Fifty Dollars; you could buy a lot with that. You could grab an 8BitDo Ultimate controller, a copy of Sonic X Shadow: Generations, or even 25 Cheesy Bean and Rice burritos from Taco Bell.
Wait — didn’t I do this before? The answer is yes. In October 2023 I shared a few recommendations for handhelds under $50. While they were okay with recommendations for the time, Just like my examples, the choices for sub-$50 handhelds have changed a good bit as well. Compared to the market last year, you’re looking at a lot more choices that are under $50, which is also good. So join in as I cover my late 2024 recommendations for handhelds that cost less than some controllers. Or a lot of burritos.
R36S
An R36S Console and CFW splash screen
You’re going to notice a theme in this list, but the sub-$50 handheld landscape has followed one chip specifically. The RK3326. And of the bunch, the most popular one at the moment is the R36S. While it isn’t the best built, and originally had some pretty poor buttons, it has a lot of support. Following the 3326 footsteps before it, the R36S features that same 3.5” 640×480 display, and the familiar OS that comes with it.
If you’re looking for a cheap vertical that can do up to PS1 it’s hard not to recommend this one. A 4:3 screen is perfect for this type of application and you can usually find this handheld for $35 or less. The last R36S that I had bought came out to be around $25. And at that price point, I’d rather have that over something like a Datafrog SF2000, or last year’s #1 pick, the R35S.
Just like the rest of these though, if you want to pick them up from Amazon, expect to pay over $50. But at least you’ll get their great return policy.
Powkiddy V10 & RGB10X
Next up on the list is a small cheat, but is one I can live with for their $40 price points. The Powkiddy V10 and RGB10X are Powkiddy’s response to the cheap handheld boom of 2024. Coming with an RK3326 and 1GB of RAM, there are only a couple of differences between the two, which is why it’s quite easy to recommend either in my second spot.
The V10 is a horizontal handheld with a 480×320 display. Yes, that means it is in fact a 3:2 handheld, a rarity in the scene. The RGB10X meanwhile features a 4:3 640×480 display but in a horizontal form factor. Other than that, the RGB10X has one stick to its name. This means you’re looking at similar control options, and similar operating systems, like the ArkOS builds they shipped with. And essentially the same performance as the R36S, and the next handheld on this list.
For $40 or less, this is really not a bad handheld to choose from and is leagues better than the Powkiddy X39 Pro I recommended last year.
MagicX XU Mini M
Continuing the trend of replacing my options from last year, I’m bringing in a more controversial option; the MagicX XU Mini M. While originally announced with an RK3562, we were instead given an RK3326. Paired with a 2.8” 640×480 display we were given a mini handheld with 2 incredibly nice sticks.
The performance is exactly what we expected from the prior handhelds, the CFW from other devices are slowly being brought over. While it was a misleading device at the time, until we see the replacement, it is currently my favorite small handheld. What some would describe as “McDonald’s Toy Plastic” feels surprisingly solid in my hand. And paired with some decent controls that I’m happy to use, this is my replacement for last year’s micro. The Q36.
MagicX XU Mini M at AliExpress
Anbernic RG35XX H & RG28XX
Here I am cheating again. As another pairing, the Anbernic RG35XX H and RG28XX are Anbernic’s cheapest H700 handhelds that I’d actually recommend. And yes, I dislike the 35XX Plus and 2024 enough that I’d say grab these instead.
You’re looking at a little more performance than a 3326 with the H700. Alongside that come a few new CFW options that I also think are good fits for handhelds this small. MuOS, Knulli, and MinUI are the big options this time around, but even Anbernic’s stock OS is no slouch. The ability to touch into Dreamcast, N64, or PSP if you’re lucky is worth the change.
Now the real question comes down to a few things. Do you need the two sticks of the 35XXH? Do you want the smaller screen and buttons of the 28XX? What about Wi-Fi? Depending on your choices you can spend anywhere from $40-$50 for either handheld. And as long as you’re fine without all the bells and whistles, this is a solid option compared to my horizontal choice last year in the M17.
Miyoo Mini Plus & Mini V4
Anbernic RG35XX 2024 with Miyoo Mini Plus and R33s running TLOZ The Minish Cap
Last but absolutely not least, is probably my favorite pair of handhelds out of this list. The Miyoo Mini Plus, and the Miyoo Mini V4. Both of these have dropped down to $45 and $40 respectively in the last year which fits them firmly in the sub-$50 camp. Running the Sigmastar SSD202D, you’re looking at the only handheld without a dedicated GPU on its chip, but that doesn’t stop people from running everything up to Nintendo DS on it (albeit not always well).
The big differences between the two come from their size. The Mini Plus runs the classic 3.5” 640×480 display and brings wi-fi to the table. While the Mini V4 carries no wifi and a smaller 2.8” 750×560 resolution display, which looks shockingly nice in my use case.
Of the pair, the Mini V4 is my go-to choice, but I wouldn’t go anywhere with either if they aren’t running OnionOS. This has by far been the best and easiest-to-use operating system on just about any of my handhelds. Things are easy to boot up and run, there are so many emulators to pull from or customize. And of course, the Mini brings ports. As a popular vertical portable, it easily replaces my recommendation of the V90, even if it’s a little more expensive.
Final Thoughts
Compared to last year, your under $50 options are leagues better than before. We’re replacing no-name Atmega chips, and Allwinner FC100S chips with RK3326s and H700s. PS1 at this price point is finally decent, playability-wise. Do I think there are better choices at under $50? Probably. I haven’t tried every handheld, and it feels like there are more coming out every day in this price range.
There are some that I didn’t mention like the Miyoo A30, the 030S, or D007. But that’s due to the fact that I either didn’t find it worth the price, haven’t tried it, or simply didn’t like it. You may be different, and that’s okay. My recommendations above are likely to stand until next October, but if it changes that means things have only gotten better.
Now you enjoy your $50 handhelds, I’ll enjoy my $50 worth of stomach-destroying burritos.
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I got the SP and the Arc-S for less than 50 bucks on AE.