The Best Budget Retro Gaming Handhelds Under $70
Updated February 2026
Back in early 2023 when I got my first retro handheld, the Miyoo Mini Plus, there were already quite a few options to choose from when it came to affordable emulation consoles. This task has only gotten more difficult, with many companies competing in this space and releasing dozens of new handhelds each year. The good news is that, generally speaking, prices have been going down (excluding tariffs and shipping fees), while overall quality has been improving.
Nowadays, emulators for older retro consoles require very little processing power. NES, SNES, Sega Genesis, and anything older can run on basically any modern chipset. Even Game Boy Advance and PlayStation 1 titles are easy to emulate and run smoothly on most devices. Dreamcast and PlayStation Portable is where a bit more power is required, but all handhelds on this list can handle them competently, even the cheaper options.
The price bracket of 50 to 100 dollars is, in my opinion, where you get the most bang for your buck. Without the need for power-hungry and heavy internals, these devices can focus on being portable, affordable and, well, fun! Here's a list of the ones I think are most worth your time and money. You just have to think about which games you want to play and which form factor suits you best.
Quick List:
- Best Overall:
- Best for Beginners:
- Best Widescreen:
- Best 1:1 Aspect Ratio :
- Best Clamshell Budget:
- Best Under 40$:
- Best Tiny:
1. The Best Budget Retro Handheld Overall: TRIMUI Smart Brick
Released
Nov. 2024
OS
Linux
Screen
3.2”, 4:3
Up To
Dreamcast
Best For
PS1, SNES
Price
~$70
Emulation Performance
Pros
- Build quality feels premium
- Well-lit screen
- Perfect EDC handheld
Cons
- May heat up noticeably during heavy play
- Some users report a bug where the device can stay on while powered off and become unresponsive
- 3.2” screen might be too small for some
2. The Best Budget Retro Handheld for Beginners: Miyoo Mini Plus
Released
Mar. 2023
OS
Linux
Screen
3.5”, 4:3
Up To
NDS
Best For
PS1, SNES
Price
~$50
Emulation Performance
Pros
- Colors look great on this screen
- Well-supported by the community, multiple CFWs available
- Small device, very pocketable
Cons
- No Bluetooth
- Can't be connected to external monitors
3. The Best Widescreen Budget Retro Handheld: TRIMUI Smart Pro
Released
Nov. 2023
OS
Linux
Screen
4.96”, 16:9
Up To
Dreamcast
Best For
Dreamcast, N64
Price
~$70
Emulation Performance
Pros
- Feels comfortable in the hand thanks to the rounded edges
- Good community support, multiple CFWs available
- Access to PC ports via PortMaster
Cons
- Black bars when playing older retro systems
- No L3/R3 (button presses on analog sticks aren't mapped to anything)
- Not powerful enough for higher end emulation
4. The Best Budget Retro Handheld with a 1:1 Aspect Screen Ratio: Anbernic RG Cube XX
Released
Oct. 2024
OS
Linux
Screen
3.95”, 1:1
Up To
Dreamcast
Best For
Arcade, Game Boy
Price
~$60
Emulation Performance
Pros
- Good community support, multiple CFWs available
- Square screen is perfect for Game Boy, NES, SNES, Pico-8...
- Can be connected to external displays
Cons
- Not powerful enough for higher end emulation
5. The Best Clamshell Budget Retro Handheld: Anbernic RG-35XX SP
Released
May. 2024
OS
Linux
Screen
3.5”, 4:3
Up To
Dreamcast
Best For
PS1, SNES
Price
~$60
Emulation Performance
Pros
- Nostalgic design borrowing from the original GBA SP
- Good community support, multiple CFWs available
- Can be connected to external displays
Cons
- Device can feel bulky when closed
6. Best Retro Handheld Under 40$: BATLEXP G350
Released
Feb. 2025
OS
Linux
Screen
3.5”, 4:3
Up To
NDS
Best For
PS1, SNES
Price
~$40
Emulation Performance
Pros
- Has some of the best feeling buttons in this price range
- Decent screen
- Small device, very pocketable
Cons
- No Wi-fi (no RetroAchievements, box art scraping, file transfer etc...)
- Not powerful enough for higher end emulation
- No Bluetooth
Good alternative:
Game Console R36S
7. The Best Tiny Retro Handheld: Miyoo Mini Flip
Released
Oct. 2025
OS
Linux
Screen
2.8”, 4:3
Up To
NDS
Best For
PS1, SNES
Price
~$50
Emulation Performance
Pros
- Perfect EDC handheld
- Well-supported by the community, multiple CFWs available
- Small device, very pocketable
Cons
- Poor audio quality, sounds tinny
- Tiny controls
- 2.8” screen might be too small for some
