In the initial write-up for the CB408 back in October 2024, I concluded that the device felt good, and had a good deal of potential, but the stock OS was a disaster. Due to being a bit of a niche item in a very crowded landscape, the CB408 lacked immediate support. Now that some early production issues have hopefully resolved themselves and the handheld is getting out into the hands of devs, we can finally see this device live up to its potential.
CB408 Specs
Here is a quick spec sheet for anyone who might not be familiar with the CB408. The device is made by Smart Pocket Max and is essentially a metal clone of the TrimUI Smart Pro, but running Android with a much worse custom stock image.
- Display: 4.95-inch, 720p touchscreen
- Processor: RK3566
- RAM: 2 GB
- Storage: 32 GB internal, expandable via microSD
- Battery: 4,000 mAh
- Operating System: Custom Linux-based OS
- Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.2
- Ports: USB-C, 3.5mm headphone jack, and a full-size USB-A port
- Sound: Dual down-firing speakers
- Dimensions: 150 x 75 x 15 mm
- Stock OS: Android 11
- Weight: 200 grams
GammaOS
It comes packed with what you’ll need
With the release of GammaOS Beta 3, developer TheGammaSqueeze has answered our prayers for something to make this device shine. The Beta 3 release is available for download from the project GitHub. Please note that as this is an early release, the beta is only available to Patreon subscribers at this time, while you can view and download the project on GitHub, you won’t actually be able to unzip the file without a password.
GammaOS is a custom Android image that brings a whole host of improvements to the experience on the CB408.
- Dedicated official support from the GammaOS dev offering improved stability and performance across the board
- Pre-installed emulators with the package give you everything you need to run from the start. Just add games.
- Custom themes and launcher support (the default launcher is Daijisho, and it works great here)
- Advanced settings and tweaks are available to fine-tune game and emulator performance
- Battery optimizations
- Root access
The CB408 gives us the opportunity to install GammaOS directly to the EMMC, which is what I chose to do. Follow the instructions exactly as they appear in the GitHub Install Instructions. This process only works on Windows as detailed in the guide, and I ran into some driver issues on my main Win11 desktop and had to complete the steps using an older Win10 machine.
Daijisho running in GammaOS
If you run into problems, I’d double-check all your drivers are correctly installed as listed. This process is not as simple as writing the OS image to an SD card and plugging it in, so make sure you follow the steps carefully, as it is possible to brick your device when messing with the bootloader.
The most important piece of software you will need to complete the EMMC flash is the RKDevTool Package. This tool allows you to switch the CB408 into the correct mode and proceed with flashing the custom image. It’s handy when tinkering around with RockChip-based devices.
Now, GammaOS was designed to be an Android operating system for lower-power devices that don’t feature a touchscreen. The CB408 does come with a touchscreen, and I was happy to see that it still functions perfectly fine when using it to navigate around the GammaOS environment.
The touchscreen makes for a great DS experience
Adding dedicated Gamma support for the CB408 allows us to take full advantage of the RK3566 processor. The CFW optimizations make a world of difference when using the device. What was a clunky interface that was unpleasant to use is now a fluid UI. Given the form factor, the processor, and this new shiny OS that gets everything running as it should, the CB408 is quickly becoming a go-to device for a great PSP experience.
This is still the early days for CB408 device support, so as time goes on and bugs are found and squashed, I have no doubt that this quality-of-life upgrade for the CB408 will continue to be refined.
Conclusions
Tricky to emulate N64 games are no problem here
As I’ve written countless times before, I am always on the lookout for the next diamond in the rough. The budget handheld punches above its weight class and stands out against the e-waste crowd.
I’m quite happy to say that the CB408 is now a very competent device. It was already an RK3566 in a metal shell with a touchscreen and decent controls — it just needed the right support. Now that we have it available, I hope that this niche little metal wonder gets the attention that it deserves because for under $80, there’s a lot to love here.
If you already have the device in your collection, then this should be an absolute no-brainer. Go out, support the devs, and install this image on your device. It will take the device from middling to magic, and as I pointed out in my initial hands-on, this was always going to be a device best suited for the tinkerers among us.
This isn’t something you’d want to give a friend who isn’t the most technically inclined without a fair bit of setup on your part first, but if you’re willing to put in the small amount of effort, you will be rewarded with a play experience that might surprise you.
What did you think of this article? Do you want to try the CB408? Let us know in the comments below, and chat with us in our Discord!
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