Welcome to the latest edition of Retro Handhelds Weekly. This week, we saw a bunch of news in the world of hardware and software. Our writing team continues to be on an absolute tear, and there’s even a surprise or two sprinkled in! So sit back, grab a cup of coffee, and catch up on what’s happened this week in the world of Retro Handhelds.
Table of Contents
Hardware
If there’s one thing we know about retro handhelds, it’s that there is always something new around the corner. Seriously, it’s “worse” than smartphones, as some companies release new handhelds every other week. On the bright side, at least there’s no shortage of options.
EXCLUSIVE: MANGMI Enters the Scene With the Air X
Android handhelds are coming out at an ever-increasing pace, whether that be Retroid, AYN, or especially Anbernic, with its RG Slide being the latest. But now it looks like there’s another Android competitor entering the scene in the form of MANGMI. What they’re unloading is a Snapdragon-powered Android handheld that might be just what you need, if the price is right
Taki Udon Announces Plans to Release the ‘Super Switch Lite’
YouTuber-turned-OLED-screen manufacturer Taki Udon has announced his forthcoming project, and it’s one that is significantly more ambitious than his projects to date: a “Super Switch” with a significant screen upgrade.
[UPDATE: Pre-Orders Live] TrimUI Levels Up the Brick with the All-Metal Brick Hammer
The Brick Hammer is now live on the official TrimUI store. The color options have slightly different names, but other than that, everything remains the same as reported in the article. The colors are officially Gunmetal Gray, Rose Gold, and Fluorescent Green. You can save 10% on their orders with the coupon code TRIMUI10OFF.
Xbox Reimagined as Microsoft and AMD Build the Future of Gaming
Microsoft is looking beyond traditional console cycles, forging a long-term partnership with AMD to develop the custom silicon that will power the next generation of Xbox devices. This collaboration goes far deeper than designing a single chipset; it’s a multi-year effort to co-develop the foundational hardware that will drive Xbox consoles, handhelds, and cloud-connected platforms for years to come.
AYANEO Releases the Pocket S2 and Announces a Surprise
Despite a decent amount of the information already being released to the public on previous streams, AYANEO took to a new live stream to formally release the AYANEO Pocket S2.
MIG Flash Triggers Nintendo Banwave on Switch 2
Nintendo has started banning Switch 2 consoles detected using the MIG Flash, a multi-game cartridge device that allows users to load and play multiple titles from a single physical cart.
More Hardware News
Apps and Software
Don’t get me wrong, hardware is definitely fun and exciting to talk about. But what good is an awesome handheld if it doesn’t even work? That’s where software and custom firmware come into play, so here’s everything you might’ve missed this week.
SEGA Offers Free Mobile Versions of 9 Retro Games Before Delisting
Several games from the company’s mobile catalog have been made completely free on both the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store, with all ads and in-app purchases removed. But there’s a catch: these games are being delisted soon, and once they’re gone, they won’t be coming back.
Crowdsourced Emulation Compatibility Tracker EmuReady.com Launches
EmuReady.com, a user-led platform designed to gather and organize compatibility insights from across the emulation landscape has finally launched. With the growing variety of handhelds, single-board computers doubling as retro setups, and emulators, EmuReady gives users a centralized way to share what works, what doesn’t, and how well specific games run on different setups.
More Software News
From the Writers
While there’s always a lot of news to cover and talk about, we also try to take a step back and give everyone something a bit different to enjoy. These are the more editorial-styled articles and reviews that you might have missed over the course of this week.
Retroid Pocket Mini v2: A Second Chance Done Right?
When Retroid announced it would be selling a limited number of “Retroid Pocket Mini v2” devices, I made the purchase. I was curious how this new consumer-ready v2 would differ from the videos showing self-modded v1 devices made by our favorite YouTubers.
Anbernic RG Slide Review: A Weighty Proposition
Retro handhelds are a fickle thing. One day, it’s just a matter of picking your favorite vertical or horizontal device to play those retro classics. Then, clamshells swoop in and punch us right in the nostalgia bone. Now, the Anbernic RG Slide is here, giving us yet another form factor to consider, and one that is truly unique.
PXN P5 8K Review: The Next Step?
At the beginning of the year, I had the opportunity to take a look at the PXN P5, a budget controller that was readily available and took a lot of design cues from the Xbox One controller. For $30, it was a solid option, but PXN is back, and asking for an extra $10 to get you their latest update, the PXN P5 8K. While most controllers are getting up to 1000Hz, some are pushing 2000Hz. They’re promising up to 8000Hz in what I’d consider a budget package.
Anbernic RG Slide First Impressions: Go Bold
Console Launcher is a great frontend option
Rumors have swirled for a while now about a company in the handheld emulation space taking on a slide design, and Anbernic has certainly been at the top of that heap. In what has up until now been something of a confusing release schedule for the company in 2025, it looks like the leaders in bold form factors are back at doing what they do best. Releasing handhelds of every possible size, shape, and chip out there! And this is probably the boldest and unique release we’ve seen so far this year.
Shifting Gears: How Mods Brought Me Back to Gran Turismo
Still slaps
It’s hard to say whether it was Sony dropping the ball on release schedules, partial release shenanigans, or something else, but somewhere along the way (probably about 20 years ago now), I lost touch with the Gran Turismo (GT) series of racing games. After the first three releases across PSX and PS2, I never would have imagined that anyone could challenge the series for the sim racing crown.
On the YouTubes
Don’t think that the writers are the only ones getting things done. The RH video team is constantly working on new videos, and now’s the best time to subscribe. This week, we got our first look at the Anbernic RG Slide, along with the RG35XX Pro and PowKiddy V90S. Plus, Stubbs and Rob interviewed Franco Catron of RetroX, and Zu revisited a familiar custom firmware.
Looking for Deals?
Another week, another set of deals to be had. Hit the button below to check out our favorite deals of the week. We know how much everyone loves a good deal, so we’ve been cooking up something to help you get the best deal possible.
Retro Handhelds Deals of the WeekHandheld.Deals
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