After making waves in the space last year, MagicX has been pretty darn quiet in 2026. As you might suspect, RAMageddeon is to blame, with component costs becoming too high for a smaller handheld company to churn out new devices regularly. For that same reason, MagicX announced it is officially discontinuing the Mini Zero 28, while also “introducing” the MagicX Mini40.
With the Mini Zero 28, MagicX shared the following:
Some tough news about the Zero28
The Zero28 is nearly sold out — and unfortunately, it won’t be coming back.
DDR4 memory prices have surged to over 6× the original cost, which has made continued production simply unsustainable. As much as we hate to say it, we have no choice but to discontinue the Zero28.
This isn’t the outcome we wanted, and it certainly wasn’t a decision we made lightly. Thank you to everyone who supported the Zero28 along the way
About six hours later, another announcement was made, as the MagicX Mini40 aims to be a “spiritual successor to the Z28.” The aim is for it to remain as the budget/entry-level option within the MagicX lineup, while pivoting from Android to Linux. Here’s what was provided as an overview of what the Mini40 could bring to the market:
Design & Feel
- Inspired by the classic Z28 shell design
- Redesigned D-pad (larger than Mini28)
- Redesigned ABXY buttons (larger than Mini28)
- Retains the lanyard mount from Mini28
- Retains the shoulder button layout from Mini28
- Dual Hall-effect joysticks
- DIY-friendly (custom buttons & shells supported)
- 4–5 color options
Core Specs
- SoC: RK3566
- RAM: DDR3 1GB / 1866MHz
- Display: 4-inch 800×480
- OS: Linux (ported DarkOS)
Features
- Dual speakers
- Dual SD card slots
- WiFi 2.4G
- Vibration Motor
- HDMI output support
Almost as important as all of that, if the MagicX Mini40 comes to fruition, the company is aiming to price it at $49 (before shipping). That would definitely turn some heads, especially as we continue to see new devices being released that are $100 or more.
Lastly, MagicX points out that “development has not started,” with the company instead trying to see if there’s enough interest to move forward. According to the “Purchase Intent Poll“, which has 95 votes at the time of this writing, 60% would consider the Mini40 “depending on the design.” Another 22% said “No, I won’t be buying,” and 15% said, “Yes, I’ll definitely pre-order.”
It looks like the community is putting the ball in MagicX’s court to decide whether to move forward with the Mini40 or if it’s just another idea that never comes to fruition.
