GKD Pixel 2 Setup Guide

by | May 21, 2025 | Features, Guide | 0 comments

GKD Pixel 2 Setup Guide - Game Boy - Links Awakening

When it comes to tiny retro handhelds that are actually practical, it doesn’t get much better than the GKD Pixel 2. This is the long-awaited successor to the original GKD Pixel, which first burst onto the scene back in January of last year. We’ve had ours for a little while now, which has given us plenty of time to tinker around and play some games. With that being said, if you just picked one up for yourself, here’s our GKD Pixel 2 setup guide to help get you started.

Table of Contents

GKD Pixel 2 Specs

GKD Pixel 2 Setup Guide - Game Boy and Miyoo Mini - Links Awakening - 1

  • 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

Where to Buy

Recommended Accessories

GKD Pixel 2 Setup Guide - Accessories - Top-down - 1

GKD Pixel 2: Stock Firmware Tips and Tricks

GKD Pixel 2 Setup Guide - IUX Boot logo

Turn Off Background Music from IUX

  1. Open the Settings app.
  2. Open the IUX app.
  3. Toggle Music Enabled to the Off position.
  4. Press Start to save your changes and exit the IUX app.

Switch to EmulationStation for Good

GKD Pixel 2 Setup Guide - IUX Settings

  1. Open the Settings app.
  2. Go down to Launcher.
  3. Press Left or Right on the D-pad until you see emulationstation.
  4. Press B to go back to the previous screen.
  5. When prompted, save your settings.
  6. From the main screen, press Start and then R1 to reboot.

Add Wi-Fi to the GKD Pixel 2

GKD Pixel 2 Setup Guide - Accessories - Angled - 1

It probably doesn’t come as too much of a surprise, but even with the upgraded chip over the original GKD Pixel, the Pixel 2 lacks onboard Wi-Fi. On the bright side, not all hope is lost, as you can add Wi-Fi to the GKD Pixel 2 with the help of a USB-C adapter and a Wi-Fi dongle. Below, we’ve listed a few of the dongles and adapters that we’ve either tried ourselves, or have been found to be working by the community.

USB Tethering

What if you have the Pixel 2 and ordered a Wi-Fi dongle, but the latter hasn’t arrived yet? Did you know that you can actually tether the handheld to your phone or tablet? As it turns out, you can do exactly that. The only requirement is that this is only possible if the device you’re connecting to is either an Android phone or tablet. Unfortunately, this won’t work if you’re using an iPhone or iPad.

  1. Plug a USB-C to USB-A adapter into the GKD Pixel 2.
  2. Connect the Pixel 2 with your Android device using a USB-C to USB-A cable.
  3. On the Android device, open the Settings app.
  4. Select Connected Devices, then tap Hotspot & Tethering.
    • These options might be named differently depending on the Android device that you are using.
  5. Under the Use USB for section, select USB tethering.

Get PICO-8 Running Correctly

GKD Pixel 2 Setup Guide - PICO-8

  1. If you haven’t already, head over to the Lexaloffle website and buy PICO-8.
  2. Once purchased, open the Downloads page and download the following files:
    • Linux 64-bit.zip
    • Raspberry Pi.zip
  3. On your GKD Pixel 2’s microSD card, navigate to the roms/pico-8 directory.
  4. Create a new folder named x86_64.
  5. From within the pico-8 directory, create another folder named aarch64.
  6. Back on your computer, extract the Linux 64-bit.zip file.
  7. Locate the following files:
    • pico8_dyn
    • pico8.dat
  8. Move these two files to the newly created x86_64 folder.
  9. Extract the Raspberry Pi.zip file.
  10. Locate the following files:
    • pico8_64
    • pico8.dat
  11. Move these files to the aarch64 folder.

Add/Install Ports

How to Install PortMaster on GKD Pixel 2

PortMaster GitHub Releases

  1. From your computer, head over to the PortMaster GitHub Releases page.
  2. Download the Install.Full.PortMaster.sh file under the Latest Releases.
  3. Insert your microSD card into your PC.
  4. Transfer the PortMaster.sh file from your PC to the /roms/ports/ folder on the microSD card.
  5. Safely eject the microSD card and put it back in your GKD Pixel 2.
  6. Power on the Pixel 2 and connect it to Wi-Fi using either an adapter or via USB tethering.
  7. Once connected to Wi-Fi, navigate to the Ports folder on your Pixel 2.
  8. Select the Install.Full.PortMaster.sh file that is listed to install PortMaster.

After a few moments, the full PortMaster app should be installed. From here, you can just fire up the app and start downloading your favorite ports! Just keep in mind that while there are a lot of “Ready to Run” games, there are quite a few more that require files. Be sure to reference back to the PortMaster website so you know what files are needed for which games.

How to Install Ports on GKD Pixel 2

Download Stardew Valley from PortMaster

  1. From your computer, head over to the PortMaster website and download the games you want to add.
  2. Make sure that all of the necessary files have been added to each game’s folder, if applicable.
  3. Connect your microSD card to your computer.
  4. Transfer the PortMaster games to the /roms/ports/ folder.
  5. Eject the microSD card and put it back in your GKD Pixel 2.
  6. Reboot for good measure.
  7. Voila!

GKD Pixel 2 Custom Firmware Options

ROGUE Edition for GKD Pixel 2

GKD Pixel 2 Setup Guide - Rogue OS

  1. Download all of the files from the ROGUE OS v1.0 release.
  2. Download the System file from the latest release.
  3. Use 7-Zip to select all of the .z0 files.
  4. Right-click and select Extract to RogueOS-v1.0.
  5. This will combine all of the contents into the .img file you need.
  6. Use Rufus or your favorite app to flash the firmware to a formatted microSD card.
  7. Once complete, transfer the System file to the microSD card, overwriting the existing file.
    1. If you see an error referring to there not being enough space, cut and paste the existing System file to a different location.
    2. Then, paste the new System file into the same folder, overwriting the existing file.
    3. Transfer the combined file to the microSD card.
  8. Use an app like EaseUS Partition or AOMEI Partition Assistant to resize the ROMs partition.
  9. Transfer your ROMs and BIOS files to the microSD card.
  10. Remove it from your computer, put the card into your GKD Pixel 2, and turn it on.

RogueOS for GKD Pixel 2

plumOS on GKD Pixel 2

plumOS for GKD Pixel 2 Splash Screen

  1. Download the latest build of plumOS for the GKD Pixel 2.
  2. There will be three .7z files downloaded.
  3. Select all three, then right-click, hover over the 7-Zip menu, and select “Extract to folder_name“.
    • This will combine all three of the .7z files into one .img file.
  4. Insert your microSD card into your PC.
  5. If necessary, format the microSD card using one of the following apps:
  6. Flash your microSD card by selecting the plumOS.iso file that you just extracted.

Re-gain Space for ROMs

  1. Download and install MiniTool Partition Wizard Free on your computer.
  2. Once installed, open the app, locate, then highlight (click) the plumOS microSD card.
  3. Right-click on the partition named GAME(FAT32).
    • If you don’t see that partition, it could also be named ROMS(FAT32).
  4. Select Move/Resize from the menu that appears.
  5. Drag the slider all the way to the right and click the OK button.
  6. Double-check that the partition has expanded correctly.
  7. Click the Apply button.

From there, all you have to do is slot the microSD card into your GKD Pixel 2 and fire it up.

plumOS for GKD Pixel 2

More GKD Pixel 2 From RH

Conclusion

The Miyoo Mini remains a fan favorite due to its compact design paired with excellent custom firmware choices. However, if you’re a fan of these micro handhelds, I would suggest checking out the GKD Pixel 2. The metal body makes it feel solid in your hand, and it’s great for playing games with just one hand.

While I wish it had onboard Wi-Fi for easier file transfers, that would likely present a new set of problems given the metal shell. Nevertheless, this is a great handheld for basically anyone, and it’s worth checking out.

What did you think of this article? Let us know in the comments below, and chat with us in our Discord!

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