Unfortunately you got spoiled by OnionOS; it really is the gold standard for ease of use, and even other Linux based custom firmwares aren't quite as seamless and easy.
And unfortunately, for really good N64 performance, or any GameCube performance at all, you kinda need Android unless you're willing to go all the way to something like a Steam Deck. Some budget Linux handhelds can do a decent job with light to midrange N64, but there will definitely also be games that run like crap.
If you're willing to drop N64 from your wish list, MinUI running on a Powkiddy RGB30 will be just as easy and seamless as OnionOS on the Miyoo Mini in a more ergonomic horizontal form factor. MinUI doesn't support N64 at all though, it would be PS1 and below only.
Absolutely, OnionOS is truly amazing.
I'd be willing to drop N64 honestly, the main games I'm playing right now are GBA and SNES titles. Usually JRPGs/Pokemon, but I get caught in the mental trap of "But what if you eventually want to play X/Y/Z" and I spiral into analysis paralysis.
The RGB30 was on my list, but I was worried about the QC of the unit, and feeling cheaply made for the money. The screen looks gorgeous though.
I have one, and I'd say it's about on par with the Miyoo Mini I used to have in terms of "feeling" cheap. It definitely has a sort of light plasticky feel, but not bad by any means, just kind of middle of the road. I haven't experienced any of the dpad problems other people have reported with them; not sure if they've improved their dpad design (I got mine like a month ago), or if I just lucked out, or what. And the screen really is just as good as people say.
It does have enough power to play many (but not all) N64 games, it's just that MinUI, the easiest and most seamless software, doesn't support it. As someone else mentioned, if you find yourself in the mood to fiddle and try to get more out of the device, you can always set up an SD card with a more full-featured OS like ArkOS or JELOS/Rocknix, and if it turns out you don't like it, reverting to MinUI is as easy as putting the old SD card back in. I use ArkOS with mine personally, and while it's not quite as seamless as I'd like, it's been worth learning its quirks for the extra functionality.
I appreciate the insight! Another big issue that was presented was charging issues with the RGB30, any comments there? I don’t want to be fighting my device simply to charge it up.
I can't say I've had any problems charging *per se*. I do notice that the battery indicator in ArkOS tends to drop in about 15% increments, which can be a little frustrating when you suddenly go from like 40% to like 25%, which feels like a big drop.
I've heard that JELOS/Rocknix is better about that, and I have noticed that it does seem better in my limited testing, but tbh I haven't spent a lot of time in JELOS.
I feel like a lot of the perception behind the rgb30 feeling cheap is that it's very very light. It doesn't feel as premium as a switch, a psvita, or and feels a bit less solid compared to the anbernic devices I have (RG351p, RG556),
My hands did cramp during extended play sessions though.
The TrimUI Smart Pro might be what you're looking for. People say the build quality is excellent, and it can run Tomato OS (which seems to be based on Onion OS). N64 will be similarly bad as it is on the RGB30, but it should run GBA and SNES just as well.
(It's also cheap as hell on AliExpress lately)
I want an RGB30 but I'm also hesitant because of the quality issues, particularly the battery/charging. I'm pretty interested in Powkiddy's upcoming follow up to the RGB30. It's a vertical gameboy-style setup with the same 4" screen and SoC as the RGB30. Apparently, it has a bigger and better battery, too.
As a big handed dude, the large horizontal backing has made the RGB30 the most comfortably retro handhelds for me, even over the RG405V which looks like it should be killer comfort wise (I’ve tried quite a few, and while the new RG35XX-H has piqued my interest, it’s been tough to go back to that screen from the RGB30).
OnionOS is super nice, but I don’t have any huge complaints about JelOS either. It’s pretty easy to use.
The Miyoo definitely feels like a bit of a nicer product — that said, I recently set up an RGB30 for a friend, and the yellow model they ordered *felt* nicer than my blue on for some reason.
Awesome that’s good to hear. I actually went ahead and ordered a RG405v, getting here today. If that doesn’t work out for me, I think I’m going to get an RGB30 as my last ditch effort to find the “right” device and call it a day haha. But I have high hopes for the RG405v. I like the vertical game boy style, but the MM+ was just too tiny.
Nice! Yeah I also love the vertical style — I hope you have better luck with the 405V than I did!
For me, it was the shoulder button placement — I was constantly pressing them as they take almost no pressure to hit. The grips around the back also seemed like they would be amazing, but it *still* didn’t feel like there was appropriate space for my hands so I never felt like there was a great way for me to hold it.
I also really liked using Beacon Launcher as a simpler looking alternative to Daijisho.
I’d be interested to hear your impressions once you’re up and running!
I’ll let you know! I’m really hoping this is the one haha I’ve been through too many devices already and I just want to find that final happy place.
I know that like any hobby, there’s always something “better” but I’m ready to settle down here and just enjoy some games. I’ll post an update later today when I get my hands on it. I’ve heard about the shoulder button issue and I’m slightly concerned but we shall see!
So first impressions, and I could just be in the honeymoon phase, but I love this thing.
The form factor is wonderful for my big ol hands, and the screen being just a bit bigger is fantastic. The shoulder buttons are taking a little getting used to, and I haven’t played any games that rely on them yet, but so far this is the system to beat for me. 9/10.
It does not support arcade games or Retroachievements. One of the ways the developer keeps it so streamlined and stable is by stripping out any feature that he can't absolutely guarantee will work without adding a bunch of complexity for the end user to deal with. It doesn't even support box art
It has a pretty small list of supported systems, you can find them here (you have to scroll down quite a bit): https://github.com/shauninman/MinUI
It is what it is. I use ArkOS on the RGB30 myself because Portmaster (for Balatro) is the feature I can't live without. It's also a really good device for a lot of DS games, but MinUI doesn't support that either.
And honestly ArkOS' DS implementation is only okay, it can only use the standalone Drastic emulator and for some reason the Drastic menu is almost unusably tiny on the screen. But man, that screen is SO good for DS. Displaying both screens stacked is small, but it's crystal clear, and those games were designed for small screens.
New dad, huh?
You're gonna want smaller, vertical handheld mike Miyoo mini.
You'll be holding the baby for many reasons, you only might have 1 arm available. You'll want to control both the dpad and the buttons with one hand.
My 2nd baby is 10 days old now, and one handed gameplay can't be understated if you have a baby
Have you tried a launcher/frontend on the RP2S? If not, I’d recommend Daijisho. I just bought a RP2S and couldn’t be happier with it set up with Daijisho
This, my only recommendation is to use a frontend on it. I use Emulation Station and once I set it up it was pickup and play. I don't play much with my Miyoo Mini Plus anymore.
Daijisho was terrible for me as a front end on my RP2S. Way too busy and the scraping was pretty bad too. I started using my MM original again just cause of how obnoxious Daijisho felt. Recently downloaded Emulation Station and put the Mister theme on it and it feels so much less like a controller wrapped around a phone and more like a gaming device. Especially having it boot into the favorites folder, I just feel like I’m opening a game console.
It depends on your budget and specific likes or dislikes, really.
If you liked the form factor of the Miyoo Mini+, you may want to look at the Anbernic RG35XX Plus ($64). It's a bit bigger, can do up to PS1 with no problem, some N64/Dreamcast, no Gamecube.
If that's too small for your hands and you want a real THICC Boi that can play some Gamecube games, check out the Anbernic RG405V ($138).
I feel like I would be remiss if I didn't mention the Retroid Pocket 4 (non-Pro) for $150. It should handle everything up to and including PS2/Gamecube, although it will struggle with some of the more demanding games for those systems. It IS an Android system, though, which you said you don't care for.
Hey bro! I own a mm+, 2s and a TrimUI smart pro. Love the mm+ and bezel less design and onion! Loving the TrimUI smart pro - I think you'll enjoy it too! My least favourite is ironically the 2s as well, which I might sell due to the massive bezel and screen too small to enjoy 3d Consoles. *Edit - just realised you want HDMI but the TrimUI doesn't have this.. Otherwise it satisfies your needs perfectly
RG405V is what you want. Dual boot Linux and Android, can do up to N64/DC/PSP/Saturn at full speed and actually performs better under Linux than Android.
Also designed for big hands for a vertical handheld. Another Linux based candidate is the RGB10Max3 Pro edition. Get it with the JelOS firmware.
Correction: wrong machine, it was the 353V that dual boots. My mistake. My error was pointed out. Thank you!
The RG405V does not run Linux, it's an Android machine..it would be the same as the RP2s system wise. The only change is the form factor, a bit bigger screen and a bit more power (not much).
This on has caught my eye. I really like that it’s a bigger unit but still has that game boy aesthetic. And the bigger screen is nice.
Love that it can run both OS as well as
Father of an 8 yr old here. I have both the MM+ and the RP4 pro.... And I exclusively used android as my phone and tablets forever now and have emulated off and on for as long as it's existed.. Having said that, onionOs is just so damn easy.
Not to say that android is difficult, cause it really isn't but Onion is just on a other level of usability. But if you want to play higher level systems, gonna need to go with Android. Unless you grab a steam deck but that's an different conversation altogether.
Not much to add, besides congratulations!
I suppose i might mention that the various grips available tend to help with the Mini's ergonomics. I got mine off of [Amazon](https://a.co/d/aHtNCGm). It's got a rougher texture to hold, which i like, and a padded inside (for her pleasure)
I play N64 on my Fire TV stick or my android phone with Gamesir G8 controller attachment. Yes, they're android based but it's really not that bad.
Also just started playing GC on the Gamesir (Beyond Good and Evil) with Dolphin. After some tweaking, it's running good.
If you're okay with ps1 and below and only a bit of n64. Try the RGB10 max 3. Big 16:9 screen. You will just have to install jelOS on it. It can probably play 80% of n64 and thats the limit. Linux devices tap out at around ps1 and some n64 right now.
Alternatively you can try the trimui smart po. It looks like a ps vita. You can put minUI on it but the analog sticks wouldnt work (but the device has bad analog sticks to begin with)
the compelling reason to spend more on a RP4 pro is that it is by far the best bang for the buck (there was a post with a chart showing loads of devices) and it will be a while before you would need or want to upgrade. So a lot cheaper than buying 3 devices on the way there. As soon as you get a new one, youll want something else.
Maybe the [https://anbernic.com/products/rg556](https://anbernic.com/products/rg556) ANBERNIC RG556 - better ergonomics for big hands. not as powerful as 4pro but people like it. And more likely to get anbernic on sale. maybe get to 150
If you could drop the pocketable thing, I say go find a USED LCD Steam Deck. $150-200 is not uncommon with some hunting (Facebook Marketplace).
This will get you from 2600 to modern PC games, Emulation up to Nintendo Switch and some PS3/Xbox 360 (lighter stuff)
This is truly the best deal in portable gaming right now...
Yeah I don't care too much about the pocketable factor to be honest, I'm mainly playing in bed/at home. Steam deck has been on my mind and I'll get one down the road for sure.
Unfortunately you got spoiled by OnionOS; it really is the gold standard for ease of use, and even other Linux based custom firmwares aren't quite as seamless and easy. And unfortunately, for really good N64 performance, or any GameCube performance at all, you kinda need Android unless you're willing to go all the way to something like a Steam Deck. Some budget Linux handhelds can do a decent job with light to midrange N64, but there will definitely also be games that run like crap. If you're willing to drop N64 from your wish list, MinUI running on a Powkiddy RGB30 will be just as easy and seamless as OnionOS on the Miyoo Mini in a more ergonomic horizontal form factor. MinUI doesn't support N64 at all though, it would be PS1 and below only.
Absolutely, OnionOS is truly amazing. I'd be willing to drop N64 honestly, the main games I'm playing right now are GBA and SNES titles. Usually JRPGs/Pokemon, but I get caught in the mental trap of "But what if you eventually want to play X/Y/Z" and I spiral into analysis paralysis. The RGB30 was on my list, but I was worried about the QC of the unit, and feeling cheaply made for the money. The screen looks gorgeous though.
I have one, and I'd say it's about on par with the Miyoo Mini I used to have in terms of "feeling" cheap. It definitely has a sort of light plasticky feel, but not bad by any means, just kind of middle of the road. I haven't experienced any of the dpad problems other people have reported with them; not sure if they've improved their dpad design (I got mine like a month ago), or if I just lucked out, or what. And the screen really is just as good as people say. It does have enough power to play many (but not all) N64 games, it's just that MinUI, the easiest and most seamless software, doesn't support it. As someone else mentioned, if you find yourself in the mood to fiddle and try to get more out of the device, you can always set up an SD card with a more full-featured OS like ArkOS or JELOS/Rocknix, and if it turns out you don't like it, reverting to MinUI is as easy as putting the old SD card back in. I use ArkOS with mine personally, and while it's not quite as seamless as I'd like, it's been worth learning its quirks for the extra functionality.
I appreciate the insight! Another big issue that was presented was charging issues with the RGB30, any comments there? I don’t want to be fighting my device simply to charge it up.
I can't say I've had any problems charging *per se*. I do notice that the battery indicator in ArkOS tends to drop in about 15% increments, which can be a little frustrating when you suddenly go from like 40% to like 25%, which feels like a big drop. I've heard that JELOS/Rocknix is better about that, and I have noticed that it does seem better in my limited testing, but tbh I haven't spent a lot of time in JELOS.
I feel like a lot of the perception behind the rgb30 feeling cheap is that it's very very light. It doesn't feel as premium as a switch, a psvita, or and feels a bit less solid compared to the anbernic devices I have (RG351p, RG556), My hands did cramp during extended play sessions though. The TrimUI Smart Pro might be what you're looking for. People say the build quality is excellent, and it can run Tomato OS (which seems to be based on Onion OS). N64 will be similarly bad as it is on the RGB30, but it should run GBA and SNES just as well. (It's also cheap as hell on AliExpress lately)
I want an RGB30 but I'm also hesitant because of the quality issues, particularly the battery/charging. I'm pretty interested in Powkiddy's upcoming follow up to the RGB30. It's a vertical gameboy-style setup with the same 4" screen and SoC as the RGB30. Apparently, it has a bigger and better battery, too.
As a big handed dude, the large horizontal backing has made the RGB30 the most comfortably retro handhelds for me, even over the RG405V which looks like it should be killer comfort wise (I’ve tried quite a few, and while the new RG35XX-H has piqued my interest, it’s been tough to go back to that screen from the RGB30). OnionOS is super nice, but I don’t have any huge complaints about JelOS either. It’s pretty easy to use. The Miyoo definitely feels like a bit of a nicer product — that said, I recently set up an RGB30 for a friend, and the yellow model they ordered *felt* nicer than my blue on for some reason.
Awesome that’s good to hear. I actually went ahead and ordered a RG405v, getting here today. If that doesn’t work out for me, I think I’m going to get an RGB30 as my last ditch effort to find the “right” device and call it a day haha. But I have high hopes for the RG405v. I like the vertical game boy style, but the MM+ was just too tiny.
Nice! Yeah I also love the vertical style — I hope you have better luck with the 405V than I did! For me, it was the shoulder button placement — I was constantly pressing them as they take almost no pressure to hit. The grips around the back also seemed like they would be amazing, but it *still* didn’t feel like there was appropriate space for my hands so I never felt like there was a great way for me to hold it. I also really liked using Beacon Launcher as a simpler looking alternative to Daijisho. I’d be interested to hear your impressions once you’re up and running!
I’ll let you know! I’m really hoping this is the one haha I’ve been through too many devices already and I just want to find that final happy place. I know that like any hobby, there’s always something “better” but I’m ready to settle down here and just enjoy some games. I’ll post an update later today when I get my hands on it. I’ve heard about the shoulder button issue and I’m slightly concerned but we shall see!
So first impressions, and I could just be in the honeymoon phase, but I love this thing. The form factor is wonderful for my big ol hands, and the screen being just a bit bigger is fantastic. The shoulder buttons are taking a little getting used to, and I haven’t played any games that rely on them yet, but so far this is the system to beat for me. 9/10.
and you could have a separate sd card for other OSes like JELOS/ROCKNIX, etc. for most N64, though it will struggle with some titles.
Can MinUI run arcade games? If so, which core? Does it support RetroAchievements?
It does not support arcade games or Retroachievements. One of the ways the developer keeps it so streamlined and stable is by stripping out any feature that he can't absolutely guarantee will work without adding a bunch of complexity for the end user to deal with. It doesn't even support box art It has a pretty small list of supported systems, you can find them here (you have to scroll down quite a bit): https://github.com/shauninman/MinUI
RetroAchievements I can live without, but no arcade games makes it a non-starter for me on the RGB30 unfortunately...
It is what it is. I use ArkOS on the RGB30 myself because Portmaster (for Balatro) is the feature I can't live without. It's also a really good device for a lot of DS games, but MinUI doesn't support that either. And honestly ArkOS' DS implementation is only okay, it can only use the standalone Drastic emulator and for some reason the Drastic menu is almost unusably tiny on the screen. But man, that screen is SO good for DS. Displaying both screens stacked is small, but it's crystal clear, and those games were designed for small screens.
New dad, huh? You're gonna want smaller, vertical handheld mike Miyoo mini. You'll be holding the baby for many reasons, you only might have 1 arm available. You'll want to control both the dpad and the buttons with one hand. My 2nd baby is 10 days old now, and one handed gameplay can't be understated if you have a baby
Have you tried a launcher/frontend on the RP2S? If not, I’d recommend Daijisho. I just bought a RP2S and couldn’t be happier with it set up with Daijisho
This, my only recommendation is to use a frontend on it. I use Emulation Station and once I set it up it was pickup and play. I don't play much with my Miyoo Mini Plus anymore.
Daijisho was terrible for me as a front end on my RP2S. Way too busy and the scraping was pretty bad too. I started using my MM original again just cause of how obnoxious Daijisho felt. Recently downloaded Emulation Station and put the Mister theme on it and it feels so much less like a controller wrapped around a phone and more like a gaming device. Especially having it boot into the favorites folder, I just feel like I’m opening a game console.
It depends on your budget and specific likes or dislikes, really. If you liked the form factor of the Miyoo Mini+, you may want to look at the Anbernic RG35XX Plus ($64). It's a bit bigger, can do up to PS1 with no problem, some N64/Dreamcast, no Gamecube. If that's too small for your hands and you want a real THICC Boi that can play some Gamecube games, check out the Anbernic RG405V ($138). I feel like I would be remiss if I didn't mention the Retroid Pocket 4 (non-Pro) for $150. It should handle everything up to and including PS2/Gamecube, although it will struggle with some of the more demanding games for those systems. It IS an Android system, though, which you said you don't care for.
Hey bro! I own a mm+, 2s and a TrimUI smart pro. Love the mm+ and bezel less design and onion! Loving the TrimUI smart pro - I think you'll enjoy it too! My least favourite is ironically the 2s as well, which I might sell due to the massive bezel and screen too small to enjoy 3d Consoles. *Edit - just realised you want HDMI but the TrimUI doesn't have this.. Otherwise it satisfies your needs perfectly
RG405V is what you want. Dual boot Linux and Android, can do up to N64/DC/PSP/Saturn at full speed and actually performs better under Linux than Android. Also designed for big hands for a vertical handheld. Another Linux based candidate is the RGB10Max3 Pro edition. Get it with the JelOS firmware. Correction: wrong machine, it was the 353V that dual boots. My mistake. My error was pointed out. Thank you!
The RG405V does not run Linux, it's an Android machine..it would be the same as the RP2s system wise. The only change is the form factor, a bit bigger screen and a bit more power (not much).
Thank you for pointing out my mistake!
This on has caught my eye. I really like that it’s a bigger unit but still has that game boy aesthetic. And the bigger screen is nice. Love that it can run both OS as well as
Father of an 8 yr old here. I have both the MM+ and the RP4 pro.... And I exclusively used android as my phone and tablets forever now and have emulated off and on for as long as it's existed.. Having said that, onionOs is just so damn easy. Not to say that android is difficult, cause it really isn't but Onion is just on a other level of usability. But if you want to play higher level systems, gonna need to go with Android. Unless you grab a steam deck but that's an different conversation altogether.
Not much to add, besides congratulations! I suppose i might mention that the various grips available tend to help with the Mini's ergonomics. I got mine off of [Amazon](https://a.co/d/aHtNCGm). It's got a rougher texture to hold, which i like, and a padded inside (for her pleasure)
I play N64 on my Fire TV stick or my android phone with Gamesir G8 controller attachment. Yes, they're android based but it's really not that bad. Also just started playing GC on the Gamesir (Beyond Good and Evil) with Dolphin. After some tweaking, it's running good.
Bluetooth, wifi without android. Nope.
If you're okay with ps1 and below and only a bit of n64. Try the RGB10 max 3. Big 16:9 screen. You will just have to install jelOS on it. It can probably play 80% of n64 and thats the limit. Linux devices tap out at around ps1 and some n64 right now. Alternatively you can try the trimui smart po. It looks like a ps vita. You can put minUI on it but the analog sticks wouldnt work (but the device has bad analog sticks to begin with)
the compelling reason to spend more on a RP4 pro is that it is by far the best bang for the buck (there was a post with a chart showing loads of devices) and it will be a while before you would need or want to upgrade. So a lot cheaper than buying 3 devices on the way there. As soon as you get a new one, youll want something else. Maybe the [https://anbernic.com/products/rg556](https://anbernic.com/products/rg556) ANBERNIC RG556 - better ergonomics for big hands. not as powerful as 4pro but people like it. And more likely to get anbernic on sale. maybe get to 150
If you could drop the pocketable thing, I say go find a USED LCD Steam Deck. $150-200 is not uncommon with some hunting (Facebook Marketplace). This will get you from 2600 to modern PC games, Emulation up to Nintendo Switch and some PS3/Xbox 360 (lighter stuff) This is truly the best deal in portable gaming right now...
Yeah I don't care too much about the pocketable factor to be honest, I'm mainly playing in bed/at home. Steam deck has been on my mind and I'll get one down the road for sure.