The game at 12:00 is Wario Land 3. Oops. Also, this is the newest revision of the X55 with the weird Android build and whatever new screen - for those saying this is an older model.
@@JoeysRetroHandheldsGoGame Geek ships it with Jelos. Much, much better than garbage android. Those 3.5" inch hand cramp devices are all garbage. Too small of screens and I feel like Im getting carpal tunnel syndrome every second I play them. You also definitely either have a dim screen version or havent figured out the brightness settings. My screen is insanely bright. So much more bright than your screen. New Jelos has greatly improved N64/DC/PSP performance. Look up other recent Jelos vids of the x55 and youll see. For someone who wants a bigger device this handheld was near perfect. 3.5" devices dont exist to me they are all hand cramp garbo.
Just a tip for you kids out there who wanna buy this. I got my Powkiddy X55 two weeks ago and it came with JELOS version 20230831. I immediately updated via WiFi to 20230919. Shortly after, I noticed that PS1 games had audio stutters all over the place except for light 2D PS1 titles. I tried everything including switching emulators but it didn't help. I also tried flashing 0919 to the SD card from scratch but it didn't help either. Then a UA-camr (Jacek Rusin) who tests the X55 a lot helped me. After some futility, he said he's using 20230903. I tried that version and all the PS1 audio issues went away. Somewhere between firmware 0903 and 0919, something got messed up and it's killing PS1. So, if you get an X55, take note of this.
I'll be the devil's advocate and say why I prefer the X55 over the Retroid Pocket 2S, and it's really just two reasons. The first is the significantly larger screen size when playing 4:3 content and the second is that Retroid seems utterly incapable of getting the HDMI out to display aspect ratios correctly on their 4:3 screen devices. I spend about 50% of the time using my retro handhelds playing on the big screen with HDMI out, so having the system not be able to output correct aspect ratios over HDMI is an absolute deal breaker. That all said I do love my Retroid Pocket 3+ and have a Retroid Pocket 4 Pro on preorder, but I still have a soft spot for the X55 and it's big honkin' screen. A big screen, proper working HDMI out, and at least moderately acceptable controls covers a multitude of sins in my book.
Thanks for not digging it like everyone else. It gets annoying. Especially when someone reviews it and just says bad thing after bad thing. Joey is always negative in his reviews lol
Nah...im a collector of retro handheld systems and love the tinker process. Its more fun to see what i can achieve with each handheld with what OS, Core and settings 😁
For me buttons not always registering inputs is the bigger flaw. I mean how can you play anything on it when half of the time you will lose because buttons suddenly decided to stop wprking. Would not recommend this defice to anyone untill they fix this.
@@wongwwy I actually own this device too and have this exactly same problem with buttons. Screen is fine (not dark like the one in video) but buttons sucks!
So I'm looking for a retro device I can just throw in my bag and play while on lunch at work. Can anyone recommend a somewhat cheap handheld device that the buttons are very quite?
Well if you absolutely want to cheap out try the sf2000! Its 20 bux and I play everything up until snes. SNES is pretty much hit or miss. An upgrade would be powkiddy v90, which is around 40 and you can play snes without issue.
Nah, the Retroid Pocket 2S is still running with Android. It's just an annoyance. I can't even make my Psone game work properly on my Retroid Pocket 2+, it seems that Android takes all the ram behind. And I'm not even talking about my Retroid Pocket 2 which struggled to play a Snes game. I'll never buy any Android emulation console anymore. That Powkiddy X55 is just a bigger and bit more powerful Ambernic RG35xx, it has Linux behind and it's way lighter. I definitly like it.
Android is really a pain on those devices. Also the generated input lag on Android is a real mess on so much emulators... The buffering on Android sucks.
@@MrRetrostage Indeed, I also wanted to talk about the input lag on Retroid Pocket 2+, that's true, I noticed it. I love Android phones, but for retro game console uuugh.
After 2 years of watching videos I still have no clue what I should get. I know nothing about computers bought a retroid 2 plus a year ago and it just sits on my dresser. I need a handheld preloaded with big screen that connects to the TV so bad because I am 53 disabled from pain and have nothing to do. In your opinion is the best to get I hear the 256 card has 30k of games. If you think this is worth buying what is a safe site to buy it from with a debit card I know nothing about PayPal or other payment options. My name is Dennis thank you for any information or advice
My screen definitely is nowhere near as dim as yours, and I just received mine less than a week ago. My buttons all work consistently without any issue. The clickyness isn't a problem for me, but that's just my personal opinion. I absolutely love and enjoy mine so far. If yours is indeed supposed to be one of the ones with the "better" screens, then someone either made a mistake and sent out the wrong one, or Powkiddy really needs to up their QC. Regardless, it's a bummer that your experience didn't match mine. But, if I had received the same device you did, I'd definitely consider it to be unacceptable.
I just watched my first video from this guy and don't know if he or you for that matter will respond to my question. I am 53 disabled from pain and need some variety. I have been watching videos for two and a half years bought a retroid 2 plus a year ago and realized I have no clue how to get emulators or roms. So my question is what handheld preloaded with hopefully a big screen and HDMI out do you recommend for RPGs and such. You stated you like your x55. Are there any other units that you own or have considered? Does the 256 card have over 30k of games? Thank you if you respond
@@deathtooglobalists6891 Please try your best to attempt this yourself. It will be a overall better and more rewarding experience. If you are set on buying something preloaded though, most of the devices sold on alibaba and temu come with a 128 or 256 gigabyte option as you mentioned(30k maybe, i always delete everything on the cards i get and that sounds like a lot of shovelware). They will have your RPG's although more companies are not putting specific nintendo roms on the the sd cards(i've learned this through watching retro handheld videos). With HDMI, if you are planning on using 2 bluetooth controllers for 2 player games be aware that you need to know how to set that up due to these handhelds registering player 1 as the devices controls. Good luck.
@@deathtooglobalists6891bro, search these questions via google and add at the end of the question the word ‘reddit’. You’ll definitely get the answer to these there ;) Good luck 🙌🏽
I own (among others) a rp4pro but i still ordered a x55. Why? Because i love playing gba games and i love streaming pc games when travelling and using a handheld as a console to play lightweight games with my kids. On top of that i wanted something i can give my kids when they visit their grandparents during vacation. Price difference to the rp2s is roughly 40 bucks here in germany. So there are cases where this makes sense. I would love to have a linux based widescreen handheld that can play psp and is below 100 usd. Will come eventually. Until it does this fits into my hamdheld collection nicely. Oh and the ergonomics aren't bad either.
Fun fact: Powkiddy originally used an unlicensed version of JELOS which ships with a extended boot time. Also many copies of this handheld were sold on the gray market before official release with defective (dim) screens.
This is the newest model, confirmed it with the Discord. Extending boot time for no reason is another one of JELOS' many issues in the past. Either way, this was the latest 8/17 flash of JELOS for the video.
It wasn’t that it was ‘unlicensed’ but that they had cloned post setup cards instead of doing fresh flashes - they always had full permission to include JELOS on here, they just didn’t do it right and hit a mechanism JELOS put in to mess with people selling pre-loaded SD cards online.
For the dim screen, have you checked the Gamma setting in the JELOS system settings? For whatever reason, my screen defaulted to 0% gamma and turning that up a bit fixed me right up. The clicky buttons are for sure not fun, and you should definitely get a fix for that A button issue (I don't experience it on my x55) but I do want to point out that the widescreen Genesis core looks amazing on this device, as do the Dreamcast games that run well (and support widescreen), and those certain few PSP games that do the same.
You got a used devices or it's a factory defect product, because my x55 brightness is perfect and i didn't got any issues with my version. Did you got it from the official powkiddy store?
This product is all about the large screen. For 4/3 content it is equivalent to a 4.5 inch screen. I love my 353ps but I can't play more than 30 minutes without getting a headache.
And if the screen was better, I'd agree. Unfortunately, the bigger screen not being better is a massive negative. It defeats the purpose of this devices single selling point.
Same here. I enjoyed my RG353P, but it's getting sold now that I have the X55. The larger screen and comfortable ergos make it my go-to when I have the time to game. Thankfully, I don't have the problem with the dim screen or buttons that don't register input. The X55 is also fantastic for PC ports. My 20-something brain would be blown to known that you comfortably play HL1, Quake 1-3 and RTCW on an $85 handheld in an easy chair in 2023.
I know what you are getting at. And you are not wrong on those facts about this machine. But you are missing or overshadowing the fact that it have a bigger screen. Let me tell you where I'm coming from. I have a RG35XX. The thing is amazing, and can play all system up to around ps1. The unfortunate thing is even with a bigger screen, I still feel it is not big enough. Then I venture out to find anything thar have a bigger screen. Then I notice. In the market, if you want any screen that is bigger than 3-4" it will be 5" or 7". 5" class are like switch lite, and 7" class are monster like steamdeck or ROG. They are at high price. Because they are aiming at higher end audience. A 5" but 4:3 ratio will just be another monster size device. It might also be awkward. What if I don't care about n64, and just want to play good old snes, nes, gb, gbc, gba but want a larger screen. DC can be a bonus whenever it will run. But at the same time do not want to spend a fortune (I consider spending 150$+ a fortune, hence I still haven't bought a switch lite)? Before x55 there is no such thing. You either go small, or go big with the big boys like rp3+, or steamdeck. X55 just perfect for me. The screen is not half bad if you adjust it to higher brightness level (I heard earlier batch have screen dim issue maybe it's your batch?). The clicky shoulder buttons are annoying, but for the types of game I'm play I won't be using much of it. It's more like a welcome addition then necessity for me. So this is a use case where x55 will fit the bill well. If course with tech advancing so fast, in a year or two this statement might not be true anymore as rp4 or rp5 might be cheaper and bigger that it is not worth to consider x55 couple year from now. And have i mentioned that's like the best screen size and ratio for playing gba without squinting at the screen? Gba to its full glory indeed! (Ok in old in my mid40s i admit)
Same sentiments. I have RG35XX as well and was looking for an "upgrade" and was about to get the RG351P since a lot of post says it's the best handheld for GBA until I saw the X55. So yeah I am buying the X55 just to play GBA games on a large screen with comfortable grip,, the other systems are just bonuses.
Appreciate the reply. I can appreciate a bigger screen (G Cloud, for example), but if the bigger screen is worse than the smaller screen in brightness and image quality, it's a detriment, not an enhancement.
@@JoeysRetroHandhelds agreed. I guess the QC is all over the place so no guarantee you will get a good screen. But multiple ppl on this say the screen is not that bad. I know it is waste of time to talk about it because the quality of the screen is inconsistent. Maybe I got lucky.
I'm trying to confirm, but I'm seeing a lot of reports of new deliveries having the same screen as me, so it's possible this is the new screen they're using going forward. I would love to review a better screen, but can only deal with what I received unfortunately.
Did you try adjusting screen brightness or gamma in the the system menu? I have two of these and they don't look anywhere near as dark as what you've shown.
Your screen is definitely way worse than mine. I’ve heard there is a brightness/gamma issue. Try going to your brightness, move it to 99% then back up to 100% and it should improve. Same with the Gamma, move it up or down, go back then go to change it again and it should improve.
I really hate squinting at tiny screens and ergonomics on some of these other devices like Retroid. I can't deal with 2S since it has a tiny screen and its not ergonomic.
There's something wrong with your screen. One nice thing about the screen (at normal brightness) is that it is good for Gameboy Advance games because most devices don't have a 3:2 aspect ratio that the Advance has, so this large 16:9 screen is one of the better matches. I'd love to see the actual normal screen on this (not the dim one that you seem to have) on a more powerful device.
There is a bug in the screen that makes it dim. Retro game core shows how to fix it in his review I believe. You just have to set the gamma to 100 then 99 then back to 100 again. Hope that helps
Die Powkiddy X55 wird ein großer Erfolg! Bei uns in Europa geht es gerade richtig los! Wir wünschen uns alle, das die Leistung an heutige Wünsche und nostalgische Sehnsüchte angepasst wird. Ich glaube die Hersteller wissen das und es wird ein gigantisches Erfolgsprodukt! Es wurde an fast alles gedacht! Das Design ist Extraklasse! Das die Powkiddy X55 noch für große und sehr erfreuliche Überaschungen sorgen wird, steht für mich fest! LG.
Why they would buy the x55--- If you don't have computer skills why would you buy the retroid system that doesn't come with games. Also I no longer own a computer and am too poor to buy one. That and the fact that I had other hobbies and didn't have an interest in computers nor the cash to buy one after getting rid of my old one, not to mention the subscription service.
Why do you keep comparing the $100 x55 against $150 and up handhelds? At its price point its really good. Id like to see it comparimed Against devices in its same price range.
The RG353PS is the same price and better. The RK2023 is cheaper and is better. The RP2S is a bit more expensive, but much better. These are comparisons to the x55 and completely make sense to anyone purchasing.
You said your target audience is people that like plug n play. I am that person to a tee. If I knew how to do it myself I would but I am 53 disabled from pain and never learned anything about computers. Even had a flip phone til 2017. I wish so badly someone like yourself would help me by giving me their "opinion" on what to buy that has hopefully a huge selection of RPG like games. Hopefully a big screen and HDMI out. I unfortunately already bought a year and a half ago a pocket 2 plus and soon realized I had not a chance at understanding how to download emulators and roms. Too many fake fraud sites makes me nervous about viruses. Please help me. I am so tired of playing my PS4 games for the tenth time. Also a safe site to buy the handheld and hopefully they take a debit credit card because I don't know how to use PayPal or whatever is out there thank you so much. My name is Dennis from lake Havasu city Arizona. P.s. I ruined my 3ds by charging it while playing. Is there a way to buy a battery for it? And since it isn't good to play while charging if you could tell me 2 or 3 preloaded handhelds to buy so I can play up to 16 hours since tgey only last 6 hours at a time
Hey, unfortunately there really isn't a plug and play device in this space I could recommend. They all come with garbage SD cards that die quickly, and junk ROM's that have issues with saving. There's no easy recommendation, you will have to learn a bit to stay in the space. Not sure on the 3DS battery, and I've safely played all of my handhelds while charging - not sure what went wrong with yours. For 16 hours of battery life, there really isn't anything out there that can meet your needs, especially without custom firmware.
Well my screen is bright enough. You may have gotten one of the first production line ones, sorry yours is dim. I bought it to be able to read the text in games better. The. HDMI doesn't work and I am not computer literate to fix things like this, besides I ruined a lot of consoles by trying to improve performance by changing settings, even taking the card out just to see it can ruin these handhelds. I even ruined one by turning it on while charging believe it or not. So I only change some settings I have experience with and then only one at a time. Remember without a computer there's no backing up your card.
@@JoeysRetroHandheldshey if this is the latest rev of screen could you tell me what brightness you are on in the video? I keep mine at 50 and it is still quite alright. Turn it to 80 and feel too bright and washout already. Maybe the screen quality in these really varies from one to another.
I just made the best decision ever after spending $100 on this thing. There's absolutely no instructions on the controls. Couldn't even figure out how to start a game. Emulators kept appearing and disappearing. The controller configuration or non configuration in the complete mystery as to its operation was the biggest frustration. So I made the second best decision. I smashed the motherfuker against the nearest piece of cement.
![The Best Retro Handheld Under $90 Right Now [PowKiddy X55]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/GRWvXiwTn-w/mqdefault.jpg)
The game at 12:00 is Wario Land 3. Oops. Also, this is the newest revision of the X55 with the weird Android build and whatever new screen - for those saying this is an older model.
Oh wow. I didn't realize they shipped this model with Android. Mine case with JelOS.
The newest batch boots into a version of Android with no SD card inserted. Can't really do anything in it though, it's weird.
@@JoeysRetroHandheldsGoGame Geek ships it with Jelos. Much, much better than garbage android. Those 3.5" inch hand cramp devices are all garbage. Too small of screens and I feel like Im getting carpal tunnel syndrome every second I play them. You also definitely either have a dim screen version or havent figured out the brightness settings. My screen is insanely bright. So much more bright than your screen. New Jelos has greatly improved N64/DC/PSP performance. Look up other recent Jelos vids of the x55 and youll see.
For someone who wants a bigger device this handheld was near perfect. 3.5" devices dont exist to me they are all hand cramp garbo.
@@JoeysRetroHandhelds Are all the testing done with the Android OS instead of JelOS?
No, Android isn't usable on this.
Just a tip for you kids out there who wanna buy this. I got my Powkiddy X55 two weeks ago and it came with JELOS version 20230831. I immediately updated via WiFi to 20230919. Shortly after, I noticed that PS1 games had audio stutters all over the place except for light 2D PS1 titles. I tried everything including switching emulators but it didn't help. I also tried flashing 0919 to the SD card from scratch but it didn't help either.
Then a UA-camr (Jacek Rusin) who tests the X55 a lot helped me. After some futility, he said he's using 20230903. I tried that version and all the PS1 audio issues went away. Somewhere between firmware 0903 and 0919, something got messed up and it's killing PS1.
So, if you get an X55, take note of this.
Thank you for sharing
I'll be the devil's advocate and say why I prefer the X55 over the Retroid Pocket 2S, and it's really just two reasons. The first is the significantly larger screen size when playing 4:3 content and the second is that Retroid seems utterly incapable of getting the HDMI out to display aspect ratios correctly on their 4:3 screen devices. I spend about 50% of the time using my retro handhelds playing on the big screen with HDMI out, so having the system not be able to output correct aspect ratios over HDMI is an absolute deal breaker.
That all said I do love my Retroid Pocket 3+ and have a Retroid Pocket 4 Pro on preorder, but I still have a soft spot for the X55 and it's big honkin' screen. A big screen, proper working HDMI out, and at least moderately acceptable controls covers a multitude of sins in my book.
Thanks for not digging it like everyone else. It gets annoying. Especially when someone reviews it and just says bad thing after bad thing. Joey is always negative in his reviews lol
Nah...im a collector of retro handheld systems and love the tinker process. Its more fun to see what i can achieve with each handheld with what OS, Core and settings 😁
Great review!! And digging the Batman ring!!
:) thanks!
😂 That intro! IYKYK
The blue model is much dimmer than the black. The blue model is the model that wasn't ready for release
For me buttons not always registering inputs is the bigger flaw. I mean how can you play anything on it when half of the time you will lose because buttons suddenly decided to stop wprking. Would not recommend this defice to anyone untill they fix this.
This might be a random QC problem. My buttons are fines.
Had a user in Discord tag me and say he has the same issue. Whatever powkiddy did to the new shipments really screwed it up.
@@wongwwy I actually own this device too and have this exactly same problem with buttons. Screen is fine (not dark like the one in video) but buttons sucks!
@@bezimienny5923 I guess they really need to get their QC together. But this is a Chinese company so I don't get my hopes up.
They should have put the A311D in this Handheld instead of the RGB10 Max 3 "Pro".
Yep, A311D or T618.
Seems like you recieved defective reviewer batch man
So I'm looking for a retro device I can just throw in my bag and play while on lunch at work. Can anyone recommend a somewhat cheap handheld device that the buttons are very quite?
Depends, if you vertical, RG35XX or Miyoo Mini Plus. Horizontal? RG353PS or RK2023. I have videos on them all - see what you like!
The rg351p although older and without wifi has an affordable price point and has dual analogue sticks just for ape escape 😂.
@@Tacquito what would you recommend for handheld that lay good ps1 games. Sorry probably just over thinking all this lol
Well if you absolutely want to cheap out try the sf2000! Its 20 bux and I play everything up until snes. SNES is pretty much hit or miss. An upgrade would be powkiddy v90, which is around 40 and you can play snes without issue.
You cannot compare retroid 2s to X55, to add the grip and shipping to the 2s, you end up another $40 to the cost.
Well yeah, you're adding a grip for some reason lol
Litnxt is the weirdest name
Nah, the Retroid Pocket 2S is still running with Android. It's just an annoyance.
I can't even make my Psone game work properly on my Retroid Pocket 2+, it seems that Android takes all the ram behind. And I'm not even talking about my Retroid Pocket 2 which struggled to play a Snes game.
I'll never buy any Android emulation console anymore.
That Powkiddy X55 is just a bigger and bit more powerful Ambernic RG35xx, it has Linux behind and it's way lighter. I definitly like it.
And my screen is way brighter than yours. My X55 is from last week.
Android is really a pain on those devices. Also the generated input lag on Android is a real mess on so much emulators... The buffering on Android sucks.
@@MrRetrostage Indeed, I also wanted to talk about the input lag on Retroid Pocket 2+, that's true, I noticed it.
I love Android phones, but for retro game console uuugh.
Android is a pro to me, not a con, but we all have our preferences. I test Linux and Android devices daily and don't see any input lag across devices.
After 2 years of watching videos I still have no clue what I should get. I know nothing about computers bought a retroid 2 plus a year ago and it just sits on my dresser. I need a handheld preloaded with big screen that connects to the TV so bad because I am 53 disabled from pain and have nothing to do. In your opinion is the best to get I hear the 256 card has 30k of games. If you think this is worth buying what is a safe site to buy it from with a debit card I know nothing about PayPal or other payment options. My name is Dennis thank you for any information or advice
My screen definitely is nowhere near as dim as yours, and I just received mine less than a week ago. My buttons all work consistently without any issue. The clickyness isn't a problem for me, but that's just my personal opinion. I absolutely love and enjoy mine so far. If yours is indeed supposed to be one of the ones with the "better" screens, then someone either made a mistake and sent out the wrong one, or Powkiddy really needs to up their QC.
Regardless, it's a bummer that your experience didn't match mine. But, if I had received the same device you did, I'd definitely consider it to be unacceptable.
I just watched my first video from this guy and don't know if he or you for that matter will respond to my question. I am 53 disabled from pain and need some variety. I have been watching videos for two and a half years bought a retroid 2 plus a year ago and realized I have no clue how to get emulators or roms. So my question is what handheld preloaded with hopefully a big screen and HDMI out do you recommend for RPGs and such. You stated you like your x55. Are there any other units that you own or have considered? Does the 256 card have over 30k of games? Thank you if you respond
@@deathtooglobalists6891 Please try your best to attempt this yourself. It will be a overall better and more rewarding experience. If you are set on buying something preloaded though, most of the devices sold on alibaba and temu come with a 128 or 256 gigabyte option as you mentioned(30k maybe, i always delete everything on the cards i get and that sounds like a lot of shovelware). They will have your RPG's although more companies are not putting specific nintendo roms on the the sd cards(i've learned this through watching retro handheld videos).
With HDMI, if you are planning on using 2 bluetooth controllers for 2 player games be aware that you need to know how to set that up due to these handhelds registering player 1 as the devices controls. Good luck.
@@deathtooglobalists6891 Hello, did you find something you wanted?
@@deathtooglobalists6891bro, search these questions via google and add at the end of the question the word ‘reddit’. You’ll definitely get the answer to these there ;)
Good luck 🙌🏽
Joey why does it have to be pocketable? Some of us buy this because of the bigger screen and of course play some psp games.
Perfectly fair, and I say so in the video!
I own (among others) a rp4pro but i still ordered a x55.
Why? Because i love playing gba games and i love streaming pc games when travelling and using a handheld as a console to play lightweight games with my kids.
On top of that i wanted something i can give my kids when they visit their grandparents during vacation.
Price difference to the rp2s is roughly 40 bucks here in germany.
So there are cases where this makes sense. I would love to have a linux based widescreen handheld that can play psp and is below 100 usd.
Will come eventually. Until it does this fits into my hamdheld collection nicely. Oh and the ergonomics aren't bad either.
Fun fact: Powkiddy originally used an unlicensed version of JELOS which ships with a extended boot time. Also many copies of this handheld were sold on the gray market before official release with defective (dim) screens.
This is the newest model, confirmed it with the Discord.
Extending boot time for no reason is another one of JELOS' many issues in the past.
Either way, this was the latest 8/17 flash of JELOS for the video.
@@JoeysRetroHandheldsit's no issue If it's supported by the company. Needed to reinstall JELOS and now, no issues and OTA works well.
It wasn’t that it was ‘unlicensed’ but that they had cloned post setup cards instead of doing fresh flashes - they always had full permission to include JELOS on here, they just didn’t do it right and hit a mechanism JELOS put in to mess with people selling pre-loaded SD cards online.
Your totally right. They should have used a 4:3 screen for this guy. That way the device would have been a bit smaller too.
For the dim screen, have you checked the Gamma setting in the JELOS system settings? For whatever reason, my screen defaulted to 0% gamma and turning that up a bit fixed me right up. The clicky buttons are for sure not fun, and you should definitely get a fix for that A button issue (I don't experience it on my x55) but I do want to point out that the widescreen Genesis core looks amazing on this device, as do the Dreamcast games that run well (and support widescreen), and those certain few PSP games that do the same.
You got a used devices or it's a factory defect product, because my x55 brightness is perfect and i didn't got any issues with my version. Did you got it from the official powkiddy store?
It's a review unit from Powkiddy.
@@JoeysRetroHandhelds probably been round the block then
This would be amazing if it had a 4:3 screen. Everything else is pretty good for the price
This product is all about the large screen. For 4/3 content it is equivalent to a 4.5 inch screen. I love my 353ps but I can't play more than 30 minutes without getting a headache.
And if the screen was better, I'd agree. Unfortunately, the bigger screen not being better is a massive negative. It defeats the purpose of this devices single selling point.
For me the screen is bright on both my devices. I think you got a lemon.
Same here. I enjoyed my RG353P, but it's getting sold now that I have the X55. The larger screen and comfortable ergos make it my go-to when I have the time to game. Thankfully, I don't have the problem with the dim screen or buttons that don't register input.
The X55 is also fantastic for PC ports. My 20-something brain would be blown to known that you comfortably play HL1, Quake 1-3 and RTCW on an $85 handheld in an easy chair in 2023.
@@JoeysRetroHandhelds You have an earlier version brother.
Nope, confirmed it's from the new batch.
I think there's a bug with that dim. Try to change your gamma from 100% to 99%, and then to 100% again. See if it changes. Hope it'll help.
I was really looking into this myself since I like a larger screen, linux, and would play PS1 games, wifi and docking too!
The most annoying handheld ever 😂
I have powkiddy since x19 clamshell. Screen was so horrible i traded it for ps mini lol
You know, I like this guy 'Joey'. (In Fat Tony's voice from Simpsons)
I got the rg 405m in the sale thanks to Joey’s bullying
Muahaha
It also have Android but it's on the Beta
I know what you are getting at. And you are not wrong on those facts about this machine. But you are missing or overshadowing the fact that it have a bigger screen. Let me tell you where I'm coming from. I have a RG35XX. The thing is amazing, and can play all system up to around ps1. The unfortunate thing is even with a bigger screen, I still feel it is not big enough. Then I venture out to find anything thar have a bigger screen. Then I notice. In the market, if you want any screen that is bigger than 3-4" it will be 5" or 7". 5" class are like switch lite, and 7" class are monster like steamdeck or ROG. They are at high price. Because they are aiming at higher end audience. A 5" but 4:3 ratio will just be another monster size device. It might also be awkward. What if I don't care about n64, and just want to play good old snes, nes, gb, gbc, gba but want a larger screen. DC can be a bonus whenever it will run. But at the same time do not want to spend a fortune (I consider spending 150$+ a fortune, hence I still haven't bought a switch lite)? Before x55 there is no such thing. You either go small, or go big with the big boys like rp3+, or steamdeck. X55 just perfect for me. The screen is not half bad if you adjust it to higher brightness level (I heard earlier batch have screen dim issue maybe it's your batch?). The clicky shoulder buttons are annoying, but for the types of game I'm play I won't be using much of it. It's more like a welcome addition then necessity for me. So this is a use case where x55 will fit the bill well. If course with tech advancing so fast, in a year or two this statement might not be true anymore as rp4 or rp5 might be cheaper and bigger that it is not worth to consider x55 couple year from now. And have i mentioned that's like the best screen size and ratio for playing gba without squinting at the screen? Gba to its full glory indeed! (Ok in old in my mid40s i admit)
Same sentiments. I have RG35XX as well and was looking for an "upgrade" and was about to get the RG351P since a lot of post says it's the best handheld for GBA until I saw the X55. So yeah I am buying the X55 just to play GBA games on a large screen with comfortable grip,, the other systems are just bonuses.
@@tornedbluebook yea that's what I'm talking about. I know it might not be a huge target market, but do find this use case not uncommon.
Appreciate the reply. I can appreciate a bigger screen (G Cloud, for example), but if the bigger screen is worse than the smaller screen in brightness and image quality, it's a detriment, not an enhancement.
@@JoeysRetroHandhelds agreed. I guess the QC is all over the place so no guarantee you will get a good screen. But multiple ppl on this say the screen is not that bad. I know it is waste of time to talk about it because the quality of the screen is inconsistent. Maybe I got lucky.
I'm trying to confirm, but I'm seeing a lot of reports of new deliveries having the same screen as me, so it's possible this is the new screen they're using going forward. I would love to review a better screen, but can only deal with what I received unfortunately.
Did you try adjusting screen brightness or gamma in the the system menu? I have two of these and they don't look anywhere near as dark as what you've shown.
Screen brightness is maxed out.
Bummer. I wonder if yours is a lemon, or if they changed the panel mid production.
Your screen is definitely way worse than mine. I’ve heard there is a brightness/gamma issue. Try going to your brightness, move it to 99% then back up to 100% and it should improve. Same with the Gamma, move it up or down, go back then go to change it again and it should improve.
Newby here. How do you emulate Star Wars Rogue Squadron from N64. (My favorite N64 game but can't find cartridge.) Easy steps please.
I really hate squinting at tiny screens and ergonomics on some of these other devices like Retroid. I can't deal with 2S since it has a tiny screen and its not ergonomic.
There's something wrong with your screen. One nice thing about the screen (at normal brightness) is that it is good for Gameboy Advance games because most devices don't have a 3:2 aspect ratio that the Advance has, so this large 16:9 screen is one of the better matches. I'd love to see the actual normal screen on this (not the dim one that you seem to have) on a more powerful device.
There is a bug in the screen that makes it dim. Retro game core shows how to fix it in his review I believe. You just have to set the gamma to 100 then 99 then back to 100 again. Hope that helps
Die Powkiddy X55 wird ein großer Erfolg! Bei uns in Europa geht es gerade richtig los! Wir wünschen uns alle, das die Leistung an heutige Wünsche und nostalgische Sehnsüchte angepasst wird. Ich glaube die Hersteller wissen das und es wird ein gigantisches Erfolgsprodukt! Es wurde an fast alles gedacht! Das Design ist Extraklasse! Das die Powkiddy X55 noch für große und sehr erfreuliche Überaschungen sorgen wird, steht für mich fest! LG.
would i have to download games and set it up myself or is everything just preloaded on there?
LIT
Why they would buy the x55--- If you don't have computer skills why would you buy the retroid system that doesn't come with games. Also I no longer own a computer and am too poor to buy one. That and the fact that I had other hobbies and didn't have an interest in computers nor the cash to buy one after getting rid of my old one, not to mention the subscription service.
That's a point in Retroids favor as you can download games directly in Android. X55 comes with Linux, you need a PC.
which one is the best one powkiddy x28 or powkiddy x55?
Are you going to review the pocket flip? :)
Starting to want to! If I can grab it for cheap.
Better than max 3 ?.
Anything is better than that ewaste.
How long is the Shipping?
Mine took forever to get to me, over a month before it actually shipped.
Yeah same
Why do you keep comparing the $100 x55 against $150 and up handhelds? At its price point its really good. Id like to see it comparimed Against devices in its same price range.
The RG353PS is the same price and better. The RK2023 is cheaper and is better. The RP2S is a bit more expensive, but much better.
These are comparisons to the x55 and completely make sense to anyone purchasing.
You said your target audience is people that like plug n play. I am that person to a tee. If I knew how to do it myself I would but I am 53 disabled from pain and never learned anything about computers. Even had a flip phone til 2017. I wish so badly someone like yourself would help me by giving me their "opinion" on what to buy that has hopefully a huge selection of RPG like games. Hopefully a big screen and HDMI out. I unfortunately already bought a year and a half ago a pocket 2 plus and soon realized I had not a chance at understanding how to download emulators and roms. Too many fake fraud sites makes me nervous about viruses. Please help me. I am so tired of playing my PS4 games for the tenth time. Also a safe site to buy the handheld and hopefully they take a debit credit card because I don't know how to use PayPal or whatever is out there thank you so much. My name is Dennis from lake Havasu city Arizona. P.s. I ruined my 3ds by charging it while playing. Is there a way to buy a battery for it? And since it isn't good to play while charging if you could tell me 2 or 3 preloaded handhelds to buy so I can play up to 16 hours since tgey only last 6 hours at a time
Hey, unfortunately there really isn't a plug and play device in this space I could recommend. They all come with garbage SD cards that die quickly, and junk ROM's that have issues with saving. There's no easy recommendation, you will have to learn a bit to stay in the space. Not sure on the 3DS battery, and I've safely played all of my handhelds while charging - not sure what went wrong with yours. For 16 hours of battery life, there really isn't anything out there that can meet your needs, especially without custom firmware.
D-Pad is a pain, buttons don't recognize inputs, Star/Select way too loud. Overall a average handheld, but OK, it's
Well my screen is bright enough. You may have gotten one of the first production line ones, sorry yours is dim. I bought it to be able to read the text in games better. The. HDMI doesn't work and I am not computer literate to fix things like this, besides I ruined a lot of consoles by trying to improve performance by changing settings, even taking the card out just to see it can ruin these handhelds. I even ruined one by turning it on while charging believe it or not. So I only change some settings I have experience with and then only one at a time. Remember without a computer there's no backing up your card.
Hey, this is the newest revision according to the Discord and talking to people who know about it. Glad your screen is better.
@@JoeysRetroHandheldshey if this is the latest rev of screen could you tell me what brightness you are on in the video? I keep mine at 50 and it is still quite alright. Turn it to 80 and feel too bright and washout already. Maybe the screen quality in these really varies from one to another.
It's at 100, throughout the video.
@@JoeysRetroHandhelds wow that really bad then... sorry it happened to you.
I just made the best decision ever after spending $100 on this thing. There's absolutely no instructions on the controls. Couldn't even figure out how to start a game. Emulators kept appearing and disappearing. The controller configuration or non configuration in the complete mystery as to its operation was the biggest frustration. So I made the second best decision. I smashed the motherfuker against the nearest piece of cement.
sorry school let you down
@@KingUsyk they teach how to use a Powkiddy handheld in school?