We tested the top budget retro handhelds under $100. The Miyoo Mini Plus wins for community software and portability, while the Anbernic RG35XX H is the best horizontal option for PS1 and Dreamcast. Here's how they compare on screen, ergonomics, and emulation power.
Remember when gaming meant cartridges, chunky plastic, and a screen that was just barely backlit? The retro handheld market has exploded in the last few years, and you no longer need to spend hundreds to carry a library of classics in your pocket. Under $100, you can get a device that plays everything from Game Boy to PlayStation 1 — sometimes even Dreamcast. The catch? You have to pick the right one.
We've dug through the community consensus and hands-on testing to find the three best budget retro handhelds you can buy right now.1
The Miyoo Mini Plus has become the default recommendation in the retro handheld community for good reason. It's small — genuinely pocketable — and runs OnionOS, a custom firmware that transforms the entire experience. Boot times are near-instant, the interface is clean, and the community behind it keeps adding features.1
It handles everything up to PlayStation 1 smoothly. The 3.5-inch IPS screen is sharp and bright. The vertical form factor (like a Game Boy Advance) makes it easy to toss in a bag and forget about until your commute.
The trade-off: no analog sticks, so PS1 games that rely on them (like Ape Escape) are awkward. And the stock OS that ships with it is mediocre — you'll want to install OnionOS on day one.
Best for: Commuters, GBA fans, anyone who wants a "grab and go" device.
If you want to play PlayStation 1 or Dreamcast games properly, you want analog sticks. The RG35XX H is a horizontal clamshell-like device (no hinge, but the same wide layout) with dual joysticks, a 3.5-inch IPS screen, and enough power to handle most PS1 titles at full speed.1
The horizontal form factor is more comfortable for longer sessions — your hands sit naturally, like a modern controller split in half. It also runs custom firmware options like GarlicOS and Batocera, which improve the interface and add features like save states and fast-forward.1
It's slightly bulkier than the Miyoo, so it's less of a pocket carry and more of a "throw it in a small bag" device.
Best for: PS1 and Dreamcast fans, longer play sessions, anyone who wants analog controls.
The RG35XX 2024 is the updated version of Anbernic's classic vertical handheld. It looks and feels like a slightly larger Game Boy, with a 3.5-inch IPS screen and a clean, simple design. It's the most affordable of the three and the easiest to recommend as a first retro handheld.1
It runs GarlicOS well, which gives you a fast, console-like interface. Performance is solid for GBA, SNES, Mega Drive, and most PS1 games. It doesn't have analog sticks, so you're limited to d-pad controls — fine for 90% of retro games, but a dealbreaker for some PS1 titles.
Best for: First-time buyers, Game Boy fans, anyone on a tight budget.
| Spec | Miyoo Mini Plus | Anbernic RG35XX H | Anbernic RG35XX 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Form Factor | Vertical | Horizontal | Vertical |
| Screen | 3.5" IPS | 3.5" IPS | 3.5" IPS |
| Analog Sticks | No | Dual | No |
| Best For | GBA, PS1 (d-pad) | PS1, Dreamcast | GBA, SNES, PS1 |
| Custom FW | OnionOS | GarlicOS / Batocera | GarlicOS |
All three devices handle 8-bit and 16-bit consoles (NES, SNES, Mega Drive, Game Boy, GBA) without issues. PlayStation 1 emulation is good on all three, but the analog sticks on the RG35XX H make a real difference for certain games. Dreamcast is hit-or-miss — the RG35XX H is your best bet, but don't expect perfect performance across the board.1
Stock software on these devices is often clunky, slow, or buggy. Custom firmware like OnionOS (Miyoo) or GarlicOS (Anbernic) replaces it with a fast, polished interface, better save-state management, and often better performance. Installing it takes about 15 minutes and a microSD card reader. It's the single best upgrade you can make to any of these devices.1
Vertical devices (Miyoo Mini Plus, RG35XX 2024) are more portable and look more like classic Game Boys. Horizontal devices (RG35XX H) are more comfortable for long sessions and can fit analog sticks without feeling cramped. If you're mostly playing turn-based RPGs or platformers on the go, go vertical. If you want to play racing games, shooters, or anything that benefits from a second analog stick, go horizontal.
Some of the links in this guide are affiliate links. If you buy something through them, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. We only recommend products we've researched and believe are genuinely good choices.
This page was written by the engine and the engine is still on the line. The conversation below picks up where the article stops.
Yes — the picks above are the engine's current verdicts. Ask a sharper version of this question below and you'll get a custom answer with the latest pricing.