This is why I highly recommend switching the OS to MinUI. I know it's a hassle and you have to buy a card reader and a microSD card and provide you on ROMs but if you can do it, it's so worth it in the end. My software arrived completely in Chinese as did all of the names of the games, so I had to replace the ROMs and software
Usually, I agree with your reviews, but not this time. I've had the Pixel since it was released. I use it constantly. The screen looks good, the speaker is great, the build quality is amazing, the buttons are good. It's unbelievable how critical this review is of this device. The way you just rank on it so much and then say its wonderful at the end? Why would anyone want to buy it after hearing this? It doesn't seem fair or accurate to me. I got a 3d printed case for it, and I take it everywhere. The stock software was lame, like usual, so I switched to MinUI. It works perfectly for this device. You didn't even mention MinUI for it, but mentioned Onion for the mini. I own many handhelds including the miyoo mini, mm+, trimui, rg280v and M, rg35xxh, Steam deck, the list goes on. Comparing them, i just dont see the harsh differences youre mentioning. I don't usually make negative comments, but I just think there's a lot of people out there that would truly appreciate this thing for what it really is and what it can be with new software. I just don't think this is an accurate description of this device. The screen is an average screen (and isn't going to break if you clean it). I know this is just an opinion. I guess it's because I have it with me constantly and have really come to appreciate it and how functional it is. I feel bad even saying anything because I love your channel so much. You're really great at what you do. I just wanted to weigh in with my opinion.
I don’t know. I think he was dead on. I have one and sold it after installing minUI and adding retro game corps add ons. The screen is absolute sh*t. 240p @ 2.4 is bad enough as it doesn’t scale well for nearly anything and pixel distortion is rampant. But the viewing angles and range of brightness on this thing is horrid. The height of the microscopic face buttons is also ridiculous, has more travel then an international airline pilot. After I sold this thing I went back to my miyoo mini and haven’t had one regret about doing so
Thanks for watching and for your long comment! It's definitely possible for me to be critical of something whilst still appreciating the bigger picture that makes it good (in fact, that describes my tastes in games perfectly!), and the GKD Pixel is a handheld that I find to have many quirks that bear mentioning in a review and yet don't ruin the overall experience. That's what I tried to hit on with this review: - Controls are quirky but work well overall - Speaker pops and skips but this is avoidable and sounds good otherwise - Performance is great but it takes time to find the right emulators/cores My goal with my reviews is to always give my direct, honest opinion and genuine experience with as little ego as possible, not to convince people to buy a product. I would hope that my review, along with my peers' reviews, would paint an accurate picture of whether this device is suitable or not for the individual's needs. However, I definitely do concede that not touching MinUI in this review was a mistake and OnionOS is an unfair comparison. The reality is that I hadn't used MinUI yet whilst making this review, and I prefer to review the stock experience. Still, I am definitely going to make a CFW firmware follow-up video for the Pixel. To be clear, I'm just explaining myself here, not discrediting your opinion! I'm thankful you took the time to share your opinion and I always welcome critical feedback! Most of all though, I'm just happy you love the GKD Pixel! I have MinUI installed now, so I'll be carrying it with me for the next week or two before I do my CFW follow-up!
Thanks so much for the response! I'm an older dude. I played Gameboy, Atari Lynx, Game Gear, GBA, and Neo Geo Pocket Color when they were the new thing. My standards begin there. I'm pretty easy to please. That's probably why your opinion hit me the way it did. And just to be clear, I'm not expecting you to change your opinion, I just think some of the other viewers may appreciate these newer devices the way i do. The Gameboy was amazing, but still had a turbo charged calculator screen and the back lights of the Lynx and Game Gear were pretty terrible too. I loved them then and I still love them for nostalgic reasons of course, but everything I play and own now, I compare to those classics. I think I appreciate these new devices for what they are individually and compared to the classics, not really compared to each other as much. All of these new devices are amazing to me in one way or another. Some for some reasons others for others. I'm creating new memories with my kids with these new devices playing my old games. These are truly amazing times. I hope you enjoy MinUI for the Pixel. Russ worked hard on some fixes to some of the games that didn't run as well on MinUI. You probably knew that already though. I'm definitely one of the.users you were talking about in the beginning of the video though. I see this device through the eyes of my seventeen year old self. They do everything I always wanted them to do now and, while you and I and many others are different types of users, I'm just truly thankful that this very niche hobby has become so popular. So many different companies and devices. So many choices. I'll be looking forward to your next review, and the ones following that. Cheers!
i prefer plastic, metal can feel better in the build quality aspect but the heat is a no no. btw your channel always bring me peace. thanks for the great videos!
You can't find the GKP anywhere. I emailed a vendor asking for the Purple/green model and they said the seller was very unstable and these may not ever come back into stock. Ebay has them for around 600. Sucks. I love the metal case and small form factor
Great video as usual. Am I the only one who just wants an updated Powkiddy V90? Clamshell, 3in screen which is in my view a good compromise of usability and size. Just needed a better CPU to handle SNES/PSX and a laminated screen.
Overall I like mine except for the slightly washed out screen. Same issue with the trim UI smart that also has the 2.4-in screen so I wonder if they're using the same one. But as a throw in my pocket without taking up much space playing a quick game in a waiting room or something it works fine
Despite the "enthusiast" nature of it, I think you're spot on with the best usage of the Pixel- throw it in any bag, take it anywhere, and as long as you know what works, play discreetly/conveniently wherever you like!
Regarding the slowdowns on Star Fox and Sonic 3, could it just be the emulator being faithful to the original hardware and experience ? Sonic 3 (and previous games for that matter) definitely had slowdowns when losing a lot of rings, even in 50hz. I'd wager there's some settings in Retroarch that can mitigate or completely remove these dips in framerate.
I've been thinking of a dream mini DMG device. A Miyoo Mini + that can run Android. WIFI and Bluetooth. Touch Screen if possible. Google Play Store. I just really want to be able to run VLC for my media. Do you think this is possible? I can see Retroid possibly try a DMG again. I can wait for their flip GBA console if they try one.
Do you prefer your handhelds with plastic or metal shells?
Fantastic in-depth video and balanced coverage on the pixel! - Stubbs
Thanks Stubbs! Appreciate it!
This is why I highly recommend switching the OS to MinUI. I know it's a hassle and you have to buy a card reader and a microSD card and provide you on ROMs but if you can do it, it's so worth it in the end. My software arrived completely in Chinese as did all of the names of the games, so I had to replace the ROMs and software
If I could get the Miyoo Mini in metal, ooh that'd be the one.
There's an aftermarket metal shell for the Mini but it's several hundred dollars unfortunately 🥲 I'd love to see one too?
Love this review and love the battery charging indicators on the side. What a pretty device. I want it in pink. 😝
Still dreaming of the pastel pink RGB30 with white buttons
@@RetroBreezeYT it’s like you drilled directly into my soul
Awesome video as always
Cheers Sonic!
@@RetroBreezeYT not a problem man
Usually, I agree with your reviews, but not this time. I've had the Pixel since it was released. I use it constantly. The screen looks good, the speaker is great, the build quality is amazing, the buttons are good. It's unbelievable how critical this review is of this device. The way you just rank on it so much and then say its wonderful at the end? Why would anyone want to buy it after hearing this? It doesn't seem fair or accurate to me. I got a 3d printed case for it, and I take it everywhere. The stock software was lame, like usual, so I switched to MinUI. It works perfectly for this device. You didn't even mention MinUI for it, but mentioned Onion for the mini. I own many handhelds including the miyoo mini, mm+, trimui, rg280v and M, rg35xxh, Steam deck, the list goes on. Comparing them, i just dont see the harsh differences youre mentioning. I don't usually make negative comments, but I just think there's a lot of people out there that would truly appreciate this thing for what it really is and what it can be with new software. I just don't think this is an accurate description of this device. The screen is an average screen (and isn't going to break if you clean it). I know this is just an opinion. I guess it's because I have it with me constantly and have really come to appreciate it and how functional it is. I feel bad even saying anything because I love your channel so much. You're really great at what you do. I just wanted to weigh in with my opinion.
I don’t know. I think he was dead on. I have one and sold it after installing minUI and adding retro game corps add ons. The screen is absolute sh*t. 240p @ 2.4 is bad enough as it doesn’t scale well for nearly anything and pixel distortion is rampant. But the viewing angles and range of brightness on this thing is horrid. The height of the microscopic face buttons is also ridiculous, has more travel then an international airline pilot. After I sold this thing I went back to my miyoo mini and haven’t had one regret about doing so
Thanks for watching and for your long comment!
It's definitely possible for me to be critical of something whilst still appreciating the bigger picture that makes it good (in fact, that describes my tastes in games perfectly!), and the GKD Pixel is a handheld that I find to have many quirks that bear mentioning in a review and yet don't ruin the overall experience. That's what I tried to hit on with this review:
- Controls are quirky but work well overall
- Speaker pops and skips but this is avoidable and sounds good otherwise
- Performance is great but it takes time to find the right emulators/cores
My goal with my reviews is to always give my direct, honest opinion and genuine experience with as little ego as possible, not to convince people to buy a product. I would hope that my review, along with my peers' reviews, would paint an accurate picture of whether this device is suitable or not for the individual's needs.
However, I definitely do concede that not touching MinUI in this review was a mistake and OnionOS is an unfair comparison. The reality is that I hadn't used MinUI yet whilst making this review, and I prefer to review the stock experience. Still, I am definitely going to make a CFW firmware follow-up video for the Pixel.
To be clear, I'm just explaining myself here, not discrediting your opinion! I'm thankful you took the time to share your opinion and I always welcome critical feedback!
Most of all though, I'm just happy you love the GKD Pixel! I have MinUI installed now, so I'll be carrying it with me for the next week or two before I do my CFW follow-up!
Thanks so much for the response! I'm an older dude. I played Gameboy, Atari Lynx, Game Gear, GBA, and Neo Geo Pocket Color when they were the new thing. My standards begin there. I'm pretty easy to please. That's probably why your opinion hit me the way it did. And just to be clear, I'm not expecting you to change your opinion, I just think some of the other viewers may appreciate these newer devices the way i do. The Gameboy was amazing, but still had a turbo charged calculator screen and the back lights of the Lynx and Game Gear were pretty terrible too. I loved them then and I still love them for nostalgic reasons of course, but everything I play and own now, I compare to those classics. I think I appreciate these new devices for what they are individually and compared to the classics, not really compared to each other as much. All of these new devices are amazing to me in one way or another. Some for some reasons others for others.
I'm creating new memories with my kids with these new devices playing my old games. These are truly amazing times.
I hope you enjoy MinUI for the Pixel. Russ worked hard on some fixes to some of the games that didn't run as well on MinUI. You probably knew that already though.
I'm definitely one of the.users you were talking about in the beginning of the video though. I see this device through the eyes of my seventeen year old self. They do everything I always wanted them to do now and, while you and I and many others are different types of users, I'm just truly thankful that this very niche hobby has become so popular. So many different companies and devices. So many choices. I'll be looking forward to your next review, and the ones following that. Cheers!
@@2nd_rate_artI'm huge huge fan of the all metal🤩
Maybe the best retro handheld ever made.
i prefer plastic, metal can feel better in the build quality aspect but the heat is a no no. btw your channel always bring me peace. thanks for the great videos!
You can't find the GKP anywhere. I emailed a vendor asking for the Purple/green model and they said the seller was very unstable and these may not ever come back into stock. Ebay has them for around 600. Sucks. I love the metal case and small form factor
Yeah as far as I know they've been discontinued now 🙁 GKD stuff is usually short lived unfortunately...
Great video as usual. Am I the only one who just wants an updated Powkiddy V90? Clamshell, 3in screen which is in my view a good compromise of usability and size. Just needed a better CPU to handle SNES/PSX and a laminated screen.
The Anbernic SP and Miyoo Flip are coming soon!
Overall I like mine except for the slightly washed out screen. Same issue with the trim UI smart that also has the 2.4-in screen so I wonder if they're using the same one. But as a throw in my pocket without taking up much space playing a quick game in a waiting room or something it works fine
Despite the "enthusiast" nature of it, I think you're spot on with the best usage of the Pixel- throw it in any bag, take it anywhere, and as long as you know what works, play discreetly/conveniently wherever you like!
I just wish someone will make a nice mp3 player for this device i swear this would be a dope mp3 player idk y
Like man i need a nice mp3 player os for this
GMU is really nice once you get the hang of it, but it's definitely not modern or user friendly. I feel the same though, and for the RG Nano as well
Will you be making a vid on Razer Kishi Ultra i would also appreciate if a comparison between it and the gamesir g8
Regarding the slowdowns on Star Fox and Sonic 3, could it just be the emulator being faithful to the original hardware and experience ? Sonic 3 (and previous games for that matter) definitely had slowdowns when losing a lot of rings, even in 50hz. I'd wager there's some settings in Retroarch that can mitigate or completely remove these dips in framerate.
In your opinion what's best for Pokemon and other RPG's ? this or miyoo mini ?
For Pokémon on Game Boy, I'd go for RGB30 with the square screen, but if it needs to be compact and one-handed, then I'd go for the Miyoo Mini.
@@RetroBreezeYT Thank you for the Feedback! I guess i will go for the Miyoo Mini, just wish miyoo mini had a metal shell and bluetooth...
Miyoo has a better screen size for poke
I have sonic robo blast 2 on my retroid pocket flip and love it so much!
I put it on my RG556 yesterday, it's so amazing! Been playing it since I was 10 :)
whats the red model from the beginning of the video?
Anbernic RG Nano!
@@RetroBreezeYT ty sir
Yes it's an metal mp3 player.
If only the MP3 function worked a bit better!
Based Shem
*hat tip*
I've been thinking of a dream mini DMG device. A Miyoo Mini + that can run Android. WIFI and Bluetooth. Touch Screen if possible. Google Play Store. I just really want to be able to run VLC for my media. Do you think this is possible? I can see Retroid possibly try a DMG again. I can wait for their flip GBA console if they try one.
It's possible for sure! Maybe in the next RG35XX evolution we'll get android!
I honestly think the miyoo mini plus is the best looking one but they just dont work properly
What do you mean? MM+ works great!
@@RetroBreezeYT maybe i just happen to get a bad defective one it twice in a row though
I think I would rather have the RG Nano Mini.
Taylor Paul Lee Edward Jackson Larry
Too small
For some!
its a shame - such a good device but the software is shit.
MinUI is available now and it is amazing! Much much better!
@@RetroBreezeYT Its like simplemenu?
$75?! For this???
What a fckin joke 😂 nobody is buying this
I just ordered one. With minui I think it will be the perfect 1handed rpg device.