With the Raspberry Pi 5 readily available now, it was only a matter of time before companies started making it easy to build our own retro handhelds. It seems like ExperimentalPi is readying for a new launch, as the PiBoy DMGx now appears on its website.

Much like the regular PiBoy DMG, this lets you create an all-in-one portable gaming handheld. All while the Raspberry Pi 5 powers it. The kit includes the shell, a 4,500mAh battery, a USB-C charging port, and two different styles of shoulder buttons. It even includes a cooling fan and heat sink. Once you assemble it, you only need to provide your Pi 5 and a flashed microSD card.

PiBoy DMGx Front and Back

As for the layout, the DMGx also features a 3.5-inch LCD, optional HDMI Out, a headphone jack, and an “amplified speaker.” According to the listing, ExperimentalPi will be offering HDMI adapters for the Pi 4 and Pi 3. Not to mention giving you easy access to all of the Pi 5’s various ports.

We don’t blame you if you see this and immediately think of the RG351V or RG353V. The biggest difference is simply the sheer size of the DMGx. But that’s expected since it’s large enough to house an entire Raspberry Pi 5.

PiBoy DMGx Performance and Price

An area where the Raspberry Pi 5 gains a definite edge is in performance. It easily handles everything up to the N64 and PSP. However, some have been able to get AetherSX2 running on the Pi 5, bringing PS2 emulation to this form factor. While you can play PS2 games on the RG353V, it’s not the most enjoyable experience and showcases the device limitations of the device.

Besides the size and weight of the PiBoy DMGx, the other thing that might hold this back is the price. You will need to provide your own Raspberry Pi, and the DMGx kit looks set to retail for $150. That means we’re looking at anywhere between $210 to $230, before adding a microSD card and shipping. For that, you might want to check out Anbernic’s RG556 or the Retroid Pocket 4 Pro.

Unfortunately, the PiBoy DMGx is not actually available for sale just yet, but we expect it to show up any day now. In the meantime, you can grab a Raspberry Pi 5 with either 4GB of RAM or 8GB of RAM from Amazon.

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