Retro Game Collecting and the Cost of Living Crisis
With rising living costs making every dollar count, spending big on gaming hardware just isn’t practical for most of us. The good news? You don’t need a premium price tag to enjoy premium retro gaming. Today’s budget-friendly retro handheld consoles deliver thousands of classic titles, solid performance, and impressive build quality — all at a fraction of the cost of mainstream devices.
In this guide, we’ve hand-picked 5 affordable retro handhelds that offer the best balance of performance, features, and value. Whether you want to relive childhood favorites or build a portable retro collection, these devices prove you can game smart without overspending. At the time of writing all of these consoles are selling brand new for under $200 AUD.
Product Features
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- Dual 4″ IPS Touchscreens for authentic DS gaming
- Android 14 OS for flexibility with emulators and apps
- Quad-core CPU & Mali-G52 GPU for smooth retro gaming
3 GB RAM + 32 GB storage, expandable up to 2 TB - Flip/clamshell design protects screens and supports auto sleep
- Capacitive stylus included for precise touch control
- Wi-Fi (2.4 & 5 GHz) and Bluetooth 4.2 connectivity
- Stereo speakers + 3.5 mm headphone jack
- 4000 mAh battery, ~6 hours gameplay
- Vibration motor & six-axis gyroscope for enhanced gameplay immersion
- RixelHK Wi-Fi streaming support
Product Features
- Clamshell flip‑style design with magnetic closure and automatic sleep/wake via Hall switch
- 3.5″ IPS OCA laminated display, 640×480 resolution
- Linux 64‑bit OS with support for 30+ emulators and ported games
- Allwinner H700 quad‑core CPU & dual‑core Mali‑G31 MP2 GPU
- 1 GB LPDDR4 RAM + 64 GB storage, dual microSD expansion up to ~512 GB
- Dual‑band Wi‑Fi (2.4 & 5 GHz) and Bluetooth 4.2 connectivity
- Stereo speakers + vibration motor support
- USB‑C charging (5 V/1.5 A, C2C supported) with ~8 hr battery life (3300 mAh)
- Dual microSD card slots for separate system and game storage
- HDMI output for TV/monitor connection
- Supports 2.4G wireless, Bluetooth, and wired controllers
Product Features
- 3.5″ IPS display (640×480 resolution) for clear, vibrant retro visuals
- Battery capacity: 3000 mAh 5V Charging interface supports 1.5A
- Linux 64‑bit OS with support for 30+ emulators and ported games
- ARM Cortex‑A7 dual‑core 1.2 GHz CPU
- 128 MB DDR3 RAM + 32GB MicroSD (TF) Card expandable to 128GB
- Dual‑band Wi‑Fi (2.4 & 5 GHz) and Bluetooth 4.2 connectivity
- Stereo speakers + vibration motor support
- USB‑C charging (5 V/1.5 A, C2C supported) with ~5 hr battery life
Product Features
- CNC‑machined metal body for premium metal feel and durability
- 3.2″ fully‑laminated IPS display (1024×768 resolution) for sharp, high‑contrast visuals
- Linux OS with TrimUI user interface with multi‑emulator support
- Allwinner A133P 1.8 GHz CPU & PowerVR GE8300 GPU for playing the more demanding retro systems
- 1 GB LPDDR3 RAM provides ample system memory for smooth navigation and emulation performance
- 8 GB built‑in eMMC storage gives enough onboard space for OS and basic setup
- MicroSD/TF card slot with expansion up to 1 TB for expandable game library storage
- Built‑in stereo speakers + 3.5 mm headphone jack
- Built‑in Wi‑Fi (802.11 b/g/n) & Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR/4.2 allows wireless connectivity for lag-free multiplayer battles
- Save/load states, recent games, favorites & dual‑player Wi‑Fi battles
- 3000 mAh rechargeable battery, ~5 hours playtime for enjoying long sessions without frequent charging.
- USB‑C charging & OTG support
- RGB atmosphere lighting & LED indicators for customization of lighting effects for buttons and top bar.
- Vibration motor support for next level tactile feedback during gameplay not normally used in handheld consoles
- Controls include custom FN switch + front hotkeys
- Linux + TrimUI supports multiple languages
Product Features
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 662 octa‑core processor (4× Cortex‑A73 @ 2.1 GHz + 4× Cortex‑A53 @ 2.0 GHz)
- Adreno 610 GPU
- 4 GB LPDDR4X RAM
- 64 GB eMMC internal storage, expandable via microSD/TF card slot (up to ~2 TB)
- 5.5″ Full HD (1920×1080) IPS touchscreen for widescreen PSP and touchscreen DS and 3DS games
- Android 14 operating system with a custom gaming‑optimized launcher and interface
- Hall‑effect analogue sticks and triggers allow the player precise control
- 6‑axis gyroscope for motion input in supported games
- Dual stereo speakers and 3.5 mm headphone jack for onboard audio and output
- Wi‑Fi 5 (2.4G & 5G) and Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity for multiplayer online and streaming
- 5000 mAh rechargeable battery with ~6–8 hours typical playtime and 15 W USB‑C charging
- Single‑fan active cooling system keeps performance stable during long sessions
- RGB Hall‑effect joysticks with lighting provide a modern look and tactile feedback
- USB‑C port + microSD slot + 3.5 mm jack
- Wide-screen form factor allow for a huge visual display with comfortable ergonomic handles
- Lightweight (~286 g) and portable design make it easy to carry around and great for long trips and commutes
Closing Thoughts
With handheld gaming technology at it’s peak there’s never been a better time to invest in a portable gaming console. It’s probably wise to buy one soon because the RAM crisis may soon filter down to gaming consoles, as of yet they haven’t been affected much but when new units are manufactured both customer and producer will have to foot the RAM bill.
Apart from the price your choice will mainly be determined by the form factor you prefer and the kind of games you want to play. If you want to play everything and have the best technology then you should get the Anbernic RG DS or the MANGMI Air X. If you are looking to mainly play Game Boy DMG, Color and Advance games then the Miyoo Mini Plus, TrimUI Brick Hammer and Anbernic RG35XXSP are the ones to get. No matter what your form factory preference and game requirements are there are portable consoles in this list for every possible situation.
Happy gaming and stay retro!
– X Avy 👍
