I don’t think I’m alone when I say that when the Powkiddy RGB30 first came along in 2023, I was skeptical of the idea that I needed a 1:1 emulation handheld. After you first handle the device, you might comment to yourself about how unremarkable it is.
The plastic doesn’t feel particularly great in the hand, and everything about the handheld certainly could be said to be something of a budget compromise. And yet, I think I’d also not be alone when I say that as soon as I started playing with the device, I was roped in by its unusual charms. To this day, it remains a favorite device for many in the community and me.
So whether you’ve finally managed to nab an RGB30, or maybe yours has sat lonely on the shelf for a while, hopefully, this CFW guide will allow you to choose what will make the handheld the perfect device for you.
Table of Contents
Powkiddy RGB30 Specs
Pokemon Red on the Powkiddy RGB30
The RGB30 was one of the earlier devices sporting the RK3566 processor. It has a little more under the hood when it comes to emulation capabilities vs its RK3266 partners in the space. This processor will put you comfortably into N64 and Dreamcast territory, with PSP available too if you’re willing to make some concessions with the screen design.
Model: RGB30
System: Open Source Linux (Variety Supported)
Screen: 4.0-inch OCA 1:1
Resolution: 720×720
CPU: ARM Quad-Core 1.8GHz
RAM: LPDDR4 1GB
Storage: TF1-OS (16GB-256GB), TF2-Game (16GB-256GB)
Connectivity: Wi-Fi 5G + Bluetooth
Audio: 1W x 2 Front-firing Loudspeakers
Battery: 4100mAh Li-Polymer (~6-8 Hours Life)
Charging: 5V-2A
Interfaces: TYPE-C, TV HD, OTG-USB, 3.5mm Earphone
Dimensions: 145 x 86.5 x 18 mm
Weight: 207 grams
RGB30 at AliExpressRGB30 (Direct)
What You’ll Need
Check out our Weekly Deals feature for your emulation accessory needs
- A trusted brand of micro SD card (64GB – 128GB recommended). Cards that come with these devices are of poor quality and prone to failure. If you ordered a loaded card with your device, back it up and chuck the card. It will eventually fail. Don’t say we didn’t warn you!
- An SD Card reader
- A Windows/MAC/Linux PC
- 7-zip or WinRAR to unpack any downloads
- Rufus or a similar program for easy formatting to FAT32 in Windows
- Image writing software appropriate for your firmware of choice
- Balena Etcher – Image writing software available for all major Desktop OS’
- Win32DiskImager – An open-source option designed for Windows, but there are many ports.
- MintStick/USB Image Writer – Image writing software that comes baked-in with many popular Linux OS distros.
Custom Firmware
ArkOS
ArkOS is probably the closest thing to a de facto standard on the RGB30 as there is, as it is on many similar devices. The CFW offers a variety of user options and rock-solid performance thanks to its long, ongoing, and continued development.
ArkOS menu on the RGB30
- Download the latest release for the RGB30 from the ArkOS GitHub.
- Unpack the downloaded file with WinRAR, Winzip, etc. You cannot write the .gz file as an image. It will not work on the device.
- Write the unpacked .img file using Balena Etcher, Rufus, or the program of your choice
- Remove the SD card from your PC and insert it into the TF-OS slot on the bottom of the RGB30.
- Boot the RGB30 on and you should be greeted with a screen informing you that ArkOS is unpacking and installing.
- On first boot, connect the RGB30’s Wi-Fi and download any programs, tools, or updates for ArkOS.
- Reinsert the SD card into your PC and load BIOS, ROMs, Ports, and any other files you may want on the device.
If you run into any issues with the installation or need some more tips on specific setups within the OS, check out the awesome RGB30 FAQ on the ArkOS Wiki.
ROCKNIX
Main menu of ROCKNIX
This CFW is a continuation of the work that was done on JELOS. Now, when the RGB30 was first released back in 2023, JELOS was one of the first firmwares available for the device. The project was discontinued in 2024, but thankfully, the work has found new life in new forms. The RGB30 version of ROCKNIX even has a new release in 2025. The continued community development and excitement for these devices make it hard for me to part with them when I know the next great CFW feature could be just around the corner.
- Head to the Rocknix GitHub Releases section and select the latest image for the RGB30.
Make sure to grab the correct image for your device
- Unpack the downloaded file with WinRAR, Winzip, etc. You cannot write the .gz file as an image. It will not work on the device.
- Write the unpacked .img file using Balena Etcher, Rufus, or the program of your choice
- Remove the SD card from your PC and insert it into the TF-OS slot on the bottom of the RGB30.
- Power on the handheld and wait for Rocknix to begin the installation process.
GammaOS Core
The GammaOS Welcome Screen
In the Fall of 2024, we saw a new and unexpected offering for the RGB30: Android in the form of GammaOS. If you’d like to read more about the experience and what it has to offer on the RGB30, you can check out Team Retrogue’s great article.
For a more in-depth dive into GammaOS, its features, and installation on the RGB30, you can read Shawn’s How To Install GammaOS guide. The setup for Gamma involves the RockChip Tool and is a little more involved than your standard “insert card – write image” set of steps, but follow along, and you shouldn’t have any trouble.
MinUI
ArkOS can be skinned to look like MinUI, too
Everyone’s favorite minimalist design OS is available for the Powkiddy square screen, but it comes with some compromises. MinUI was primarily developed for systems that are less capable than the RGB30 and those without Wi-Fi to boot. The latest release of MinUI for the system is from 2023 and listed as depreciated at this point. I’d advise going other routes as other options will bring with them a whole host of additional capabilities, but if you want it, it’s out there.
The installation process with the RGB30 is not as simple as it is with MinUI on some other devices. There is an additional step of adding MOSS to the SD card to get things rolling. The following are the instructions as they appear in the MinUI readme file. Download the latest package from the releases section and follow the directions as written.
MinUI is meant to be used with Moss installed on the SD card that goes into the left slot (labeled TF-OS) of the RGB30. Download and flash the latest version.
Copy “MinUI.zip” (without unzipping) to the root of the SD card that goes into the right slot (labeled TFGAME) of the RGB30.
Fun Stuff
Portmaster
Portmaster gives you PC games on the go. This one ate up most of my free time in 2024.
If you aren’t already familiar, Portmaster lets you play some of your favorite classic, and even modern PC titles on Linux handhelds. The RGB30 is a perfect device to experience many of these titles on the go. Portmaster’s newest versions allow you to download and play any of the “ready-to-run” titles without leaving the couch. You can also use files from some of your favorite Steam library games to get them up and running on handhelds.
Navigate to options when browsing the main systems menu. Choose Tools –>>> Portmaster. The system should notify you if there is a new version of the software available. From there, you can download and install ports directly from the program. Additional instructions are provided for commercial games that require additional files. You can also manage all of your currently installed ports from directly inside the software.
Thememaster
Choose your theme
With support in ROCKNIX and ArkOS, Thememaster takes advantage of the RGB30’s built-in Wi-Fi and allows users to download any compatible themes of their choice.
Navigate to options when browsing the main systems menu. Choose Tools –>>> Thememaster. The script will let you know if you need to update to the latest version.
Choose your screen resolution for the themes. In this case, the RGB30 is 720×720. From there, you can download any theme (separated by verified and unverified) and apply it to the RGB30. There’s even a fun way to make the device look like MinUI without losing all the functionality of running ArkOS.
After downloading themes, you can go to UI Settings in the START menu and select your desired themes and configurations.
Kodi
Kodi is software very close to my heart. It was born out of XBMC (Xbox Media Center) which I had installed on my modded Xbox 25 years ago. It’s a testament to what community creators can achieve and a lot of thanks in our modern streaming libraries is owed to the work that was first done in projects like XBMC. Enough nostalgia. Kodi is a great way to enjoy your local media library on your handhelds collection. The RGB30 has full support to run the media center alongside ArkOS.
Kodi has support for local and online streaming services (IPTV anyone?) And it can even be used to launch emulators if you’re feeling like switching things up even further. It can be a great deal of fun to go from playing a game on my handheld and switch over to a movie from my NAS on the fly. While perhaps not ideal, it’s certainly a lot of fun.
The Internet Archive has loads of great old VHS content that’s perfect for handhelds
Launch Kodi Media Center from the START Menu of ArkOS.
Closing
So, here’s an overview of the custom firmware options and some fun extras for the amazing Powkiddy RGB30. This is one of the devices that I have never stopped picking up since it first arrived. There is always a use case where I enjoy grabbing the RGB30. The device’s low price, rock-solid performance, and bevy of custom options make it an attractive option for any emulation enthusiast.
If you don’t already have an RGB30, or maybe you used to and regret parting with it, consider purchasing one from the links below and helping us keep the lights on around here.
RGB30 at AliExpressRGB30 (Direct)RGB30 at Amazon
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