Welcome to the latest edition of Retro Handhelds Weekly. This week, we saw a bunch of news in 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.
Table of Contents
Cyber Monday Dills
Cyber Monday is here, and we’ve rounded up the absolute best deals across retro handhelds, Android handhelds, x86 powerhouses, accessories, and must-have gaming gear.
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.
The ModRetro M64 Looks Incredible and Now There’s a Waitlist
ModRetro, the team behind the ModRetro Chromatic handheld, has revealed the M64 in its entirety, including the different color options and specs. ModRetro also confirmed that the price will be $199.99, despite speculation that it would be more expensive due to increases in component costs globally.
Anbernic RG477V Announcement Seems Imminent
It looks like Anbernic is getting ready to launch the RG477V, according to leaks. An unconfirmed spec sheet shows the MediaTek Dimensity 8300 powering the handheld, putting it in the same category as Anbernic’s well-liked 477M, and less well-liked 557. The sheet indicates configurations of either 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage or a higher-end model with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage.
AYANEO Pocket VERT Full Specs
AYANEO Pocket Vert Screen Details
Despite being first announced back in July, very little has been shared regarding the AYANEO Pocket VERT. Recently, the company pulled back the veil entirely, revealing the specs for AYANEO’s next Android-powered handheld.
- Display: 3.5-inch LTPS LCD, 1600 x 1440, 60Hz, 450 nits
- Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1
- RAM: 8GB/12GB LPDDR5
- Storage: 128GB/256GB UFS 3.1
- Battery: 6,000mAh
- Connectivity: Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2
- OS: Android 14
- Colors: Midnight Black, Moon White, Lava Red
AYANEO Releases Additional Details Concerning the Next 2
Earlier this month, AYANEO released some sparse details on its next flagship Windows handheld, the AYANEO Next 2. Now, AYANEO shared additional specification details on its upcoming handheld in a product showcase. Here’s a quick look at what we know now:
- Display: 9.06-inch OLED, 2400 x 1504, 165Hz, 1100 nits
- Processor: AMD Ryzen AI Max 395+
- Battery: 115Wh
- Controls: Dual Smart Touchpads, Hall Effect Sticks/Triggers, Floating 8-way D-pad, Dual Mode Trigger Locks, Four Rear Buttons, Two Customizable Function Keys
More Hardware News
- R36T Max
- Odin 2 Mini Discontinued
- EverDrive-64 X is now compatible with the Analogue 3D
- DSpico is an Open Source Flash Cart for the DS and DSi
- AIR SNES Shoes
Apps and Software
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.
[UPDATE] iiSU – A Frontend Full of Promises
There have been some developments concerning iiSU in the past week, mostly revolving around the project lead, UsagiShade, and some potentially defamatory and/or derogatory statements made in the Discord server. These messages were discovered, as it seems the iiSU Discord server was once used by UsagiShade as a personal server with friends/acquaintances.
As a result, UsagiShade made a post stating that they would be stepping down from the iiSU project, that they would be refunding donations made to the project (around $5K), and would be taking down their Ko-Fi page.
iiSU / Lair Launcher Alpha 3 Public Release
As if the entire iiSU situation wasn’t confusing enough, Alpha 3 of the launcher was just released on GitHub. This is because the actual launcher side of things is handled by SapphireRhodonite, while the iiSU drama surrounds those working on the UI. Nevertheless, you can download iiSU and give it a shot if you’d like, but keep in mind that it’s an Alpha build, so beware of dragons.
Papaya – Games Launcher
There’s another new Android launcher on the block, and its name is Papaya. Despite being available on the Play Store, it seems the developer is still labeling it as an “Alpha.” That said, there are a bunch of features already built in, such as being able to add custom platforms and emulators, along with pinning “game streams from Artemis to your collection.”
More Software News
- NeoStation Updated to Alpha 0.0.17
- Turnip Drivers are officially coming to Snapdragon 8 Elite devices
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 and reviews that you might have missed over the course of this week.
Game Over: Sony’s 2011 Dual-Screen PlayStation
In 2011, years before foldables were a serious product category, and long before Samsung, Motorola, or anyone else made bendable screens part of the mainstream toolbox, Sony released one of the strangest pieces of mobile hardware in its long history.
Racing Retrospectives: Forza Horizon
2012 was the year of vibes, but also the end of the world if you believed in Aztec Calendars. Dirt Showdown, Need for Speed: Most Wanted were some of the big racing hits of the year, and Forza Motorsport was Team10’s most recent racing game release. Enter Playground Games, and its first title as a developer, Forza Horizon. A game that brought some of the best physics and a stellar atmosphere into one of my favorite racing games of all time.
XU Retro XU20 V32 Review: Boring but Functional
The TrimUI Brick came out just around a year ago. Allwinner A133P, 3.2-inch 1024x768p display, and a solid build quality that made it worth its price. The extra colors certainly help as well. Nearly a year later, “XU Retro” comes around swinging with this.
The XU Retro XU20 V32, also running an A133P, also features a 1024x768p display. This time, though, it’s running a custom build of Android, and it’s got a much lighter, much wider frame to it. However, it’s also coming in at a lower cost, starting at just $43 for the version with no SD card. Is that worth it? Well, thanks to XU Retro for sending this over, we can find out.
Anbernic RG DS First Impressions
You had one job, Anbernic: Modern Nintendo DS emulator.
I expect a flaw or two from the RG DS; it is an Anbernic handheld after all. But to fail at its core function is exasperating. There was concern before launch, with most people understandably concerned about the screen’s resolution not being able to scale to the integer scale of the Nintendo DS.
On the YouTubes
Don’t think that the writers are the only ones getting things done. The RH video team is constantly working on new videos, and now’s the best time to subscribe.
Looking for Deals?
Another week, another set of deals to be had. Hit the button below to check out our favorite deals of the week. We know how much everyone loves a good deal, so we’ve been cooking up something to help you get the best deal possible.
Retro Handhelds Deals of the WeekHandheld.Deals
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