Pretty much the title.

I was wondering, how plausible it is that this might become a clamshell steamdeck-lite.

Found some google docs online (lost the link, though - some r*ddit post mentioned it), but nothing too big. And I figured that there might be data out there.

Here’s where things get a little wild, as the video proceeds to showcase the AI Game Studio and Voice Companion. Basically, you’ll be able to activate the built-in AI to control different aspect of the RG DDS, without ever touching either screens or the controls. It will even let you adjust switch between the different performance modes, turn off the lower screen, adjust the brightness, and more.

Yeah... that's weird, alright.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/54082392

First Encounter with the V10: An Unexpected Surprise During Hospitalization

Just to be clear: this isn’t a 2026 “must-buy.” It’s a $20 surplus-unit experience.

The real value is GBA pixel-perfect display, not strong performance for every console.

ArkOS is no longer updated on this device, so it only handles basic emulation well.

The $20 price on Xianyu may not be replicable for buyers outside China.

I recently bought a surplus unit. The price-to-performance ratio is still very high, but it may not be suitable for everyone.

Last summer, I was sick and spent a month in the hospital. The internet connection there was quite poor. I thought about buying an open-source handheld to play games, and I stumbled upon the PowKiddy V10. It was cheap, and the gaming experience was decent. This handheld left a deep impression on me. It supports 2x pixel-perfect scaling for GBA games, which looks very different from playing on a phone emulator.

Although this technology is common now, for me personally, the open-source handhelds I bought before the V10 were not suitable for playing GBA games. This device gave me a different experience.

The Awkward Positioning of Being Born Too Late

Recently, I found surplus stock on Xianyu, a Chinese second-hand marketplace owned by Alibaba, priced at only 138 CNY (about $20 USD). It was brand new, a great deal, so I bought a second one.

Its biggest problem is that it was released quite late. The PowKiddy V10 launched in China in July 2024 with a starting price of 198 CNY. However, there are already too many handhelds that can play GBA games with pixel-perfect scaling, such as the Miyoo Mini Plus and the Anbernic RG35XX (2024 version), which have already matured this kind of experience. It has an obvious product positioning problem: players who demand high performance won't choose it, and players who want a hassle-free experience might buy more expensive handhelds.

Hardware Review: A GBA Beast, PS1 is Passable

The specifications of this handheld are as follows. Its biggest feature is that it plays GBA games very well.

There is a habit among Chinese handheld reviewers to test using the GBA game Dragon Ball Advance Adventure. The reason is that this game has vibrant graphics, making it easy to see the display quality of a screen. There is an interesting meme circulating among players: "Did you hit pixel-perfect today?" Many veteran GBA players care about this. The display effect is shown in the picture. Of course, you can use it for testing, and the game itself is quite fun.

Secondly, playing PS1 games is also not bad. Although it is not as suitable as playing GBA games, most games run relatively smoothly. Some games with higher hardware requirements may suffer from frame rate drops. I have no complaints about the hardware, especially since it is quite cheap.

Software Shortcomings: Discontinued System and Pain Points

However, the software aspect is quite average.

First, it does not support independent volume and brightness adjustment buttons; you can only achieve this using button combinations. Also, it defaults to maximum brightness and volume upon reboot. Second, the system updates have stopped. The ArkOS system uses EmulationStation as the default frontend, with RetroArch as the emulator backend. It can only meet basic functional needs. Finally, the DS gaming experience is very poor. It lacks a touchscreen, the screen aspect ratio is uncomfortable, and gameplay isn't very smooth.

Quick ArkOS Hotkeys

If you are new to ArkOS, these common hotkeys may help. On many ArkOS devices, Select + Start exits a game and returns to EmulationStation. Select + R1 saves a state, and Select + L1 loads a state. Select + X usually opens the in-game RetroArch menu. Brightness and volume are often controlled through combination keys rather than dedicated buttons, but the exact mapping can vary by device and firmware version. For the PowKiddy V10, it is best to check the current ArkOS build or test the hotkeys directly.

Buying Advice: Is the $20 Surplus Unit Worth It?

I believe that in today’s open-source handheld market, the system experience takes priority over the hardware itself. It is very suitable for playing GBA games, but that is about it. I hope you truly need the PowKiddy V10, rather than choosing it just because it is cheap. It is best to apply a tempered glass screen protector, otherwise, it easily collects fingerprints.

If you have a budget of $20 USD, would you choose to buy this handheld? Or would you spend a bit more for a safer choice?

I've just published a new interview with Moth, lnkd and Anti, the three developers behind Cocoon, an Android gaming frontend designed to give retro handhelds a more cohesive, console-like experience. It's super interesting on dual-screen devices like the AYN Thor and Retroid Pocket Duo, where it makes use of both displays for browsing game libraries, managing applications and navigating a customizable interface inspired in part by the Nintendo 3DS.

Their latest 3.1 update introduces some substantial improvements, including the ability to suspend, resume and close games without leaving Cocoon, alongside smarter dual-screen behavior and a redesigned interface. I spoke with all three about how these features came together, the considerable optimization work needed to get Cocoon running smoothly on more modest hardware like the Anbernic RG DS, and the music and sound design that helps give the whole thing its personality.

There's quite a bit about the challenges they've encountered along the way too, including some unexpected performance discoveries and the difficulties of maintaining compatibility with different emulators. Really enjoyed catching up with the team, and I've included plenty of GIFs demonstrating the new features (thanks to them!)

Hope some here enjoy the article from our interviews and find something of interest in here!

Posted this morning to Twitter and Bluesky, Taki unveiled the announcement of the new “SuperStation Pocket” that will be coming soon. Touted as being performant enough to cover all the way up to PS1 and N64, their new upcoming handheld is looking to be competition to basically every FPGA handheld out on the market at the moment thanks to its capability to play GB, GBC, and even GBA carts natively on the device. So for those of you with an Analogue Pocket, Funnyplaying FPGB Mini, Modretro Chromatic, or Game Bub, it seems you might have something new to do it all instead.

Not much information is known about this handheld, though we’ll likely figure out more this year. What we do know is its power, and its 4K capability thanks to a dock that they’ll be producing as well. In the comments on Twitter, Taki confirmed it will have 4 face buttons for easier compatibility with systems like SNES, and that this is not the SP styled handheld he’s been showcasing recently. Oh; and all of this for under $200. At that price point, with its N64 capabilities, it outprices handheld alternatives like the Analogue Pocket, and their own N64 capable SuperStation One as well. So if you’re looking for value, this could be it.

Emulation handheld maker Anbernic has been in hot water recently, it's fair to say.

The Entertainment Software Association has recently asked U.S. trade representatives to scrutinise the handheld emulation market, specifically Anbernic's products, and classify such devices as "Superfake".

Now, Anbernic is in trouble for featuring an "unofficial piracy-focused" fork of the 3DS emulator Azahar in its promotional material for the upcoming RG DDS.

If Anbernic goes down, it's clear that Azahar would rather not go down with them.

Well here's my Retroid Pocket Duo review! Retroid, the company, has released their higher-end Android-running retro handheld. AMOLED displays in a dual-screen form factor which can handle emulating Nintendo DS and 3DS games, and some more above that.

As part of it, I've been chatting with the developers behind Eden, Eden Duo, SeedlessDS and Cocoon about their work, the challenges of dual-screen gaming on Android, and where they see things going from here. I've incorporated their perspectives throughout the review, alongside my usual hands-on testing and thoughts about the hardware itself.

I've also spent plenty of time testing everything from Nintendo DS and 3DS through to PSP, GameCube, PS2, Switch and PC gaming, seeing where the Duo does well and where the limitations start becoming apparent. There are some fun things I found when reviewing, and a few things I'd still change. Above all, though, Retroid has once again managed to make a handheld that feels nicely playful (something I love about their handhelds), and 'Nintendo-like', and I've had an absolute blast reviewing it.

As ever, this is a written article (and a very long one at that!), so if you're a fan of older gaming-style sites and features that aren't videos, this might be your kind of read. Hope some of you enjoy this!

SCUMM didn’t abolish programmers. It moved the line between the people who write the joke and the people who build the engine, which is why Monkey Island has comic timing. Which classic adventure stuck with you most?

According to AliExpress, the RG DDS ("Dual Dream Screen") will retail for $364.99 (£275) for the 12GB + 256GB model, and $299.99 (£225) for the 8GB + 128GB model. Both models are expected to have a $15 discount during their pre-order period, which is expected to begin tomorrow, October 16. The site states that the RG DDS will begin shipping on December 10.

FTA:

Ultimately, Anbernic should really consider discontinuing the sale of their devices with pre-loaded pirated games. Yes, this is commonly seen by some as a grey area. Yes, we’re talking about this on a website that promotes the purchase and use of handheld devices for the sake of retro game emulation.

However, selling devices that come with pre-loaded ROMs is much less grey, and should the US classify Anbernic as a ‘superfake’, it could lead to the halt of some or all sales of the companies devices to and within the United States.

The biggest downside to this announcement is that we don’t yet know the price nor when the Anbernic RG DDS will actually be released.

Invidious Link

I've never played any kind of handheld, but I'm really curious about these devices as devices.

What's a low cost device that is fun to play but also fun to play with?

Well, here's my feature on spruceOS and where the project is heading with their 4.5.0 update. Rather than just running through a changelog, I wanted to get into why spruce has grown the way it has: the push toward that “one card to rule them all” idea, making the same SD card useful across more handhelds, the work behind dArkMoss/BaseOS, offline RetroAchievements, and how the project has expanded without losing the hobbyist spirit that made it interesting in the first place.

To put it together I interviewed all four members of the spruce team: SundownerSport, Ry, Arkun and Chris, all about their own parts of the project, how they work together, and what 4.5.0 represents for spruce going forward. There’s quite a lot in there about the technical side, but also about the people behind it and the wonderfully informal “follow the fun” philosophy that seems to shape a lot of what spruce becomes.

I like to interview developers in the retro handheld scene so people can get a peek behind the curtain about what goes on, so hopefully there's something in here for anyone curious :)