Best retro handheld under $50 in 2025

New to retro handhelds? Good news: you don’t need to spend much. Under $50, two devices are genuinely worth your money — and both punch well above their price. Here’s everything you need to know before buying.

Quick comparison

	Miyoo Mini Plus	Anbernic RG28XX
Price	~$50	~$40
Screen	3.5” IPS 640×480	2.83” IPS 640×480
SoC	Allwinner A133 Plus	Allwinner H700
RAM	1GB DDR4	1GB DDR3
Battery	3000mAh	1800mAh
Analog sticks	1	0
Wi-Fi	✅	❌
Best firmware	OnionOS	GarlicOS / muOS
Form factor	Compact landscape	Game Boy Micro-style

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Our top pick: Miyoo Mini Plus (~$50)

The Miyoo Mini Plus is the best value in retro gaming right now. It’s been the community’s favourite for two years running, and for good reason: the combination of a perfect 4:3 IPS screen and OnionOS makes it feel like a device that costs three times as much.

Why we like it

• OnionOS support — the best custom firmware ecosystem in the budget handheld space. Beautiful UI, RetroAchievements, Wi-Fi artwork scraping, and a package manager
• Perfect 4:3 screen — 640×480 IPS at 3.5” is ideal for every classic platform from Game Boy through PS1
• Compact and pocketable — fits in a jeans pocket without bulk
• Strong community — r/MiyooMini has 100k+ members, guides for everything

Pixel fit analysis

The 640×480 resolution delivers perfect integer scaling for the platforms that matter most:

Platform	Native Res	Scale	Fill	Verdict
Game Boy	160×144	4×	67%	✅ Integer
GBA	240×160	2×	50%	✅ Integer
NES	256×240	2×	100%	🟢 Perfect
SNES	256×224	2×	89%	✅ Integer
PS1	320×240	2×	100%	🟢 Perfect

Use our Screen Visualizer to explore all platform combinations interactively.

Real-world use

For Game Boy, GBA, NES, SNES, and PS1 — this device is essentially perfect. The screen is sharp, the buttons feel good, and OnionOS makes the whole experience polished. Battery life is solid at 6–8 hours for 16-bit gaming.

N64 is playable but not ideal — expect some slowdown in demanding games. PSP is off the table entirely.

Limitations

• Single analog stick limits PSP and some N64 games
• No dual sticks means some modern-style games feel awkward
• Slightly over $50 at some retailers — check AliExpress for the best price

View full specs →

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Runner-up: Anbernic RG28XX (~$40)

The RG28XX is the cheapest device here that’s still genuinely good. Its Game Boy Micro-inspired form factor makes it the most portable retro handheld you can buy — it literally fits in a watch pocket.

Key specs

• 2.83” IPS screen at 640×480 — same resolution as the Miyoo Mini Plus, just smaller
• Allwinner H700 chipset — handles everything up to PS1 well
• GarlicOS and muOS support — both solid firmware options
• 1800mAh battery — shorter life than the Miyoo (~4 hours)
• No analog sticks, no Wi-Fi

Who it’s for

The RG28XX makes sense if:

• Ultra-portability is your priority — it goes anywhere, fits in anything
• You mostly play Game Boy and GBA — the small screen is fine for pixel-art games
• You want to save $10 — $40 is genuinely cheap for a quality device
• You want a secondary travel device — great as a backup alongside a larger handheld

Pixel fit analysis

Same 640×480 resolution as the Miyoo Mini Plus, so pixel scaling is identical — just on a smaller 2.83” screen. PPI is actually higher (284 vs 209), so pixels are sharper.

View full specs →

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How to choose

Get the Miyoo Mini Plus if:

• You want the best overall experience under $50
• You care about firmware quality (OnionOS is exceptional)
• You want Wi-Fi for RetroAchievements and artwork scraping
• You play PS1 games regularly

Get the RG28XX if:

• You want the smallest possible device
• You mostly play Game Boy and GBA
• You want to spend as little as possible
• You need a travel/backup device

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Frequently asked questions

Can the Miyoo Mini Plus run PS1 games?

Yes — PS1 runs at perfect 2× integer scaling on the 640×480 screen, with 100% fill ratio. Performance is excellent for the vast majority of the PS1 library.

Does the RG28XX support custom firmware?

Yes. The RG28XX supports GarlicOS and muOS — both are solid options. It does not support OnionOS (which is Miyoo-exclusive).

Is the Miyoo Mini Plus really under $50?

It’s right at the $50 mark — typically $49–$55 depending on the retailer. AliExpress usually has the best price. Amazon tends to run $5–10 higher.

What about N64 on these devices?

N64 is playable on both devices but not perfect. Simpler games (Mario 64, Zelda OOT) run well; demanding titles (Conker, Perfect Dark) will struggle. If N64 is important to you, consider stepping up to the RG35XX H or TRIMUI Smart Pro.

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Next read: Best retro handhelds under $100 — if you can stretch the budget a little further.