Key Points
- When it comes to retro gaming handhelds, Powkiddy has a longstanding reputation in the business as one of the most prominent manufacturers.
- The Powkiddy X55 offers a 5.5-inch IPS RGB screen with sharp colors and compatibility with PSP, PlayStation 1, and some PlayStation 2 and GameCube titles.
- The Powkiddy RGB30 features a 1:1 resolution 4-inch IPS screen, HDMI output, and a 4,100mAh battery for up to 8 hours of gaming.
- The Powkiddy RK2023 has an ergonomic design, a 3.5-inch display, support for over 20,000 games, and a 3,500mAh battery for up to 6 hours of playtime.
With the retro gaming resurgence taking place over the last few years, it’s no surprise that a number of Powkiddy handhelds have popped up to help you relive classic gaming memories. In fact, there have been so many new handheld consoles released to play retro games that it’s become a top question of how to know which one is the best.
This is a fair question as brands like Anbernic, Miyoo, Retroid, and Powkiddy have begun dropping new handhelds on the regular. The good news is that this article can help you cut through the noise and determine which handhelds from Powkiddy are the best ones for you.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at the 6 best Powkiddy handhelds you can buy today.
- #1 Best Overall: Powkiddy X55
- Best Runner-Up: Powkiddy RGB30
- Best Pocket-Friendly: Powkiddy V90
- Best Value: Powkiddy RK2023
- Best Gift: Powkiddy RGB10 Max
- Best Vertical Design: Powkiddy RGB20S
#1 Best Overall: Powkiddy X55
- IPS 5.5-inch screen
- RGB
- 256GB
- 30,000 games
- Comes with built-in games
Widely regarded as one of the best retro handhelds on the market today, the Powkiddy X55 is a fantastic choice for anyone looking to jump into the handheld scene.
Against deep competition, the Powkiddy X55’s 5.5-inch IPS RGB screen stands out with sharp colors that help bring to life older gaming consoles. Better yet, the X55 offers micro HDMI video out so you can connect to a larger screen and play with a Bluetooth controller.
Supported by the Rock-Chip RK3566, this tried and true processor has been available on numerous retro console games, so it’s easy to determine which consoles the Powerkiddy X55 will play. What this means is that you should have no issue playing all the way up to PSP, PlayStation 1, and likely even some PlayStation 2 and GameCube titles if you make some tweaks within each individual emulator.
In total, the Powkiddy X55 comes out of the box with 30 different emulators in total and more than 30,000 games built in depending on which model you purchase. To help play through all of these titles, a large capacity battery of 4,000mAh will help power you through your gaming sessions with an estimated 4 hours of gaming on a single charge.
Pick up your very own Powkiddy X55 from Amazon today.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Outstanding color screen for the price | Stacked shoulder buttons are loud |
| Great performance for the price |
Best Runner-Up: Powkiddy RGB30
- 30,000 games
- JELOS system
- 4-inch HD IPS display
- Built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth
A very close runner-up to the Powkiddy X55, the Powerkiddy RGB30 is a great portable console for playing a ton of your favorite gaming classics.
The Powkiddy RGB30 stands out first with its 1:1 resolution 4-inch IPS screen that offers 720p quality, which is difficult to find at this price point. While a 1:1 screen may seem odd on a portable gaming console, it’s actually the ideal resolution for numerous consoles all while fitting in your pocket.
Out of the box, the RGB30 offers support for over 20 different emulators and can be purchased with over 30,000 games already built-in. The available emulators include favorites like NES, SNES, GBA, N64, NeoGeo, MAME, and Nintendo DS.
One of the big highlights of the RGB30 is the inclusion of HDMI output, which enables you to play on a big screen. You can do this thanks not to just micro HDMI, but also available Bluetooth and Wi-Fi support. To keep playing games on the unit itself or on the TV, a 4,100mAh battery enables up to 8 hours of gaming on a single charge.
Run, don’t walk to Amazon to pick up the Powkiddy RGB30 today.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Pocket-friendly size | 1:1 resolution can mean black bars over some consoles |
| Excellent gaming performance for older consoles | RK3566 chip is a few years old |
Best Pocket-Friendly: Powkiddy V90
When it comes to a truly pocket-friendly gaming console, the Powkiddy V90 is about as small as it gets while still enabling you to play many gaming favorites.
Featuring a 3-inch display at 320:240 resolution, the Powkiddy V90 is absolute proof that good things can and do come in small packages. The nostalgic feeling brought on by the folding design takes you back to the days of the folding Game Boy Advance, except this console can play all of those games and more.
There is definite support for upwards of dozens of emulators and 1,500 games are included as part of your Amazon purchase from consoles like NES, SNES, Sega Genesis, Neo Geo Pocket, and more. To play all of these titles, a 1,020mAh battery enables up to 4 hours of gameplay on a single charge.
The V90 does a great job of making the price go the distance by including a portable case, so you can protect the V90 when it’s thrown in your pocket for playing on the go.
Grab the pocket-friendly Powkiddy V90 from Amazon today.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Awesome pocket-friendly design | Limited power availability |
| Invokes great memories of previous console designs | Short battery life |
Best Value: Powkiddy RK2023
For the best overall value out of the Powkiddy lineup, the RK2023 is the absolute best console you can purchase in 2023.
Available in either black or white, the Powkiddy RK2023 is an ergonomically friendly handheld console that feels great in the hand. Thankfully, the RK2023 is as good to play on as it is to hold with a 3.5-inch display featuring a 640 x 480 resolution.
With the power of over 20,000 games right out of the box, the Powkiddy RK2023 features the opportunity to play any number of your gaming favorites. Available consoles include MAME, N64, NES, SNES, SFC, NDS, PS, and more.
No matter which game you want to play, you can do so either on the Powkiddy RK2023 itself or jump to the TV with HDMI out. If you stick to the console, you’ll be able to enjoy 3D stereo sound with two speakers, which help make older console games sound better than ever.
Supported by a 3,500mAh battery, you can fully anticipate up to 6 hours of playtime on a single charge.
Take advantage of 20,000 games with the Powkiddy RK2023 direct from Amazon today.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Great stereo sound | Dreamcast and above may not play as well |
| Support for over 20,000 games out of the box | HDMI out requires micro HDMI |
Best Gift: Powkiddy RGB10 Max 2
If you’re on the hunt for a great gaming gift for the retro gamer in your family, the Powkiddy RGB10 Max 2 is an ideal choice.
Featuring a 5-inch IPS display, the Powkiddy RGB10 Max 2 is a great entry point into the retro gaming world if a larger screen is a must on your wish list. The upgraded LCD display features a resolution of 854 x 480p, which outpaces many of the lower-priced retro game handhelds the Max 2 competes against.
Better yet, the RGB10 Max 2 offers a 4,200mAh battery, which provides up to 8 hours of playtime, which is the perfect amount of time for keeping young children or adults occupied.
Available with the RK3326 chipset, the Max 2 has more than enough power to push through over 30 different emulators, and has a strong online community which has helped develop third-party software to increase performance.
Add in an ergonomic design that is comfortable to use and the Max 2 is the perfect gift for under the tree this year.
Find the perfect gift with the Powkiddy RGB10 Max 2 from Amazon today.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Excellent ergonomic design | RK3326 is getting outdated |
| Great display | No HDMI out |
Best Vertical Design: Powkiddy RGB20S
- 3.5-inch IPS display
- 128G TF card
- 20,000 games
- Blue
- 16G+128G
When it comes to portable handhelds from Powkiddy these days, they have been hyper-focused on horizontal designs, which is why the Powkiddy RGB20S stands out so well.
Invoking the memory of the original Game Boy, the Powkiddy RGB20S is a stand-out option that offers a price tag under $100.
Powered by the RK3326 chipset, the RGB20S supports over 20,000 games right from the jump from consoles like GBA, SFC, NDS, N64, MAME, PS1, and many more. All of these games are playable on the 3.5-inch IPS screen, which offers a 640 x 480p resolution, which is ideal for many of the games the RGB20S can play.
With its vertical layout, the two joysticks make it easy to pick up and go on consoles like the PS1, or use the D-pad and buttons to play older consoles.
Regardless of which console you play, the 3,500mAh battery will give you right around 8 hours of gaming before needing to be recharged. Thankfully, you can fast charge the RGB20S courtesy of a USB-C input.
Relive Game Boy memories with the Powkiddy RGB20S from Amazon today.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Great vertical form factor | The form factor won’t be for everyone |
| Excellent battery life | Best for PS1 and below |
©Phakorn Kasikij/Shutterstock.com
What to Know Before Buying a Powkiddy Handheld
Before you purchase any Powkiddy Handheld, it’s important to know a few important things.
First and foremost, while many of these consoles come with games built-in, adding your own games is something you have to do on your own. Downloading ROMs (or a digital copy of a game) from online sources is not technically legal, so you do so at your own risk.
The good news is that many of these consoles come with a microSD card that already has more games than you can ever hope to play, but you can add your own games if you know where to look.
Another important consideration is to research what, if any, third-party software options are available for any of the Powkiddy handhelds you are considering. The retro handheld community is very large, and getting the most performance out of each handheld is something that is constantly being worked on.
Checking to see if your handheld of choice has a third-party option like ArkOS might help influence your choice, as you know there is dedicated support to help improve the games you can play across different consoles. There is a chance that a console you thought might perform well, like PSP or Dreamcast on some of the older handhelds on this list, might see huge performance bumps from software like ArkOS.
Using a Powkiddy Handheld: What It’s Like
The most rewarding thing about buying any Powkiddy handheld is the sense of nostalgia that is involved in playing older consoles. The reason for retro gaming’s resurgence varies depending on who you ask, but given the prices of new ninth-generation console games reaching $70, it’s no surprise that a portion of gamers are turning to older consoles to find a break from everyday life.
There is just something fantastic about picking up a retro console and jumping into the huge library of the Game Boy Advance and losing yourself for a whole day. Of course, nostalgia varies for everyone, which is why there are a number of Powkiddy handheld options on the market, so you can find the one that offers the exact consoles you wish to play.
The image featured at the top of this post is ©Cristina Gy/Shutterstock.com.
