Review PowKiddy V90S - A GBA SP Lookalike That Won't Break The Bank

It feels like we're drowning in GBA SP-style clamshell emulation handhelds these days, and PowKiddy is adding yet another one to the mix: the V90S, an update of its earlier V90 effort.

Boasting a larger footprint and massively improved specs, it's certainly a step up—but is this $50 device really worth a look when the market for this type of device is so saturated?

Well, that's what you've come here to find out, right? Let's get stuck in...

PowKiddy V90S Review: Design & Display

The PowKiddy V90S looks and feels like a Nintendo Game Boy Advance SP, but then that shouldn't come as a massive surprise to anyone reading this review—the clamshell form factor is the flavour of the month in the realm of emulation portables, after all.

Following in the footsteps of the Anbernic RG34XX SP and Miyoo Flip V2, the V90S is squarely aimed at those who have a warm and nostalgic feeling towards Nintendo's 2003 handheld.

This device has a fairly robust-feeling hinge, which is a prime consideration when you look at the issues Miyoo Flip owners have been having. It's got twin MicroSD card slots and USB-C ports (one for charging, the other for plugging in accessories) but lacks some other key features, such as a 3.5mm headphone socket, HDMI out, Bluetooth and WiFi.

On the plus side, the battery is user-serviceable, which bodes well for the operational lifespan of this device (assuming you can still find replacement batteries for it in a decade or two, of course). While the upper lid of the unit looks a little cheap (that PowKiddy logo simply doesn't do it for me), the plastic is premium enough and, overall, the V90S doesn't feel like a low-cost device.

In terms of control, the D-pad and face buttons are spongy rather than clicky, and my initial reaction wasn't great—but, after spending some time with the device, I came to realise the V90S offers a great control setup for retro gaming. The D-pad, in particular, is wonderful; I had no issue with unintended diagonal presses, and was able to pull off quarter-circle motions in games like Street Fighter with relative ease.

The two shoulder triggers are easy enough to reach, too, but you'll rarely need to use all four buttons, unless you plan to play more modern titles—and that's perhaps unlikely, despite the fact that the V90S's AllWinner A133 Plus chipset is capable of emulating Dreamcast and N64 games. The reason for this is that the device lacks any form of analogue input, and this makes games like Crazy Taxi 2 and Mario 64 tricky to play.

Normally, I'd decry this design choice, but if you've read my reviews of other GBA SP-style emulation handhelds, you'll be aware of my stance on analogue sticks on these things—they simply don't make sense from a comfort perspective, as they're positioned so far down the face of the device.

The V90S is sporting a 640x480 pixel IPS panel which measures 3.5 inches from corner to corner. It's of good quality, too, with decent colour and brightness levels and rock-solid viewing angles.

PowKiddy V90S Review: Performance & Battery Life

That aforementioned AllWinner A133 Plus is backed up by 1GB of RAM, which means the V90S is pretty much in the same ballpark as its 2025 rivals when it comes to pure processing power. This means you can effortlessly run games from the 8 and 16-bit console generations, as well as many MAME titles, PS1 games and more.

Things get a little sticky when you go beyond that, with N64 and Dreamcast titles proving a pain to play because of the aforementioned lack of analogue control—but I'd argue anyone who wants a GBA clone in this day and age is likely to be aiming for less demanding emulation.

It's worth noting again that, unlike its rivals, the V90S lacks Bluetooth, WiFi and HDMI-out, so if those things are important to you, then you might want to look elsewhere. The upside to this is that PowKiddy's device is cheaper than the competition.

The 3000mAh battery, as I've already stated, can be replaced by the user, which is great. You'll get between four and six hours of use from a single charge.

PowKiddy V90S Review: Specifications

PowKiddy V90S Review: Conclusion

If you've been holding out on picking up a GBA SP-style emulation handheld, then the V90S might be just the ticket, especially if you're shopping on a budget. At just $50, it's less than the cost of a single modern-day video game and offers plenty of power for that price.

On the downside, it lacks some of the features seen in rival products, such as Bluetooth and TV-out, so if those are important to you, then it's probably worth spending a little more and picking up something like the Anbernic RG34XX SP.

Thanks to MechDIY for sending the PowKiddy V90S used in this review.