and that's why I follow. I see hundreds of channels say "this is the best handheld ever, it plays flawless GameCube, Dreamcast, Xbox Series X, PS7", and Joey is like "this is a waste of time and money, don't even bother".
I just got the Ally X and is not just my handheld of the year, probably the best handheld I have ever own in history. It's all-in-one retro, modern, and current-gen gaming handheld.
Thanks for sharing that information about Ayaneo and Anbernic. Honestly pretty disappointed with Ayaneo myself, had a Flip DS that got MASSIVELY delayed due to a shortage of 8840U chips. Finally get it, it arrived defective. Support promised up and down that they would dispatch a unit once they received the defective one. Lo and behold, once the tracking showed they had it and I reached out to them for tracking, they were suddenly out, and I could wait even more weeks for them to repair the defective unit, or wait for a new one. I demanded a refund and to their credit they did give me one, but it really feels like their only interest is saying whatever will make you pay and keep your money as long as possible.
Great tierlist, love how you continually keep it real and don't hesitate to say that a device sucks or just doesn't work out for you! Looking forward to what e-waste 2025 is going to give us.
Dont a lot of these use secondhand e waste to be made anyways? Leftover blackberry screens, old chipsets salvaged, etc etc. You dont really add to the pile when you were built with the pile to begin with
I’ve been steadily growing my collection of handhelds over the last couple years, and I’ve been thoroughly enjoying having a lot to choose from, to be perfectly honest. My main ones I use are the Odin 2 Pro, the Ally X, and probably the Retroid Pocket 5 whenever it eventually arrives, haha. I also have the RG35XXSP which has been my go to for a lot of older retro games, as I absolutely love the clamshell form factor
Your honesty is appreciated! I get hyped by other reviewers and I was about to make many unnecessary purchases this year. One I actually tried and the aliexpress app had an error and the purchase didn’t go thru, lucky me. Had time to reconsider and didn’t do it in the end. I’m happy with my Odin 2, it’s all I need and my rg40xxv for smaller size and form factor.
Joey is speaking facts when he talks about just get one device that does everything. I'm burnt out on all these niche devices that do one specific thing well, I just want to consolidate down to one portable pc, and one handheld retro device. In the process of selling off everything but my Steam Deck OLED, ROG Ally, and I just ordered the Pocket 5. I'll probably sell the Deck OLED and Ally for the Ally 2, if that has a solid performance bump and goes OLED.
I'm loving the rog ally x plays everything on 900p setting with medium and some older games can handle high to ultra. If they come out with a new one next year I'll be upgrading.
My Handheld of the year is the Retroid Pocket 5 (black). A nearly flawless design but a bit un-ergonimic (Analog Rockers). The OLED screen is fantastic, even at 33% Brightness. It's my only Android Handheld and i sold my G Cloud for it.
for me personally, you are and remain the very best when it comes to the ‘handhelds’ genre!!! for me you remain the most likeable and above all the most HONEST youtuber out there!!! and honestly: when it comes to honesty, some people can learn something from you!!! keep it up in 2025 my friend!!!
I have a gpd win mini 2023 and it blows the 2024 one out of the water, simply on the oculink connectivity. If oculink was hot swap, I wouldn't even need a second device, I use the damn thing as my primary computer by hooking it up to a 3080
Great list Joey. I came in half expecting to disagree with some of your choices, but the list was about what I would rank most of these devices (the ones I've used anyway). I'd probably throw the RG406H somewhere near the top, but maybe that's just recency bias. 🤷🏼♂
If the Odin 2 mini got a OLED version I would buy that in a heart beat. Waiting for Retroid Pocket 5 to be readily available in the UK as ordering from Retroid takes forever and is a nightmare if things go wrong
Getting a few handhelds and enjoying them might be the best advice here. I now own 2 handhelds, and I can feel how my mind is pulled towards the void. But no, I just need the Anbernic RG35XXSP, then I'll have my retro game situation under control. Once that thing is in my hands, I'll be happy....
I wanted that one really bad too, but was very underwhelmed when i got it. I loved the sp as a kid, but as an adult, my old hands hurt playing it. D-pad was too clicky, meaning it was difficult to press. Same with the buttons. I sold it shortly after getting it. Just a heads up from someone who HAD to have it and then sold it. If you are at all concerned with ergonomics, skip it.
you made me love the rp5 and my ally x a bit more haha. rp5 more specifically. the mini fits better in my hands but ya the rp5 definetely is amazing :] GC color is the best haha
I vant watch this video cuz i want a retroid pocket 2s metal but cannot afford more handhelds plus i have a plastic and watching this makes me want one
For me, I really love my RP mini. It's my go-to for 2d games. Until we get a 4 inch 4:3 OLED device, I don't need anything else. I also love my cube, the android one. After using the 40xxv, I found I much prefer Android to Linux and trying out CFW. Also since I want to use it for ds, the touch screen lends to it more. I just got into this hobby this year with the Odin 2 and I haven't bought much. I'm only looking to see what gaps or needs and get that. Having a few devices to do what you want is definitely the way to go.
I think the RP5 is the better value between it and the Mini at MSRP. However I got my Mini $65 off through AliExpress coupons earlier during their 11.11 sale. At that discount it is a no brainer. And for me it is a steam deck companion anyway. I couldn’t be happier with it
I bought a 35XX a year or two ago…then decided I needed a horizontal handheld and bought the 40XXH (4:3 gaming) and 556 (16:9 native or hacks and android)…been pretty happy but my daughter has been begging since she saw the 35XXSP and I am losing the will to hold off on the 34XX as a dedicated 3:2 handheld…
I wanted to like the X, I have a steam deck oled, then I got the legion go because I never like the ally screen size, well, more the bezels. Made the screen size look awful. I find the Legion go just too big for handheld use. It’s good as table top and it’s a good little laptop PC but the holding in your hands it gets tiring real fast. I ended up buying Alex on a sale and there was something wrong with the sticks and I returned it and I ended up just pre-ordering one X player, F1 pro and I’m waiting for that in the mail. Even though it’s the same size screen as the LIX without those basil, it makes it look so much better. Sorry for using auto dictation 😅
These ratings are super fair honestly the Pixel is cool aesthetically but the sound and framerate issues are embarrassing when the even smaller micro handhelds like Funkey or Nano can run the games better
The Retroid Pocket 4 Pro deserves to be a lot higher, especially for how comfortable the chipset runs higher end systems. The only fault is just the ergonomic... Even that it would depend on the person...
I think size/form factor and OS plays a lot in Retroid Pocket 5 vs Ally X. Im sure the Ally X feels great but Windows being Wjndows can be annoying at times and the device is just too big for "portability". RP5 can do a lot of what Ally X can for less and a more comparable size
Nice. My endgame devices are modded Switch Lite and RG406V. They cover everything that I need. But I will get Miyoo Flip when it starts selling because I want to support the underdog company and piss off the RG35XXSP fanboys...
31:14 While having a handheld that can play everything you have is nice, something so large isn't ideal, especially with its weight, I have a Steam Deck and I pretty much never use it for emulation, it's just too large for it, I'm hoping we get to the point where there's $500 windows handhelds that have decent battery life and are the weight/side of a Switch or Switch Lite, although one issue then would be that Windows itself kind of sucks on a tiny screen, which then we'd need a better UI for handhelds on Windows.
I just have a Steam Deck and a Trimui Smart Pro (plus some old Nintendo and Sony handhelds I don't really use much anymore). Honestly I haven't felt the need for much more than that. The Ally X would be cool, but the upgrade in performance doesn't seem worth the downgrade in *controls* to me (the deck's trackpads are a killer feature), and I've been having some money problems anyway (those things are expensive!). I may eventually replace the Trimui with something like a Retroid Pocket 5, but I'm not sure about that. The thing I like about the Trimui is that it's juuust pocketable enough for me without sacrificing too much on screen size and build quality, and I love playing GBA, Dreamcast, and PortMaster games on it especially. I feel like the RP5's ergonomics would make it less pocketable. But I'd love to have PS2 and Gamecube in my pocket, especially with a system that isn't locked to Android (yay, ROCKNIX!).
I have the RG351P and it's a nice handheld, ArkOS is great on it but still I use my RG35XX-H way more. It has a better Dpad, Face Buttons and screen for retro systems. The P is great for GBA but man the Dpad on it is just bad, I have waaaay to many miss inputs with it. But on the H is truly phenomenal!
I don't get he obsession with the H700, it gets the job done on the platforms I care for now with great CFW options, for example I mostly play DMG Gameboy on my 40XX V. Screen, form factor and controls and good software/emulation are far higher on the list than outright performance.
Was the Anbernic RG-ARC released last year? I think that was pretty decent. It should have been faster and more capable of running Saturn games, though.
My rubber housings on the sticks shipped with the left one already outside the shell. Good ol Anbernic QC. Otherwise good device but wish it was even bulkier tbh. The Cube would be my ideal in terms of height. It feels a little more substantial and comfortable. Make the 406h a 16:10 device or just increase the bezel (I don't really care which). I prioritize comfort over portability. Toilet and couch gamer here, no trains plains or automobiles
The GKD Bubble is really for the kids who had Game Gear's. It's surprisingly nice to use, but the included software and roms are awful. Highly recommend using your own roms as a minimum. The RG28XX was better than I thought it would be, but agree with the ranking. I have the RP5 at the top, but ROG Ally X is crazy good (and would want to be for the price!). Still agonizing over colour choices before ordering the RP5, but will get one for sure.
Joey is one of the few people that call out the aya neo bullshit.
Thank you, Joey
Because it's obvious.
and that's why I follow. I see hundreds of channels say "this is the best handheld ever, it plays flawless GameCube, Dreamcast, Xbox Series X, PS7", and Joey is like "this is a waste of time and money, don't even bother".
Same, highlighted battery issues for SP. Only time I’ve heard it had battery issues.
Lol no you don't.
More like eta prime saying everything is a beast or best ever
@@Angultra The best Ultimate comment in the world EVER!
that intro was amazing
I just got the Ally X and is not just my handheld of the year, probably the best handheld I have ever own in history. It's all-in-one retro, modern, and current-gen gaming handheld.
Happy to see the rg406v crack the top 10. My current winning handheld in my small collection. A fine list overall.
Yea it’s pretty dope, love the sticks and form factor
Thanks for sharing that information about Ayaneo and Anbernic.
Honestly pretty disappointed with Ayaneo myself, had a Flip DS that got MASSIVELY delayed due to a shortage of 8840U chips. Finally get it, it arrived defective. Support promised up and down that they would dispatch a unit once they received the defective one. Lo and behold, once the tracking showed they had it and I reached out to them for tracking, they were suddenly out, and I could wait even more weeks for them to repair the defective unit, or wait for a new one.
I demanded a refund and to their credit they did give me one, but it really feels like their only interest is saying whatever will make you pay and keep your money as long as possible.
I wish i could afford the gpd win 4. It looks awesome!! Its my dream pc handheld. Hopefully once i have money there'll be an updated version
He said the thing!!! 0:13
Great tierlist, love how you continually keep it real and don't hesitate to say that a device sucks or just doesn't work out for you! Looking forward to what e-waste 2025 is going to give us.
Dont a lot of these use secondhand e waste to be made anyways? Leftover blackberry screens, old chipsets salvaged, etc etc. You dont really add to the pile when you were built with the pile to begin with
he did the thing! he said these are his retro handhelds!
Been watching for about a year. Thanks for the amazing content
I like this news format that no one else does. I keep up with some things but in your videos I get more info on what's going on. It's great.
I was already planning to get the cube xx, but this has confirmed it for me.
@7:17, Joey does not call himself an "influencer". 👏👏👏👏 This Man will stay on my subscribed channel list.
Thanks for the video/list man!
I gotta set my RP5 up still, to join the ranks along my RP2S & MM+. I'm happy with these devices 👍
Thanks for keeping it real, Joey!
Wishing you and yours some fun and relaxation for the Holidays this year!
Peace.
I’ve been steadily growing my collection of handhelds over the last couple years, and I’ve been thoroughly enjoying having a lot to choose from, to be perfectly honest. My main ones I use are the Odin 2 Pro, the Ally X, and probably the Retroid Pocket 5 whenever it eventually arrives, haha. I also have the RG35XXSP which has been my go to for a lot of older retro games, as I absolutely love the clamshell form factor
Your honesty is appreciated! I get hyped by other reviewers and I was about to make many unnecessary purchases this year. One I actually tried and the aliexpress app had an error and the purchase didn’t go thru, lucky me. Had time to reconsider and didn’t do it in the end.
I’m happy with my Odin 2, it’s all I need and my rg40xxv for smaller size and form factor.
That opening was pretty hype I was bobbing my head
Joey taking the gloves off... The best kinda Joey. 😎
Literally one second in and you made me crack a smile with your little jingle. 😆
Extremely happy still with my Anbernic RG405M
Ally X was #1 for me, followed by Odin 2 Mini.
Great work on this. I agree with you on more than I thought I would.
I can’t wait for the SUPER5 OLED + HDMI Kit!
Awesome video! I'm selling most of my handhelds and just keeping 3 tops. Thanks for the rankings!
Thanks for sharing your coffee table handheld. I've also been trimming my collections.
I believe this is the right video to thank for another year of great reviews!
Was you drinking when you made the Intro, I was while I was watching it, lmao
Joey is speaking facts when he talks about just get one device that does everything. I'm burnt out on all these niche devices that do one specific thing well, I just want to consolidate down to one portable pc, and one handheld retro device. In the process of selling off everything but my Steam Deck OLED, ROG Ally, and I just ordered the Pocket 5. I'll probably sell the Deck OLED and Ally for the Ally 2, if that has a solid performance bump and goes OLED.
been waiting for this!
Brutal ... love it. My bro is going to appreciate the odin, appreciate it.
I'm loving the rog ally x plays everything on 900p setting with medium and some older games can handle high to ultra. If they come out with a new one next year I'll be upgrading.
I appreciate your honesty brother. Thanks!
I’m happy for you that your GameCube RP5 finally arrived.
My Handheld of the year is the Retroid Pocket 5 (black). A nearly flawless design but a bit un-ergonimic (Analog Rockers).
The OLED screen is fantastic, even at 33% Brightness. It's my only Android Handheld and i sold my G Cloud for it.
At last. Joey finally did the intro
for me personally, you are and remain the very best when it comes to the ‘handhelds’ genre!!!
for me you remain the most likeable and above all the most HONEST youtuber out there!!!
and honestly: when it comes to honesty, some people can learn something from you!!!
keep it up in 2025 my friend!!!
In love with my odin 2 mini, for me is the one. If you dont mind to play switch then go for rp5
Great list and even better coffee table devices
While I agree w Joey’s take on minimalism, let’s all agree that everyone needs the new Anbernic gba clone.
Thanks Joey, appreciate you and yer balls
Thank you for existing dude
Rambling man doing what only Joey can..... Good video buddy guy 👌
Your best video of 2024!
I have a gpd win mini 2023 and it blows the 2024 one out of the water, simply on the oculink connectivity. If oculink was hot swap, I wouldn't even need a second device, I use the damn thing as my primary computer by hooking it up to a 3080
Great list Joey. I came in half expecting to disagree with some of your choices, but the list was about what I would rank most of these devices (the ones I've used anyway). I'd probably throw the RG406H somewhere near the top, but maybe that's just recency bias. 🤷🏼♂
If the Odin 2 mini got a OLED version I would buy that in a heart beat. Waiting for Retroid Pocket 5 to be readily available in the UK as ordering from Retroid takes forever and is a nightmare if things go wrong
Getting a few handhelds and enjoying them might be the best advice here. I now own 2 handhelds, and I can feel how my mind is pulled towards the void. But no, I just need the Anbernic RG35XXSP, then I'll have my retro game situation under control. Once that thing is in my hands, I'll be happy....
I wanted that one really bad too, but was very underwhelmed when i got it. I loved the sp as a kid, but as an adult, my old hands hurt playing it. D-pad was too clicky, meaning it was difficult to press. Same with the buttons. I sold it shortly after getting it. Just a heads up from someone who HAD to have it and then sold it. If you are at all concerned with ergonomics, skip it.
I'd definitely have gotten the RG CubeXX instead of the RG40XXH if it had just released a few months earlier.
Great vid Joey 👍
you made me love the rp5 and my ally x a bit more haha. rp5 more specifically. the mini fits better in my hands but ya the rp5 definetely is amazing :] GC color is the best haha
Im loving my cheap used rp4 pro i got off eBay
I actually like your choices 😊
great content overall ❤
0:01 me when my wife found out I ordered another handheld again
I vant watch this video cuz i want a retroid pocket 2s metal but cannot afford more handhelds plus i have a plastic and watching this makes me want one
I wanted to let you know that the gpd win mini hx370 has the same screen and is substentially more expensive. Doa imo.
Chip makers are raising up prices unfortunately
Good video thanks, I think you still need a pocket retro handheld though.
so retro game corps ? he was also banned by ayaneo but not now and never by anbernic…
Personally I like the win mini more than Ally mainly due to its perfect form factor for travel and keyboard/touchpad for navigation through windows
For me, I really love my RP mini. It's my go-to for 2d games. Until we get a 4 inch 4:3 OLED device, I don't need anything else.
I also love my cube, the android one. After using the 40xxv, I found I much prefer Android to Linux and trying out CFW. Also since I want to use it for ds, the touch screen lends to it more.
I just got into this hobby this year with the Odin 2 and I haven't bought much. I'm only looking to see what gaps or needs and get that. Having a few devices to do what you want is definitely the way to go.
I think the RP5 is the better value between it and the Mini at MSRP. However I got my Mini $65 off through AliExpress coupons earlier during their 11.11 sale. At that discount it is a no brainer. And for me it is a steam deck companion anyway. I couldn’t be happier with it
VOICE OF THE TRUTH 🎉
The RG556 is still my favorite handheld of 2024 for it's ergonomic comfort and screen quality, so no need to apologize for liking it! 👍
Ha ha, yay! :) You said the intro thing! :)
I bought a 35XX a year or two ago…then decided I needed a horizontal handheld and bought the 40XXH (4:3 gaming) and 556 (16:9 native or hacks and android)…been pretty happy but my daughter has been begging since she saw the 35XXSP and I am losing the will to hold off on the 34XX as a dedicated 3:2 handheld…
37 mins of Joey. We are eating good.
lol I needed this 2 days ago.
That intro was epic 😂
I wanted to like the X, I have a steam deck oled, then I got the legion go because I never like the ally screen size, well, more the bezels. Made the screen size look awful. I find the Legion go just too big for handheld use. It’s good as table top and it’s a good little laptop PC but the holding in your hands it gets tiring real fast. I ended up buying Alex on a sale and there was something wrong with the sticks and I returned it and I ended up just pre-ordering one X player, F1 pro and I’m waiting for that in the mail. Even though it’s the same size screen as the LIX without those basil, it makes it look so much better.
Sorry for using auto dictation 😅
These ratings are super fair honestly
the Pixel is cool aesthetically but the sound and framerate issues are embarrassing when the even smaller micro handhelds like Funkey or Nano can run the games better
My fav this year has been the odin 2 mini
Im waiting for miyoo flip, its perfect for me, clam gaming device that have analog sticks and can fit in my pocket.
Can't wait until i can get a retroid pocket 5.
Thing's a powerhouse and I really want to go back and play some wii u games
Ally X remains KING 👑
The Retroid Pocket 4 Pro deserves to be a lot higher, especially for how comfortable the chipset runs higher end systems. The only fault is just the ergonomic... Even that it would depend on the person...
Yeah, the person is me, it's my list, hi I'm Joey :)
I think size/form factor and OS plays a lot in Retroid Pocket 5 vs Ally X. Im sure the Ally X feels great but Windows being Wjndows can be annoying at times and the device is just too big for "portability". RP5 can do a lot of what Ally X can for less and a more comparable size
Hey, it's Joey.
Nice. My endgame devices are modded Switch Lite and RG406V. They cover everything that I need. But I will get Miyoo Flip when it starts selling because I want to support the underdog company and piss off the RG35XXSP fanboys...
31:14 While having a handheld that can play everything you have is nice, something so large isn't ideal, especially with its weight, I have a Steam Deck and I pretty much never use it for emulation, it's just too large for it, I'm hoping we get to the point where there's $500 windows handhelds that have decent battery life and are the weight/side of a Switch or Switch Lite, although one issue then would be that Windows itself kind of sucks on a tiny screen, which then we'd need a better UI for handhelds on Windows.
Ayaneo didn’t send any of their products to you for review? I saw other RUclipsrs got it
Having owned an Ayn Odin 2 most of the year now would you say selling up and having the Retroid Pocket 5 would be worthwhile?
Oh boy I just made popcorn too 🙏
He said the thing!
I just have a Steam Deck and a Trimui Smart Pro (plus some old Nintendo and Sony handhelds I don't really use much anymore). Honestly I haven't felt the need for much more than that. The Ally X would be cool, but the upgrade in performance doesn't seem worth the downgrade in *controls* to me (the deck's trackpads are a killer feature), and I've been having some money problems anyway (those things are expensive!).
I may eventually replace the Trimui with something like a Retroid Pocket 5, but I'm not sure about that. The thing I like about the Trimui is that it's juuust pocketable enough for me without sacrificing too much on screen size and build quality, and I love playing GBA, Dreamcast, and PortMaster games on it especially. I feel like the RP5's ergonomics would make it less pocketable. But I'd love to have PS2 and Gamecube in my pocket, especially with a system that isn't locked to Android (yay, ROCKNIX!).
I have the RG351P and it's a nice handheld, ArkOS is great on it but still I use my RG35XX-H way more. It has a better Dpad, Face Buttons and screen for retro systems. The P is great for GBA but man the Dpad on it is just bad, I have waaaay to many miss inputs with it. But on the H is truly phenomenal!
No mention at all of the RG406H? Oh well, I bought it and it's my absolute favourite device ever
You skipped the video.
"wow that GPD Win Mini is incredible how is it playing Wukong?!"
*Sees price*
"Oh"
ou yeah, the video i have been waiting for a month
I don't get he obsession with the H700, it gets the job done on the platforms I care for now with great CFW options, for example I mostly play DMG Gameboy on my 40XX V. Screen, form factor and controls and good software/emulation are far higher on the list than outright performance.
It's okay, Joey, I don't like mini devices. If it fits in my pocket, it is too small for my old eyes.
i like you. and i like russ too. and now im wondering about who to trust about Xu Mini M
thanks
whats that "coffee table" stand called?
Here you go! amzn.to/3ZA6Pwe
In the description!
Was the Anbernic RG-ARC released last year? I think that was pretty decent. It should have been faster and more capable of running Saturn games, though.
saving for an aly x. no more cheap handhelds for me
Wise man
I wish you got to review the 406 H it’s awesome.
My rubber housings on the sticks shipped with the left one already outside the shell. Good ol Anbernic QC. Otherwise good device but wish it was even bulkier tbh. The Cube would be my ideal in terms of height. It feels a little more substantial and comfortable. Make the 406h a 16:10 device or just increase the bezel (I don't really care which). I prioritize comfort over portability. Toilet and couch gamer here, no trains plains or automobiles
@ I agree
The GKD Bubble is really for the kids who had Game Gear's. It's surprisingly nice to use, but the included software and roms are awful. Highly recommend using your own roms as a minimum.
The RG28XX was better than I thought it would be, but agree with the ranking.
I have the RP5 at the top, but ROG Ally X is crazy good (and would want to be for the price!). Still agonizing over colour choices before ordering the RP5, but will get one for sure.
What do you think of the new Anbernic RG 34XX GBA clone?