Powkiddy X55 vs QRD Vortex F5: New or Old?

In 2025, we’re starting to see more and more companies enter the fray of “Look! We have a handheld, too!” Antec rebranded AYANEO handhelds and released them. Helegaly has announced a few different handhelds, but has yet to ship them.

So what happens when a company by QRD launches their own 3566 that’s suspiciously similar to a Powkiddy? You get the Vortex F5, and that brings up the decision. Do you buy new? Or grab something a bit older now.

Pricing and Specs

Off the bat, if you’re looking at the QRD Vortex F5, you’re looking at a higher-priced device. It’s $119, before a 15% off coupon, on their website. Or it’s about $80-$90 on AliExpress. The X55, on the other hand, is $60-$80 on both their website and on Aliexpress.

QRD Vortex F5 Powkiddy X55

So, depending on where you look, it could be a similar price, or drastically different, but here’s where their specs lie:

Going off of price and specs alone, it looks like the X55 should win this, but specs aren’t everything.

• Powkiddy X55: ✅
• QRD Vortex F5: ❌

Design and Ergonomics

When it comes to design, you’re looking at two pretty similar devices. A big screen in the middle with controls on either side. Grips on the bottom, bump outs in the back, and analog stacked shoulders on the top.

When it comes to design, though, QRD varies things by making the back and a little bit of the front transparent plastic. Even then, the plastics that you’re feeling mostly are very similar between the two. QRD definitely wins here.

Despite the similarities in design, the ergonomics are just different enough for me to declare a winner. The QRD F5 is just a little larger than the X55 in all regards.

Slightly taller, slightly wider, slightly thicker.

Especially when considering the back grips, that little bit of extra space makes the grip a lot more comfortable. And in turn, means the QRD definitely wins this category.

• Powkiddy X55: ✅
• QRD Vortex F5: ✅

Screen

When it comes to retro, Linux handhelds. 5.5” inches isn’t the most common size of screen, but it is one that both devices here have. Luckily, both are nice HD displays that, while not touchscreen, are still fairly bright for what they offer.

I know earlier X55 units had some pretty dim displays, but it’s been fixed as you get further on into their lifespans. With that being said, neither device really wins over the other, and I’d count this category as a draw.

• Powkiddy X55: ✅ ✅
• QRD Vortex F5: ✅ ✅

Controls

Here’s where the opinions differ handily, and where my opinion matters the most. I think? Both handhelds feature the same “stick up top and stacked digital triggers” route, but where they differ is almost everywhere else.

The Shoulders

The biggest complaint of the X55 was always the noisy, clicky triggers. They’re loud micro-switches, and both L1 and R1 are really slim buttons. If you liked clicky, that was good, but if not, that was not the move. The QRD, on the other hand, did not fix this. Their shoulders are as loud, possibly louder.

Perhaps it’s just my ears, but while they’re louder, they sound better due to not being as high-pitched. And while they’re not perfect, they’re slightly larger than the X55, which gives them the edge.

The Face Buttons

The easiest differentiator is the sticks. They’re both Switch-sized, but the QRD F5 features nice, hall-effect sticks. And they come with LEDs! As for the D-pad, you can bottom both out pretty easily, but the QRDs are a little louder, but come with a little bit more of a pivot.

Finally, for the actual face buttons, the X55 holds the older, stiffer face buttons we used to know from Powkiddy. They’re a bit stiff, a bit rattly, but they get the job done, and you’re not going to be too upset. The QRD F5, on the other hand, has glossy face buttons that feel better, albeit they are still a bit rattly and clacky. 

The Rest

As for the function buttons, Powkiddy’s are louder and clickier than anything else here. And they put volume on either side of the screen. The QRD F5 is still loud and clicky, but it’s quieter and just a bit more usable. Oh, and the volume is on top of the device.

When it comes to the controls, QRD takes it away easily, surpassing Powkiddy in almost every way, but for shoulder volumes.

• Powkiddy X55: ✅ ✅
• QRD Vortex F5: ✅ ✅ ✅

OS Options

This is a pretty cut-and-dry conversation. Thanks to the popularity and the time it’s been out, the Powkiddy X55 has just a couple more options for what you can use on it, software-wise. JELOS and ROCKNIX were shipped out of the box and are options that you could run afterwards.

Meanwhile, GammaOS Core came later to give you a different experience overall. Though Android without a touchscreen will always be curious to me. And of course, UnofficialOS is an option too that you can’t quite forget.

The QRD Vortex F5 is a bit more questionable. It comes out of the box running EmuElec, but if you know what you’re doing, it sounds like you may be able to run a few more options if you know where to look.

Others have reported being able to run ArkOS, while others comment that Rocknix may be an option too. From my testing, it does seem like the QRD Vortex F5 can run just fine off the ROCKNIX build for the X55; however, hoping your handheld runs off of another device’s OS in the future doesn’t leave the best taste in my mouth.

It could be fine for you and your needs going forward, but because of that uncertainty alone, and having the option for GammaOS Core, I would still give the leg up to the Powkiddy X55.

• Powkiddy X55: ✅ ✅ ✅
• QRD Vortex F5: ✅ ✅ ✅

Performance

Do I really need to describe whether one is better than the other? Both systems run a RockChip RK3566 running 1GB or 2GB of RAM. That means you’re covering up everything up to the Dreamcast/PSP/N64 era. And while those are available, I wouldn’t call them gimmes. I’d call them “be happy with what you can get”.

The difference in performance lies in that RAM, though. Both systems seem to be able to get ports installed on them. The QRD F5 comes with a copy of Stardew Valley out of the box.

But the extra gigabyte of RAM in the X55 allows you to nab just a few more ports over time when compared to the QRD F5. With that in mind, it’s not the biggest difference, but it gives the X55 just one more point.

• Powkiddy X55: ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅
• QRD Vortex F5: ✅ ✅ ✅

Final Thoughts

When all is said and done, the Powkiddy X55 offers an experience that’s good enough, especially at its price point. While it is $60-$80 on the new market, it’s been around long enough to be on the used market as well.

And in that case, I managed to grab mine for just $40 on the Retro Handhelds Discord Marketplace. At that price, it outclasses a majority of the sub-$50 handhelds on the market, and is still probably why a lot of people are using theirs.

This doesn’t mean the QRD F5 is bad, though. It’s a better-controlled, more ergonomic X55 that has a solid out-of-the-box experience with room to grow if it can reach more of the community. The lack of built-in Wi-Fi means it offers less than its competition, but if you’re happy with the default experience, there isn’t a lot you need to do with it.

Overall, I recommend recycling rather than re-buying. For less money, you get basically the entire experience minus the ergonomics and better controls. With a little more community reach and a lower price, the QRD F5 would be a great handheld. Just not one I’d buy in 2025. Especially for the $85 I paid for it.

QRD Vortex F5 Powkiddy X55 at AliExpress

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