The craze for handhelds over the last 24 months has driven a surge in portable gaming consoles. We’ve seen it all, right from retro handheld devices to modern consoles that can handle AAA titles without breaking a sweat. GAMEMT has been in the thick of things with a Android handheld released last month and a unique portable console with a dial knob.
Now the Chinese manufacturer has revealed yet another handheld, which is an eye turner for sure. This is the E5 MODX console based on the original E5 released in 2024. The console has a removable modular display that can be connected to your MagSafe-compatible smartphone. It would be safe to say that the handheld draws inspiration from the MCON controller, but we haven’t seen a detachable-display handheld yet. Now, that’s downright cool.
Designer: GAMEMT
In its native form, the handheld looks and feels just like any other 3:4 display device. However, when you detach the 5.5″ screen (1024 x 768) and connect its controller module magnetically to a mobile phone, it turns into an altogether different beast. The gaming machine comes with the MTK6771 Helio P60 chipset, which is not that highly rated in the tech circles, given its inconsistent performance. Still, it’ll be interesting to see what GAMEMT has managed to achieve with this microchip in terms of hardware and software compatibility in the E5 MODX. The chipset is paired with a 3GB RAM for optimized performance, and 32 GB internal memory is more than enough to store the suite of AA games.
You can expect to emulate PS1 games, or the option to pair with the Dreamcast/N64/PS2 and GameCube emulation. Clearly, you would better explore the retro arcade game library with this one, to be honest. The real magic happens when you connect the device to your flagship smartphone, and the fun of playing AAA games is again real. For now, it is unclear whether the magnetically detachable accessory pairs via Bluetooth or works with the physical connection, and also for low latency.
According to GAMEMT, the first 3D prototype of the E5 Modx is in the works, and there is no word yet on when the handheld will be released. For now, the idea sounds very interesting, given the landscape of handheld consoles that gamers now can choose from.
For retro gaming enthusiasts, few platforms have embraced nostalgia with the same dedication as the Evercade lineup. Developed by Blaze Entertainment, the Evercade ecosystem has steadily carved out a niche by doing something many modern gaming platforms have abandoned, delivering classic games through collectible physical cartridges.
Since the original Evercade gaming handheld console arrived in 2020, the brand has built a reputation for preserving classic titles while presenting them in a curated, officially licensed format. Now the company is taking a more ambitious step forward with the Evercade Nexus, a device designed to modernize the handheld experience without losing the retro soul that defines the platform.
The Nexus is a significant leap in hardware compared to earlier Evercade devices. One of the most noticeable changes is the 5.89-inch IPS screen (with 840×512 resolution) having a wider 16:9 aspect ratio. Previous Evercade systems focused primarily on the classic 4:3 format used by older consoles, but the wider screen allows the Nexus to better support enhanced versions of classic games as well as titles that benefit from a broader viewing area. The larger display also improves overall comfort for handheld play, giving retro games more space while maintaining the pixel clarity enthusiasts expect.
Controls have also received a major update. For the first time in the Evercade lineup, the Nexus includes dual analog sticks alongside the traditional D-pad and face buttons. While retro gaming is often associated with simpler control layouts, the addition of analog sticks expands the handheld’s compatibility with early 3D titles and games that demand more precise movement. The system also introduces TATE mode, allowing the console to be rotated vertically. This feature is particularly useful for classic arcade shooters originally designed for upright cabinets, recreating their intended orientation on a handheld device.
Under the hood, the Evercade Nexus runs on a quad-core processor clocked at around 1.5GHz. Power comes from a 5,000mAh battery that provides roughly five hours of gameplay on a single charge, while modern conveniences such as wireless headphone support bring the device closer to contemporary handheld expectations without sacrificing portability. Another notable addition is EverSync, a wireless multiplayer feature that allows two Nexus systems to connect locally. With EverSync, players can temporarily share a game from a single cartridge so both devices can participate, offering a simple way to enjoy multiplayer titles without requiring multiple copies.
Like every Evercade device, the Nexus remains fully compatible with the platform’s growing library of physical cartridges. The ecosystem now includes more than 700 officially licensed retro games spread across dozens of curated collections from classic publishers and arcade developers. Instead of relying on digital downloads, the Evercade philosophy continues to center on physical ownership and preservation. At launch, the Evercade Nexus will include a special cartridge featuring enhanced versions of classic titles such as Banjo‑Kazooie and Banjo‑Tooie, optimized for the handheld’s widescreen display.
Evercade Nexus handheld is up for preorder at $199.99 with release set for October 2026, which is a long time away if you are already curious. You can also go for the $229.99 Nexus 64 Edition, which boasts an exclusive Hard Shell EVA Case themed with the Evercade Nexus 64 Edition style, screen protectors, and of course, the certificate of authenticity. It is going to be limited to 2,000 units with pre-order availability on Funstock.
The retro handheld market has a strange problem. The hardware keeps getting better, the screens get sharper, the processors get faster, and yet most of these devices land looking like prototypes someone forgot to finish. Generic shells, forgettable proportions, and LED lighting as a substitute for actual design thinking. For a category built entirely on nostalgia, very few of these devices actually look like they belong to any era at all.
That tension is what one Reddit user decided to address. Starting with a Retroid Pocket 5, a $199 Android handheld running a Snapdragon 865 and a 5.5-inch AMOLED display, the mod layers Sony and Nintendo branding onto the same shell. Vinyl decals, translucent polycarbonate, a 3D-printed volume rocker from Etsy, and a cable replaced in PS2 color. The result looks less like a sticker job and more like a concept render from an alternate 1999.
The translucent shell is doing most of the work. It pulls from the visual language of the N64’s Funtastic series, those clear and atomic-purple controllers Nintendo released in the late 1990s, where showing the circuitry was the design choice rather than concealing it. Over a piano-black grip body with PlayStation-colored face buttons, the frosted polycarbonate shifts from grey to near-white depending on the light. It shouldn’t feel considered. It does.
The branding placement is where intent becomes clear. The Sony wordmark sits centered on the upper face, exactly where it appeared on a PSOne. Below it, the PlayStation four-color logo. At the bottom bezel, the Nintendo badge mirrors its position on a Game Boy Advance SP. None of it is licensed, of course. These are adhesive vinyls placed by someone who grew up with both systems and wanted their coexistence on one device to feel inevitable rather than absurd.
Not everything here reaches backward. The analog sticks are translucent caps over hall-effect sensors, lit teal on the left and purple on the right, owing nothing to 1999. That generation didn’t have RGB anything. The lighting reads as a concession to the present; the one feature announcing this is still an Android device in 2025, not a prototype from some alternate Sony-Nintendo licensing meeting. Whether it sits comfortably alongside the retro shell is a fair question.
The rear view shifts the frame again. A large dual-grip body in smooth black rubber dominates the back, a clear plastic hinge connecting the screen to grip in full view, structural and unapologetic. The 3D-printed volume rocker at the top edge puts a physical control where fingers naturally land. The back half feels closer to a DualShock than a Game Boy, which is either the point or the problem, depending on what you wanted this thing to be.
Flip to the front screen, and the emulator grid makes the whole thing literal. DuckStation for PS1, Dolphin for GameCube, PPSSPP for PSP, melonDS for Nintendo DS, and a live PS2 wallpaper cycling behind all of it. This device runs both companies’ libraries simultaneously without asking permission from either. The branding on the shell, in that context, stops being a novelty and starts reading as a plain statement of what the hardware already does.
The retro handheld category is large enough now that sameness has become its default. The Retroid Pocket 6, the current flagship from the same manufacturer, drew community criticism for being indistinguishable from competitors: glass front, LED sticks, rounded edges, and no particular character. A fan mod building identity out of borrowed logos is one response to a problem the manufacturers haven’t solved. It’s also just someone enjoying a hobby and being honest about what they want.
The hardware to play PS1, PS2, GameCube, and Game Boy Advance all on one screen already exists and costs under $200. What the market hasn’t resolved is what that device should actually look like, or whose name should go on it. This mod doesn’t answer either question. It just makes the gap between what’s technically possible and what anyone has bothered to design feel a little harder to dismiss.
The gaming handheld continues to expand with new devices aimed at retro enthusiasts and mobile gamers. One of the latest additions is the GameMT EX8, a portable gaming console designed to deliver a capable Android-based gaming experience while maintaining a relatively affordable price point. With a high-resolution display, a familiar handheld layout, and hardware suited for emulation and mobile gaming, the EX8 represents GameMT’s attempt to compete with other budget-friendly handhelds in the growing retro gaming segment.
The handheld features a 4.88-inch display with a resolution of 1080 × 1620 pixels and a 3:2 aspect ratio. This format is particularly appealing for retro gaming because it better accommodates older console titles that do not match modern widescreen displays. The panel is also noticeably sharper than the screen used in some competing handhelds, such as the Ayaneo Pocket Micro, which uses a smaller 3.5-inch display with a lower resolution. The larger and sharper screen is expected to improve the visual experience when playing classic games from platforms like the PlayStation and PSP. With its combination of a high-resolution 3:2 display, capable mobile processor, and expandable storage, the GameMT EX8 aims to deliver a balanced handheld gaming experience.
Designer: GameMT
Powering the device is MediaTek’s Helio G99 processor, a chipset commonly found in mid-range smartphones. The chip is paired with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage, providing enough performance for Android gaming and a wide range of emulated titles. The Helio G99 has already proven capable of handling many retro systems and even some more demanding platforms through emulation, making it a practical choice for a handheld of this category. For users with larger game libraries, the EX8 also includes a microSD card slot that allows the storage to be expanded beyond the built-in capacity.
In terms of design, the EX8 adopts a horizontal handheld layout with symmetrical analog sticks positioned on both sides of the display. Each thumbstick is surrounded by an RGB ring light, giving the device a more modern aesthetic. A traditional D-pad and ABXY button arrangement sits alongside the sticks, while shoulder buttons are integrated along the top edge. The device also appears relatively thick compared to some competitors, likely to accommodate its internal hardware and cooling system. Thermal management is supported by an internal cooling fan, which helps maintain stable performance during extended gaming sessions. Audio is delivered through bottom-firing speakers, and the handheld is powered by a 5,000 mAh battery that charges through a USB-C port. These features are designed to ensure the device can sustain longer play sessions without overheating or running out of power too quickly.
The GameMT EX8 will be available in two color options. A black version pairs dark hardware with red D-pad and face buttons, while a white variant features purple buttons and matching accents. This contrast gives the handheld a distinctive visual identity within the crowded retro gaming market.
At some point in the last couple of years, something quietly shifted in the gaming world. Not in the blockbuster, billion-dollar-franchise sense, but in the more personal, “why am I actually having more fun with this tiny device than my main console” sense. Search interest in retro gaming handhelds jumped 400% year-over-year, hitting 90,500 monthly searches in January 2026 alone. That’s not a blip. That’s people rediscovering something they forgot they wanted, and then telling everyone they know about it.
What’s driving it isn’t hard to understand. Modern gaming has gotten heavy, with big installs, long tutorials, and games that feel like part-time jobs. A retro handheld sidesteps all of that. You pick it up, you’re playing something in thirty seconds, and it fits in your jacket pocket. The designs themselves have become worth caring about, too, from machined aluminum bodies to translucent clamshells to square screens that look like props from a ’90s anime. These aren’t budget toys. Some of them are genuinely beautiful objects that happen to play games. Here are seven that are worth your attention.
Anbernic RG Cube: The one with the square screen that somehow works
The first thing you notice about the RG Cube is the screen shape, a perfect square, and your brain immediately goes: that can’t be right. Gaming moved to widescreen fifteen years ago. A 1:1 display in 2024 looks like a design mistake, or at best a gimmick. It is neither. The 3.95-inch IPS panel at 720×720 turns out to be native to more retro games than you’d expect, with Game Boy, arcade titles, and Nintendo DS with dual-screen stacking all living here without compromise.
The broader package is hard to argue with. An octa-core Unisoc T820 processor and 8GB of RAM run Android 13, with emulator support up through PS2 and GameCube, though more demanding titles on those systems will push its limits. The asymmetric thumbstick layout borrows from the Steam Deck playbook, and the Saturn-inspired D-pad is precise without drama. At around $170, it comes in Beige White, Radiant Purple, Black, Grey, and the radiant purple has no right looking as good as it does.
What we liked
Square 1:1 screen is genuinely ideal for Game Boy, arcade, and DS emulation
RGB lighting and color options make it a genuinely attractive object
What we disliked
Widescreen games require letterboxing or aspect-ratio compromise
Demanding PS2 and GameCube titles push the processor to its limits
ModRetro Chromatic: The Game Boy Color that Nintendo never made
There’s a version of this product that could have been embarrassing: a magnesium alloy Game Boy Color clone bundled with a new Tetris cartridge, sold at $199. On paper, it sounds like a premium nostalgia trap. In practice, it’s one of the most carefully considered handheld devices released in years. It’s FPGA-based, meaning it reconstructs the Game Boy hardware at the circuit level rather than emulating it in software, which produces zero input latency and a millisecond-accurate match to original hardware behavior.
The physical design earns its price in ways spec sheets can’t capture. The curved battery compartment gives your hands something to grip. A physical volume wheel, a detail so obvious it’s shocking how rarely it appears on modern devices, lets you kill the sound without touching a menu. Colors run from Inferno and Bubblegum to a very wearable Wave blue, with English or Japanese button labeling as an option. It plays physical Game Boy and Game Boy Color cartridges only, which is either a dealbreaker or a feature, depending on how you think about focus.
What we liked
FPGA hardware delivers true zero input lag, not a software approximation
Magnesium alloy shell feels premium and genuinely durable
Comes bundled with a new Tetris cartridge
What we disliked
Plays only Game Boy and Game Boy Color cartridges, no ROMs or other systems
AA battery requirement adds ongoing cost; rechargeable Power Core is sold separately
Analogue Pocket: The one photographers keep picking up
The Analogue Pocket is the device that made the retro handheld conversation respectable. It uses an FPGA rather than software emulation and plays Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and GBA cartridges out of the box. Via cartridge adapters, it adds Game Gear, Neo Geo Pocket Color, Atari Lynx, TurboGrafx-16, PC Engine, and SuperGrafx. Via its microSD slot and the OpenFPGA community platform, it loads cores for nearly every retro system that ever existed. The 3.5-inch LCD at 1600×1440 and 615 ppi is, simply, one of the sharpest displays ever put in a handheld.
At $239, it sits at the premium end of this list, and it’s also frequently out of stock. Firmware updates require a microSD card reader, which feels like friction that shouldn’t exist on a $239 device. TV output needs the separately sold $99 Dock. These aren’t dealbreakers so much as signals that Analogue built this for the dedicated enthusiast first. If you want one device to handle everything in your retro library for the next decade, this is probably it.
What we liked
OpenFPGA community support covers an enormous range of retro systems
Plays GBA in addition to GB and GBC, plus many more with adapters
MicroSD slot enables ROM loading
Premium aluminum build with a distinctly modern design language
What we disliked
Frequently out of stock; restocks sell out within minutes
Firmware updates require an external microSD card reader
TV output requires a separately purchased $99 Dock
Retroid Pocket Flip 2: The clamshell that brought the GBA SP back with PS2 power
The GBA SP was the handheld that arguably peaked the clamshell form factor: it folded, it protected its own screen, and it had a backlit display before that was standard. The Retroid Pocket Flip 2 arrives in 2025 with that same closing-hinge energy, but with a 5.5-inch 1080p AMOLED screen, a Snapdragon 865 processor, and enough emulation horsepower to run PlayStation 2, GameCube, and Wii. When closed, it has roughly the same desk footprint as a modern smartphone. Closing the lid puts it to sleep; opening it wakes it up.
Color options include a translucent Ice Blue, GameCube Purple, a two-tone 16-bit US, and Black. Retroid clearly understands its audience. The AMOLED panel brings deep blacks and accurate color to games designed for CRTs, and the results are often striking for titles you’ve played a hundred times. At $229 for the Snapdragon variant, there is no meaningful clamshell competitor at this performance level. One persistent note from extended use: the form factor rewards shorter sessions more than marathon ones, which is maybe appropriate for a device meant to live in a bag pocket.
What we liked
5.5-inch AMOLED at 1080p is impressive for the price
Handles PS2, GameCube, Wii, and Dreamcast emulation
Translucent Ice Blue colorway is a design highlight
What we disliked
Thicker than it looks in product photos
Extended sessions can feel less comfortable than flat handhelds
AYANEO Pocket Micro Classic: The one that fits in an actual pocket
The Game Boy Micro launched in 2005 as Nintendo’s most polarizing hardware decision. It was tiny, it was beautiful, it only played GBA games, and it was discontinued within a year. Design historians were kinder to it than the market was. The AYANEO Pocket Micro Classic is clearly in conversation with that history. It removes the analog joysticks, uses a CNC-machined aluminum alloy frame with a seamless all-glass front, and produces something that slides into a front jeans pocket without catching on anything.
The 3.5-inch borderless IPS display at 960×640 in a 3:2 ratio is built for GBA emulation, with 4x pixel-perfect upscaling. Available in Obsidian Black, Charm Red, Vintage Grey, and Gold, each colorway has a different character. The Gold skips “gaming device” and lands somewhere closer to “considered object.” The MediaTek Helio G99 handles everything up through PS1 confidently. If your retro library is 8-bit and 16-bit with a strong GBA presence, the Pocket Micro Classic is probably the most beautiful way to play it.
What we liked
CNC aluminum and all-glass build is genuinely premium for the category
No joysticks make it notably slimmer and more pocketable
Android 13 with Play Store access expands utility beyond emulation
What we disliked
No joysticks limit N64, Dreamcast, and PSP playability
The original TrimUI Brick arrived in 2024 with an unusually sharp 3.2-inch IPS screen at 1024×768, giving it a pixel density of 405 PPI, a number that belongs on a premium smartphone, not a $55 device. The Brick Hammer edition, launched in 2025, replaces the plastic shell with a full CNC-machined aluminum alloy in Gunmetal Gray, Rose Gold, and Fluorescent Green. The metal shell doubles as a heatsink, dropping operating temperatures noticeably. Three interchangeable shoulder button sets ship in the box.
The software runs CrossMix OS on a Linux base: clean, fast, minimal overhead. Load your ROMs, pick a game, and play. Battery life lands around four to six hours. The processor handles Game Boy through PS1 without complaint; N64 gets through most titles; Dreamcast is inconsistent. The CNC backplate can be engraved, which no other device at this price point offers. The Rose Gold aluminum version sitting next to a MacBook on a desk looks less out of place than it has any right to, and that’s a strange and interesting thing to say about a $99 handheld.
What we liked
CNC aluminum Hammer shell runs noticeably cooler than the original plastic
Swappable shoulder buttons and engravable backplate are genuinely rare customization options
Rose Gold and Gunmetal colorways punch well above the budget tier
What we disliked
No analog joysticks, which limits 3D game compatibility
Dreamcast and demanding N64 titles run inconsistently
Miyoo Mini Plus (and Mini Flip): The one that started the whole obsession
If there’s a single device responsible for bringing this category to mainstream attention, the Miyoo Mini Plus is probably it. It weighs 200 grams, fits in a jeans pocket, has a 3.5-inch IPS screen at 640×480, and runs OnionOS, a community-built firmware that turns a modest Cortex-A7 processor into a near-perfect front end for everything from the NES to the original PlayStation. The interface is clean, the emulator library covers over a hundred platforms, and save states work the way save states should.
The Miyoo Mini Flip takes the same hardware and wraps it in a GBA SP-style clamshell, adding screen protection and an extra wave of nostalgia. Early production runs had hinge concerns, though those appear to have been addressed in more recent batches. At $69-99, this is the gateway to the category that doesn’t feel like a compromise. The honest question isn’t whether this device is worth the money, since it clearly is. It’s whether starting here will satisfy the itch, or simply make you want to own the other six devices on this list as well.
What we liked
Genuinely pocketable at 200g, fits in a jeans pocket without bulk
Covers NES through PS1 with confident performance
Mini Flip clamshell adds nostalgic GBA SP energy and screen protection
Gaming handhelds are supposed to fit in your hands, but AMD’s new Strix Halo processors generate serious heat and drain batteries faster than you can finish a boss fight. The GPD Win 5 and OneXFly Apex responded by strapping external battery packs to their backs, which works, but looks like your handheld is wearing a fanny pack in the wrong spot. It’s practical but awkward, and it raises an obvious question: if you’re adding external batteries anyway, why not just make the whole device bigger?
AYANEO apparently asked that same question and decided to run with it. The AYANEO NEXT II skips external packs entirely, hiding a massive 115Wh battery and a 9.06-inch OLED inside a thick, sculpted body that feels more like a portable gaming monitor with grips than something you’d slip into a backpack. It’s AYANEO’s answer to Strix Halo’s power demands, and the solution involves simply accepting that this thing was never going to be pocketable in the first place.
The design doesn’t apologize for its size. Deep grips flare outward like a proper gamepad, and the body is thick enough to house dual cooling fans without turning into a space heater. Hall effect sticks sit where your thumbs expect them, surrounded by a floating D-pad, dual touchpads, and speakers that actually face you instead of firing sound into your lap. It looks less like a Switch rival and more like someone decided gaming monitors needed handles attached.
That 9.06-inch screen uses an unusual 3:2 aspect ratio instead of the typical widescreen shape most games expect. You get a gorgeous OLED panel with refresh rates up to 165Hz and brightness that peaks at 1100 nits, which sounds fantastic until you realize most games will either add black bars or run nowhere near 165 frames per second at this resolution anyway. Still, it’s lovely for desktop windows and emulators that appreciate the extra vertical space.
The 115Wh battery is where things get complicated. Everything stays hidden inside for a cleaner look and more console-like feel, but that capacity might cause questions at airport security since many airlines cap carry-on batteries at 100Wh. You also can’t swap batteries when one dies, and constantly feeding an 85-watt processor means faster charge cycles and potential long-term wear. You’re looking at two to three hours of heavy gaming before hunting for an outlet.
The dual cooling fans work hard to keep Strix Halo from overheating, and you’ll definitely hear them during intense sessions. AYANEO claims it can sustain up to 85 watts, which should let the integrated Radeon graphics handle modern games at respectable settings, though you’ll also feel warmth radiating from the vents. This is less a grab-and-go portable and more something you carry from the couch to the desk when you need a scenery change.
AYANEO loaded the NEXT II with premium controls that enthusiasts will genuinely appreciate. Hall effect sticks and triggers promise zero drift, dual-stage trigger locks switch between smooth analog and clicky digital modes, and rear buttons plus dual touchpads give you more inputs than a standard controller. A magnetic haptic motor adds feedback that tries to mimic console vibration, and the AYASpace software hides Windows behind a console-style launcher with performance tuning options built in.
The AYANEO NEXT II essentially stops pretending to be portable. It won’t fit in a jacket pocket, might get flagged at airport security, and is almost certainly too heavy for comfortable one-handed play in bed. But if you want something that feels more like a small gaming monitor with built-in controls rather than a device you’d actually carry around town, this oversized approach makes a strange kind of sense. You just have to accept that portability took a back seat to screen size and battery capacity.
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