Best Retro Handhelds Under $60 in 2025: Honest Rankings

You don't need to drop $200 on a Steam Deck or $150 on a Retroid Pocket to get into retro gaming. Some of the best handhelds for playing classic NES, SNES, Game Boy, and PS1 games cost less than a nice dinner for two.

I've tested a ridiculous number of budget handhelds over the past year (my desk looks like a tiny electronics graveyard), and I've narrowed it down to the five best retro handhelds you can buy for under $60 in 2025. Let's get into it.

The Quick Rankings

Rank	Device	Price	Best For
1	R36S	~$40	Best overall value
2	Anbernic RG35XX Plus	~$55	Game Boy lovers
3	Miyoo Mini Plus	~$50	Pocket portability
4	Powkiddy V90	~$25	Ultra-budget pick
5	TrimUI Smart Pro	~$55	Premium feel on a budget

1. R36S — Best Overall Value ($40)

The R36S is the handheld I recommend to basically everyone who asks. At around $40, it punches so far above its weight class that it's almost unfair to the competition.

What makes it great:

• 3.5-inch IPS screen at 640x480 — crisp and colorful, perfect for retro games
• Dual analog sticks — essential for N64 and PSP emulation
• 3200mAh battery — 6-8 hours on a single charge
• Dual TF card slots — separate your OS and game storage
• Runs PS1, N64, and most PSP games smoothly with ArkOS
• Comfortable horizontal layout inspired by the PS Vita

The honest downsides:

• Build quality is good but not premium (there's a slight flex to the back panel)
• Speaker is adequate but nothing special
• If you buy from random AliExpress sellers, setup can be a headache

The R36S handles everything from NES to PS1 beautifully, plays most N64 games without issues, and even manages lighter PSP titles. For $40, that's an absurd amount of gaming capability.

Who should buy it: Anyone who wants the best combination of performance, comfort, and price. It's the "just get this one" recommendation.

2. Anbernic RG35XX Plus — Best for Game Boy Fans ($55)

Anbernic is the most established name in budget retro handhelds, and the RG35XX Plus is their best sub-$60 offering. It's a vertical-layout device that screams "I love Game Boy" from every angle.

What makes it great:

• Premium build quality — Anbernic's manufacturing is a step above most competitors
• GarlicOS support — one of the fastest-booting, cleanest custom firmwares available
• Wi-Fi built-in — for wireless ROM transfers and RetroAchievements
• Same H700 chipset as the R36S, so emulation performance is equivalent

The honest downsides:

• Vertical layout is less comfortable for extended sessions
• Analog sticks feel somewhat awkward in this form factor
• $15 more than the R36S for essentially the same specs
• Smaller 2600mAh battery

Who should buy it: If you specifically want that vertical Game Boy form factor and value Anbernic's build quality, this is your pick. Just know you're paying a premium for the brand and form factor.

3. Miyoo Mini Plus — Most Pocketable ($50)

The Miyoo Mini Plus is the handheld you can actually fit in your jeans pocket. It's tiny, it's cute, and it plays 8-bit and 16-bit games like a champ.

What makes it great:

• Incredibly compact — fits in any pocket, perfect for commuting
• Beautiful 3.5-inch screen with excellent color reproduction
• OnionOS is one of the best-designed custom firmwares in the scene
• Great community with tons of themes and tweaks available

The honest downsides:

• No analog sticks — rules out N64 and most PSP games
• Weaker chipset — PS1 emulation is hit-or-miss
• Cramped controls for people with larger hands
• Availability can be spotty (frequently out of stock)

Who should buy it: If portability is your #1 priority and you mostly play NES/SNES/GBA games. Not ideal if you want to play PS1 or N64 titles.

4. Powkiddy V90 — Ultra-Budget King ($25)

At just $25, the Powkiddy V90 is the cheapest way to get into retro handheld gaming. It's a flip-phone style device with a GBA SP form factor that's adorable and surprisingly functional.

What makes it great:

• $25. That's it. That's the selling point.
• Flip design protects the screen when not in use
• Runs NES/SNES/GBA/Genesis without any issues
• Surprisingly good D-pad for the price

The honest downsides:

• Tiny 3-inch screen with lower resolution
• Very weak processor — forget about PS1 or N64
• No analog sticks
• Build quality is... what you'd expect for $25
• Battery life is mediocre (3-4 hours)

Who should buy it: If you want to spend as little as possible, or if you're buying a novelty gift for a retro gaming fan. Don't expect miracles.

5. TrimUI Smart Pro — Premium Feel ($55)

The TrimUI Smart Pro is the newcomer trying to disrupt the budget handheld market with a more polished design and Android-based OS option.

What makes it great:

• 4.96-inch IPS screen — the biggest display in this price range
• Sleek design that looks more expensive than it is
• Decent analog sticks and overall good controls
• Strong community developing custom firmware

The honest downsides:

• Stock firmware is rough — custom firmware is basically required
• Bigger screen means bigger device (less pocketable)
• Battery life isn't great for the screen size
• Some QC issues reported (screen bleeding, button inconsistencies)

Who should buy it: If you want the biggest screen possible under $60 and don't mind running custom firmware. Good for at-home retro gaming.

So Which One Should You Actually Buy?

Here's my honest take after testing all five:

For most people: Get the R36S. It offers the best combination of performance, comfort, battery life, and value. The dual analog sticks open up N64 and PSP gaming, the horizontal layout is comfortable for hours, and at $40 it's nearly impossible to beat.

The only reasons to pick something else:

• You specifically want a vertical Game Boy layout → RG35XX Plus
• Pocket size is absolutely critical → Miyoo Mini Plus
• You're on a super tight budget → Powkiddy V90
• You want the biggest screen possible → TrimUI Smart Pro

But if none of those specific needs apply to you? The R36S is the answer. I've recommended it to over a dozen friends, and not a single one has been disappointed.

Tips for Buying Budget Retro Handhelds

Avoid random AliExpress sellers

Seriously. The shipping takes forever (20-45 days), the firmware is often outdated or broken, and good luck getting customer support if something goes wrong. Buy from a dedicated retailer that pre-configures the device and offers actual support.

Custom firmware is almost always better

Whatever stock firmware your handheld ships with, there's a community-made alternative that's better. ArkOS for the R36S, GarlicOS for the RG35XX, OnionOS for the Miyoo Mini. Take 30 minutes to set it up (or buy from a seller that does it for you).

Don't obsess over specs

At this price point, all these devices are playing 20+ year old games. They all handle NES, SNES, and GBA perfectly. The differences only matter for more demanding systems like PS1, N64, and PSP.

Get a good SD card

A lot of budget handhelds ship with cheap, unreliable SD cards. Invest in a name-brand card (Samsung EVO, SanDisk Ultra) and your device will be more reliable and faster.