Many of these devices are not worth your time or money.
Here’s how you could separate the wheat from the chaff.
Branding is also important.
Nintendo
Does the brand exist?
Do they have a website?
Do they make anything else?
Anbernic
Is anyone discussing this brand?
The final red flag is a price that’s just too low.
Whats Wrong With These Devices?
The most important thing is that games run to a decent standard.
Almost all retro handhelds use a method known as “emulation” to run games meant for retro consoles.
The biggest problem with these handhelds is that they frequently lack raw processing power.
With many of these poor-quality cheap handhelds, the input delay is severe enough to make retro games unplayable.
Especially those that require precise timing, which is a lot of them!
A cheap, blurry screen with lots of ghosting will negatively impact the overall experience.
Look for a gear with an IPS LCD, which should offer great colors and crisp motion.
Top example includeWulff DenandBeatEmUps, but there are plenty to choose from.
Even better, we’ve compiled a roundup of thebest retro handheldsto get you started.
This does come at a stiff price, but companies likeAnbernicandRetroidoffer more cost-effective solutions.