My Retro Game Setup - Anbernic Handhelds and an iPad

August 28, 2026

TL;DR: I use three devices, each for a different reason: a RG350M is my home pick-up-and-play machine, the Anbernic RG35XXSP is my everyday travel companion, and my iPad handles the systems that benefit from a bigger screen, especially on long trip.

None of them is the most powerful device you can buy. And honestly, the best retro gaming device is often the one you already own. In my case, that's my iPad.

Why I'm showing you my setup instead of a buying list?

Most retro handheld advice is a ranked list of devices, refreshed every few months. There are people who own dozens of them for testing, and that's a perfectly valid way to approach the hobby.

It's just not how I do it.

I have a small setup that suits the way I play. I'm not a hardware reviewer, and I'm definitely not a 100% retro gaming review channel. I care more about actually having fun with these games than constantly researching the newest processor or tweaking a setup for hours.

So instead of telling you which handheld you should buy, I'll show you the three devices I actually use and why I ended up with them.

You can decide which parts of that reasoning apply to you.

Pick the device by the system you want to play

You probably already have a retro gaming device at home.

Your smartphone, tablet or computer can emulate a surprising number of older systems. If you want the more authentic handheld experience, there are plenty of dedicated devices from Anbernic, Miyoo, Powkiddy, TrimUI and Retroid.

Before looking at processors, RAM or benchmark scores, lets start with a few simpler questions.

What do you actually want to play and what shape was it originally?

Screen ratio matters more than you might expect.

Game Boy Advance games were designed for a wider screen, while Game Boy and Game Boy Color were almost square. If the screen on your handheld matches the system you're playing, the whole thing just feels right without having to spend ages tweaking scaling and aspect ratios.

Controls matter too.

If most of your games are 2D platformers, you might never miss an analogue stick. If you want to play N64, you'll probably want one.

What operating system are you comfortable with?

For dedicated retro handhelds, you'll mostly come across Linux and Android.

I like the Linux-based devices. They give me more opportunities to tinker, and that is part of the fun for me.

If you're already comfortable with Android, or you want to emulate more demanding systems such as PS2 and above, an Android device might make more sense.

And of course, you can also run emulators directly on Mac and Windows.

How much power do you really need?

Only after you've figured out what you want to play would I start worrying about performance.

For older systems, you don't need a particularly powerful device. Even relatively inexpensive retro devices and older computers can comfortably handle everything up to and including the original PlayStation. That's already an enormous library, so there's usually no reason to buy the most powerful device on the market.

The three devices I use

Anbernic RG35XXSP - for lightweight travelling

This is my newest and smallest handheld.

I bought it used, which is something I'd recommend considering if you're looking at older retro devices. You don't always need the newest model, and buying second-hand can be a good way to get into the hobby without spending much.

The clamshell hinge is one of the weaker parts of the RG35XXSP, so when I found a used one, I specifically asked the seller for additional photos to make sure the hinge and surrounding plastic were still in good shape. Mine arrived without any problems, and I've had no issues with the hinge so far.

It also came with a pair of 3D-printed grip add-ons that make the handheld much more comfortable to hold. They aren't particularly pretty, but they make a noticeable difference during longer sessions.

The clamshell design is the main reason I like it. It folds up, so the screen is protected in my bag without needing another case.

Anbernic RG350M - for at home gaming

This was my first retro handheld, and I still really like it.

The metal shell gives it a more premium feel than you'd expect for its price. The horizontal form factor is comfortable for longer sessions.

Could I replace it with a newer RG35XX or a Retroid device? Sure. But there is a bit of nostalgia attached to this one, and more importantly, I have a simple rule when it comes to hardware:

I only buy something new when I can't fix or reuse what I already have.

There simply isn't a good enough reason for me to replace the RG350M. It already plays the games I want to play. I don't need a slightly better display or a more powerful processor just because newer devices have them. I like the idea of getting more life out of hardware instead of constantly replacing it.

It also got a second life through newer firmware. I run the ADAM image on it, a community project by Eduardo Filo that brings some of the convenience of the newer RG351-family interface back to older hardware. It comes with a large set of emulators already configured. It's close to plug-and-play, which is exactly what I want from the device I grab without thinking.

An iPad - for N64, NDS and 3DS

This one might surprise you.

My iPad solves the screen size problems most dedicated handhelds have.

I already owned it long before I got into retro gaming, and I use it every day for work. So when I wanted to play some of the more demanding systems, I didn't need to buy another device. I just used the one I already had.

The larger screen makes N64, NDS and 3DS games much more comfortable to play. For DS games in particular, the touchscreen actually makes sense, and with an Apple Pencil it gets surprisingly close to the original two-screen experience.

I pair it with an 8BitDo SN30 Pro controller, and that's pretty much my setup.

It has become my favourite option for long flights. It's one less device to carry and I can use the iPad for work, movies and retro games all in one.

It has also started more conversations than anything else I travel with. More than one flight attendant has stopped to ask how I'm playing Ocarina of Time on an iPad and how they can set it up on their own devices.

There are a lot more retro gaming fans out there than the hobby's reputation might suggest.

Firmware: the operating system of your handheld

Firmware is the software that makes your handheld usable. It's what you see when you turn the device on like the the menus, game library, settings, volume, brightness etc.

If you've used Android on a phone, macOS on a Mac or Linux on a computer, you've already seen the basic idea. The difference is that on these small handhelds, people often replace the software that came with the device with a different firmware.

Most handhelds come with functional stock firmware. But if you start exploring the hobby, you'll quickly come across names like muOS, KNULLI, ROCKNIX or ArkOS.

And this is where things get a little bit more technical.

Firmware follows the chip, not the device.

For firmware, you need to know what's inside your handheld - specifically, which chipset it uses.

The same chipset can be used in several different handhelds, sometimes even from completely different manufacturers. If the hardware is compatible, those devices may be able to run the same firmware.

On the other hand, two handhelds from the same manufacturer can use completely different chips and therefore need completely different firmware.

That's why you shouldn't start by searching for “best firmware for Anbernic.” Instead start by finding out which chip your Anbernic actually has.

Once you know the chipset, you can find out which firmware supports it.

The main firmware options:

muOS is actively maintained and focuses on Anbernic's Allwinner H700 line, including the RG35XX and RG40XX families. My RG35XXSP runs it. It's fast, clean and focused on getting you into your games fast ad easy.
KNULLI is based on Batocera and also targets H700 hardware. It gives you a much more polished interface with scraped artwork, collections, per-game settings etc. I still prefer muOS because I mainly want to pick up the device and play. I'm not into curating my library.
ROCKNIX supports a wider range of hardware across Anbernic, PowKiddy and Retroid. It is the continuation of JELOS, which was archived in 2024 and restarted under the new name.
ADAM image is for the older Ingenic JZ4770 generation, including the RG350, RG350P, RG350M, RG280M, RG280V, RG300X and PocketGo 2 V2. That's what my RG350M runs.
OnionOS belongs to the Miyoo Mini family. It isn't an option for Anbernic hardware.

You don't need to memorise all of these. The important thing is knowing what hardware you have.

Emulator cores

The emulator is the software that runs the games for a particular console.

Once you're inside an emulator, you're mostly dealing with things like scaling, aspect ratio, filters and shaders. This is separate from the firmware that runs the handheld itself.

A simple rule of thumb:

If your menus are broken, look at the firmware. If one particular console isn't behaving properly, look at the emulator.

That distinction will save you a lot of confused Googling.

Setting up a retro handheld - a (very) quick guide

Once you've figured out the hardware and software, setting up a retro handheld is usually pretty straightforward.

This is intentionally a very quick guide. Think of it as a checklist to give you an overview of the process. If you want a detailed, step-by-step walkthrough, check out [Retro Handheld Setup — The Complete Guide].

Start with a microSD card. Use a reputable, branded card (around 128GB is fine for most setups). Counterfeit and low-quality cards are a common cause of corruption on your handheld.
Backup the card that came with the device. Most handhelds arrive with a pre-imaged card and that original image isn't always available to download later.
Write the image if you want to replace the firmware. Follow the project's instructions for the correct tool and format. If your device has two SD slots, make sure you insert the card in the system slot (not the game slot).
Do a first boot before copying anything. Make sure the device starts correctly and check weather there are any firmware updates.
Copy your games into the correct system folders. The folder names are determined by the firmware and the aren't always the same. Check the documentation, don't guess them.
Add BIOS files where they're required. PlayStation, for example, requires a BIOS file. Many older systems don't.
Refresh the game list. Most firmware needs to rescan the card before newly added games appear.