Game Console XF40H Review: The RGB30 Successor?

Just over a year ago(nearly a lifetime in this hobby), I wrote an editorial article that pleaded with Powkiddy to revise the RBG30. Fix the issues with the battery and other small annoyances, and release a sequel device already.

Those pleas seem to fall on deaf ears, as Powkiddy offerings of late are far from what I’ve hoped for. Enter Game Console, the company (companies?) that has firmly cemented itself as the keepers of the ultra budget space. While there are certainly clone exceptions, the majority of Game Console devices that I use are able to punch above their retail cost rates.

Puzzle FIghter²

So has Game Console finally delivered on the improved RGB30 of my dreams? In short, mostly. Let me be clear that I bought this device with my own money, as I have for the vast majority of Game Console products.

This unit was snagged for just over $30 before the deminimus exemption ended. My enthusiasm or annoyances are genuine, and I stand by all of them. That out of the way, let’s take a look at what makes this budget 2025 device the logical successor to one of the first 1:1s on the scene.

Game Console XF40H Specs

There’s nothing in the specs department that’s likely to blow anyone’s hair back. This is still a device sporting the tried and true RK3326, but the addition of on-board WiFi is certainly a welcome addition in the ultra-budget space.

Screen: 4-inch, 720×720 1:1 display
Chipset: RockChip RK3326
GPU: Mali-G31 MP2
RAM: 1GB
Storage: 8GB eMMC
Connectivity: microSD, USB-C with Video Out, 3.5mm Audio Jack, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3
OS: Custom EmuElec Fork
USB-C: Charging + Data port function
Wifi: 2.4GHz 802.11b/g/n
Battery: 4000mAh
Dimensions: 145 x 95 x 29 mm

XF40H at AliExpress XF40H at Amazon

Design and Ergonomics

To the naked eye, the XF40H appears to be nothing more than just another 1:1 clone, but once you’ve held the device in your own hands, you might think differently. Where the RGB30 received some warranted criticism was its flat-backed design. While it didn’t make the handheld unusable by any stretch, it certainly didn’t lend itself to being held comfortably by the user for hours on end.

The XF40 rectifies this with some slight curvature on the back end. Not nearly as pronounced as the grips on a device like the Anbernic RGCubeXX, but there are enough to make a significant improvement in comfort. And if I may be blunt, this thing is damn comfortable.

Flat-backed to fully curved

I will go ahead and make the bold claim that this may be my favorite 1:1 shell design on the market thus far. Game Console’s previous attempt in a 1:1 in the R46S was closer, but not quite there yet. There is nothing wrong with the Cube or CubeXX when it comes to feel, but in my hands, I preferred the XF40H.

Thoughtful curves

The raised grips on the rear of the unit are just there enough to give my middle fingers something comfortable to rest on while gaming. While it may seem like a subtle difference, the play-feel between this device and something with a badonk like the K36 is night and day. It just feels right when it’s in your hands.

Colors

Color Options (Image c/o AliExpress)

The XF40H is on offer in standard white, black, and grey colors that are fine enough, but they also have had the good taste to include transparent aqua-blue and kirby-pink options for fans looking for something a little spicier than the standard serving. The blue unit that I picked up is hard to fault with the blue on white color scheme. If the device proves to have legs similar to something like the R36S, it’s certainly possible that there will be more fun options on the way.

Sound

So if you’ve seen any of the promotional photos for the XF40H, you may have noticed that there are holes for the speakers on the left side of the device, but the right side only contains indents to make it look like there are two speakers (see below).

Example of the XF40H shown in an AliExpress listing (c/o AliExpress)

Clearly, somewhere along the way, someone raised their hand to point out how silly this must have looked, because the final product I received does actually have two speakers with proper holes in the shell. The sound on offer here is entirely serviceable.

It’s not the best you’re ever going to hear, but it delivers a better experience than you might expect at this price point. I know it sounds a heck of a lot better than it would have if everything just emanated entirely below the left thumb stick.

Battery

The battery on the RGB30 was something of a disaster. Early users reported charging issues and problems with the battery interface that led to it displaying anything but accurate level readings. The problems persist to this day, and it was one of the reasons I put out a plea to Powkiddy in the first place.

….in search of consistent battery performance

I’m happy to report that none of those issues seem to exist on the XF40H, not that I expected them to. Game Console batteries have been solid in my experience, and my Gen 1 R36S still performs as well in that department as the day that I got it. As the design of this handheld lends itself more to less demanding emulation needs, the battery held up closer to the 6 hours of life in the 4-6 advertised with the 4,000mAh battery.

Controls

Button-feel and d-pad performance are important factors on any handheld emulation device, but perhaps even more so in a budget offering like something from Game Console. Decent controls can lift a device out of the bargain bin of obscurity and into the best buys category. I’m happy to say that Game Console have generally been solid on controls, and the XF40H is no different.

Familiar and fine for the job

The shoulder buttons on the device are one place where Game Console has decided to mix it up a bit. The shoulders on the XF40H are side by side in placement, with R/L 1 conforming to the curved corners of the device, and R/L 2 placed up top in a more traditional button format than is generally seen on other devices. Game Console have taken a page from the RGB30 design playbook, and improved on it just enough that it’s a noticeably better experience from my view.

The implementation of the R36H wasn’t quite there yet, but they seem to have gotten things right this go-round. On a console that doesn’t really lend itself to games with a need for stacked shoulders, I think this is the way to go. This design gives your index fingers a natural place to rest during sessions, just as the curved back does for other parts of your hands.

A comfy and intuitive layout

On a personal note, I’d like to use this article to plead with designers to stop with this plus and minus button business on the front of devices. Volume controls are not generally a hindrance to the gaming experience when placed on the sides of the device, and I have no reason to believe they would have been here.

These buttons constantly confuse my brain; who wants me to reach for the Plus to hit Start? This confusion is complicated by the fact that my brain knows the plus can be a Start button, as it is in the Switch universe. Maybe I’m on the outside with this opinion, but I don’t think I am. Find me the person championing these being included on several recent systems, because I don’t get it.

Software & Presentation

Like the R36T before it, the XF40H is sporting a custom Emuelec Linux fork. It’s more or less the standard Emulation Station front-end experience that we’ve come to expect with these budget handhelds.

It’s a perfectly serviceable option to give someone as a gift and know that they should be able to get to the games they want to play. For those more involved with the emulation community, there are already functioning builds of Rocknix and ArkOS4Clones available.

Familiar and Functional (mostly)

Game Console have gone the extra mile here, though, providing onboard manuals and instructions for users who may be newer to the emulation world. This is a solid olive branch offering on the part of the company to consumers, acknowledging that not everyone who receives one of these devices will necessarily understand how to use them right out of the box. Small details like this can be the difference between someone having a great time with the games of the past and someone getting frustrated and chucking the handheld in a drawer for the rest of its life.

Game_Console_XF40H_Customer_Support_Guide

An appreciated inclusion

While the addition of user help is certainly appreciated, I can’t help but be a little confused by the lack of attention shown in the included ROMs package. Some systems have box art and screenshots, some others are seemingly devoid.

Some systems have a perfect library organized alphabetically, and some are 000043 – Contra Part 7 nonsense. A tiny amount of curation effort would go a long way to change how these devices are perceived by the public, and making the stock experience feel anything like a Famiclone is not a good way to introduce yourselves.

This isn’t what you want to see when you try to play Metal Slug

Games on some systems, like NeoGeo, crashed outright. Taking 5 minutes to make sure you’re using the right cores on your stock offering shouldn’t be a large ask. This only serves to drag down an otherwise solid experience. It’s an easy fix if you know how, but users shouldn’t be expected to fix things out of the box.

Gameplay & Experience

You can, but would you want to?

There’s little reason to go on about the well-covered RK3326 and its performance capabilities. We know what this chip set can do. You’re going to get a largely perfect experience with anything up to and including PSX. Some PSP titles do run at a playable rate, but given this screen, I’m not sure why you’d really want to be playing PSP games on this device in the first place.

Stretched Dexter on GBA

Other than the extremely bezelled PSP gaming, the XF40H is here to fully embrace its 1:1 screen. Every system is stretched out to the max and displayed at 1:1, even GBA.

I know this is like nails on a chalkboard for some people to hear, but I rather enjoyed it. You can, of course, tune the display aspect ratio however you’d like, but I salute the choice to go for it on the stock option. Embrace the screen.

Conclusions

From the first time that I took the XF40H out of the box and held it in my hands, I knew there was more to this device than just another simple clone of a successful form factor. There are decisions made with the design of this console that fix a lot of my gripes with the RGB30 (which I did love), and also be affordable enough to make me consider picking it up over something like the Anbernic RG CubeXX.

If I were to recommend a Game Console handheld to pick up in 2025, it would either be this or the tried and true R36S. It’s going to come down to your wants and gaming preferences, but as budget options in a very crowded market, they stand near the top for my money.