Welcome to the latest edition of Retro Handhelds Weekly. This week saw a bunch of news in both the world of hardware and software, our writing team continues to be on an absolute tear, and there’s even a surprise or two sprinkled in! So sit back, grab a cup of coffee, and catch up on what’s happened this week in the world of Retro Handhelds.
Hardware
If there’s one thing we know about retro handhelds, it’s that there is always something new around the corner. Seriously, it’s “worse” than smartphones, as some companies release new handhelds every other week. On the bright side, at least there’s no shortage of options.
Retroid Pocket 5 and Mini Updates
Coming as little surprise, much of the news from the past week has been dominated by the Retroid Pocket 5 and Pocket Mini. In that time, we’ve learned everything about these upcoming handhelds, along with a surprise update that the company is including more RAM and Android 13 in the Pocket 5. Not to mention that you can now pre-order one for yourself using the appropriate links below.
Anbernic RG406V: A Worthy Successor to the RG405V?
Well, it looks like Anbernic is getting back to a crazy release schedule, as the RG40XXV was just released and another handheld is on the way. Now, the Anbernic RG406V has been revealed, bringing about the long-anticipated successor to the RG405V.
Helegaly K56 & K560 Revealed With Familiar Design
The device will sport a 5.5 inch 16:9 offering full 720p resolution at 1280 x 720. There will be two versions offered, one featuring a Helios G99, and another with a Unisoc T620. According to messages, the K56 will be powered by the Unisoc T620, while the K560 will use the Helio G99.
AMD Z2 Extreme Confirmed – 300% Boost in Battery Life?!
When the ROG Ally X was announced, we came away surprised that it is still reliant on the same Ryzen Z1 Extreme chip from the original Ally. At the time, there was little indication of when a successor to the Z1E would be announced, but that’s now changed. The Z2 Extreme was announced during IFA 2024, aiming to provide improved performance. However, AMD also claims that the Z2E will “boost high-end performance mode battery life from 45 minutes to 3 hours.”
Acer Enters the Handheld Market With the Nitro Blaze 7
One of the big questions surrounding x86 handhelds was whether other big players would join the mix. Valve kicked things off with the Steam Deck, with ASUS and Lenovo following suit. Then, MSI joined the fray with the Claw, and now Acer is getting involved as the Nitro Blaze was just announced.
Software and Custom Firmware
Don’t get me wrong, hardware is definitely fun and exciting to talk about. But what good is an awesome handheld if it doesn’t even work? That’s where software and custom firmware come into play, so here’s everything you might’ve missed this week.
Cemu for Android Beta
Cemu for Android on Odin 2
Back in July, was when we first got wind that the Cemu developers were working on an Android version. At the time, Cemu wasn’t expected to arrive until sometime in 2025. However, there’s an Alpha build of Cemu that’s currently available on GitHub for you to try out. Just be aware that there are still a plethora of bugs and issues to be worked out, and that the Android version will only work with .wua files.
Steam Deck OLED Windows Audio Drivers Are Now Available
Valve continues to make great headway with Windows compatibility for the Steam Deck. Most recently, the company finally added audio drivers for those who want to install Windows on the Steam Deck OLED. This is a massive step, as we get closer and closer to the release of SteamOS 3. However, the support page points out that it’s still not possible to dual-boot SteamOS and Windows, but that “this will ship alongside SteamOS 3 once it’s complete.”
Xbox One Translation Layer for Windows
Introducing XWine1, an Xbox One translation layer for Windows PCs.
Currently six games are fully playable, with others reaching logos and in-game. More news to come! pic.twitter.com/Du6puJz6Dj— XWine1 (@XWineOne) September 8, 2024
What a time to be a fan of emulation. While PS4 emulation on Windows continues to improve, we’re now getting our first look at Xbox One emulation for Windows thanks to XWine1.
Other Software News
- PlaytronOS Alpha Now Available
- Balatro Coming to Mobile on September 26
- RPCS3 New Hardware Requirements
- Celebrating 30 years of PlayStation
From the Writers
While there’s always a lot of news to cover and talk about, we also try to take a step back and give everyone something a bit different to enjoy. These are the more editorial-styled articles that you might have missed over the course of this week.
RH Games: What We’re Playing This Week
Another week of being busy and not much time to play. I have been doing a little bit of Eastward and I just bought Grim Dawn because I heard it is like Diablo and was $5. The big thing I did though was complete Katamari Damacy REROLL. It took me all week to beat the game in 3 hours, but I did it!
ZPG A1 Unicorn Review: So Clicky, So Good
Ever since the RGB30 hit the scene, there’s been a random smattering of 1:1 handhelds arriving. The latest of which is the ZPG A1 Unicorn, a retro handheld that we first saw late last year. However, after the Unicorn landed earlier this year, it might have just become my favorite in this form factor.
RetroArch Setup Guide for iOS Devices
In this written iteration of Mikhailov’s Guides, We will set up RetroArch on your iPhone or iPad and bring you from zero to an iOS emulation master.
8BitDo Retro Mechanical Keyboard Review: This is the One
I’ve been buying keyboards for years now. I have a few UT47.2s, a Rainkeeb, a Freebird60, the WK870, and even an old Epomaker I don’t remember the name of. All of my keyboard experience stems from a Gateron Brown-based Drevo Blademaster TE. But the 8Bitdo keyboard really feels like a step up despite being nothing more than a wireless TKL plastic keyboard.
Multiplicity of Deception: R36 Clones Flood Market
L: Real R: Emuelec Clone. Note the italic X button on the fake.
Fresh off the heels of the MagicX processor scandal, another controversy has hit our once peaceful tinkering community: Sellers on AliExpress, some with trusted community track records, are selling K36 clone internals masked as genuine (if there is such a thing) R36S consoles.
Using the ROG Ally X as a PC
With the Steam Deck, I just used it for gaming and did not mess with the Desktop mode besides setting up emulation. I wanted something that I could dual use as a PC to work on and also play some games. The HP laptop that my work provided was not cutting it. Introduce my time with the ROG Ally X.
On the YouTubes
Don’t think that the writers are the only ones getting things done. Over the past week, Mikey gave us his take on the E6 Plus, Zu took us on an excellent deep dive exploring the RG40XXV, and Derek reviews the new Abxylute S9 telescopic controller.
Looking for Deals?
Another week, another set of deals to be had. Of course, the headlining deals are for pre-orders of the Retroid Pocket 5 and Pocket Mini. Pre-orders go live at 9 PM ET, and Retroid is even offering a bundle that includes both handhelds. Plus, there are a bunch of great games available for free from Amazon Prime Gaming.
- Retroid Pocket 5
- Retroid Pocket Mini
- RG40XX H: $54
- RG35XX SP: $47
- RGB30: $66
- Miyoo A30: $33
- TrimUI Model S: $28
- GameSir Galileo G8 Plus: $72
- 8Bitdo Pro 2: $28
- UGREEN Nexode 145W (25000mAh):
$99.99$79.99 - Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor, LEGO: The Lord of the Rings, Borderlands 2, and more for FREE from Amazon Prime Gaming
- Football Manager 2024 and Sniper Ghost Warrior Contracts for FREE at Epic Games
What did you think of this article? Let us know in the comments below, and chat with us in our Discord!
This page may contain affiliate links, by purchasing something through a link, Retro Handhelds may earn a small commission on the sale at no additional cost to you.