Android handhelds

[thebear]

any good new ones been release? I have a GPD XD which I love and a JXD S7800B which I used before the GPD

Have any good more powerful ones been released over the last year or two?

[BellyFullOfHell]

I was just looking at them myself, but I'm wondering if it's just easier to load up my phone with emulators and buy a decent controller? Due an upgrade soon, so I'm guessing the tech in them isn't really too far above what I'll be carrying around anyways. Do like the look of the 3DS-style GPD one though.

[Matt_B]

Yeah, they're basically second division phone tech, minus a lot of the features you don't really need in a gaming device.

The problem with just using your phone though is that games and emulators are notoriously hard on batteries and you'll be lucky to get a couple of hours gaming between charges.

Also, these things aren't much bigger than a controller anyway.

JXD's latest is the S192K Singularity. It's a clear leader in terms of spec, but as ever they've had issues with build quality and buying one could be a bit of a lottery.

GPD have the more modest XD Plus which is a refresh of their earlier design with a better processor. It's the better looking design from an ergonomic perspective with the clamshell too.

[buddy1983]

Wouldn't something like a modded Vita be better anyway?

[Matt_B]

Wouldn't something like a modded Vita be better anyway?

Only if you like bad emulators for most systems; Retroarch can't even run SNES games at full speed on it, for instance. Realistically it was hacked far too late to build up the same kind of scene that the PSP had and it's very underpowered compared to the more recent Android devices. Much the same goes for the 3DS.

If you've already got one lying around it's worth a shot though.

[buddy1983]

Ah ok I guess thats a good reason then

[Matt_B]

One thing I'll say for the Vita though is that nothing emulates the PSP as well as that machine's backwards compatibility with it. Ditto for the 3DS when it comes to playing DS games.

[Scratch_Porkings]

I've been looking at the Bitboy the Odroid and a mobile raspberry pi called the wave something, on YouTube. The odroid and pi thingy you have to knock up yourself. I quite fancy the odroid...

[kiwimike]

Think I will head the way of a modded PSP or Vita with a stack of loaded games, smaller screens just do my head in now as I've got older!

[MattyC64c]

On my Samsung S8 I've got a USB C Hub with its built in HDMI and two USB ports. I hook up the phone to the USB C port, plug in the USB C power, attach my USB controller and HDMI and I can play emulators on any HDTV or monitor in the home. I can even play Android games from the Play store through the external display too.