybe I should have for the reviews then :(
This is a really great product. Wish the plastic one was built a little more crisp but I ordered the plastic one anyway as I have the 351MP and the metal is cool but I don't want to spend a lot more just for the metal. but everything else seems like its right up my alley also prefer top Dpads and the closest product id order to this one would be the RP3+ but the 3:2 screen of this is just perfect for my love for GBA. its so tough this year to choose a Emulation handheld as there's so many great options lately. the future of handheld gaming is looking Really bright as we home into the Perfect handheld period for PC and emulation. hopefully soon well get a great portable and affordable PC handheld soon!!!!
Love your tshirt!
I'm glad you mentioned that you can order aligned joysticks because otherwise that would've been an instant pass for me
I just picked up a 405m to try a horizontal option. I find I prefer verticals and I'm struggling to hold the (heavy/metal) 405 comfortably. I don't love the 405m being metal so if I were to fall in love with its shape I might upgrade to the plastic KTR1. But the biggest issue I see here is in the time it took to get to market the RP3+ and 405m have book ended it with 4:3 and 16:9 options that are easier and cheaper to get with similar performance. The Odin has arrived with better performance but at a bigger size. So unless this is your unicorn size and shape wise there are other easier options.
Personally I'm also waiting on a flip and I think that'll be my choice simply because it's a better shape for me in a smaller package. The shoulder buttons should make it easier to hold and I think I'll take it's pocketability over either of these. Can't wait for your flip review or for my preorder to ship! Exciting times to have all these options.
I own one now and haven’t touched my RG405M since then.
The seller has them on eBay, I ordered it today (6gb model in black)..... Thanks for the review on it, I wanted a pocket version for it....
Got it, nice device, pocketable, now just to get it all set, Android devices needed a lot of work... You will like the fact that home button has been moved to the below the buttons...
Thank you Russ!
What android based CPU other than snapdragons can play up to GameCube emu games? Even used or old models pls recommend.
Excellent review! It seems like the KT-R1 was largely a victim of unfortunate timing. When it was announced there was nothing close to it's power level on the market so it was a really exciting proposition, but by the time it actually came out we already had a wide variety of similarly powered and probably better built devices to choose from.
I really appreciate the thorough review though, and testing Star Fox Adventures for the GameCube! That's the one GameCube game that I always want to know how it's going to run on a device, and so far it seems like unfortunately nothing other than the Steam Deck can really play it well.
Anybody can announce anything. Timing really can be everything sometimes. Speaking generally when I say that it feels like some people are allergic to just get an Odin Lite still lol.
@@cheekydaze6018 I'd definitely be down to get an Odin Lite if it was just a little more powerful and could play GameCube more effectively without tinkering, but as it stands the really demanding GameCube games that I'd like to play (Metroid Prime 2, Star Fox Adventures, Rogue Squadron II, etc.) just don't run well on the Odin Lite without hiccups or slowdowns. The Steam Deck is a bit big for my liking though and I really prefer gaming on Android, so I'm hopeful that the upcoming Aya Neo Pocket Air will be the high powered GameCube capable Android device I've been waiting for. =)
If you want something Ps Vita sized that can play PS2 games the KT-R1 is your only option - there is the rg405m at a similar form factor but the performance is worse in all emulators.
Hi there. I'm waiting for my Flip to arrive, but this seems so enticing to me. Should I sell my Flip when it arrives, then go for this instead? Thanks.
You CAN remap the HOME button.
But on Android 12 only one app is able to do it in my experience. I don't have any device with me at the moment but if anyone is interested I can definitely come back here when I'm home to let you guys know which remap app it is.
Let me know :)
28:10 that is interesting the Odin Lite it's still the king 😳
Is it better to get this device, or the Odin Lite when it comes to emulation of 3D games?
Odin Lite has the superior chip. And better shoulder buttons.
@@kevtn8 thx for the tip 👍
Good review! I'm sticking with my Steam Deck even though I pretty much exclusively use it in docked mode. I am looking forward to seeing the next wave of more powerful portable devices that can comfortably run most Dreamcast/PS2/GameCube/Wii game (and perhaps beyond) without too much need to tweak a ton settings. Though, we'll just have to wait and see as the technology improves.
The GPD Win 4 crushes emulation in a small form factor....im saving up for that handheld
@@maxamillion2k7 Yeah, I've actually heard good things about that one, too. May eventually bite the bullet and pick it up, but just weighing my options.
I was concerned on my rg405m triggers reliability so i sold it after having it for a couple weeks, after lots of users reporting malfunction and them stoping working sooner or later given that they were designed with very clicky micro switches, do you think the ky r1 might have a better desing of the triggers? I think that having to handle and pressing buttons with special care is not actually funny when you want yo get really into the game 😢
More hope in KTR1 pro/KTR2 then.
Was honestly never sure it would come out. I'm currently trying sell my xd+ and rg353v to get funds for this
Whenever i see a new Russ video, youtube is like, "You wanna watch this video?" and I'm like, "Yeah. I wanna do it man."
New to the retro handheld world. For NES and SNES is the 405m still the best option these days?
A handheld salesman appears, run or fight.
hey russ great review! will this be able to handle genshin?
This is so cool! 👾🤘
Seems like the DPAD needs a taller pivot pole in the center.
The SoC choice is a big letdown but I guess that's a result of long development times. Big meh for me though. If i didn't already have an RP3+ I would likely get the 4GB version of this. Also, non-stacked triggers???
I’m a little confused about hooking the systems up to a TV. Something like the 405m has only a 480P screen, but if I hook it up to my TV can I upscale the games past that to take advantage of my TV screen resolution?
It depends on the software. The specific Android build determines whether it will go to a higher resolution on an external display or not.
The 405m doesn't have video out, BTW. Neither does the KTR1. So you can't hook those particular devices to a TV. The Odin does have video out, as do most of the Anbernic 3.5 inch devices, the RG552, and Retroid Pocket 3.
@@harleyn3089 You can, if you have smart TV. Using the screen cast feature.
@@dokferr I'd be curious whether there's noticeable latency with screen cast compared to a cable.
@@harleyn3089 there is a noticeable lag, plus clear pixelation if your internet connection isn't very good. It's garbage.
Speaking from my experience with the rp3+ cast feature.
What is this application to test joystick dead zones you use?
I found it's: Gamepad Tester (with purple icon). o7
if you had to choose, would you go with rp3+, Odin Lite or this one?