Cheap emulation handhelds that actually run what they claim.
Justlikegames earns a commission on purchases made through links on this page. It costs you nothing and it does not decide what is recommended.
Budget retro handhelds have gone from novelty to genuinely good. Under a hundred dollars you can reliably play NES, SNES, Genesis, Game Boy, GBA and most PS1 games in your pocket.
The main thing that separates good from bad at this price is honesty about what the chip can do. Anything promising smooth GameCube or PS2 emulation in this bracket is overselling itself.
A tall screen matches Game Boy, GBA and NES aspect ratios without black bars, and it disappears into a jacket pocket. Ideal if your library is mostly 8-bit and 16-bit handheld games.
Analogue sticks and shoulder buttons make PS1, N64 and Dreamcast playable rather than technically supported. Larger, but the right shape for 3D-era libraries.
Runs 8-bit and 16-bit libraries fine and costs little enough to hand to a kid without worrying. Expect plastic build and average battery life.
No SD card wrangling, chunky buttons, and a library that is ready on first boot. Good for a car trip or a stocking.
Screen aspect matters more than raw specs at this price, and battery life is where cheap models cut corners hardest.
Comfortably NES, SNES, Genesis, Game Boy, GBA, TurboGrafx and most arcade boards; usually PS1 and often Nintendo DS. N64, Dreamcast and PSP vary by title.
Some ship with preloaded files, but you should plan on supplying your own legally obtained copies of games you own.
Vertical suits Game Boy, GBA and NES and is far more pocketable. Horizontal with sticks is what you want for PS1 and later.
A phone is more powerful, a dedicated handheld is more pleasant — instant on, real buttons, no notifications.