How many handhelds do you have? 2? 4? 8? Do you think you have a problem and want to cut back? What if, and hear me out, you had 56 handhelds? That’s right, 56 of them. That’s just a full-on collection, right? Today I’m trying to answer the question, is it even worth doing this? Maybe I should just clear out the junk and clutter and focus on just a couple of devices. Surely by now, one thing could do everything. At least I hope.

How Did This Happen?

It started out with a few handhelds like everyone. A Switch, 350M, Odroid Go, and just recently an RP2+. But then I look into the Marketplace of my favorite Retro Handhelds Discord and see an RG300 for a really good price. I don’t need it, but I want a vertical one. Well, $45 later, and suddenly my life is a downward spiral of handhelds I don’t need, but they’d be cool to have.

V90, Miyoo Mini, RG503, RG351P, the list could go on, and my collection could only grow. Writing this in March of 2024, I’ve got a collection of 56 devices from small ones like the Funkey S, to big honking handhelds like the Loki Max. Low Powered like the Pocket Go S30, and high-powered like the Odin 2. I have covered just about every corner I could and just got more devices. As a whole, this is the most unnecessary thing I’ve ever done, but it is so fun as a hobby. Would I do this again? No, but it’s too late to change that.

If you’re like me, and you’ve got all these handhelds you have to ask. What’s next?

What to Do With Them All

Two things. Storage, and Charging. 

What. Playing games? No one does that anymore.

The biggest thing is storage. I’ve talked to a few other people with collections and it seems the general consensus on how you store a lot of handhelds comes down to one of two things. Stuff them in a drawer, put them in tiny boxes and organize them where you won’t see them, and come back later.

OR you can ask where to buy stands, maybe follow a budget handheld stand video out on YouTube, and figure out the best way to set them up on your shelves for the most beautiful display that you can just reach in and grab from. Regardless of what you choose, you’re going to need space for the handhelds, the boxes (or just charging cables), and any of the accessories you might buy or make for them.

Charging, on the other hand, is a larger frustration. You need to maintain the lithium batteries there. If you don’t you could end up with a dead or deteriorated batt, or a spicy pillow. For me, that means taking a few handhelds each week and popping them on a multi-USB charger to get them juiced up most of the way. Not the full 100% as that’s not too necessary but enough. Add one to the list of chores I’ll likely forget. Eventually, and some of you will need to invest in those USB charging stands that people put all their iPads in. Someday.

It’s really bad

What Do You Even Play On?

Ah, the biggest hurdle. Our favorite game is setting handhelds up, playing 20 minutes of a game, and moving on. Right? Well mostly. If you have a big collection you’re going to get choice paralysis of “What do I want to play?” and “What do I want to play it on?”. Hopefully, your saves are synced, because otherwise, you might just start somewhere different on one handheld compared to the others. 

If you’re truly in too deep, and think like me, you start finding excuses of “One handheld per use case”. A mindset that was supposed to die when all these all-in-one handhelds started coming out. RG Arc gets Sega games, RG353PS gets the SNES, some widescreen 3566 gets Portmaster, and so on, and so forth. If you find a use, you’ll eventually find a system for just that. I just wish I had less use for some of these.

Things worth playing

If you asked me which handheld I play the most right now? Not for review, not for content. Just play. That’d be the RP4 Pro. I’ve been doing a lot of Android gaming recently, and this is a small device that plays most Android games essentially perfectly. Though among other devices I might choose something else if I were to go back on it. 

Worth It?

Maybe? No? Probably not. Unless you just want one of everything, this is not the way to do it. Find one system you really like, and just stick to it honestly. Do you want PS2 and below? Just get an Odin 2 for the best performance, and maybe a Steam Deck if you want x86 as well. It might sound weird, but you don’t need dozens of devices, you need one or two things that are specifically for what you want to do on them.

If I was starting to get handhelds today, I wouldn’t be trying for so many devices. I’d look at my options, check a few YouTube channels, and just buy an Odin 2. It does exactly what I want from a handheld, and it does really well at it. There’s few compromises that are present in other devices. I’d probably get a Miyoo Mini Plus on the side if I was starting today as well. Just so I’d have something pocketable, and cheap. At least then I’m not worried about breaking my expensive new device. 

A big collection is nice, it looks cool, and it gives you options. But you don’t need this many things. I don’t need this many things. Fill your needs and be happy. Maybe sell your old device. To me specifically. I’d buy it. Again, and again, and again.

If you’re interested in that Chicken Nugget Sauce Stand, grab the file from Jeff Chen’s Printables Page here!

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