Hi everyone, I've seen a few comments and questions about custom firmware for this device. Unfortunately I don't think it's very likely for two reasons. First, the firmware resides on the internal storage (including the unoptimized emulator cores), and PowKiddy is not apt to share their source code with community developers. So at best we could maybe see some user interface improvements, but the rest would require some serious reverse engineering. And secondly, I am not sure there is enough community developer interest to put in that amount of effort (I'm secretly hoping that by making this video, someone will become more interested!). I think this chip might be sufficient for improved SNES gameplay if properly optimized, but I wouldn't recommend buying this device specifically with the hope that we'll see custom firmware on it.
Hi, od Beta dev (citral) here, you'll never see a real custom firmware for an action CPU device, because they don't publish specsheets nor anything (while Ingenic does, we have the low level programming manuals for all of their SOCs). So yes it's some sort of Linux running there, but probably completely closed source.
I bought one last week and I’ve been playing it a lot. I really like the look of it. I used two different nintendo switch usb controllers and both worked.
Hey buddy I've got the x70 which I think is just the bigger brother of the x39 but the life of me I cannot get this machine to not show all the games that were preinstalled on the SD card that came with it I have changed the SD card for a blank 32gb one and I have updated media playlist many times but all old ROMs still show Any advice on how to get rid of them so I just have a plain slate Any help would be amazing it's for my disabled brother so trying to load it with only ROMs he knows and would play Thank you so much
I feel like they teased their high end X28 and then went radio silent. Powkiddy and Anbernic are gonna have to decide if they want to compete with AYN and Aya Neo.
I think they can't compete, look at the rg552 from anbernic, and the supposedly x28 was even lower-specs than the odin, and probably more expensive. they make money from the hardware, and today with the shortages making money that way is probably not the best way, they can't lower their prices (in relation to performance) to directly compete.
I got one, not a bad handheld! I especially love the build quality, it has some weight doesn't feel cheap. I also like the fact that it has a 4 inch display, a little larger than that standard size of 3.5 inches. The interface looks almost identical to that of the Powkiddy A20. Adding roms is super easy.
Hey buddy I've got the x70 which I think is just the bigger brother of the x39 but the life of me I cannot get this machine to not show all the games that were preinstalled on the SD card that came with it I have changed the SD card for a blank 32gb one and I have updated media playlist many times but all old ROMs still show Any advice on how to get rid of them so I just have a plain slate Any help would be amazing it's for my disabled brother so trying to load it with only ROMs he knows and would play Thank you so much
This device seems great. Perfect for someone that wants to get into retro gaming but not wanting to have to set anything up and wants to stay well below the $100 starting point of the the Retriod pocket 2+ or RK3326 systems. Thinking about getting one for my niece (12 years old) that always plays with my Retroid 2+.
Personally I think if I was going to buy someone a gift regardless if they knew much about emulation Id probably get them something that I would use myself and spend the 10 minutes to show them...getting someone a gift and explaining all of its downfalls are mainly because its cheap isn't a hallmark of a great gift.
I got my mom an anbernic 350p for that reason. I'd probably get the 351p for myself but she's not into 3d games so I knew the extra power wasn't something she needed. The 350 while not a powerhouse had a good look and feel and felt like something that might last awhile
The USB ports read data. I've used it to transfer roms to device without ejecting msd card. That said, it needs some CFW and some emulator ports esp for SNES. As is, it's a decent Sega 8-bit/16-bit and GameBoy (all eras) machine, with caveats on anything else. Which is fine by me but also kind of a tease when Powkiddy has the excellent V90 and Q90 out there for similar pricing...
It's that screen though, right? The large screen is what I'm interested in. I have the v90, it's just a tad too small for me. I have about 60 bucks to spend right now, was thinking of saving up for a Max 2, but honestly I just want to play Defender of the Crown on GBA handheld without having to put on my glasses.
Hey buddy I've got the x70 which I think is just the bigger brother of the x39 but the life of me I cannot get this machine to not show all the games that were preinstalled on the SD card that came with it I have changed the SD card for a blank 32gb one and I have updated media playlist many times but all old ROMs still show Any advice on how to get rid of them so I just have a plain slate Any help would be amazing it's for my disabled brother so trying to load it with only ROMs he knows and would play Thank you so much
Twin sticks, stacked shoulders, smaller bezels, dual speakers that aren't covered by hands, and most importantly, a board that has reasonable power that can be developed for. Love the slab shape, it can fit larger batteries.
I got the same fuzzy screen for HDMI output. I solved it by connecting it before turning on device. Works like a charm. SNES works fine on mine. My only criticism is the incorrect naming of the games. Just load your own collection to sort that issue.
Hey buddy I've got the x70 which I think is just the bigger brother of the x39 but the life of me I cannot get this machine to not show all the games that were preinstalled on the SD card that came with it I have changed the SD card for a blank 32gb one and I have updated media playlist many times but all old ROMs still show Any advice on how to get rid of them so I just have a plain slate Any help would be amazing it's for my disabled brother so trying to load it with only ROMs he knows and would play Thank you so much
@@digitizer3627 I haven't no how do I connect it to pc as I am unsure as it only came with USB c and that only changes the device when connected to pc Really Interested to hear back from you thanks so much for such a quick reply buddy
@@Jamesh2263 No worries my friend. What I meant is to say is to try to delete the game from the device itself. When u see your game list. You have an option to add to favourites. There should be an option to delete. Its a manual task as u have to do it one by one. If that option has been removed from the X70 then i think ur stuck with them.
Thanks for the new review Russ! I agree with you, I'd rather spend an extra $20 or so to get better functionality. But they did a good job with the physical aesthetic on this nevertheless (agree the UI is dated though lol)
Hey not to be a bother, but do you know of a better device with a large screen for 60ish dollars? I have the v90, and love it, but if I can get something like that in a larger screen I'd be pumped. Freakin' cataracts! :-(
The X39 truly does have that PlayGo / PocketGo 2 vibe! Build quality is top notch. I wouldn't call it the next step up because it has poor SNES emulation while the PocketGo 2 has much better SNES emulation. Also, you can swap out the battery in the PocketGo 2, you can't with the X39. I know what to expect from this X39 so I have mine for up to GENESIS emulation and playing video files. I like mine for what it can do.
Taking inflation into account these things are going for the price of those cheap tiger electronic toys went for in the 1980s and 1990s. I would have lost my mind if I got this handheld as a kid.
That's a good point. I remember that Golden Axe on the Genesis was $60 when it launched, it's crazy what you can get for $60 nowadays (not even accounting for inflation!)
Aspect ratio is always kind of funny. Coming from a PAL territory, nothing looks precisely right to me at 4:3. PAL CRTs had 576 lines, to NTSC's 480, so our screens were a little taller. Our screen aspect ratio was closer to 5:4, and things made for PAL first often had closer to square pixels. NTSC screens had much more rectangular pixels. Usually this meant that NTSC games and TV shows were letterboxed for us. Sometimes they were stretched vertically to use those lines, and then TVs could do weird things to the geometry on their own. The 50Hz signal and lower framerate we suffered was rough, sure, but the display aspect ratio and pixel aspect ratio mishmash we got was pretty rough, too. All this said, the 8:7 rendering doesn't look awful to me. A little skinny, but not as skinny to my PAL eyes as to your NTSC eyes. Even the stretched look on this handheld isn't terrible. The screen definitely isn't 16:9, so it's not stretched that much. I guess, in the end, the venerable V90 still rules this price point. It's a shame, because the X39 seems like such a well put together device, by comparison. It's not premium, but the build quality looks good. The V90 gets solidly trounced in performance by things like the Miyoo Mini, but if you want a cheap handheld to shut the kids up, and you can get it at a good price (I caught my V90 on sale on AliExpress for $29), it's still the best budget option. I wouldn't even be mad if PowKiddy would just put the V90's internals into a non-folding horizontal or vertical bar. I realise the Q90 exists, but nobody seems to be talking about that one these days, despite it being identical in specs. Was there some serious qualitiy issue with it not shared by the V90 or something?
To think that this thing has exactly the same screen size and exactly the same resolution as PSP...makes me wonder when we will get a PSP-sized device capable of actual PSP emulation?
This looks very much like the PocketGo V2 externally, are the shells the same size, or completely unrelated? They obviously can't be the same, since the D-pad and analog stick were the other way around in the PocketGo... EDIT: 4:19 nevermind...
I have the updated X45 and it's improved in some ways but not much. Great for GBA. Completed Minish Cap on it and I have to say for $45 I'm happy with it.
@@emaheiwa8174 Yes, it's great. It plays as well as the v90 but with a bigger screen and nice thumbstick. I am about to buy another one for my nephew for Christmas.
I brought this on Ali express for my disabled brother but only just found out there is the x70 which is a 7 inch version of the x39 haha I wish I had looked about a bit more as he would definitely be better with a 7 inch screen But presently he has a genesis handheld which only has a 2.5 inch screen on so a 4.3 inch screen will be so much better regardless Thanks again for the video Russ
If your brother is disabled, then I think the much larger X70 might actually be a bit too heavy or clumsy for him to hold in his hands for long periods of time... There are some folks here, who are saying that even this X39 model makes their hands get tired or crampy after long gaming sessions. 🤔
Thank you Russ great review I think this will be great for my disabled brother who loves genesis mainly Hoping I can add game art to titles as he cannot read so goes off of visual aids Thank you again love this channel
I really wanted to love the playgo. It was small but felt great in the hand but the build quality was lacking. Analogue stick constantly moved the cursor on its own, which I had to disable physically. Then the battery died and would not charge. So I ordered a new battery and same thing happened. Oh well
Do they ever test these systems out before shipping? They really aren't trying, even for a cheap device. Like don't include features that don't work. My GP2X from 2006 plays SNES flawlessly lol. Another great video, still happy with my Odin!
Nah, they'd rather release these with buggy software and make the community do the hard work. Doesn't help that people buy them anyway, which just encourages them to not try.
REALLY surprised with the amount of IO on this little thing! Most handhelds don't bother with USB-A, as C ports can be used for peripherals and such, tho perhaps this is more user-friendly in general.. I've been looking to find an emulation device for under half of what I got my rg351m for, was thinking about miyoo mini or the Q something or other by powkiddy. Cool vid tho, keep it up!
To be honest the weird screen resolution and mono sound are a bit offputting for me and all those software and configuration problems are the nail in the coffin for me. For that price I'd stick with the V90.
They are working on a new version of the X18S. It won't use a Pi, but it use the Tiger T618. The new one is basically the same, but with supposedly better buttons and perhaps a better screen.
@@Pridetoons well the point of the project is to fit a tiny sbc inside a tiny clamshell device what you're proposing is trying to fit a bigger board inside a smaller device the pi zero 2 offers enough for a clamshell device like the v90 much better than whats inside the device by default which is just slow for emulation
It sort of reminds me of an unoptimized Q90. And the the Q90 has become one of my favorite devices to carry around with me if I want something to diddle with while I'm waiting somewhere. This is a pass for me, but I can see the appeal, or it could be good one for kids that requires no set up.
Not that impressed about this being $ 40; I got my RG280V for less than $ 60, with shipping, and that's clearly a better value for money than this. I'm still pretty satisfied with that device too The triggers not being customizable is a really huge dealbreaker right there, they may as well have just not added them in, or better yet, they could have given that device the Genesis/Saturn six button layout, which better suits a lot of retro games too anyway
@@muhdzaidi3051 No, but for a while I had problems with it registering some button inputs. I was worried the hardware already got broken (AKA the membrane under the button) but after a few months it went away I am using CFW so I suspect it might be a problem with CFW. And that may not get caught or fixed as the last update for its ADAM image was a year ago and as great as the emulator/modder community is, they don't work to meet industry standards like Sony and Nintendo are required to Anyway, long story short, every one of these open source handhelds have their strengths and weaknesses. I'm happy with the device I picked up with with all of that taken into account. Unless you're spending like a fiend or have your own RUclips channel you don't have to buy every device looking for the perfect one. There' probably isn't one
any news? I have the same problem, with hdmi I can see all normal on another screen but black screen in the device. Maybe reinstall original firmware via hdmi but where is it?
@@BrUjO369 OK my friend, sorry for the misunderstanding... So, your screen is blacked-out and not working anymore? Software failure? How long have you had it tho? The other guy who spoke previously, I think he actually means that his screen was cracked or smashed in. These things are quite fragile. He probably dropped it on the ground and someone stepped on it, or he accidentally hit the screen against something very hard that probably must have broke it. I think he was asking us for where to buy a replacement screen.
Thank you Russ. Great review. Excellent entry level device. I was able to add games easy. Great value for money and helped me wait till i was ready to get a decent device RGB Max 2 from pooooowkiddy!! That is next level digitation..
If the position of the analog stick and d-pad were swapped, and the resolution and aspect ratios were better for the games, I'd pick this up without hesitation.
GRIPES & FLAWS: #1: Does not save your games 'natively'. It will only save your games in .PRG format, and not in the more commonly used .SAV or .SRM formats (via backup RAM). This type of save state is unique only to this device's operating system, and is NOT compatible or readable on any PC-based emulators. In other words, you most probably won't be able to hack/edit the save states easily or even have the option to resume playing your saved games on other different devices or emulators. Not unless you are VERY technical; and either have the programs/tools or know how to properly convert/compress those kinds of files into compatible/readable ones. This also means that you will NOT be able to play any multi-disc PS1 games, because it does not dump any backup RAM for the saves. You have been WARNED! #2: No auto-resume feature for videos. This will be an issue if you also plan to watch movies on this device. If you are halfway watching through a movie and suddenly need to stop and take a break, you will not be able to pick up back where you last left off. And since the FF/RR feature is VERY SLOW, as it skips only 2 seconds of footage at a time; trying to manually fast-forward all the way back to the last scene where you wish to resume watching at is going to be a REAL PROBLEM. Watching short 15/30/45 minute videos (like documentaries or TV shows) should be fine, but trying to enjoy full feature-length or extended-length movies that will last at least 2+ hours or more, is NOT recommended on this device for the reasons stated above. #3: Does not support .SRT files needed for downloadable movie subtitles. If you're going to be watching foreign movies in a totally different language that you don't understand and need to have subtitles on, this device will NOT be able to load them on the screen. #4: Average battery life. On a FULL charge, this device will last for only about 4 hours at the lowest brightness settings. This is pretty typical for the small and thin 3000 mAh lithium batteries housed inside of these smaller handhelds. While this isn't too terrible, some of the newer/better handheld gaming devices out there can now last up to 12+ hours or more. And another thing to keep in mind is that whenever the battery runs low, you will only receive the "LOW BATTERY" warning message just ONCE before the power suddenly zaps out within a couple more minutes afterwards. On other devices I have used, they will give you the low battery warning message at least 3 or 4 times before automatically shutting themselves off. Make sure that you have a handy external USB power brick ready and close by if you plan on having some long extended gaming sessions. #5: Weak audio output. This device only has 1 built-in speaker, that is either outputting mono or pseudo-stereo sound. You need to turn the volume at least halfway up just in order to hear anything clearly. It sounds tiny and distorted while playing back music or audio files. There are NO equalizer settings to let you adjust the bass/treble/balance/ect. Setting your games to output in mono audio (if available) will probably help things sound a little better. #6: Cheaply constructed controls. The thumbstick has the typical 'deadzones' in it, and the D-pad is not all that great for fighting games (nor do I recommend playing them on this device). It is quite soft and has a mushy feeling to it. Good quality D-pads should always 'click' and offer a decent amount of give and resistance when you press down on them. Not here, apparently. Not at this price range. The face buttons have a loose, flimsy feel to them and seem like they will not last very long. The shoulder bumper buttons work OK, but just aren't very solid or robust. You can easily tell that they used some very cheap and low-quality silicone sensor pads underneath the controller parts. When something breaks, I just hope that replacement parts will be cheap and easy to find. There is a setting in the option menus for either analog or digital controls; but I doubt that it makes any difference at all. Just cheap shoddy build quality overall.
I've been wondering, what is the best way to tell if a screen is OCA laminated just by looking at it? I don't think I'm familiar enough to make that distinction.
Angles. Should be pretty easy to see if there's any space between the screen and the glass/plastic... Unfortunately just as easy to hide it, using certain angles and lighting in 2D-pictures, so yeah... not always easy when buying online I guess.
Also, please make a video about the details of the Aya neo air plus i3 when there's more information out. I am thinking of preordering one when available but my main worry is the battery size, compared to the AYN loki mini pro.
Great video, I liked it so much that I actually bought the console! I have a question though about adding games that I was hoping you could help me with. I have tried adding games but they don't even show up on the list. I have put the zipped games in a folder, just as they are on the card that came with the console, but as I said before, they don't even show up on the list when I turn the console on. Do you have any idea why the games I add don't even show up?? Thanks again for the video!
This actually looks good for powkitty....but they just keep pushing stuff with the same chips out. Maybe drop it down to one or two devices a year. They have this pattern of pushing stuff out before everyone else to have a powerful hand held but everything else suffers....then the fix it later
Is anyone having trouble with the saving? Some of the save states here won't well, save, and even using the in-game save system doesn't work for some games, but the saves are saved in the folder as stated in the video. I like it, but if this issue persists, it might collect dust.
YES, we are all having the same goddamn issue... This thing will only use 'save states' and not backup RAM saves. That means you cannot play PS1 games that are stored on multiple discs. Games that require a dumped save RAM, such as any of the Final Fantasy RPGs will NOT be payable because it won't allow you to load your save file and resume the game on the next disc! 👎
i've just bought one of these and i'm impressed. Does anyone know which mame romset it uses to work in CPS? I've tried Mame4all (037b5) romset but it doesn't work
It should've come included with a folder that already contains some CPS game roms in it... That list of available games should give you a pretty good idea of what CPS games it could support.
I’d say this one if you’re willing to live with its shortcomings, or the PowKiddy V90 with custom firmware if you want something more pocketable and with a clamshell.
@@kismet8010 Har, spend another $20 extra and buy yourself a real nice SLEDGEHAMMER... Cuz, you're prolly gonna NEED one after ya get all fed-up dealin' with this worthless POS!!!
I'm a little fed up with these handhelds being released with features that don't even work. Not very impressive. Pay 10 bux more n find a Miyoo mini 🤔😉Great review!🙂 No SNES here people!
Do you think an average 5 year old would be able to play this if i did all the setup, and narrowed the ROM list down to a few dozen appropriate games? Seems like an amazing trial to see if your kid would destroy a switch or not
Hi Russ, I got this device just recently, and I’ve ran into issues when it comes to save states. Some of the games I have on here would not even save, whether it be in-game or save state. A deal breaker, if you ask me.
Hey buddy I've got the x70 which I think is just the bigger brother of the x39 but the life of me I cannot get this machine to not show all the games that were preinstalled on the SD card that came with it I have changed the SD card for a blank 32gb one and I have updated media playlist many times but all old ROMs still show Any advice on how to get rid of them so I just have a plain slate Any help would be amazing it's for my disabled brother so trying to load it with only ROMs he knows and would play Thank you so much
@@Jamesh2263 There should be a 'FAVORITES' list that you can find by scrolling through the menus... Use that list to quickly access the games that he had most recently played. Either that, or format everything, and just load only the games that he likes to play on the SD card.
While the device by itself seems okay-ish, I think there are just too many better options in at least a similar price range now, that have already gotten the 3rd party firmware treatment. I wouldn't want to gift this with its out of the box experience, to anyone, really. For friends and family: I don't want them to hate me. For enemies: I don't spend that much money on them. ;) Also: Even if this _gets_ better software at some point, the screen's still not a good resolution for the games it could run. 40$ -> Powkiddy V90 is a better option. And for about 60$, there's the grandiose Miyoo mini. And one step above that, you get the RG351P, which kinda still is unbeaten for GBA for me with its screen that's just perfect for it and has perfect 3rd party software with AmberELEC.
I'm not sure adding HDMI and two USB ports to something like this adds value. Powkiddy really needs to do something with the software. Also, it is strange that they picked a 16:9 ratio screen for a device that can barely run SNES. It might have been a better choice for them to subtract the extra ports, throw in a 4:3 ratio screen and add 128MB of ram for 256MB total.
Cheers Russ, flawed but I do really like the look of the thing. Shame about the firmware situation, I'd get one to give away as a present and enjoy 'setting it up' for a month or two if its potential could be released,, someone would think I'd spent proper money on them. :) As is it's a tougher sell. Nearly Powkiddy, nearly.
![I.N "HALLUCINATION" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/n5B5q1Hwt_U/mqdefault.jpg)
![Felix "Unfair" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Oswujxm2Ag0/mqdefault.jpg)
Hi everyone, I've seen a few comments and questions about custom firmware for this device. Unfortunately I don't think it's very likely for two reasons. First, the firmware resides on the internal storage (including the unoptimized emulator cores), and PowKiddy is not apt to share their source code with community developers. So at best we could maybe see some user interface improvements, but the rest would require some serious reverse engineering. And secondly, I am not sure there is enough community developer interest to put in that amount of effort (I'm secretly hoping that by making this video, someone will become more interested!). I think this chip might be sufficient for improved SNES gameplay if properly optimized, but I wouldn't recommend buying this device specifically with the hope that we'll see custom firmware on it.
What's the game being played on 6:40? It looks like it's new.
Kinda disappointing tbh. This device looks like a ton of wasted potential.
@@svcross-do Yeah, it's only a couple months old now! Still haven't beaten it yet, though.
Hi, od Beta dev (citral) here, you'll never see a real custom firmware for an action CPU device, because they don't publish specsheets nor anything (while Ingenic does, we have the low level programming manuals for all of their SOCs). So yes it's some sort of Linux running there, but probably completely closed source.
@@pranze3484 thanks for the clarification citral!
I bought one last week and I’ve been playing it a lot. I really like the look of it. I used two different nintendo switch usb controllers and both worked.
Hey buddy I've got the x70 which I think is just the bigger brother of the x39 but the life of me I cannot get this machine to not show all the games that were preinstalled on the SD card that came with it I have changed the SD card for a blank 32gb one and I have updated media playlist many times but all old ROMs still show
Any advice on how to get rid of them so I just have a plain slate
Any help would be amazing it's for my disabled brother so trying to load it with only ROMs he knows and would play
Thank you so much
I feel like they teased their high end X28 and then went radio silent. Powkiddy and Anbernic are gonna have to decide if they want to compete with AYN and Aya Neo.
They'd priced way lower. Not direct competition.
I think they can't compete, look at the rg552 from anbernic, and the supposedly x28 was even lower-specs than the odin, and probably more expensive. they make money from the hardware, and today with the shortages making money that way is probably not the best way, they can't lower their prices (in relation to performance) to directly compete.
X28 is the same hardware as the X18S, it's just another form factor. In other words, it uses the Tiger T618 chip.
Not same market
And retroid
I got one, not a bad handheld! I especially love the build quality, it has some weight doesn't feel cheap. I also like the fact that it has a 4 inch display, a little larger than that standard size of 3.5 inches. The interface looks almost identical to that of the Powkiddy A20. Adding roms is super easy.
Hey buddy I've got the x70 which I think is just the bigger brother of the x39 but the life of me I cannot get this machine to not show all the games that were preinstalled on the SD card that came with it I have changed the SD card for a blank 32gb one and I have updated media playlist many times but all old ROMs still show
Any advice on how to get rid of them so I just have a plain slate
Any help would be amazing it's for my disabled brother so trying to load it with only ROMs he knows and would play
Thank you so much
Is it good for GBA and GBC?
@@emaheiwa8174 That's prolly ALL it's good for...
This device seems great. Perfect for someone that wants to get into retro gaming but not wanting to have to set anything up and wants to stay well below the $100 starting point of the the Retriod pocket 2+ or RK3326 systems. Thinking about getting one for my niece (12 years old) that always plays with my Retroid 2+.
Personally I think if I was going to buy someone a gift regardless if they knew much about emulation Id probably get them something that I would use myself and spend the 10 minutes to show them...getting someone a gift and explaining all of its downfalls are mainly because its cheap isn't a hallmark of a great gift.
I got my mom an anbernic 350p for that reason. I'd probably get the 351p for myself but she's not into 3d games so I knew the extra power wasn't something she needed. The 350 while not a powerhouse had a good look and feel and felt like something that might last awhile
The USB ports read data. I've used it to transfer roms to device without ejecting msd card. That said, it needs some CFW and some emulator ports esp for SNES. As is, it's a decent Sega 8-bit/16-bit and GameBoy (all eras) machine, with caveats on anything else. Which is fine by me but also kind of a tease when Powkiddy has the excellent V90 and Q90 out there for similar pricing...
It's that screen though, right? The large screen is what I'm interested in. I have the v90, it's just a tad too small for me. I have about 60 bucks to spend right now, was thinking of saving up for a Max 2, but honestly I just want to play Defender of the Crown on GBA handheld without having to put on my glasses.
To be clear I have 60 in my "To Be Silly With" budget. Lol. Not 60 total. 🙂
Hey buddy I've got the x70 which I think is just the bigger brother of the x39 but the life of me I cannot get this machine to not show all the games that were preinstalled on the SD card that came with it I have changed the SD card for a blank 32gb one and I have updated media playlist many times but all old ROMs still show
Any advice on how to get rid of them so I just have a plain slate
Any help would be amazing it's for my disabled brother so trying to load it with only ROMs he knows and would play
Thank you so much
I like the shell. Not expecting great performance for $40
Just ordered the Miyoo Mini and there's no chance I'll ever buy this, butttt here I am because I adore your channel. Cheers
Twin sticks, stacked shoulders, smaller bezels, dual speakers that aren't covered by hands, and most importantly, a board that has reasonable power that can be developed for. Love the slab shape, it can fit larger batteries.
I got the same fuzzy screen for HDMI output. I solved it by connecting it before turning on device. Works like a charm.
SNES works fine on mine. My only criticism is the incorrect naming of the games. Just load your own collection to sort that issue.
Hey buddy I've got the x70 which I think is just the bigger brother of the x39 but the life of me I cannot get this machine to not show all the games that were preinstalled on the SD card that came with it I have changed the SD card for a blank 32gb one and I have updated media playlist many times but all old ROMs still show
Any advice on how to get rid of them so I just have a plain slate
Any help would be amazing it's for my disabled brother so trying to load it with only ROMs he knows and would play
Thank you so much
@@Jamesh2263 Did you try to delete from within console os?
@@digitizer3627 I haven't no how do I connect it to pc as I am unsure as it only came with USB c and that only changes the device when connected to pc
Really Interested to hear back from you thanks so much for such a quick reply buddy
@@digitizer3627 do you get to see internal storage when it is hooked up correctly to a pc unsure on how to connect it myself lol
I'm not dumb I swear
@@Jamesh2263 No worries my friend. What I meant is to say is to try to delete the game from the device itself. When u see your game list. You have an option to add to favourites. There should be an option to delete. Its a manual task as u have to do it one by one. If that option has been removed from the X70 then i think ur stuck with them.
For $35 Dollars to be able to play Sega Genesis is pretty good! Thanks for the video Russ!
the morbius joke got a good laugh out of me, thank you for that
Thanks for the new review Russ! I agree with you, I'd rather spend an extra $20 or so to get better functionality. But they did a good job with the physical aesthetic on this nevertheless (agree the UI is dated though lol)
Hey not to be a bother, but do you know of a better device with a large screen for 60ish dollars? I have the v90, and love it, but if I can get something like that in a larger screen I'd be pumped. Freakin' cataracts! :-(
Did you ever find something that fit your needs?
Even tho i have no intention or interest in buying something like this your videos alone are enough to keep me watching till the end...#entertaining
Thanks for watching regardless!
The X39 truly does have that PlayGo / PocketGo 2 vibe! Build quality is top notch. I wouldn't call it the next step up because it has poor SNES emulation while the PocketGo 2 has much better SNES emulation. Also, you can swap out the battery in the PocketGo 2, you can't with the X39. I know what to expect from this X39 so I have mine for up to GENESIS emulation and playing video files. I like mine for what it can do.
SNES games seem to run SLOW on this cheap crappy thing...
Taking inflation into account these things are going for the price of those cheap tiger electronic toys went for in the 1980s and 1990s. I would have lost my mind if I got this handheld as a kid.
That's a good point. I remember that Golden Axe on the Genesis was $60 when it launched, it's crazy what you can get for $60 nowadays (not even accounting for inflation!)
@@RetroGameCorps Shit, and way back then in the early 90's I thought that Neo Geo AES cartridges were a HIGHWAY ROBBERY...
Aspect ratio is always kind of funny. Coming from a PAL territory, nothing looks precisely right to me at 4:3. PAL CRTs had 576 lines, to NTSC's 480, so our screens were a little taller. Our screen aspect ratio was closer to 5:4, and things made for PAL first often had closer to square pixels. NTSC screens had much more rectangular pixels. Usually this meant that NTSC games and TV shows were letterboxed for us. Sometimes they were stretched vertically to use those lines, and then TVs could do weird things to the geometry on their own. The 50Hz signal and lower framerate we suffered was rough, sure, but the display aspect ratio and pixel aspect ratio mishmash we got was pretty rough, too.
All this said, the 8:7 rendering doesn't look awful to me. A little skinny, but not as skinny to my PAL eyes as to your NTSC eyes. Even the stretched look on this handheld isn't terrible. The screen definitely isn't 16:9, so it's not stretched that much.
I guess, in the end, the venerable V90 still rules this price point. It's a shame, because the X39 seems like such a well put together device, by comparison. It's not premium, but the build quality looks good. The V90 gets solidly trounced in performance by things like the Miyoo Mini, but if you want a cheap handheld to shut the kids up, and you can get it at a good price (I caught my V90 on sale on AliExpress for $29), it's still the best budget option. I wouldn't even be mad if PowKiddy would just put the V90's internals into a non-folding horizontal or vertical bar. I realise the Q90 exists, but nobody seems to be talking about that one these days, despite it being identical in specs. Was there some serious qualitiy issue with it not shared by the V90 or something?
So when did we start using 2007 for a long time ago? 😩 It seems like yesterday.
thought exactly the same
To think that this thing has exactly the same screen size and exactly the same resolution as PSP...makes me wonder when we will get a PSP-sized device capable of actual PSP emulation?
Some of it actually, but priced too much. Many modern day smartphones can run psp games with ppsp with no issues, but yeah, no d pad
This looks very much like the PocketGo V2 externally, are the shells the same size, or completely unrelated? They obviously can't be the same, since the D-pad and analog stick were the other way around in the PocketGo... EDIT: 4:19 nevermind...
I have the updated X45 and it's improved in some ways but not much. Great for GBA. Completed Minish Cap on it and I have to say for $45 I'm happy with it.
Just looking for a GBA with a bigger screen for my old eyes. This looks to fit the bill.
Did you bought it? I want one for GBC and GBA only. Im not convinced on the V90
@@emaheiwa8174 Yes, it's great. It plays as well as the v90 but with a bigger screen and nice thumbstick. I am about to buy another one for my nephew for Christmas.
It fits the TRASH BIN, that's what I'm talkin' about! 😝
For a newbie this is more than enough
There are way too many compromises at this lower budget. I'd take a Miyoo Mini over this for sure.
Hi i have a question, does the miyoo mini have any tv output?
@@manegg5845 I think you could, via an HDMI to USB-C adapter cable.
wow that powkiddy is pretty good thanks for the review Russ 😊
I'm really surprised you didn't mention the PowKiddy V90 during this review considering they're at the same price point!
Is there a different OS or whatever we could use in it? Get some better performance?
I brought this on Ali express for my disabled brother but only just found out there is the x70 which is a 7 inch version of the x39 haha I wish I had looked about a bit more as he would definitely be better with a 7 inch screen
But presently he has a genesis handheld which only has a 2.5 inch screen on so a 4.3 inch screen will be so much better regardless
Thanks again for the video Russ
If your brother is disabled, then I think the much larger X70 might actually be a bit too heavy or clumsy for him to hold in his hands for long periods of time... There are some folks here, who are saying that even this X39 model makes their hands get tired or crampy after long gaming sessions. 🤔
Anyone know what the most powerful fanless (no cooling fan) retro handheld is at the moment? Thanks.
Might be okay as a beginner’s emulation device, especially for kids. I might end up getting one for my nephew.
Dun buy it, it's a worthless POS...
Thank you Russ great review
I think this will be great for my disabled brother who loves genesis mainly
Hoping I can add game art to titles as he cannot read so goes off of visual aids
Thank you again love this channel
Permisi kak mau tanya apakah powkiddy x39 pro lancar main bloody Roar 2 game PS 1 ?
oh man that looks nice for pow kiddy
Usually the X range devices are not great, but this device is not so bad considering the price. Yeah great value. Thanks for a great share as always👍🏾
Is this better or worse than the q90? Think they cost around the same?
The standard Super Nintendo or Sega Genisis usb 3.0 controller worked on the x51
I saw that an X39 Pro is releasing, are you doing a review of that soon? I'm looking for a cheaper gem, and hope that the "pro" is a bit of an update.
I really wanted to love the playgo.
It was small but felt great in the hand but the build quality was lacking.
Analogue stick constantly moved the cursor on its own, which I had to disable physically.
Then the battery died and would not charge.
So I ordered a new battery and same thing happened.
Oh well
this kinda has nothing to do with the video but i'm sorry either way
@@certifiedbruhmoment85 It's about the same form factor. I like my play go but I can't dim the screen so I've shelved it for now.
Do they ever test these systems out before shipping? They really aren't trying, even for a cheap device. Like don't include features that don't work. My GP2X from 2006 plays SNES flawlessly lol.
Another great video, still happy with my Odin!
Nah, they'd rather release these with buggy software and make the community do the hard work. Doesn't help that people buy them anyway, which just encourages them to not try.
Great review! God bless you and yours. Praying for you.
REALLY surprised with the amount of IO on this little thing! Most handhelds don't bother with USB-A, as C ports can be used for peripherals and such, tho perhaps this is more user-friendly in general..
I've been looking to find an emulation device for under half of what I got my rg351m for, was thinking about miyoo mini or the Q something or other by powkiddy.
Cool vid tho, keep it up!
To be honest the weird screen resolution and mono sound are a bit offputting for me and all those software and configuration problems are the nail in the coffin for me. For that price I'd stick with the V90.
Still hoping someone figures out a way to get the pi zero 2 working inside the powkiddy v90 that folding design is so good
I love the clamshell design!!
They are working on a new version of the X18S. It won't use a Pi, but it use the Tiger T618. The new one is basically the same, but with supposedly better buttons and perhaps a better screen.
You can have a look in their community tab and give some suggestions.
ruclips.net/channel/UCcdaxLFqkLJ_qO7HGGNX-6A
@@Pridetoons well the point of the project is to fit a tiny sbc inside a tiny clamshell device what you're proposing is trying to fit a bigger board inside a smaller device the pi zero 2 offers enough for a clamshell device like the v90 much better than whats inside the device by default which is just slow for emulation
It sort of reminds me of an unoptimized Q90. And the the Q90 has become one of my favorite devices to carry around with me if I want something to diddle with while I'm waiting somewhere. This is a pass for me, but I can see the appeal, or it could be good one for kids that requires no set up.
Powkiddy talks about 4:3 aspect ratios, "Genesis does what Nintendon't!"
That's crazy for $40!
Not that impressed about this being $ 40; I got my RG280V for less than $ 60, with shipping, and that's clearly a better value for money than this. I'm still pretty satisfied with that device too
The triggers not being customizable is a really huge dealbreaker right there, they may as well have just not added them in, or better yet, they could have given that device the Genesis/Saturn six button layout, which better suits a lot of retro games too anyway
Curious about rg280v...did you get accidental diagonal input while using the d-pad?
@@muhdzaidi3051 No, but for a while I had problems with it registering some button inputs. I was worried the hardware already got broken (AKA the membrane under the button) but after a few months it went away
I am using CFW so I suspect it might be a problem with CFW. And that may not get caught or fixed as the last update for its ADAM image was a year ago and as great as the emulator/modder community is, they don't work to meet industry standards like Sony and Nintendo are required to
Anyway, long story short, every one of these open source handhelds have their strengths and weaknesses. I'm happy with the device I picked up with with all of that taken into account. Unless you're spending like a fiend or have your own RUclips channel you don't have to buy every device looking for the perfect one. There' probably isn't one
Was thinking about getting this but wanted to know if those shoulder buttons work for other systems like GBA?
It prolly works fine, but there is NO button re-mapping tho...
Have you ever looked into some of the older open source handhelds like the gp2x wiz, caanoo, openpandora or dragonbox pyra
Good product from X series
But I want to ask how to fix a broken screen for the X39 Pro
And where can I get it?
Thank you for your reviews
any news? I have the same problem, with hdmi I can see all normal on another screen but black screen in the device. Maybe reinstall original firmware via hdmi but where is it?
@@BrUjO369 If the screen is physically broken, then how is installing firmware gonna fix it? 🤔
@@OtomoTenzi sorry the screen is not broken, only have a software failure with the update, It send the signal to hdmi not to the console screen
@@BrUjO369 OK my friend, sorry for the misunderstanding...
So, your screen is blacked-out and not working anymore? Software failure? How long have you had it tho? The other guy who spoke previously, I think he actually means that his screen was cracked or smashed in. These things are quite fragile. He probably dropped it on the ground and someone stepped on it, or he accidentally hit the screen against something very hard that probably must have broke it. I think he was asking us for where to buy a replacement screen.
Hi I want a emulation station no screen needed, arkade are at the top of the list late80.and up. Anyboby?
Всем привет! Помогите/подскажите. Перестала работать заводская флешка. Где я могу взять исходные файлы включая игры? Может кто то выложить содержимое?
i think pixel distortion give it an authentic feel of what a retro screen would look like lol
The X45 has a much better screen.
Thank you Russ. Great review. Excellent entry level device. I was able to add games easy. Great value for money and helped me wait till i was ready to get a decent device RGB Max 2 from pooooowkiddy!! That is next level digitation..
If the position of the analog stick and d-pad were swapped, and the resolution and aspect ratios were better for the games, I'd pick this up without hesitation.
GRIPES & FLAWS:
#1: Does not save your games 'natively'. It will only save your games in .PRG format, and not in the more commonly used .SAV or .SRM formats (via backup RAM). This type of save state is unique only to this device's operating system, and is NOT compatible or readable on any PC-based emulators. In other words, you most probably won't be able to hack/edit the save states easily or even have the option to resume playing your saved games on other different devices or emulators. Not unless you are VERY technical; and either have the programs/tools or know how to properly convert/compress those kinds of files into compatible/readable ones. This also means that you will NOT be able to play any multi-disc PS1 games, because it does not dump any backup RAM for the saves. You have been WARNED!
#2: No auto-resume feature for videos. This will be an issue if you also plan to watch movies on this device. If you are halfway watching through a movie and suddenly need to stop and take a break, you will not be able to pick up back where you last left off. And since the FF/RR feature is VERY SLOW, as it skips only 2 seconds of footage at a time; trying to manually fast-forward all the way back to the last scene where you wish to resume watching at is going to be a REAL PROBLEM. Watching short 15/30/45 minute videos (like documentaries or TV shows) should be fine, but trying to enjoy full feature-length or extended-length movies that will last at least 2+ hours or more, is NOT recommended on this device for the reasons stated above.
#3: Does not support .SRT files needed for downloadable movie subtitles. If you're going to be watching foreign movies in a totally different language that you don't understand and need to have subtitles on, this device will NOT be able to load them on the screen.
#4: Average battery life. On a FULL charge, this device will last for only about 4 hours at the lowest brightness settings. This is pretty typical for the small and thin 3000 mAh lithium batteries housed inside of these smaller handhelds. While this isn't too terrible, some of the newer/better handheld gaming devices out there can now last up to 12+ hours or more. And another thing to keep in mind is that whenever the battery runs low, you will only receive the "LOW BATTERY" warning message just ONCE before the power suddenly zaps out within a couple more minutes afterwards. On other devices I have used, they will give you the low battery warning message at least 3 or 4 times before automatically shutting themselves off. Make sure that you have a handy external USB power brick ready and close by if you plan on having some long extended gaming sessions.
#5: Weak audio output. This device only has 1 built-in speaker, that is either outputting mono or pseudo-stereo sound. You need to turn the volume at least halfway up just in order to hear anything clearly. It sounds tiny and distorted while playing back music or audio files. There are NO equalizer settings to let you adjust the bass/treble/balance/ect. Setting your games to output in mono audio (if available) will probably help things sound a little better.
#6: Cheaply constructed controls. The thumbstick has the typical 'deadzones' in it, and the D-pad is not all that great for fighting games (nor do I recommend playing them on this device). It is quite soft and has a mushy feeling to it. Good quality D-pads should always 'click' and offer a decent amount of give and resistance when you press down on them. Not here, apparently. Not at this price range. The face buttons have a loose, flimsy feel to them and seem like they will not last very long. The shoulder bumper buttons work OK, but just aren't very solid or robust. You can easily tell that they used some very cheap and low-quality silicone sensor pads underneath the controller parts. When something breaks, I just hope that replacement parts will be cheap and easy to find. There is a setting in the option menus for either analog or digital controls; but I doubt that it makes any difference at all. Just cheap shoddy build quality overall.
When it comes to cheap emulators to give as gifts, which is the better choice: this or thier clamshell V-90? (Or is it Q-90? I forget the name)
I've been wondering, what is the best way to tell if a screen is OCA laminated just by looking at it? I don't think I'm familiar enough to make that distinction.
Angles. Should be pretty easy to see if there's any space between the screen and the glass/plastic... Unfortunately just as easy to hide it, using certain angles and lighting in 2D-pictures, so yeah... not always easy when buying online I guess.
A powkiddy V90 comparison would be a cool video.
Hey anyone know what file type the ps1 titles are at all
Just wanted to know so I can get a few ready for when mine arrives for my brother
Thanks all
.BIN files, ripped directly from the isos. 💿💿💿
Looking on the bang-for-your-bucks-factor, is there any reason to choose this one over the 'golden classic' budget king PowKiddy V90 ? 🤔
Just size. Some people find the V90 too small!
Pretty sure that's a psp screen, which was great in 2005. It does use same size and resolution.
So, V90 still rules the cheap and cheerful segment
Did you try connecting the power cable for the controllers?
HDMI worked great for me as well. but controllers still dont work
can it use wireless controllers if you insert a USB wireless adapter?
Any idea how to make the R2 and L2 buttons of the powkiddy v90 usable ?
Also, please make a video about the details of the Aya neo air plus i3 when there's more information out. I am thinking of preordering one when available but my main worry is the battery size, compared to the AYN loki mini pro.
Could you not add a version retroarch to an SD card and run alternative emulators?
Great video, I liked it so much that I actually bought the console! I have a question though about adding games that I was hoping you could help me with. I have tried adding games but they don't even show up on the list. I have put the zipped games in a folder, just as they are on the card that came with the console, but as I said before, they don't even show up on the list when I turn the console on. Do you have any idea why the games I add don't even show up?? Thanks again for the video!
Which consoles support? Psx nes?
That UI makes me very happy for some reason and I don't even know why
Sometimes simplicity is all that is needed!
This actually looks good for powkitty....but they just keep pushing stuff with the same chips out. Maybe drop it down to one or two devices a year. They have this pattern of pushing stuff out before everyone else to have a powerful hand held but everything else suffers....then the fix it later
Is anyone having trouble with the saving? Some of the save states here won't well, save, and even using the in-game save system doesn't work for some games, but the saves are saved in the folder as stated in the video. I like it, but if this issue persists, it might collect dust.
YES, we are all having the same goddamn issue...
This thing will only use 'save states' and not backup RAM saves.
That means you cannot play PS1 games that are stored on multiple discs.
Games that require a dumped save RAM, such as any of the Final Fantasy RPGs will NOT be payable because it won't allow you to load your save file and resume the game on the next disc! 👎
i've just bought one of these and i'm impressed. Does anyone know which mame romset it uses to work in CPS? I've tried Mame4all (037b5) romset but it doesn't work
It should've come included with a folder that already contains some CPS game roms in it... That list of available games should give you a pretty good idea of what CPS games it could support.
I have found that with SD cards you need to reformat them when adding new files and folders. I couldn't tell you why, I've just always had to.
So Russ, what's the best handheld at the $40 mark?
I’d say this one if you’re willing to live with its shortcomings, or the PowKiddy V90 with custom firmware if you want something more pocketable and with a clamshell.
@@RetroGameCorps Thanks for the response! Your channel is the absolute best ☺️
@@kismet8010 Har, spend another $20 extra and buy yourself a real nice SLEDGEHAMMER...
Cuz, you're prolly gonna NEED one after ya get all fed-up dealin' with this worthless POS!!!
I'm a little fed up with these handhelds being released with features that don't even work. Not very impressive. Pay 10 bux more n find a Miyoo mini 🤔😉Great review!🙂 No SNES here people!
Do you think an average 5 year old would be able to play this if i did all the setup, and narrowed the ROM list down to a few dozen appropriate games? Seems like an amazing trial to see if your kid would destroy a switch or not
I'm going to do exactly that! I hope he doesn't break it in the first month.
does it support any cheats (Game Genie/etc) ?
I like mine, but I think I like my PlayGo better. Not bad for $40 though.
Gonna come back to this with custom firmware? Usually a better experience than just out of the box.
Title: “not that bad”
Conclusion: “Actually… just dont bother and buy a RG350 instead.”
What happens when you turn on the machine without sd card ?.
Then you won't be able to play anything on it.... Everything is on the SD card.
There is NO onboard internal memory storage in the device itself.
Not able to map shoulder buttons? No dice.
NO saving for PS1 multi-disc games! 😝
IF the screen wasn't so small and low res this looks like it would be amazing for what it offers.
Did you try to hook up the controller to both usb-ports?
Yep, and I also tried a variety of controllers beyond the two on screen. No luck.
@@RetroGameCorps Aw, chucks!
Hi Russ, I got this device just recently, and I’ve ran into issues when it comes to save states. Some of the games I have on here would not even save, whether it be in-game or save state. A deal breaker, if you ask me.
Hey buddy I've got the x70 which I think is just the bigger brother of the x39 but the life of me I cannot get this machine to not show all the games that were preinstalled on the SD card that came with it I have changed the SD card for a blank 32gb one and I have updated media playlist many times but all old ROMs still show
Any advice on how to get rid of them so I just have a plain slate
Any help would be amazing it's for my disabled brother so trying to load it with only ROMs he knows and would play
Thank you so much
@@Jamesh2263 There should be a 'FAVORITES' list that you can find by scrolling through the menus... Use that list to quickly access the games that he had most recently played. Either that, or format everything, and just load only the games that he likes to play on the SD card.
I've heard this has trouble with Pokemon in-game saves and has trouble with in-game events
Yes, you can't save at all!
Is this able to add nds emulator for this device?
While the device by itself seems okay-ish, I think there are just too many better options in at least a similar price range now, that have already gotten the 3rd party firmware treatment. I wouldn't want to gift this with its out of the box experience, to anyone, really. For friends and family: I don't want them to hate me. For enemies: I don't spend that much money on them. ;) Also: Even if this _gets_ better software at some point, the screen's still not a good resolution for the games it could run. 40$ -> Powkiddy V90 is a better option. And for about 60$, there's the grandiose Miyoo mini. And one step above that, you get the RG351P, which kinda still is unbeaten for GBA for me with its screen that's just perfect for it and has perfect 3rd party software with AmberELEC.
is this custom-firmware friendly?
Which game is at 12:54 ?
Poku no pico
I'm not sure adding HDMI and two USB ports to something like this adds value. Powkiddy really needs to do something with the software. Also, it is strange that they picked a 16:9 ratio screen for a device that can barely run SNES. It might have been a better choice for them to subtract the extra ports, throw in a 4:3 ratio screen and add 128MB of ram for 256MB total.
You would sing a different tune when you can play mortal kombat on your 32 inch monitor.. love it!!.
Searched a bit and stated that it has a quad core chipset, but can't even emulate SNES properly? Hmm...
Looks pretty good, but the lack of a right analog stick is a big no for me.
Cheers Russ, flawed but I do really like the look of the thing. Shame about the firmware situation, I'd get one to give away as a present and enjoy 'setting it up' for a month or two if its potential could be released,, someone would think I'd spent proper money on them. :) As is it's a tougher sell. Nearly Powkiddy, nearly.
Dude! That morbius hit!🤣
this is the "No System Edition" A gift for someone that doesn't know about emulation would be useless!
The way you speak reminds me of Kotaro.
yes this handheld was a disappointment but at $40 i didnt expect much..i'd like to hear your thoughts on the gamemax A380..maybe someday😎👍