The perfect Android retro gaming handhelds you should purchase

Gaming handhelds have been round for many years now, however with the Steam Deck breaking the market open just a few years in the past, it seems like we’re having a renaissance of emulation-focused handhelds. And whereas costly handheld gaming PCs just like the Asus ROG Ally and Lenovo Legion Go usually get the lion’s share of the eye, Android-based gaming handhelds are completely good for retro gaming. Listed below are just a few key benefits:

• Entry to Android apps and video games (together with retro recreation ports and Android emulators).
• Improved portability over extra highly effective handhelds.
• Higher battery life and connectivity choices.
• Extra touch-friendly than Home windows-based handhelds.
• Less expensive than gaming telephones.

With all that in thoughts, we’ve chosen the most effective Android retro gaming handhelds that will help you hop again in time and get your nostalgia gaming repair.

AYN is a relative newcomer to the gaming handheld scene, however its Odin Professional system is our choose for the most effective Android retro gaming handheld for most individuals. It’s acquired the right combination of ergonomics, uncooked energy, and accessible pricing to make it a straightforward advice.

Measuring roughly the identical dimension and form because the Nintendo Change Lite, the AYN Odin Professional is the right dimension for moveable gaming. It options curved handles on the again, making it extra comfy to carry than the Change Lite for lengthy gaming classes, plus a vibrant 6-inch 1080P LCD display screen to actually make basic video games pop.

The D-Pad and face buttons supply nice tactile suggestions, and the triggers have a extra trendy design with no click on. There are customizable backplate buttons on the handles, as nicely. It runs Android 10, which is barely dated, however greater than current sufficient to run the newest emulators. Being an Android-based retro gaming handheld, there may be numerous room to tweak options, nevertheless it comes with the added potential to swap between efficiency profiles to eke extra recreation outing of the 6,600mAh battery.

On the within, the AYN Odin Professional is powered by the Snapdragon 845, which is occurring 5 years previous at this level, nevertheless it’s loads highly effective to play retro video games. For reference, you must be capable to run PS2 and Gamecube emulators at an affordable framerate with out tinkering proper out of the field.

As of writing, the AYN Odin Professional is on sale at round $250 to make approach for the AYN Odin2, which is at present in the course of one other wildly profitable crowdfunding marketing campaign. Will probably be considerably extra highly effective, with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, extra RAM, Android 13, WiFi 7, and a bigger battery. In the event you might be affected person it will likely be definitely worth the wait, however the Odin2 gained’t ship till the tip of 2023 on the earliest.

In order for you one thing extra reasonably priced, the Retro Pocket 3+ is a unbelievable various. It’s cheaper than even a primary low-cost Android cellphone, nevertheless it’s able to emulating video games as much as the PS2 and Gamecube period, with just a few exceptions.

That is largely as a result of Unisoc Tiger T618 processor. You gained’t discover this on too many Android telephones, nevertheless it’s greater than highly effective sufficient for many retro video games. It’ll battle with some extra demanding PS2 video games like Grand Theft Auto, however something beneath that ought to run like a dream.

The design of the Retro Pocket 3+ is pretty customary, with a Change-like structure and a small 4.7-inch touchscreen. Whereas it would appear to be that display screen dimension may be very small, it really works nicely for older retro video games.

At $150, it’s onerous to beat the worth on supply right here. It ships with Android 11, however the setup course of may be very easy, operating you thru all of the steps it is advisable begin enjoying, even the set up of primary emulators. It additionally has entry to the Google Play Retailer to put in much more must you want them.

Retroid makes just a few extra gadgets within the retro handheld house, together with the clamshell-style Pocket Flip. It’s a bit dearer, nevertheless it’s fairly a bit extra moveable.

The Logitech G Cloud wasn’t designed to be a retro Android gaming machine, nevertheless it’s in all probability what it’s finest at. The cloud-first system was made for streaming providers like GeForce Now, Xbox Cloud Gaming, or the now-defunct Google Stadia, however in our evaluate we discovered the shortage of WiFi 6 and poor cloud efficiency to be dealbreakers on that entrance. The software program was additionally extra of a burden than a useful function, and we discovered it much less helpful than the inventory Android 11 it’s plastered over.

Nonetheless, it’s nonetheless a really well-made system, with a 1080p show that’s loads sharp and vibrant for retro gaming. The face and shoulder buttons are additionally nice, and the general construct high quality is a step above the extra budget-friendly gadgets listed above.

The Logitech G Cloud sports activities a Snapdragon 720G, which is a mid-range gaming-focused SoC that largely hits the nail on the top. It ran all the things as much as and generally together with the PS2 and Gamecube period, though it actually shines with PSP emulators and older. The extra environment friendly processor additionally permits wonderful battery life, from 10 to 12 hours in our evaluate.

Sadly, Logitech priced this at $350, which is considerably greater than most Android retro gaming handhelds. If you will discover it on sale it’s a strong premium choose, however at full worth, it’s not the most effective worth.

The Razer Edge is yet one more premium system, and it contains a distinctive design that’s extra like an Android pill with an attachable controller than a standalone gaming handheld. In actual fact, the controller is accessible individually because the Razer Kishi V2, and you may connect it to just about any smartphone for the same expertise.

However again to the Edge. It sports activities a big 6.8-inch OLED display screen, placing it in the identical dimension class as the most important Android telephones, even with out the controllers connected. On the within, it’s powered by a Snapdragon G3X Gen 1 SoC. This isn’t the newest cell processor, however mixed with the improved cooling options on the Edge, it would outperform most flagship telephones with regards to sustained gaming. Nonetheless, we did discover that these followers do get a bit loud.

In contrast to the Logitech G Cloud above, the Razer Edge contains a pretty inventory Android 12 expertise. The pre-loaded Nexus app was extra bother than it was value in our expertise, however with full entry to the Google Play Retailer, you’ll be able to obtain as many emulators as you may presumably want.

There are two fashions of the Razer Edge, one with 5G and one with out. The previous will run you $600, whereas the latter is $400. To make use of as a retro gaming system, the non-5G mannequin might be greater than sufficient.

Getting again into reasonably priced territory, the Anbernic RG353P is nice for true retro gaming. It gained’t play something from the PS2 period or newer, however it will probably nonetheless play most Dreamcast video games fairly nicely with its RK3566 Quad-Core SoC.

It’s clear from the get-go that the RG353P is a finances system, with a a lot smaller 3.5-inch IPS show. It nonetheless a contact show, although, and the system comes with the flexibility besides in both Linux or Android 11. It’s in all probability extra comfy to make use of in Linux, and it comes with emulators pre-installed, nevertheless it’s good to have the choice.

For anybody trying to play older retro video games, the Anbernic RG353P is a superb choose that gained’t break the financial institution. For roughly $100, you’ll be able to get pleasure from video games from the NES, SNES, N64, and even PSP eras for upwards of 5 hours on a single cost.

Our final choose for the most effective Android retro gaming handheld is among the strongest, but in addition the most costly. The GPD XP Plus contains a modular design that permits you to swap out and in the right-hand controller to swimsuit no matter you’re enjoying.

Powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 1200, this system can run all the things as much as and together with PS2-era video games with ease, and the sizable 7,000Ah battery will maintain you gaming for upwards of 10 hours on a single cost.

The construct high quality isn’t fairly pretty much as good as different handhelds in its worth bracket, however it would get the job completed. One vibrant spot is the large 6.81-inch show, which in all actually is likely to be overkill for retro video games.

Being Android-based you may also play any video games from the Google Play Retailer, and the system leans into that with software program that permits you to map the rear buttons to sure places on the display screen. This may give you a bonus in video games like PUBG Cellular, though it gained’t do an excessive amount of in most retro video games.