Retro Handhelds: Which One Should You Buy?

Quick version: If you still have a box of Game Boy cartridges, buy an Analogue Pocket. It's the safe pick. If you want something cheap that fits in a jeans pocket, look at a Miyoo or a small Anbernic. If you want the most power and don't mind paying for it, look at AYN. Whatever you buy, you need to own the games you play on it.

Fun fact: The Analogue Pocket doesn't emulate anything. It recreates the Game Boy hardware in programmable chips called FPGAs, so your old cartridge thinks it's sitting in a real Game Boy.

The full guide

First, one rule

Many handhelds on marketplaces are sold with memory cards "preloaded with 10,000 games". We don't link to those, and we'd suggest you avoid them. The games on them aren't licensed, the cards are often poor quality, and some of the listings are for cloned hardware. Where we link a device, it's to the bare console on its maker's own store; where a store only sells bundles with memory cards, we don't link it. You supply the games: your own cartridges, games you've bought digitally, or free homebrew made by people who want you to play it.

Two kinds of handheld

• Cartridge players (the Analogue Pocket) play your original carts. There's nothing to set up, and no legal grey area.
• Emulation handhelds (Miyoo, Anbernic, AYN and others) run software that copies old consoles. They're cheaper and play more systems, but they need some tinkering, and it's your job to play only games you own.

Picks by budget

Most of these makers sell in US dollars and ship from abroad. The prices below are the makers' own US$ list prices (Oct 2026), before shipping, VAT and any import fees, so your final UK cost will be higher. Use them as ballparks only.

Budget: Miyoo and the small Anbernics

• Miyoo Mini Flip – a clamshell that folds shut like a Game Boy Advance SP, with a 2.8-inch screen. Good for 8-bit and 16-bit games. US$49.99 for the base model without a card. We don't link Miyoo's own store because it also sells consoles preloaded with games; buy the bare device from a retailer you trust.
• Anbernic RG35XX – a vertical, Game Boy-shaped handheld with a 3.5-inch screen. It's one of the cheapest decent options. US$47.99 for the base model, but on Anbernic's store it comes with a bundled memory card, so we don't link it.
• Anbernic RG35XX Plus – the same shape as the RG35XX, with dual-band Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. US$49.99 for the base model, but every version on Anbernic's store comes with a bundled memory card, so we don't link it.
• Miyoo Mini Plus – a tiny, well-loved device with Wi-Fi and a 3,000mAh battery. US$53.99 for the base model without a card. No link, for the same reason as the Mini Flip.
• Miyoo Flip V2 – the newer, more powerful flip. It's a good fit if you like the clamshell but want PlayStation-era games to run smoothly. US$64.99 without a card or US$69.99 with a 64GB card. No link, as above.

Original consoles For comparison, not the device. The Mini Flip folds like the Game Boy Advance SP; the Flip V2 plays PlayStation-era games.

Mid-range: Anbernic RG Vita / RG Vita Pro

• RG Vita – an Android 12 handheld with a 5.46-inch 720p screen. US$99.99 (no SD card).
• RG Vita Pro – a faster chip and a 5.5-inch 1080p screen. US$139.99 (no SD card).
• Anbernic releases new models at a dizzying rate. Our advice is to wait for proper reviews of a brand-new model before you buy.

Higher end: Analogue Pocket (our headline pick) / Anbernic RG477V

• Analogue Pocket – it plays original Game Boy, Game Boy Color and Game Boy Advance cartridges on a very sharp screen. Adapters for Game Gear, Neo Geo Pocket Color and Atari Lynx carts are sold separately. The official price is US$239.99 before shipping and import charges. It sells out often, and restocks come in drops. Analogue official store (opens in new tab)
• Why it's the safe pick: you play the cartridges you already own. You don't have to set anything up or wonder where a game came from, and the build quality is excellent.
• The catch: it costs more, and you need the cartridges. Good GBA carts aren't cheap any more.
• Anbernic RG477V – a powerful Android 14 handheld with a 4.7-inch 120Hz screen and a 5,500mAh battery. US$259.99 on sale, US$269.99 list. We don't link Anbernic's RG477V page because it promotes a third-party game-downloader app.

Original consoles For comparison, not the device. The Pocket plays the cartridges made for these handhelds.

Top end: AYN Thor / AYN Odin 3

Original consoles For comparison, not the device. The AYN Thor copies the two-screen layout of the DS and 3DS.

• AYN Thor – a dual-screen Android handheld (think DS/3DS layout). US$249 for the Lite model, the cheapest version. AYN official store (opens in new tab)
• AYN Odin 3 – a single 6-inch OLED screen and a very fast chip, for people who want GameCube- and PS2-era emulation. The base model is US$369 (as of 13 Oct 2026). AYN official store (opens in new tab)
• Both are sold in pre-order batches, and shipping dates slip. The Android versions also play games from Google Play, which is an easy legal way to fill one up.

A note on other names you'll see: the "SF3000", the "X9" and similar budget handhelds are mostly sold through marketplaces, often bundled with preloaded cards, so we don't recommend them. "Retrosnap" and the TrimUI Brick are also rising in searches. We'll cover them once we've checked their official sellers.

Which one suits you?

Buying tips and fixes

• Buy from the maker's own store or a well-known retailer. Cheap Miyoo and Anbernic clones are common.
• Budget for UK import charges. For goods worth up to £135, the seller should charge UK VAT at checkout. If they're worth more than that, the courier collects VAT, any customs duty and a handling fee before it delivers. See gov.uk: tax and customs for goods sent from abroad (opens in new tab).
• Consider a branded microSD card. A good card from a known brand is cheap insurance. Back up your saves.
• Clean your cartridges before blaming the Pocket. Use isopropyl alcohol on a cotton bud, and let it dry fully.
• Stick drift or a sticky D-pad: reach out to the maker first while the warranty applies. AYN offers a one-year warranty.
• Your games: dump the cartridges you own, buy digital re-releases, or play free homebrew. We won't tell you where to download copies of commercial games, and you shouldn't use them.

Photo credits