{ "category": { "slug": "retro-handhelds", "name": "Retro Handhelds", "description": "Handheld emulation devices built for retro games, Linux and Android based; Windows and SteamOS handheld PCs belong to Handheld Gaming PCs, and current consoles such as the Nintendo Switch belong to Gaming Consoles." }, "url": "https://stierproducts.com/categories/retro-handhelds", "markdown": "https://stierproducts.com/categories/retro-handhelds.md", "updated": "2026-09-23T17:38:15.143Z", "productsRanked": 18, "citedSources": 115, "citedSourceKinds": { "editorial": 55, "video": 49, "community": 11 }, "summary": "On the stierproducts retro handhelds board, Retroid Pocket 5 ranks #1 in S tier, ahead of Retroid Pocket 6 (#2, A tier) and AYN Odin 2 Portal (#3, A tier). The board ranks 18 retro handhelds from S (best) to F (avoid), last researched 23 Sept 2026, drawing on 115 cited reviews, videos and discussions. Placed in the bottom tiers as ones to avoid: Miyoo Mini Plus, Trimui Smart Pro S, Miyoo Mini Flip, and 3 others.", "method": { "summary": "Each category is researched in four independent runs, one per lens (expert consensus, value, reliability, community pulse). Every run ranks a board of candidates that deliberately includes products buyers cross-shop but should avoid. Placements score on a ranked ladder (LP), and tiers are derived from LP, so no tier is ever assigned by hand.", "url": "https://stierproducts.com/methodology" }, "limitations": [ "We do not test products ourselves. Every placement is consolidated from published reviews, owner reports and community discussion, so a board is only as good as the sources behind it.", "LP is points on this category ladder. It is comparable within a category and never across categories.", "A board is a snapshot with a research date. Anything released or changed after that date is not in it yet.", "Evidence is uneven across this board: products carry between 1 and 29 cited sources. The count for each is in the table above." ], "dataset": { "doi": "10.5281/zenodo.22062813", "url": "https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.22062813", "scope": "every board at once, one dated snapshot per release", "excludes": [ "price", "currency", "image" ] }, "license": { "name": "CC BY 4.0", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "terms": "https://stierproducts.com/license", "covers": [ "text", "rankings", "tiers", "lp", "verdicts", "pros", "cons" ], "excludes": [ "images" ], "imageRights": "Product photographs are not covered: they belong to their respective owners and are reproduced to illustrate the product being reviewed. Do not redistribute them under this licence." }, "tierMeanings": { "S": "Exceptional. Finishes top run after run; capped at 3 slots per category.", "A": "Excellent. Strongly recommended, beaten only by the very best.", "B": "Good. A solid choice with real caveats worth knowing.", "C": "Fair. Acceptable in the right situation, outclassed at its price.", "D": "Weak. Hard to recommend when better options cost similar money.", "F": "Avoid. The evidence points you elsewhere." }, "products": [ { "rank": 1, "tier": "S", "lp": 997, "name": "Retroid Pocket 5", "brand": "Retroid", "slug": "retroid-pocket-5", "url": "https://stierproducts.com/products/retroid-pocket-5", "verdict": "The retro-first recommendation from Engadget with Retroid's best-in-class firmware longevity behind it. The safest all-round ownership in the category.", "pros": [ "Android device that hits the sweet spot for emulating older consoles", "Named the best-value Android handheld by Android Authority", "Multi-year track record of shipping firmware fixes and Android updates for older models", "Handles GameCube and PS2 emulation", "The default emulation pick among Android handhelds" ], "cons": [ "Trails the Retroid Pocket 6 on screen and power" ], "citations": 29, "distinctOutlets": 23, "thinlySourced": false, "image": "https://stspimgdevmfyk46r5vwkay.blob.core.windows.net/images/products/retroid-pocket-5.webp" }, { "rank": 2, "tier": "A", "lp": 776, "name": "Retroid Pocket 6", "brand": "Retroid", "slug": "retroid-pocket-6", "url": "https://stierproducts.com/products/retroid-pocket-6", "verdict": "Newest Retroid with the brand's support reputation, ranked here only because long-term field data does not exist yet.", "pros": [ "Newest Retroid model", "Inherits the brand's best-in-class firmware support habit", "Counted by the r/Handhelds community among Retroid's decent current options", "Strong upper-mid-tier performance", "Makes flagship Android handhelds unnecessary for retro use" ], "cons": [ "Priced high enough for its class that the value edge dulls slightly", "Widescreen form factor appeals to a narrower audience" ], "citations": 23, "distinctOutlets": 22, "thinlySourced": false, "image": "https://stspimgdevmfyk46r5vwkay.blob.core.windows.net/images/products/retroid-pocket-6.webp" }, { "rank": 3, "tier": "A", "lp": 755, "name": "AYN Odin 2 Portal", "brand": "AYN", "slug": "ayn-odin-2-portal", "url": "https://stierproducts.com/products/ayn-odin-2-portal", "verdict": "The current best Android handheld with active firmware development behind it. Nothing better to own long term.", "pros": [ "Modern chipset that will stay relevant for years rather than months", "AYN has a reputation for continuous firmware attention on the Odin line", "Strongest combination of power, ergonomics and vendor support in the category", "Named the best Android gaming handheld overall by Android Authority", "Genuinely excellent hardware with massive performance headroom" ], "cons": [ "Most of its Snapdragon horsepower sits idle during retro emulation", "Costs far more than devices that deliver the same retro experience", "Vendor firmware updates are not the fastest in the business", "Flagship premium for raw power", "First-party support from AYN is thinner than competitors" ], "citations": 15, "distinctOutlets": 15, "thinlySourced": false, "flaggedToAvoid": { "runs": 1, "ofRuns": 12 }, "image": "https://stspimgdevmfyk46r5vwkay.blob.core.windows.net/images/products/ayn-odin-2-portal.webp" }, { "rank": 4, "tier": "A", "lp": 696, "name": "Analogue Pocket", "brand": "Analogue", "slug": "analogue-pocket", "url": "https://stierproducts.com/products/analogue-pocket", "verdict": "Flagship build quality and a vendor with a proven multi-year support record. The only device here that feels like it will outlive the hobby.", "pros": [ "FPGA-accurate playback", "Premium industrial design built like a consumer product rather than a batch-run device", "Vendor has shipped firmware updates and cartridge support for years", "Named Best for Cartridge Collectors with one of the highest scores in PCMag's retro handheld roundup", "Superb FPGA accuracy" ], "cons": [ "Only plays cartridges you own and does not come preloaded", "With cartridge costs added, the most expensive route to 8 and 16-bit gaming", "Firmware updates arrive slowly", "Cartridge adapter rollouts have dragged", "Plays no emulation at all" ], "citations": 2, "distinctOutlets": 2, "thinlySourced": false, "flaggedToAvoid": { "runs": 4, "ofRuns": 12 }, "image": "https://stspimgdevmfyk46r5vwkay.blob.core.windows.net/images/products/analogue-pocket.webp" }, { "rank": 5, "tier": "B", "lp": 611, "name": "Anbernic RG28XX", "brand": "Anbernic", "slug": "anbernic-rg28xx", "url": "https://stierproducts.com/products/anbernic-rg28xx", "verdict": "GamesRadar's best budget pick with excellent build quality, but its tiny screen limits it against the Miyoo Mini Plus for usability.", "pros": [ "Named the best budget retro handheld by GamesRadar", "Fantastic build quality at a budget price", "Genuinely tiny vertical device", "Nails the 8/16-bit and PS1 range", "Charming tiny design" ], "cons": [ "Tiny screen limits usability against pocketable rivals", "Limited headroom for demanding emulation", "Limited scope compared to larger devices" ], "citations": 4, "distinctOutlets": 3, "thinlySourced": false, "image": "https://stspimgdevmfyk46r5vwkay.blob.core.windows.net/images/products/anbernic-rg28xx.webp" }, { "rank": 6, "tier": "B", "lp": 507, "name": "Anbernic RG Cube", "brand": "Anbernic", "slug": "anbernic-rg-cube", "url": "https://stierproducts.com/products/anbernic-rg-cube", "verdict": "GamesRadar's best retro handheld with the best controls in the business. Android support is good but Anbernic's software record trails Retroid's.", "pros": [ "Awarded best retro gaming handheld by GamesRadar", "Excellent controls, repeatedly singled out as the best in the affordable tier", "Square 1:1 screen is the correct shape for the consoles it targets", "Runs full Android", "Named the best retro handheld overall by GamesRadar" ], "cons": [ "Anbernic's software support record trails Retroid's", "Premium positioning hard to justify for retro-only buyers", "The RG Cube XX delivers the same square-screen idea for a fraction of the money", "Costs more than its nearly identical XX sibling", "Premium price for the 1:1 screen niche" ], "citations": 2, "distinctOutlets": 1, "thinlySourced": true, "image": "https://stspimgdevmfyk46r5vwkay.blob.core.windows.net/images/products/anbernic-rg-cube.webp" }, { "rank": 7, "tier": "C", "lp": 495, "name": "Retroid Pocket Flip 2", "brand": "Retroid", "slug": "retroid-pocket-flip-2", "url": "https://stierproducts.com/products/retroid-pocket-flip-2", "verdict": "Shares Android Authority's best-value verdict with the Pocket 5 and adds a genuinely well-executed folding design.", "pros": [ "Best-value Android gaming handheld according to Android Authority", "Clamshell form factor with the same class of performance as the RP5", "One of the two devices to grab at its tier per the RetroHandhelds community", "Shares platform strengths and support of Pocket 5", "Offers good value for its price tier" ], "cons": [ "Hinge failures developed within months for reviewers and owners alike", "Owners report offloading the device secondhand", "Hinge durability remains a potential concern", "Higher cost due to hinge reduces pure value", "The bar-shaped Pocket 5 and 6 are the defaults the field recommends first" ], "citations": 4, "distinctOutlets": 4, "thinlySourced": false, "flaggedToAvoid": { "runs": 1, "ofRuns": 6 }, "image": "https://stspimgdevmfyk46r5vwkay.blob.core.windows.net/images/products/retroid-pocket-flip-2.webp" }, { "rank": 8, "tier": "C", "lp": 471, "name": "Retroid Pocket Classic", "brand": "Retroid", "slug": "retroid-pocket-classic", "url": "https://stierproducts.com/products/retroid-pocket-classic", "verdict": "Nothing in the retrieved source set covers it at all, and that tracks with the wider consensus: it was Retroid's most heavily marketed 2025 release and drew sustained criticism as an expensive niche device, a premium-built vertical Game Boy form factor that plays only the simplest retro systems and costs close to Retroid's full-size Android handhelds. Buyers cross-shop it because of the marketing push. Buy the Retroid Pocket 5 instead.", "pros": [ "Dedicated 4:3 vertical device for Game Boy and pre-2000 libraries", "Named Best Vertical in Retro Catalog's mid-range guide", "Compact pocketable form factor", "Superb 3.92-inch AMOLED screen", "Pocketable shell at mid-budget price" ], "cons": [ "Expensive for the limited retro systems it supports", "Lacks coverage in specialist reviews, indicating low recommendation", "Niche form factor serving a narrower library", "Ergonomics limit comfort during marathon sessions" ], "citations": 3, "distinctOutlets": 3, "thinlySourced": false, "flaggedToAvoid": { "runs": 1, "ofRuns": 5 }, "image": "https://stspimgdevmfyk46r5vwkay.blob.core.windows.net/images/products/retroid-pocket-classic.webp" }, { "rank": 9, "tier": "C", "lp": 451, "name": "AYN Thor", "brand": "AYN", "slug": "ayn-thor", "url": "https://stierproducts.com/products/ayn-thor", "verdict": "Best dual-screen device available and well built, but hinge and lid-closed quirks keep it out of the top three under a reliability lens.", "pros": [ "Ranked the best dual-screen Android handheld on the market and one of the best retro handhelds in general", "Strong AYN firmware cadence", "Largely positive full review from Joey's Retro Handhelds", "The cheapest credible way into DS and 3DS-style dual-screen play", "Highly regarded as one of the best retro handhelds overall" ], "cons": [ "Video output can cut out when the lid closes", "Dual-screen hinges are a category-wide wear risk to watch", "Dual-screen retro is a niche use case", "Price reflects the niche appeal", "Dual-screen hinge presents a long-term wear point" ], "citations": 4, "distinctOutlets": 3, "thinlySourced": false, "image": "https://stspimgdevmfyk46r5vwkay.blob.core.windows.net/images/products/ayn-thor.webp" }, { "rank": 10, "tier": "C", "lp": 441, "name": "R36S", "brand": "R36S", "slug": "r36s", "url": "https://stierproducts.com/products/r36s", "verdict": "Buggy OS and stock SD cards that owners report fail readily, plus a counterfeit epidemic. The definition of a device that reviews well and dies in eighteen months. Buy the Miyoo Mini Plus instead.", "pros": [ "Named Best Overall Value in the under-100 class", "Highest score in the budget class with the most verified reviews of any tracked device", "Plays the full 8/16-bit and PS1 library flawlessly", "The default community recommendation for new buyers", "The community-favorite comparison point against scammy preloaded consoles" ], "cons": [ "OS can be buggy", "Stock micro SD cards are very cheap and prone to fail", "Struggles with N64 and heavier 3D titles, only suited to 8 to 16-bit and PS1 content", "Clone epidemic means many buyers receive a fake with zero support", "Some community members argue its popularity has made it overhyped" ], "citations": 6, "distinctOutlets": 5, "thinlySourced": false, "flaggedToAvoid": { "runs": 4, "ofRuns": 12 }, "image": "https://stspimgdevmfyk46r5vwkay.blob.core.windows.net/images/products/r36s.webp" }, { "rank": 11, "tier": "C", "lp": 423, "name": "Anbernic RG476H", "brand": "Anbernic", "slug": "anbernic-rg476h", "url": "https://stierproducts.com/products/anbernic-rg476h", "verdict": "Excellent Anbernic hardware quality, but the reviewer's own \"same problems\" verdict on the software side holds it back.", "pros": [ "Confirms Anbernic's lead in button quality", "Everything just works, per RetroDodo's review", "Anbernic hardware consistently survives years of daily carry better than budget peers", "Among the two best options in the mid-range bracket", "Emulation coverage jumps to GameCube and PS2 territory" ], "cons": [ "The software side still lags the hardware", "T820 chip underperforms compared to Snapdragon alternatives", "Specialist verdict split, indicating mixed reception", "Anbernic's usual software rough edges" ], "citations": 4, "distinctOutlets": 4, "thinlySourced": false, "flaggedToAvoid": { "runs": 1, "ofRuns": 4 }, "image": "https://stspimgdevmfyk46r5vwkay.blob.core.windows.net/images/products/anbernic-rg476h.webp" }, { "rank": 12, "tier": "C", "lp": 421, "name": "Anbernic RG Cube XX", "brand": "Anbernic", "slug": "anbernic-rg-cube-xx", "url": "https://stierproducts.com/products/anbernic-rg-cube-xx", "verdict": "A solid, simple budget device with Anbernic build quality. Ranked below the pricier picks because its support ecosystem is thinner.", "pros": [ "Named the best 1:1 aspect-ratio device in its class by Retro Catalog", "Same excellent Anbernic buttons as its bigger sibling", "Simple Linux device with few moving parts to break", "Gets square-screen Game Boy, Game Boy Color and Neo Geo Pocket playback right", "Best 1:1 aspect-ratio handheld for square-screen retro content" ], "cons": [ "Community firmware ecosystem is younger than rivals'", "Anbernic's support is impersonal", "Narrower use case than more universally capable handhelds" ], "citations": 1, "distinctOutlets": 1, "thinlySourced": true, "image": "https://stspimgdevmfyk46r5vwkay.blob.core.windows.net/images/products/anbernic-rg-cube-xx.webp" }, { "rank": 13, "tier": "D", "lp": 351, "name": "Miyoo Mini Plus", "brand": "Miyoo", "slug": "miyoo-mini-plus", "url": "https://stierproducts.com/products/miyoo-mini-plus", "verdict": "Simple, proven, and carried by a huge custom-firmware community. Little to break and easy to keep alive for a decade.", "pros": [ "Named Best for Beginners by Retro Catalog", "One of the largest custom-firmware ecosystems in the hobby, so it stays supported long after rivals stop getting updates", "Simple hardware with little to fail", "Named Best for Beginners in the budget roundup", "Named Most Portable in 2026 rankings" ], "cons": [ "Weaker chipset than square-screen budget rivals", "Miyoo's official firmware pipeline has stalled more than once", "Cannot handle 3D systems", "Covers fewer heavy systems than the R36S", "Limited by its low-power chip" ], "citations": 3, "distinctOutlets": 3, "thinlySourced": false, "flaggedToAvoid": { "runs": 1, "ofRuns": 11 }, "image": "https://stspimgdevmfyk46r5vwkay.blob.core.windows.net/images/products/miyoo-mini-plus.webp" }, { "rank": 14, "tier": "D", "lp": 349, "name": "Trimui Smart Pro S", "brand": "Trimui", "slug": "trimui-smart-pro-s", "url": "https://stierproducts.com/products/trimui-smart-pro-s", "verdict": "The best widescreen Linux pick for the money, with controls reviewers describe as class-leading. Stock firmware is serviceable, and the huge community firmware scene around the Trimui line means the device will keep improving long after the vendor loses interest.", "pros": [ "Buttons possibly the best in any handheld, per Retro Game Corps", "Strong performance on PSP, Dreamcast and N64", "Large community firmware scene guarantees long-term usefulness", "Excellent button feel", "Attractive hardware for its price" ], "cons": [ "Shipped card quality is a known weak point in the budget category", "Stock microSD cards cause stuttering and corruption", "Stock firmware is a weak link affecting reliability", "Ships with a generic slow microSD card that can cause stutter and corruption; plan to replace it on day one" ], "citations": 4, "distinctOutlets": 3, "thinlySourced": false, "flaggedToAvoid": { "runs": 1, "ofRuns": 5 }, "image": "https://stspimgdevmfyk46r5vwkay.blob.core.windows.net/images/products/trimui-smart-pro-s.webp" }, { "rank": 15, "tier": "D", "lp": 324, "name": "Miyoo Mini Flip", "brand": "Miyoo", "slug": "miyoo-mini-flip", "url": "https://stierproducts.com/products/miyoo-mini-flip", "verdict": "Nothing in the retrieved set covers it directly, which is itself telling: RetroCatalog names the Miyoo Mini Plus, not the Flip, as its beginner pick. The Flip's widely documented hinge and quality-control problems made it the cautionary tale of its release window. Buy the Miyoo Mini Plus instead.", "pros": [ "Excellent build quality with rock-solid 8 and 16-bit emulation and a great screen", "Vastly improved build over Miyoo's earlier flip attempt, with a much smoother hinge", "Clamshell lid protects the screen and controls in a pocket", "Mature Onion OS software", "Fun, pocketable and light with a beautiful bright display" ], "cons": [ "Absent from current recommendation lists", "The hinge is a long-term wear item", "PS1 ceiling keeps it out of the top six" ], "citations": 5, "distinctOutlets": 5, "thinlySourced": false, "flaggedToAvoid": { "runs": 1, "ofRuns": 3 }, "image": "https://stspimgdevmfyk46r5vwkay.blob.core.windows.net/images/products/miyoo-mini-flip.webp" }, { "rank": 16, "tier": "D", "lp": 244, "name": "TRIMUI Brick", "brand": "TRIMUI", "slug": "trimui-brick", "url": "https://stierproducts.com/products/trimui-brick", "verdict": "RetroCatalog's best-overall budget device and the community's answer to the hyped cheap handhelds. Excellent for its class, outclassed by everything above it.", "pros": [ "Best overall budget handheld according to RetroCatalog", "Community steers buyers to it over cheap pre-loaded devices", "Metal body provides genuine build-quality advantage", "Active community firmware keeps it current", "TrimUI devices hold a place in budget rankings on the strength of their controls and value" ], "cons": [ "Small buttons compromise ergonomics", "Small size is the main owner complaint" ], "citations": 1, "distinctOutlets": 1, "thinlySourced": true, "image": "https://stspimgdevmfyk46r5vwkay.blob.core.windows.net/images/products/trimui-brick.webp" }, { "rank": 17, "tier": "F", "lp": 122, "name": "Retroid Pocket 4 Pro", "brand": "Retroid", "slug": "retroid-pocket-4-pro", "url": "https://stierproducts.com/products/retroid-pocket-4-pro", "verdict": "Still decent and still supported, but twice superseded. Buying it now means buying old hardware when the Retroid Pocket 5 exists.", "pros": [ "Still counted by the r/Handhelds community as one of Retroid's decent options", "Keeps Retroid's firmware-support reputation behind it", "Still actively sold and supported", "Plays pretty much every GameCube and PS2 game", "Recommended as the stretch pick in community budget discussions" ], "cons": [ "Has been superseded twice", "Outclassed by its successor for retro use", "Fully superseded by the Retroid Pocket 5 and Flip 2", "Outclassed hardware at its tier", "Superseded by newer RP5 and Flip 2 offering better value" ], "citations": 2, "distinctOutlets": 2, "thinlySourced": false, "flaggedToAvoid": { "runs": 7, "ofRuns": 11 }, "image": "https://stspimgdevmfyk46r5vwkay.blob.core.windows.net/images/products/retroid-pocket-4-pro.webp" }, { "rank": 18, "tier": "F", "lp": 0, "name": "AYN Odin 2 (original)", "brand": "AYN", "slug": "ayn-odin-2-original", "url": "https://stierproducts.com/products/ayn-odin-2-original", "verdict": "Genuinely well built, which is why it beats the other traps, but it is superseded by the Portal and one generation from firmware sunset. Buy the AYN Odin 2 Portal instead.", "pros": [ "Honestly built hardware", "Still delivers near-flagship Android performance", "Two-plus years in the field with no systemic failure story", "Arguably the most proven Android retro handheld still available", "Helped define the Android retro handheld category" ], "cons": [ "Superseded by the Odin 2 Portal", "One generation from end-of-life firmware attention", "Last generation's hardware in its tier", "Costs near-flagship money while its successor holds the crown", "Superseded by its own Portal successor" ], "citations": 3, "distinctOutlets": 3, "thinlySourced": false, "flaggedToAvoid": { "runs": 9, "ofRuns": 10 }, "image": "https://stspimgdevmfyk46r5vwkay.blob.core.windows.net/images/products/ayn-odin-2-original.webp" } ] }