Retro Emulation Handheld Buying Guide ($25-$99)

Retro Emulation Handheld Buying Guide ($25-$99)

I made this retro buying guide to help people that are overwhelmed by the number of options available on the market. This is a quick overview of the major emulation handhelds under $100 along with some of my personal opinions. I tried to keep this as concise as possible and my hope is that this helps narrow down the field for some of you.

Follow me: https://www.instagram.com/takiudon/
Discord: https://discord.gg/AX2XdFk

*Official manufacturer stores*

Wolsen
Bittboy – https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_bDMeW9
PG1 – http://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/b1b0Zf2n
Playgo – http://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/KAj9dWf
LDK V – https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_bFSFC9
LDK H – https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_bkdMqd

Moorechip
Single – https://www.GoRetroid.com
Dual – https://bit.ly/38WJ58X
Amazon – https://amzn.to/2W55Ras

GameKiddy
350H – http://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/5tUXoYX

RetroFlag
GPi Case – https://amzn.to/2OVFEaR
http://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/c5jCS1af

PowKiddy
Q90 – http://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/cqYBLt2B
x15 – http://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/bAOYcUND

Anbernic
RG99 – waiting for link
RG300 – http://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_DKdbN
RS97 – waiting for link
RG350 – http://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/cApN26XV

Portable Monitor: https://amzn.to/36KYkkG

Disclaimer: This review includes affiliate links. Anything you purchase from those links helps support the channel.

This video is for educational purposes only.

50 Comments

  1. lifehackertips on July 23, 2021 at 8:26 pm

    6:30 can it use pi 4 or future pi with similar form factor? I’ve already seen pi 4 2gb for $25 so it would be great to have a portable that can be upgraded in the future



  2. Peppermint on July 23, 2021 at 8:27 pm

    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



  3. The Balance on July 23, 2021 at 8:28 pm

    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.



  4. yogissjKaio on July 23, 2021 at 8:29 pm

    Totally amazing video content, thanks for putting amazing info !



  5. Fenton Read-Smith on July 23, 2021 at 8:30 pm

    Is Taki saying “beta” or “beater”? Thanks.



  6. Almoni97 on July 23, 2021 at 8:32 pm

    Is there a wii portable emulator for under 200$? I want something basic, with it’s own OS because I’m pretty bad with emulators… So please, no Windows!



  7. Could you Help me reach 1k subs without any videos on July 23, 2021 at 8:32 pm

    You can buy a ds and a r4 card with under 40 bucks



  8. Cult Of Malgus on July 23, 2021 at 8:32 pm

    looking for something that can run GBC, GBA, DS, SNES games at the lowest possible price point tbh.



  9. Rolfathan on July 23, 2021 at 8:34 pm

    9:43 What is this game? I used to play it in college with a bunch of friends between classes, but I 100% forgot the name and had given up looking for it, and here it is in a video!



  10. krull1981 on July 23, 2021 at 8:36 pm

    What game is that at 08:05 (Top Down Action RPG)?



  11. BEÜRSEK STUDIOS on July 23, 2021 at 8:37 pm

    Bum like me is always ready to sell kidney for retroid pocket



  12. Coffee Break on July 23, 2021 at 8:37 pm

    U forgot the Retroid Pocket 2…



  13. Andres_w on July 23, 2021 at 8:37 pm

    4:42 what game is that?



  14. UwU Pikachu on July 23, 2021 at 8:38 pm

    I felt my heart stop for a moment when I seen that all of these products won’t ship to Canada </3



  15. Taki Udon on July 23, 2021 at 8:41 pm

    Hope this helps. I included some LDK modding footage that I’ve been sitting on.



  16. John Ross on July 23, 2021 at 8:42 pm

    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.



  17. spiderside on July 23, 2021 at 8:42 pm

    6:39 "In any case" ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)



  18. dsofnwe wrh on July 23, 2021 at 8:43 pm

    The lackadaisical chard delightfully refuse because risk peripherally perform for a plant sense. detailed, hurt forest



  19. What The Plush on July 23, 2021 at 8:43 pm

    powkiddy rgb10



  20. Brandon Barlow on July 23, 2021 at 8:49 pm

    Can’t wait for an update to this video



  21. TechnoShock on July 23, 2021 at 8:49 pm

    Is it worth to buy now the PlayGo or its better waiting for new handhelds? My budget is 60-65 usd



  22. spare change for a crippling meth addiction on July 23, 2021 at 8:51 pm

    I’m a big fan of the rg300’s form factor but am disappointed by the lack of power and inability to play gameboy/snes games true to as it were on console. Is there any more powerful emulators that come in a similar style with a bit more power?



  23. Haiu on July 23, 2021 at 8:51 pm

    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



  24. lifehackertips on July 23, 2021 at 8:52 pm

    Can you put titles in a different corner in future videos or have the titles move? YouTube subtitles go in the bottom left corner and make reading the console names difficult



  25. SoulSilverNotFound on July 23, 2021 at 8:53 pm

    What could play GameCube games on this list?



  26. will nesbitt on July 23, 2021 at 8:54 pm

    That’s a shame, they all have pretty big flaws in them 😂



  27. Duckers on July 23, 2021 at 8:54 pm

    Ali express link is dead for powkitty x15
    .



  28. Mister Baer on July 23, 2021 at 8:56 pm

    You should make a new buying guide, with the Anbernic RG351v, even though it’s just above $100,..



  29. Pippo on July 23, 2021 at 8:59 pm

    Is there a device you can run Stadia on?



  30. Josh Lovez Stuff on July 23, 2021 at 9:03 pm

    anyone know what bleach game he is playing at 9:38 ?



  31. Elijah Marshall on July 23, 2021 at 9:03 pm

    Are there any devices with full sized sd card slot?



  32. Relax Stear on July 23, 2021 at 9:04 pm

    Can the Q90 play that dragon ball game??



  33. Tech Ninja on July 23, 2021 at 9:07 pm

    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.



  34. ²⁰¹⁴ ʷᵃˢ ᵃ ᵍᵒᵒᵈ ʸᵉᵃʳ on July 23, 2021 at 9:07 pm

    What is the Dragon Ball game on this vid?



  35. Joshua Rios on July 23, 2021 at 9:08 pm

    Game boy Nintendo world night staph



  36. Epic Kingdom on July 23, 2021 at 9:09 pm

    I just use my phone and plug my Xbox One controller into it using an OTG cable.



  37. Ealswythe Angelic Realms on July 23, 2021 at 9:09 pm

    Do you have a hand held Super Nintendo? My friend has one and it is shaped like a large SNES controller with a screen in the middle. Games are inserted in a slot at the top. I suspect this was something manufactured in China way after the Super Nintendo ended because Nintendo did not come out with a hand held Super Nintendo in the 90’s. I would appreciate any information you might have on this hand held Super Nintendo as to who made it and when it was released. I have seen another SNES hand held that is shaped like a small box and opens up with screen on top and controls on the bottom half. This one also has remote battery operated controllers. Do you know who made this one and when it came out. If you have either of these do you have an idea of their price?



  38. lifehackertips on July 23, 2021 at 9:09 pm

    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.



  39. Alex dlc on July 23, 2021 at 9:13 pm

    Update ?



  40. Aby mohanan on July 23, 2021 at 9:15 pm

    Thank you so much for this video 👍🏻👌🏻✌🏻



  41. VitaTest on July 23, 2021 at 9:16 pm

    what is that games name 9:56



  42. kam m on July 23, 2021 at 9:16 pm

    just buy a cheap phone with a cheap controller and you can run everything with best settings possible



  43. StoneApollyon on July 23, 2021 at 9:18 pm

    Is getting a retroid pocket 2 really worth it? I think it would totally be.



  44. Robert Paulson on July 23, 2021 at 9:19 pm

    Wait, where are you getting PSP’s for $20? wtf lol



  45. Xela Shade on July 23, 2021 at 9:19 pm

    I remember the days when GTA San andreas was a demanding game like 10-12 years ago, how times have changed.



  46. Iwane Matsui on July 23, 2021 at 9:21 pm

    Glory to Japan



  47. Majin Studio on July 23, 2021 at 9:22 pm

    The last 2 im torn.



  48. AJz on July 23, 2021 at 9:23 pm

    how does the rg280m compare to all of these?



  49. YOLO DIY on July 23, 2021 at 9:23 pm

    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.



  50. FerHivore on July 23, 2021 at 9:25 pm

    Hearing the compatible system acronyms listed feels like listening to lottery numbers; I just keep hoping for PS1 and N64 on one cheap device.