Buyer’s Guide: Game Boy Advance Is Perfect On A 3:2 Display
If you are searching for a handheld suited to emulating Game Boy Advance games, these are some great options.
If you’re looking for your next retro handheld and you want something a little different, the 3:2 aspect ratio offers some unique advantages over the typical 4:3 and 16:9 displays. In this buyer’s guide we will survey the options for these devices at the end of 2024.
When it comes to retro game emulation, the 3:2 aspect ratio is uniquely suited to Game Boy Advance games. Nintendo’s 2001 handheld was released with a 2.9-inch diagonal color display, and an original aspect ratio of 240×160 pixels. The Game Boy Micro followed in 2005. Then finally the beloved Game Boy Advance SP, with its beloved clamshell design, finally brought Nintendo’s first backlit screen to handheld gaming with the AGS-101 revision in 2005.
The GBA is a landmark in portable gaming for an entire generation. So a 3:2 display is ideal for emulating games from this system (without any pesky letterboxing or pillarboxing), and modern displays can upscale these games to a higher resolution while retaining the original system’s warm, chunky pixel style. Here are _ devices available today that are ideally suited for GBA emulation. In no particular order:
Anbernic RG351P
Price: $86.99
Pros: Build quality, sleek profile
Cons: No wi-fi, older screen
The year 2020 was a turning point for handheld emulation, with Anbernic’s RG350 and RG351 devices drawing many of us into the hobby. The compact RG351P was my first emulation device, and remains one of my favorites to this day. This has a sleek and solid build quality, with a 3:2 display that makes it ideal for GBA emulation.
The 3.5-inch display isn’t super bright, but of course far outpaces Nintendo’s original hardware. This is a 480×320 display, which provides a 2x integer upscale. The Rockchip 3326 processor is more than sufficient for GBA as well as older systems (and PS1 does pretty well here, too), though be aware that 4:3 content on this screen ends up quite small. The device also lacks wi-fi, though it will support an external OTG dongle — helpful for scraping your game box art. Community support is also excellent, with mature custom firmware available in ArkOS and AmberELEC.
The analog sticks are also set into the shell, making the device easily pocketable even without a case. Today the price has finally dropped below $100, making the RG351P an easy pick-up and a modern classic. Or, take a look at Anbernic’s metal version of the same device with the RG351M. (Note that the RG351MP, however, went with a 4:3 display instead.)
PowKiddy V10
Price: $39.99
Pros: Price, vertical option
Cons: No wi-fi, build quality
Along with the RGB20 (which has the same sized screen and emulation power), PowKiddy’s new V10 is unique in putting a 3:2 display atop a vertical, pocket-sized handheld. This is a 3.5-inch screen, also at that 480×320 aspect ratio that will give you a solid 2x scale for GBA gaming.
Like the RG351P the PowKiddy V10 is powered by the RK3326 chip, and is compatible with custom firmware such as ArkOS. There is no internal wi-fi here, and no analog sticks. PowKiddy’s build quality tends to be about a half-step below Anbernic’s, but the trade-off here is not just a vertical Game Boy Advance device — it’s also the price. The V10 comes with a very budget-friendly list price of $59.99 (USD), and is currently selling for just $39.99. That’s a great deal for a GBA-centric starter device.
PowKiddy RGB10
Price: (Used market)
Pros: Price
Cons: Availability, no wi-fi, build quality
If you are in the market for a horizontal device but don’t want to pay RG351P prices, PowKiddy also makes the pocketable RGB10 — which was released before the V10, all the way back in the summer of 2020. This has a cheaper build than Anbernic’s devices — lighter and with more of a “toy” feel — but just as capable with the same RK3326 processor capable of solid emulation for PS1 and older. Unfortunately these appear to have gone out of stock in recent months, so you may be stuck looking for one on the secondary market.
The later RBG10S is a similar device, with the same internals, but this one puts the analog stick in the top position next to that 3:2 screen. This isn’t great for 8-bit and 16-bit controls, but might be what you are looking for in PS1. The RK3326 can also emulate some N64 and Dreamcast, but beware that only some games will play, and many will require a frameskip or other configuration to get running at full speed. For my money, a D-pad centered device is better for this level of power.
To keep things nice and confusing, this year PowKiddy released the RGB10X. Don’t be confused: this RK3326 device looks a lot like the RGB10, but instead uses a 4:3 display.
AYANEO Pocket Micro
Price: $239.95
Pros: Screen & pixel density, premium build
Cons: Price
PowKiddy makes some solid budget options … but if money is no object, consider the more “premium” experience offered by AYANEO. Their recent take on 3:2 pocketability is the Pocket Micro, an Android device with a borderless display and a CNC aluminum shell. That beautiful 3.5-inch touchscreen is 960×640 pixels, enabling integer scaling at four times the original GBA. Wow!
The Pocket Micro is also powered by the higher-end Helio G99 processor from MediaTek. This will deliver not just perfect GBA performance but also N64, Dreamcast, PSP, and even some of the Game Cube and Wii catalogs. Of course those 4:3 systems aren’t ideal on a small, 3:2 screen — but it sure is nice to have the option to play newer games when you have such a high-resolution display in your pocket. AYANEO also charges a premium for its premium devices: this one will set you back more than $200.
Anbernic RG34XX
Price: TBA
Pros: Form factor, price
Cons: TBD
We were getting ready to publish this guide when Anbernic announced the forthcoming RG34XX, which … yeah, looks a heck of a lot like a Game Boy Advance! This will be one to watch, and with pre-orders likely starting this month it is likely to be the first big hit of 2025.
As of press time we’re still waiting on full specs for this device, but the “XX” branding makes it likely to come with the Allwinner H700 that powers the rest of Anbernic’s 2024 budget line. We expect this will launch around $60 to $70, able to emulate at least to PS1 with ease (similar to the RK3326). Anbernic’s showcase also shows some Dreamcast and N64 gaming, as well as wired or wireless multiplayer.
The 3.4-inch display has a resolution of 720×480 — ideal for 3x scaling on Game Boy Advance, much improved over the RK3326 devices above, but without the tall asking price of AYANEO’s 4x Pocket Micro. If that classic GBA shape scratches your nostalgia itch, this may be the one to get. We’ll be watching for early reviews here before the month is out. All in all, with 3x scaling and a budget price, it could end up in a real sweet spot for 3:2 handhelds.
These are just a few of the 3:2 emulation devices on the market today. To see more from our handheld database, check out the 3:2 filter inside Retro Dock’s brand new Retro Device Finder! Maybe you’ll spot your next handheld there.
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