
The market for emulation handhelds has been flooded over the past few years with countless devices all doing pretty much the same thing, so it's refreshing to see a manufacturer try something a bit different.
Granted, PowKiddy's upcoming RGB20 Pro is yet another Game Boy-style portable, but we're quite taken by the fact that it will sport a transparent front panel which gives a small glimpse of its innards.
According to Retro Handhelds, the RGB20 Pro has the following specs:
- Display: 3.2-inch IPS
- Resolution: 1024 x 768
- Processor: RK3566
- RAM: 1GB LPDDR4
- Storage: Dual-microSD Card Slots (16GB – 256GB)
- Wi-Fi
- Bluetooth
- 3.5mm Headphone Jack
- Battery: 5,000mAh
- Dimensions: 150.2 x 83.3 x 23.3mm
- Colors: Yellow, Sky Blue, Green, Grey
Pre-orders are now live on PowKiddy's site, with prices starting at $70 (with a 16GB MicroSD card) and topping out at $90 (with a 128GB MicroSD card). Around 500 units will be pre-sold in the initial batch, which is expected to ship around the middle of October.
[source retrohandhelds.gg]
Comments 16
THAT'S WHAT IS DIFFERENT??? Like half the handhelds or more have a clear plastic model.
I don't like how it makes a face. feel me?
What's different? The semi-clear plastic? There are tons of options for semi-clear plastic in these handhelds. Come on, guys. If there's nothing to post about, it's okay to just not post. This is schlock. It looks like an ad.
@WhensDinner
completely agree. a+ commenter. 🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿
These things completely flooded the market. I don’t really know what’s what because they all pretty much seem the same. This one has a clear plastic front panel. It plays games. This is what we know.
@Blast16
i had ongoing decision paralysis with these for years, and i still had yet to own one until a good friend recently gave me an Anbernic RG383V, and I'm very pleased with it! It's probably not the one I'd have picked, but I'm having such a good time with it that any complaints would be nitpicking 👍
also you can get it with a clear plastic front panel 😂
But she's got a new hat!
@-wc- Thanks for the reply! I just looked at the model you mentioned, the Anbernic RG383V, and it looks good in terms of price vs. features. Did yours come with the SD cards or did you make your own image? I suppose it could depend on where you’re buying. Something like this is very tempting, but…we all have so many options for retro games I don’t really need this 😜🤔
With the famed Powkiddy approach to quality no doubt — my RGB30 screen failed after a month and I couldn't return it. Never again.
While the aesthetics are subjective and "interesting" - it makes it look like something out of a Fallout game imho - I don't see anything revolutionary or "different" in this. I would imagine it is an absolute NIGHTMARE with the thumbsticks so close together and then trying to reach for the L and R buttons.
Honestly, this OG DMG formfactor has been done to death and should have never gone beyond emulating 2-button systems.
For SNES and beyond, still 2D an OG GBA kind of design would be perfect (4:3 screen, digital inputs), no thumbsticks needed. That RG-ARC S for Sega fans, also no analogue sticks needed.
For everything more modern, with 3D graphics and smooth input needed, something like a VITA has been the best formfactor with widescreen 16:9 screen, responsive thumbsticks and analogue triggers. At least that's how I feel.
This makes absolutely no sense.
I quite like the appearance. It has a kinda retro futurist feel. However, I dread the ergonomics! As someone suggested, using those inset thumbpads and the triggers simultaneously could be an issue. Looks cramp inducing. But then I bought a Miyoo Mini, so don't listen to me about buying something the gives you RSI just cos it looks pretty!
The one thing I would say is that because so many of these things share the same processor, buyers will have a very good idea of what these are capable of. So no real bad surprises.
How Powkiddy and Anbernic keep churning these out profitably, I will never understand.
@Blast16
"Did yours come with the SD cards or did you make your own image?"
It came with cards but my friend got one for himself too, and he put ArkOS on there and a chise games he thought we'd like. Here's the thing, though: he just got into emulation, and he's practically computer illiterate and he acted like it was super easy to do 👍
"Something like this is very tempting, but… we all have so many options for retro games I don’t really need this 😜🤔"
You know, I felt the same way, but if you dont have a pocket device to knockaround with, I think It's worth it. Mine fits in my tiny sling bag i carry around, and I intend to build a kit for it containing charger, mini hdmi cord, and 2-4 compact bluetooth controllers, for the tiniest retro multiplayer setup ever. 😎
Dont forget, the "V" model (not "VS") like I have runs android, too. so theres some opportunity to play modern mobile games, too (I will be finally trying Dead Cells on there soon, and SOTN, Huntdown, crazy taxi, and a number of other mobile games I own but never found a great way to play before.)
(btw ive done very little tweaking so far and it plays ps1 beautifully, and lots of the dreamcast and psp games I tried ran well also. 👍 so between those and the android stuff, the "modern" control set is justified in my opinion.)
anyway, thats my 2 cents! ✌️
And here I am waiting for a GBA model...
@-wc- Thanks dude, appreciate the thoughtful reply!! 😃
@-wc- Android does provide some benefits for something like that. I didn't realize Huntdown was on Android. I finally got around to playing it on PC after having purchased it a while back. I was sick for a few weeks over the summer and working on my game backlog was a way to help me feel better. Huntdown was one of the highlights, so I think you're in for a great time. Playing it portably sounds interesting as the screen isn't too small. Have fun!
Pro tip: Playing Cuphead while very ill is not much fun. Like, why did I even hit a button that's not mapped to anything?
@sdelfin
whoops! i meant ill finally be trying dead cells, but crazy taxi, sotn and huntdown are all favorites that i havent played much on android yet, that I do own. 👍 CT and SOTN in particular have been elusive for me since I had them in their own day, way back.
I doubled down on Huntdown because I enjoyed it so much on switch! isn't it great?! seriously one of my favorite games, ever.
haha playing cuphead while ill sounds like a real PITA, but I have a hard time playing anything at all if im genuinely very sick tbh. ✌️
Leave A Comment
Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...