When it comes to handhelds, I seem to be enamored by the small ones. For the longest time, the Miyoo Mini was my favorite device. The MagicX XU Mini M was my favorite small handheld of 2024. As a fan of the Playdate and the GKD Pixel, small devices seemed to be what I gravitated toward. Bring in 2025, though, and we’re suffering through a lack of Anbernic, a solid Android device in the Mini Zero 28, and eventually the successor to the GKD Pixel in what’s aptly named GKD Pixel 2.
It’s a little bigger and a good bit more powerful, but is it worth it if you can find one? Well, that’s what I’m about to help you decide, and likely help myself decide what should go in the small sunglasses pocket in my backpack.
GKD Pixel 2: Specs
Starting off in the usual department, these specs feel underwhelming for 2025, especially at the $70-$80 price, depending on where you find it. But for a metal, niche device. It could be worth it to you.
- Display Size: 2.4 inches, IPS
- Resolution: 640 x 480
- Aspect Ratio: 4:3
- Processor: RockChip RK3326S
- GPU: Mali-G31 MP2
- RAM: 1GB DDR3
- Storage: 1x microSD Card (up to 256GB)
- Battery: 1,800mAh
- Connectivity: OTG only
- Ports: USB Type-C, 3.5mm Audio Jack, microSD Card
- Extras: Standby Mode / Vibration / OTG / Battery Indicator Light
- Buttons: ABXY / Start + Select / D-pad / Volume / Power / L1 + R1 / L2 + R2 / Menu
- OS: IUX via ROCKNIX
- Dimensions: 81 x 63 x 17mm
- Weight: 150 grams
- Colors: Grey / Purple / Red / Green
GKD Pixel 2 at AliExpressGKD Pixel 2 at Amazon
GKD Pixel 2: Design and Controls
When it comes to the design and build of the GKD Pixel 2, you’re basically getting a Pixel 1 but flipped around on the bottom and enlarged. Which, if you ask me, I think that’s a good thing. The metal exterior is nice and solid feeling with ribbing on the back for your pleasurable holding experience. I even appreciate the LEDs on the side to help you figure out the charge of your device. My only real complaint comes from the goofy little audio-style symbol right below the screen. But that’s such a nitpick.
As for controls, they’re decent. The face buttons are larger and a bit more satisfying to press. The D-pad is larger as well and features a slightly heavier press in the center, but overall does just as well in gaming. And just like the original Pixel, the GKD Pixel 2 features clicky shoulders right on the top of the device. In terms of feel, it ends up being really nice. The ergonomics are a bit of a different story and will be covered in the next section.
GKD Pixel 2: Ergo and Screen
Speaking of the next section, ergonomics! They’re not good! It’s a tiny, vertical handheld. It’s no Thumby, but the diminutive size is not going to be ideal for everybody. I found myself only playing for shorter bursts of gameplay rather than for like hours out at a time (which will be explained later). The biggest issue, though, comes from reaching those shoulder buttons. Being a little wider and a little taller, it can be hard to reach and even harder to press consistently during gameplay. To me, that means this is mostly a face-button centric device.
The screen, on the other hand, is a nice improvement over the OG Pixel. 2.4 inches up from 2.31 inches is a pretty sizable step up. Some would even say that’s a larger than average increase. But it’s not the size that’s a step up, rather what they did with it. And that includes essentially quadrupling the resolution from 320×240 up to a practically retina 640×480.
No, that’s still not impressive, but at the same time, on such a small device, it makes things look nicer. Overall, I would call it an improvement.
GKD Pixel 2: OS and Performance
Performance is pretty simple. It’s a slightly souped-up RK3326. That means I’m going to look you in the eyes and tell you everything will be alright as long as you stay at PS1 and below. You can touch above that into a bit of N64 or PSP, but I really don’t like recommending systems where you’ll get minimal games out of it. Unless there’s one game you really love that you know will run on it. Like Worms 3: Wormaggendon.
As for the operating system, you’re looking at IUX, which is built and forked off of ROCKNIX. On boot, you’ll likely be seeing GMenu2X, which I remember setting up on an old RG350 from Anbernic, but luckily, that’s just a front end. Using the RetroGameCorps guide on how to make the software suck less, I got everything up and running in EmulationStation.
Well, everything except Wi-Fi. Across 4 dongles and 3 different USB-C adapters, I couldn’t get Wi-Fi to pick up once. So to me. This thing is essentially an offline device. That isn’t a terrible thing since I don’t use things like RetroAchievments, but still, I’d prefer the option on an ~$80 device
GKD Pixel 2: Battery Life
Here’s where I think I’d put my biggest downside to the device. It’s an RK3326s with an 1800mAh battery. Considering devices in the past would hold anywhere from 3000 up to 4500mAh batteries with that chip, I went into this expecting some pretty disappointing battery life. And to figure out what that was, I basically left Sonic Advance running with the speakers at half volume for half an hour to see what kind of drain I’d be looking at.
Starting at 100%, I ended up with exactly 80% after half an hour. By doing that math, you essentially land yourself with 2.5 hours of GBA specifically. Is that impressive? Not at all. Is that absolutely destroying my opinions of the Pixel 2? Also no. It’s incredibly average, all things considered, and for short burst gaming, it may be more okay than you realize.
Final Thoughts
In the end, I personally think that $80 is a bit too much for a 3326s handheld. Even for a fully metal one, and that comes from the concessions made to battery life and size. Some no-name company made the CB408, a $70, 3566 handheld with a 16:9 display and Android. I mean, sure, the touch screen didn’t work half the time, but it was also a metal device.
However, in the landscape of metal handhelds, when compared to older quality devices, this feels to be in the right place price-wise compared to those. I’m thinking more of Anbernic’s M series of handhelds over anything else, which were all $115+ devices and had RK3326, RK3566, and even JZ4770 chips in them.
If you can live with the size and battery life constraints that come with a device like the Pixel 2, and you know that it fills the niche that you’ve been looking for, I think it’s definitely worth a grab. But if you’re just looking for “a small device for gaming”, there are better and cheaper options. Think Q36, RG Nano, or especially the Miyoo Mini. As someone who loved the Pixel, the Pixel 2 feels like a “diagonal-grade” slightly upgraded, mostly sidegraded. And you know what? That’s fine by me. Fits perfectly fine in my bag, regardless.
GKD Pixel 2 at AliExpressGKD Pixel 2 at Amazon
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