Affiliate disclosure: This guide contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate and Anbernic affiliate, we earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. Learn more.
There's no single best retro handheld. There's only the right one for what you want to play and how much you want to spend. A $65 device is genuinely excellent for certain people — and genuinely wrong for others. This guide cuts through the noise so you can make the call confidently, without buyer's remorse.
Affiliate disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Links on this page include an affiliate tag at no extra cost to you. We also earn from Anbernic's affiliate program.
Start Here: What Do You Actually Want to Play?
Before you look at specs or prices, answer this honestly:
- NES, SNES, Game Boy, GBA, PS1? → Tier 1. You don't need to spend more than $80.
- PS2, GameCube, PSP, Dreamcast — or some Switch? → Tier 2. Budget at least $150.
- Modern PC games alongside retro? → Tier 3. Prepare for sticker shock.
- Buying as a gift for a kid or someone new to this? → Tier 1. Simpler is better.
- Still not sure? Keep reading. Most people land in Tier 1 or Tier 2.
The tiers below tell you what each price range actually gets you, who it's right for, and — importantly — where it falls short. No device is perfect. The goal is finding the right trade-offs for you.
Tier 1 — The Starter ($40–$80)
Best for: NES, SNES, Game Boy, GBA, PS1. Kids, casual players, gift purchases, and anyone who grew up on 16-bit and mostly wants to relive that era.
This tier is more capable than it gets credit for. These devices handle the entire 8-bit and 16-bit library without breaking a sweat, run GBA beautifully, and can push through most PS1 titles without issue. For a huge percentage of retro gamers, this is the only tier they'll ever need.
The honest limitation: These devices top out around PS1. You can coax some N64 games to run, but expect frame drops and audio glitches on anything demanding. PS2 is effectively off the table. If PS2 or GameCube matters to you, save up for Tier 2 — you'll regret under-buying here.
Anbernic RG35XX — $55
The best vertical handheld at this price, full stop. It fits in a pocket, runs GarlicOS out of the box, and handles everything up to PS1 without fuss. The screen is sharp for the size, the d-pad is excellent for 2D games, and the build quality punches above its price. If you want something small and dead-simple, this is it.
Anbernic RG40XXV — $75
The horizontal companion to the RG35XX. Wider body, dual analog sticks, and a bigger battery make it the better choice if you want a more traditional gamepad feel. The extra sticks open up PSP and some light PS2 titles, though don't expect miracles at this chipset level. Great for longer sessions where grip matters.
Full review → · RG40XXV vs Retroid Pocket 5 →
Miyoo Mini Plus — $65
The cult favorite. It's slightly more expensive than the base RG35XX but earns it with a better screen and — more importantly — Onion OS, one of the best custom firmware setups in the handheld space. Onion OS transforms the software experience: clean UI, deep RetroArch integration, and a library scraper that makes your collection feel like a proper catalog. If software polish matters to you, the Miyoo is the pick. Install Onion OS before you do anything else.
Full review → · Miyoo Mini Plus vs RG35XX → · Onion OS setup guide →
Check Miyoo Mini Plus Price on Amazon(affiliate link)More budget options: See our best handhelds under $100 guide → and best under $50 →
Tier 2 — The Sweet Spot ($150–$220)
Best for: PS2, GameCube, PSP, Dreamcast, Nintendo DS/3DS, and lighter Switch titles. Enthusiasts who want a dedicated retro device that handles the full retro library without compromise.
This is where the market gets genuinely interesting. Tier 2 devices have the horsepower to run PS2 and GameCube at full speed for most titles, a huge leap over anything in Tier 1. You're still buying a purpose-built retro handheld, not a PC — but that's a feature, not a bug. The experience is focused and friction-free in a way that Tier 3 Windows devices aren't.
The honest limitation: These devices don't run PC games. Switch emulation works for some titles but not all — demanding Switch games will struggle. If Steam library access matters to you, this tier won't scratch that itch. You'll need Tier 3.
Retroid Pocket 5 — ~$180
The current benchmark for dedicated Android retro handhelds. The RP5 runs a fast ARM chipset that handles PS2 and GameCube well across most of the library, with a large, high-quality AMOLED screen and ergonomics that feel genuinely premium. It runs Android, which gives you access to standalone emulators (Dolphin, AetherSX2, PPSSPP) as well as RetroArch. Setup takes maybe 30 minutes if you follow a guide.
RP5 vs RG40XXV → · RP5 vs Steam Deck → · PS2 emulation guide →
Check Retroid Pocket 5 Price on Amazon(affiliate link)Retroid Pocket Mini — ~$150
The RP5's compact sibling. Same Android platform, same emulation ceiling, smaller form factor. If you want RP5-class performance in something closer to a GBA SP size — something you can genuinely pocket — this is the answer. The trade-off is a smaller screen and slightly less battery life. Both are fine devices; the decision is really about size preference.
Check Retroid Pocket Mini Price on Amazon(affiliate link)Tier 3 — The All-In-One ($550–$1,000+)
Best for: Everyone who wants retro gaming and access to their modern PC library. People who want one device, not two.
These are full PC handhelds. They run the complete retro library — everything in Tiers 1 and 2 and then some — plus Steam, GOG, Epic, Xbox Game Pass, and anything else that runs on a PC. If you already have a Steam library, a Tier 3 device instantly turns it into a portable library. That's a genuinely compelling value proposition at $549.
The honest limitation: Price and size are real. The Steam Deck OLED weighs about 670g — it doesn't fit in a pocket. Windows devices (ROG Ally X) add setup complexity on top of that: configuring emulation on Windows requires more hands-on work than SteamOS. And at $999, the ROG Ally X is a significant purchase.
This tier also has a meaningful OS split:
- SteamOS (Steam Deck, Legion Go S): Boots straight to gaming. EmuDeck turns emulation setup into a wizard you click through in ten minutes. Plug-and-play, effectively.
- Windows 11 (ROG Ally X): Full desktop OS. More powerful, more configurable, more complex. Great if you want maximum flexibility; frustrating if you just want to play games without friction.
Steam Deck OLED — $549
The default recommendation for anyone who wants a PC handheld. Years of community polish have made SteamOS the most refined handheld OS available. The OLED screen upgrade over the original is meaningful — colors and blacks are noticeably better. EmuDeck integration is excellent: setup takes about ten minutes and covers every system through PS2/GameCube/Wii. If this is your first Tier 3 purchase, start here.
Full review → · Steam Deck retro gaming guide → · EmuDeck setup →
Buy the Steam Deck OLED from Valve(affiliate link)ASUS ROG Ally X — $999
The Windows power option. More RAM, faster storage, and the Z1 Extreme SoC give it a meaningful performance edge — useful for demanding Switch emulation and newer PC games. But Windows on a handheld requires patience: sleep/wake can be unreliable, touch navigation is awkward, and emulation setup is manual rather than wizard-based. Buy this if you specifically want Windows and the extra headroom. Don't buy it expecting a Steam Deck experience.
Full review → · Steam Deck vs ROG Ally X vs Legion Go S →
Check ROG Ally X Price on Amazon(affiliate link)Lenovo Legion Go S (SteamOS) — $649–$829
The newcomer worth watching. Lenovo officially licensed SteamOS from Valve — the first third-party manufacturer to do so — which means you get the same plug-and-play EmuDeck experience as the Steam Deck on hardware with a larger screen and newer silicon. If you want a Steam Deck but always wished the screen were bigger, this is it. Pricing is higher than the Steam Deck, so the value equation depends on how much the larger display matters to you.
Steam Deck vs ROG Ally X vs Legion Go S → · Best PC gaming handhelds → · Premium Windows handhelds →
Check Legion Go S Price on Amazon(affiliate link)Quick Comparison
| Device | Tier | Price | Emulation Ceiling | Best For | Setup Ease |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anbernic RG35XX | 1 | ~$55 | PS1 | Pocket-sized simplicity | Plug and play |
| Anbernic RG40XXV | 1 | ~$75 | PS1 | Horizontal grip, dual sticks | Plug and play |
| Miyoo Mini Plus | 1 | ~$65 | PS1 | Software polish (Onion OS) | Easy (install Onion OS first) |
| Retroid Pocket Mini | 2 | ~$150 | PS2/GameCube/PSP | Compact, capable, pocketable | 30 min setup |
| Retroid Pocket 5 | 2 | ~$180 | PS2/GameCube/PSP | Best dedicated retro handheld | 30 min setup |
| Steam Deck OLED | 3 | ~$549 | PS2/GC/Wii + PC | All-in-one, SteamOS polish | ~10 min (EmuDeck) |
| Legion Go S SteamOS | 3 | ~$649–$829 | PS2/GC/Wii/Switch + PC | Big screen, SteamOS | ~10 min (EmuDeck) |
| ROG Ally X | 3 | ~$999 | Switch/Wii U + PC | Windows power users | Manual (1–3 hrs) |
Still Not Sure?
Most people who feel stuck between tiers are actually Tier 1 or Tier 2. Here's a quick gut-check:
Buy Tier 1 if: You mostly want NES, SNES, GBA, or PS1 — or you're buying for someone else and don't want to hand them a setup project. The Miyoo Mini Plus and RG35XX are genuinely great devices, not consolation prizes.
Buy Tier 2 if: You know you want PS2 or GameCube, or you've been in Tier 1 before and hit its ceiling. The Retroid Pocket 5 is the best dedicated retro handheld available right now.
Buy Tier 3 if: You have a Steam library you actually want to play portably, or you want one device instead of two. The Steam Deck OLED is the entry point — start there before considering the more expensive options.
Don't buy Tier 3 just because it's the most expensive. If PS1 is genuinely all you want, a $549 Steam Deck is overkill — and a $65 Miyoo Mini Plus will actually be more enjoyable because it's lighter, simpler, and fits in your pocket.
The best device is the one you'll actually carry with you.