'An Ode to the Game Boy Advance' via Brain Baking, which is an excellent writeup and rundown of the GBA: https://brainbaking.com/post/2025/03/an-ode-to-the-game-boy-advance

LegionGo #SteamOS #handhelds are here. It took me several minutes to unpack the Best Buy store to make sense of all the different SKUs so let me share what I found in a hopefully helpful way:

SteamOS Z1E 1TB = $750
Windows Z1E 1TB = $830

SteamOS Z2Go 1TB = $730
Windows Z2Go 1TB = $730

SteamOS Z2Go 512 = $550
Windows Z2Go 512 = $550

So almost all SKUs are the same price (Windows vs. Steam), except the top tier, which has an $80 premium for the Windows version.

They're charging a ~$200 Apple tax for an extra 512GB storage. That's about 8x what that costs off the shelf. Another reminder why I absolutely loathe Apple.

Oh and the old Legion Go w/ Z1E/1TB is $750, also $80 less than the Go S, and represents a much better value. I don't think these are going to do well. Valve needs better partners.

#handheld #steamdeck #gaming

The future of #Windows #handhelds will not improve BECAUSE #Microsoft is so involved.

Don't blame the OS, blame the choice. Every manufacturer has read all the reviews of EVERY SINGLE HANDHELD lamenting the OS and its desktop focus.

From Tech Therapy vid "I don' blame Lenovo at all, I blame Microsoft, because they should know better, Windows just feels like it was never really meant to play games"

Lenovo knows better too, but good on them for running this A B test to put some hard data down.

The Bandai WonderSwan was a neat little handheld only released in #Japan in 1999. Sadly, it was discontinued four years later but still remains a favourite to some. Have you heard of it, or even, owned one? https://mindsconnect.jcink.net/index.php?showtopic=938&view=getnewpost #gaming #retrogaming #videogames #console #handhelds #retro

The two handhelds I brought with me to my office today.
The first one (to take cartridges) and one of the most recent ones!

Alright, everything is off my workbench (for now - *knock on wood*) so it was finally my opportunity to take a complete "family photo" of all my heldhelds in one place!

I had to prop up the Lynx on some Game Gear cases though otherwise it was hidden

I have a spreadsheet where I'm keeping track of various #retroGaming #handhelds and the #opensource firmwares that officially support them. I'm surprised which device is so far out in front of all the others.

The #TrimUiSmartPro; supported by #batocera #retronix #retropie #recalbox #lakka #arkos #knulli and #crossmixOS. It's not a powerful device, a little faster than the #Anbernic RGXX line, but at just under $100 it could be good for #Dreamcast

#trimui #videoGames

https://amzn.to/3Nwo7Vq

I've been doing a lot of research about #RetroGaming #handhelds and #SBCs. There's a ton of very weak quad core #ARM devices that run #games all the way up to #Dreamcast, and #GameCube! RaspberryPi level; things with screens and buttons hardwired to them.

But then there are the #OrangePi boards with #Rockchip #SoC that have 2 more cores! That makes them even faster than the #Unisoc chip in the #retroidPocket4Pro which easily handles #PS2. No screens or buttons though..

I'm kinda sitting on the fence when it comes to #gaming #handhelds. #SteamDeck look fine, but not very portable with that huge screen and limited battery.

I've been considering an #AynOdin2 but I'm also not sure that #Android will give me enough control to emulate all the weird stuff I like.

Something like the #Ayaneo Air Plus might be a nice middle ground

https://www.notebookcheck.net/AYANEO-heavily-discounts-AIR-Plus-gaming-handheld.869533.0.html

KAKU Ancient Seal Steam Deck | SteamOS 3.6

http://youtube.com/watch?v=MSLTJUPw_kg

#SteamDeck can run #Windows, or so I have been led to believe.

Linux based SteamOS advantages far outweigh the normal everyday gaming frustrations of a windows device. Add in the tiny screen, gamepad navigation, OSK, and lack of integration and the shipped OS becomes the deciding factor over a handful of games.

It really is Day & Night. Just run through the comparative reviews of Windows #Handhelds vs the Deck.

https://www.xda-developers.com/installing-windows-on-steam-deck-makes-you-lose-out-on-features-performance/

Here are 3 ways to play your favorite old #GameBoy games without giving your money to a fascist:

1) Get an emulation-based handheld. Companies like Anbernic have gotten good at this actually! https://anbernic.com
2) Mod authentic hardware. FunnyPlaying’s parts are reliably high quality. https://funnyplaying.com
3) Get an FPGA-based handheld. The premium option is the hard-to-get Analogue Pocket. (FunnyPlaying makes one too)
https://www.analogue.co

Qs? Ask me!

We're working on a piece about #retro darlings — those pieces of #tech that refuse to die because of communities that have sprung up around them to keep them alive. We're looking at #Pebble / @rebble, #Sony #aibo, #chumby, and various retro #gaming #consoles and #handhelds, as well as numerous #retrocomputing platforms — what are some other beloved devices and dedicated folks and communities that should be on our radar?

The upcoming #AYANEO and #GPD #handhelds will be utilizing the next generation AMD APU, the 8840U, but the new APU may not be the true generational update we expect.

More on HandheldHQ:

https://handheld-hq.com/ayaneo-and-gpd-use-8840u-apus-is-it-worth-it/

Black Friday 2023: Laptop, tablet, and handheld PC deals #Bargains, #BlackFriday2023, #HandheldGamingPcs, #Handhelds, #Laptops, #LenovoThinkpadX1Carbon, #Tablets

https://liliputing.com/black-friday-2023-laptop-tablet-and-handheld-pc-deals/

AYA Neo Kun and AYN Odin2 gaming handhelds ship this monthping (crowdfunding) #Aya, #AyaNeoKun, #Ayn, #AynOdin2, #Crowdfunding, #HandheldGamingPc, #Handhelds

https://liliputing.com/aya-neo-kun-and-ayn-odin2-gaming-handhelds-ship-this-month-crowdfunding/

GuliKit reveal SNES styled dock for Steam Deck and other handhelds https://www.gamingonlinux.com/2023/08/gulikit-reveal-snes-styled-dock-for-steam-deck-and-other-handhelds/

Qualcomm expands Snapdragon G Series chips for handheld gaming devices #Chips, #HandheldGameConsole, #Handhelds, #MobileGaming, #Qualcomm, #SnapdragonG, #SnapdragonG1Gen1, #SnapdragonG2Gen1, #SnapdragonG3xGen2

https://liliputing.com/qualcomm-expands-snapdragon-g-series-chips-for-handheld-gaming-devices/

Anyone here use the #Retroid Pocket 2+?

I'm trying to find a good CRT shader for #RetroArch to preserve transparency effects (like the waterfalls in Sonic 2) and dithering. The problem is, a lot of shaders that are lightweight enough (easymode, lottes-fast, etc.) don't seem to do the trick, the ones that work well (sonkun, royale) are too heavy for the hardware, and some that might be solid contenders are made for 1080p+ resolutions and create giant, goofy scanlines at 480p.

The #handhelds are so easy with the lcd-v2-color shaders, but finding a good CRT shader for home console #emulation has been tough with this device.

#RP2+ #RetroidPocket2+ #RetroidPocket2Plus #RetroidPocket