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.

Super Mario Bros World 1-1 on the NES.

Nintendo

Does the brand exist?

Do they have a website?

Do they make anything else?

Anbernic RG35X H portable handheld retro gaming console.

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.