Best Retro Handheld of 2023
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- čas přidán 5. 06. 2024
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00:00 - Intro
00:47 - RG35XX and Miyoo Mini Plus
01:49 - RGB30
02:40 - Retroid Pocket 3 plus vs Anbernic RG405M
04:45 - Retroid Pocket Flip
06:23 - Anbernic RG405V
07:04 - Android vs Linux for beginners
07:35 - Powkiddy X55 vs Trimui Smart Pro
08:29 - Anbernic ARC
09:01 - RG Nano... yes I really like it!
10:08 - Retroid Pocket 2S
12:30 - Best retro handheld of 2023 - Hry
The X28 case is there but I left it out. I feel that as much as I have enjoyed this device it’s not on the same level as these other devices on my list.
Also, The ODIN 2 is excellent but a bit too expensive for my list.
There are only 2 devices that deserve top be there, as a couple or separate, Retroid Pocket 3 + & Miyoo Mini Plus (have both in transparent black and with playstation button).
😊 those are great but I don’t know about best device of the year though hey?
@@soaremicheledavid6020 I agree that the RP3+ had the greatest impact on 2023 retro gaming perhaps because it checks the most boxes under $175 to date. The Miyoo Mini Plus is certainly a favorite pocketable for targeted 2D gaming, but I could never pass up the RG35XX series in that role due to the additional power and game-library potential. My value-oriented picks would be: SF2000 ($0-$25), R36S ($25-$50), RG35XX Plus ($50-$75), X55 ($75-$100), RP2S ($100-125), RG505 ($125-150), RP3+ or Flip ($150-175), Oden Lite ($175-$300), Oden 2 or Steam Deck ($300+).
@@adinwalls Retroid Pocket 2S would be my first option, the design is great, only if we had a larger display and an oled version.
Ooooooh RP4… oled with RP2s sticks. The end
Great and thoughtful summary. I always really enjoy your videos. Thank you 👍
Hey thank you! This was a fun video to make.
Agreed! The 2s is a rockstar! If only it had a slider...
Haha yes if only. Then you and… no wait just you would be happy!
I love how you pointed out that these devices can't be gifted to just anybody because the set up really is frustrating. I wanted to give one to my cousin because we used to play gameboy games back in the day, but setting up my 353v kinda made me want to pull my hair out lol. I hope the companies that are making these retro handhelds would think of a better way to make the interface more intuitive and user friendly, without making the backend inaccessible. Subscribed!
I think about this a lot. Unfortunately because we’re playing games that are sketchy at best we’re pretty much on our own as far as setup is concerned. Even Anbernic’s recent efforts to streamline things is actually pretty sketchy with paid apps being shipped with the device, supplying bios and roms with the device etc. hopefully we can just eventually reach a happy medium.
I gifted 3 miyo minis this year, I set them all up back to back and put them back in the box. Took about 10 minutes a piece to put onion os on them as well as the roms.
Onion Os really makes things simple.
I was veeery tempted by the 2s for my 1st retro handheld but then realised that I was planning to play Nes, Snes, Megadrive etc on a TV as we did in the past, and use the handheld 'on hand' mainly for GB and other portable games. For this reason I finally went for the 35xx plus for its gameboy feeling. But your enthousiasm for the 2s almost makes me reconsider!
Haha. That’s the goal I am secretly a Retroid agent 😂🕺
I totally agree! Odin 2 is quite expensive, and its price point is too much close to the Steam Deck, while the one you picked up as the best, the same I have as my favorite device, is the best value to get considering the price! 😊
Great video Adin, love your thoughtful analysis. I can see how it's easy to go down the rabbit hole with these devices! I started with the Analogue Pocket recently as I really enjoy using MiSTer, and it's very close to being a handheld version. However I miss several things about software emulation, not least save states and more interface options. I was truly surprised to see the huge range of options out there! I have an RGB30 now, and a Miyoo Mini plus on the way. I think I'll park it there for some time whilst I get to know these better!! Great to get info on what else is out there, and the pros and cons of each device. Thanks and keep up the great work :)
Thanks James. Enjoy those devices! I think we are really spoilt and the emulators are only getting better!
I just want to say that I really enjoy your content, Adin. Your channel has quickly become one of my favorites, keep it up, bro!
Hey thank you! 🤩
Great video, really well made and exhaustive! I wanted to ask you something. I'd like to enter this "world" and get a console that's easy to use, pretty much to turn on and play (so that already has games in it too). I would like to emulate all the retro games but also something from the DS and PSP. I wish it had joysticks as I prefer them and that it was portable (not bulky or big). Which console do you recommend? Thank you so much in advance😊
I would give the theoritical toss up between Minyoo mini plus and the 35xx to the new 35xx plus. Bluetooth and wifi is the gamechanger.
That said, I've not received mine yet, just theory atm.
Yes having WiFi does make a big difference. And using Bluetooth controllers is a bit of a game changer for people who want an all in one solution.
Excellent picks🎮👾
just ordered my retroid pocket 4 PRO model in watermelon red I CANNOT WAIT TO PLAY WITH IT!!!!
Ooooooh. What have you owned up until now?
What I really want is the OLED Steam deck... but it is way out of my price range. The Odin 2 is nuch closer to what I want to pay and is my #2 choice after the OLED deck....but still a little too pricey for me right now.
I have a Powkiddy x55. So everything PS1 and down is covered perfectly (it also does a very good amount of N64 and a decent amount of DC really well). I will continue to wait for something like the 2 above to come down in price. The lowest end Odin 2 price isnt completely terrible... but Im not shelling out almost $500 or above for a handheld.
What about the upcoming Retroid Pocket 4 Plus?
Got my RG35XX after watching your videos. Loved it to bits.
Ya man it’s a winner for sure. The plus is looking good but I don’t think it’s worth upgrading, the extra power won’t give you much, I don’t think.
100%. Without an analogue stick you can't really make full use of the extra juice. If they got Bluetooth audio working it might be useful but without that clear purple it's a pass for now. @@adinwalls
with you on the 3.5" screens for my eyes. and devices with really clicky buttons
very cool (some could say COZY?!) round-up/breakdown, more or less what I expected, with some unexpected winners.. I wanted to ask about the input latency on these devices thought, because it seems like nobody's talking about this aspect too much, or perhaps I wasn't looking well enough.. so my experience with "portable emulation" has been using a Bluetooth controller (GameSir T4 Pro) with android phone to play on Retroarch and BY GOLLY, the input lag!! and that kinda keeps me on the fence with these retro handhelds - if they're as unresponsive and sluggish feeling than that's a deal breaker! T_T So how is it compared to even playing on PC, for example??
Well in my ecosystem I have a powerful laptop for gaming and my emulators. Admittedly the first RG350M I got had a noticeable lag that I was surprised nobody spoke about in reviews. This is getting better with each device and honestly I think the reason nobody talks about it is that your brain literally calibrates for the lag and you don’t notice it anymore.
@@adinwalls ahh, I see! okay, good to know it's there)
Every time I see the ARC, I think about how much I want it to have a joystick. Just one.
I get what it's going for, and it nails it. But it's got a chipset that could tackle a huge chunk of N64, and those 6 face buttons are absolutely perfect for the N64's layout. It's always so clunky mapping 2 face buttons to triggers on literally every other controller. Just a single joystick would have added SO much versatility and done a lot to make the ARC go from really good to really great.
I just want a proper device to play N64 on without having to stumble around with clunky controls just to make it work. 🙃
I hear you. There are still some N64 games that work well like F-Zero X
Mate! You should add AYN Odin 2 to your collection. It's going to blow your mind.
I’ll see how it goes next year
@@adinwalls Alright! But if I stick with the video topic, my favorite budget handheld of the year would be the Anbernic ARC & Retroid Pocket Flip. These 2 are perfect for anyone to start this new hobby.
@@XxPARTYBEARxX I do think the Linux Arc is an amazing device for alot of newcomers. setup on the flip is a bit hectic but yes, also one of my top pics
Why is hdmi not a big deal for most youtubers. I absolutely love to hook up the devices that can to the big screen and play ps1 or snes or atari 2600 like back when i was a child...brings back so many memories.
Therefore alone the rg35xx beats the miyoo mini + and the retroid 3+ beats the rg405m for me easily
The thing is that as much as HDMI is great it’s actually a fairly unique use case. But I always factor that into my considerations.
One of the things that’s important to me is nostalgic form and aesthetics. That’s half the enjoyment for me. NES games simply aren’t fun on a pc or with a modern game pad. I don’t think it would be fun for my on a psp shaped device either. And I don’t need the extra wide screen for that either. I like it to feel as if I’m actually playing like I used to. I was never really into psp much, so that kind of cuts all of those form factors out for me. The phat game boy one looks really nice for holding and fits that, but is like twice as expensive as the miyoo mini plus. That one, with the old grey color, is less powerful but I’m also not really interested in emulating much beyond nes and gba. Nds maybe but my nostalgia doesn’t lay with those and I can just use my ds for that. And for $65 shipped form chine or $81 right away from Amazon with all the accessories it was easy to snatch two for my partner and I to play together. Also, the net play of the mini plus was the deciding factor. I want to be able to play couch coop games with a friend, which is also a big factor in how I used to enjoy these old games. Thank you for reviewing them all in one place without sounding flashy and annoying like every other channel! It would be nice to compare features in another video. Very high level like this video was. Things like multiplayer, Pokémon trading, ftp/ssh/web browser access to drop games from a phone or computer, battery life, stock os and best 3rd party os, and misc on board tools like file name cleanup, art scraping, etc. thanks again!
Thanks and I will keep those notes in mind.
My favorite has been the RG405m since I got it. I love the X28 too so that would be next on my list. If my eyes weren't ancient, my list would include a lot of the smaller devices.
Yes the RG405M is great. I think in my mind I counted its price against it. I ended up leaving the X28 out because it’s actually got some very bad elements to it, which I overlook because of how much I enjoy it.
It's either the RP3 plus or odin 2 hands down.
Hehe yes. Unfortunately I haven’t experienced the Odin devices yet. I probably should have given it an honorary mention.
@adinwalls The odin 2 is the best arm based device you can get for a steal. AYN should've sent yah one for a review.
I picked rp3 plus for the budget category because it's like the lite version of odin devices. It's so versatile, had decent power yet very affordable.
I love streaming games on it
😊
Phones are pretty good retro handhelds too. Especially with controllers like the Galileo G8. Plus you likely need a smartphone already or have one. Some of those phones are more powerful than the Odin 2. Redmagic 8 Pro (SD8G3 - $650).
There are some nice controllers for phones now aswell
My first retro handheld device is your favorite of the year 😄 From my research, the Retroid Pocket 2S seemed to represent such an immense value! Also, if most retro handhelds have worse sticks than these I don't think I would like anything besides the RP2S or Odin 2... With no reference point of other retro handhelds, I don't find them phenomenal as an adept gamer but rather decent/adequate. Makes me think all others are less than adequate & would be frustrated playing 3D games that utilize analog sticks... Considering what it is & its price, only wish the screen was maybe 0.5-1.0" bigger but it's still good & fine; I'd trade some portability & value for that screen. It's been so fun to play with, & on the TV too. Cheers!
You did a great job with research and purchasing the RP2S, I came to the same conclusion and have been enjoying mine for a week or two now. Most other handhelds have "switch" joysticks if you've ever felt those as a reference point, so RP2S and Odin sticks are a step up from that at least haha.
Hey yes well the industry adopted those Switch style analog sticks which are fine for low end gaming but once you start streaming and playing first person shooters and other things that need more finely tuned control.
I genuinely look forward to an idiot's guide to properly setting up the Retroid 2S. I bought that and Miyoo Mini Plus this year and the Mini Plus just WORKS - really the only messing around I've had to do is getting the right files on the SD card - whilst the 2S I just haven't enjoyed that much yet as it's not as intuitive and I haven't had the time to really get into the absolute detail of setting it up so that I can just select games and run them with ease.
That’s freaky. Are you reading my mind. Today I’m working on a video and my opening line is…. Today I am an idiot. And I am going to set the 2s up….
I like sega games don’t get me wrong, but the arc d & s are so good for fighting games, basically a street fighter third strike machine for me
Yes. There was so much info I left out of the video for time and one of the things was focussing on the 3-6 button options.
Once number 2 was announced I knew which one would be number 1 😅
😂
For some reason my Anbernic videos don’t get views. I can put up a $30 Powkiddy and blow them out of the water. It’s so strange
why there's not the Odin 2 ?
It’s a bit expensive for what I am focussed on and although it’s probably the best device of the year I still think the RP2S wins as a device that’s perfectly executed with budget in mind (that’s kind of my channels focus right now)
Completely agree.
2s is best.
Yeah!
I just want to play Mario Kart from N64. Any handheld suggestions?
There are a lot of devices that can play that. The RP2s comes to mind. For a bigger screen maybe consider the RG405V.
@adinwalls thank you! There's just so many options. I'm honestly just looking for the cheapest option.
❤
Odin PRO for 199USD. :)
lol just cause you have a lekker saffa accent I bought a retro pocket 2s lol
This is the way…. 🤖
@@adinwalls you will need to point me in the direction of how to set it up properly
2022 Steam Deck
2023 Steam Deck OLED and RG35XX
😍 the truth
My utter loathing of Android as an OS for handhelds leads me to agree with Russ. The RGB30 and the X55 are the best two systems of 2023 in my opinion. The uniformity of the emulators and the ease of use are such major factors in my preference for JELOS (Linux) over Android in general.
I am working on a video challenging myself to set up an Android handheld as quick as possible. The thing that took the longest was loading roms.
@@adinwalls I've had a Retroid Flip and currently still have a RP3+ but I just don't like Android. I was able to get it set up, but the emulators felt so annoying. I know that the 618 chip the RP3+ and so on use is way more powerful than the 3566 that the RG353 series use, but I'm of the camp that stops at SNES/GBA. I don't need the extra power. And I really don't want to sort through all the libraries to get the ROM lists down to a small enough number that going through them via Android isn't a pain in the butt.