u/konstantinoslp

Just jumped back into Dead Space Mobile (2011) on my Odin 2 Portal and honestly, I’m blown away.

​Playing this horror classic on that massive 7-inch OLED display in crisp Ultra HD graphics is an absolute dream. What impressed me the most is how flawlessly it maps to and plays with the Portal's built-in controls—it feels like a native console release. Huge credit to Andiweli, the guy behind this project for doing such an outstanding job.

I actually have this ported on my PS Vita (OLED) as well. While it runs surprisingly well on Sony's handheld, putting the two side-by-side? There’s honestly no comparison. Going from the Vita’s 544p to the Portal’s high refresh rate 1080p OLED panel is day and night. The deep OLED blacks combined with razor-sharp contrast and flawless controls take the horror atmosphere to a whole new level.

​If you have a handheld capable of upscaling it, you definitely need to give this one a run!

Hey everyone,

​I just had to share my excitement here because I’m honestly still in shock at how good handheld PC gaming has gotten.

​To give a bit of background: I had never really been into PC gaming at all before this. I strictly played on PlayStation, Xbox, and retro handhelds, so the whole PC gaming ecosystem was completely new to me. Eventually, I picked up a Lenovo Legion Go (Z1 Extreme). Don't get me wrong, the Legion Go was an exceptional device with a fantastic screen, but the battery life was lacking and overall it didn't feel as refined or complete of a package as I hoped.

​The MSI Claw A8 — what an absolute beast of a machine!

​I genuinely cannot believe I’m holding this much power in my hands. It feels like a truly complete, fantastic device across the board — performance, ergonomics, battery, everything. Who on earth would have told me I'd be playing PRAGMATA at a silky smooth 85–90 FPS with crystal-clear visual quality on a handheld?! It runs like an absolute dream.

​And the crazy part? Imagine that this isn't even MSI's most powerful handheld available!

​If you had told me a while back that handheld PC gaming would reach this level of performance and polish, I wouldn't have believed you. Huge props to MSI for delivering such an incredible package.

​Is anyone else upgrading from consoles or other handhelds to the Claw A8? How has your experience been so far?

Alright guys, let's be real for a minute about the Pocket DS.

On paper and in actual initial use, this thing feels like a beta device—especially when you put it next to the Thor, which just feels way more refined out of the box.

Software-wise, it’s a bit of a mess right now with all the bugs and quirks we’re all wrestling with. Hardware-wise? It’s definitely not flawless either—the Moura effect is noticeable, and the screen bleeding is real depending on your unit lot.

BUT MAN... the build quality! 🤯

The moment you actually pick it up and hold it in your hands, the premium feel is unreal. It’s so well-built that the second you touch it, you almost instantly forgive (or forget) all the hardware flaws and software headaches.

It’s an absolute mess, but I can't put it down. Anyone else feeling this exact same toxic relationship with theirs? 😂

Not that anyone asked, but it’s a great excuse to share a few thoughts on the device.

​Honestly, this little handheld has a ton of flaws: a terrible D-pad, clicky buttons (definitely not my thing), weak battery life, it gets surprisingly warm under heavier loads, and the speaker placement is completely off... And yet, I absolutely love it!

​I own quite a few devices—mostly top-tier flagship stuff. But the Rotate has somehow become my EDC right alongside the Flip 2. It’s the one standard device that’s always with me—in my bag, in my pocket, or sitting on the table. It is ridiculously addictive for quick, drop-in sessions: a bit of PICO-8, some GB/GBC on the go, or a quick arcade fix.

​Despite all its flaws, it’s just perfect in its own weird way.

Hello everyone!

Like most of us here, I’ve had my fair share of handheld devices pass through my hands over time. But I’d like to focus on the TrimUI Brick Pro, which I’ve had in my possession for two days now, replacing my lovely RG35XXH. Even though horizontal handhelds are much more comfortable to hold, there was no way I was skipping this one.

​Ever since the original TrimUI Brick came out, I had my eye on it. However, due to its tiny screen and lack of analog sticks (I have the bad habit of playing shoot 'em ups and beat 'em ups with a stick), I passed on it.

​So, when they dropped the Brick Pro with a larger screen and dual analog sticks, I said, "This is it." Got it off AliExpress for around €65.

​Now, someone might say that two days isn't enough to properly "review" a device, but folks, some things are screamingly obvious right out of the box.

​The Screen: Absolutely incredible. Everyone was praising it online, but seeing it in video reviews is nothing compared to experiencing it in person—easily the device's biggest highlight. Vivid colors, high brightness, and flawless viewing angles (photos honestly don't do it justice). The 4:3 aspect ratio is ideal for the retro systems I intend to play. Even GBA looks surprisingly good, despite the small black bars at the top and bottom.

​Build Quality: TrimUI managed to create a very premium-feeling handheld that doesn't feel like a cheap toy, all while keeping it exceptionally lightweight. Paired with the subtle LED lighting, the black-stealth colorway gives off a really sleek aesthetic.

​Battery & Audio: It's too early to render a final verdict on battery life, but initial testing shows very solid performance so far. The dual front-facing speakers are crisp and clear as well.

​The Nitpicks: If I have one complaint, it's the button sound. The ABXY face buttons are a bit too clicky and loud for my taste, and even the D-pad makes noticeable noise. Nothing deal-breaking, though—I tested it in bed next to my sleeping wife and it passed the test. 😅

​The buttons that are really loud are the shoulder buttons (L1/L2/R1/R2). Luckily, I don't use them at all. I remapped my save and load shortcuts to the two front LED buttons, rendering the shoulder buttons completely unnecessary for my usage, as I don't play titles that rely on them.

​Custom Firmware (CFW): I skipped the stock OS entirely (I had it on my TrimUI Smart Pro and wasn't a huge fan) and flashed NextUI right out of the box. It’s a fantastic CFW—ultra-fast boot times, a clean interface, flawless sleep/resume mode, and excellent resource management. It's minimal, giving you just the right amount of customization without overwhelming you with menus.

​Most importantly, it has an active community that built a pseudo "app store" directly on the console, making it super easy to download apps and utilities on the fly. If you own a Smart Pro or a Brick, it’s definitely worth trying. The main selling point for me is that it bypasses the standard RetroArch menu clutter—everything is handled seamlessly through NextUI's frontend (while still supporting RetroAchievements).

​Anyway, if you find it at a good price, don't hesitate to pull the trigger!

Hey everyone!

I’ve been deep‑diving into frontends on my AYN Thor for the past few months. I have Thor probably since day one and I tested all the usual suspects (Cocoon, iiSU, ES‑DE, Beacon, Daijisho, etc.) and kept switching between them trying to find the “perfect” setup.

In the end, Neostation is the one I keep coming back to, and it’s now my main frontend on the Thor.

Just a note: My favorite overall frontend is Beacon and the one I use on all my other devices.

On the Ayn Thor for a long time I was running Cocoon as my main frontend and now I am planning to alternate between Cocoon and Neostation on the Thor, depending on what I’m in the mood for.

The reason I’m moving away from Cocoon as my only frontend is that, over time, it’s starting to feel heavier and more complex than I’d like. It’s still very powerful, but each update seems to add more layers, options, and weight, which makes it feel a bit bloated compared to where it started.

Neostation, on the other hand, gives me a cleaner, more streamlined experience for quick pick‑up‑and‑play sessions, while I still keep Cocoon around when I want its deeper customization.

The reasons Neostation won me over on Thor (it is great for single screen handhelds as well) is the clean, modern UI that actually fits handhelds. The interface feels designed for devices like the Thor, with smooth animations and great dual‑screen support out of the box.

Scraping for box art/logos works very well and fast. It's very nice that on the main screen you can see all information about your game (plus screenshots and logos) and on the bottom screen, a video of the game is playing.

NeoSync for saves is the killer feature for me: it uploads your save files and syncs them across any Android device running Neostation, so I can pick up where I left off without manually copying saves.

RetroAchievements off course. They show up in the game details.

RomM support! What a great feature.

Another great addition is the "time played" for every game. I think this is one of the main reasons I ditched Beacon for now.

Finally, less tinkering, more playing. Compared to some other frontends that need a lot of config to look and behave right, NeoStation felt usable and polished almost immediately. Supporting every single app/emulator.

It is very important that devs are constantly updating the app. I was using Neostation from the beginning and I have to admit that the battery drain even on Odin 2 Portal with it's massive battery, was huge. Now it's fixed. Very helpfull on their Discord. Answering questions.

What do you think guys? Have you tried it?

Hey everyone!

​I just picked up the Staedtler Noris Digital Jumbo stylus for my Onyx Boox Note Air 5C, and I’m really impressed with it so far. I really like the stock stylus as well but the Staedtler is going to be my daily driver from now on.

​​Size & Build: It's actually shorter/smaller than the stock Boox stylus, but it feels incredibly sturdy and well-built while remaining super lightweight.

​Ergonomics & Writing: The grip feels fantastic in the hand, and writing with it is an absolute joy. Really smooth and natural. The nibs feel softer.

​The Eraser: A huge highlight for me is the eraser on the back. Having a functional digital eraser right there is a massive quality-of-life upgrade.

​Overall, it feels like a solid upgrade over the stock stylus. It fits nicely in my OEM carrying case as well. If I should choose a downside, is the lack of magnet to stick with the 5C.

Anyone else using this setup? What nibs are you running on yours?

Hey everyone! Just wanted to share that I recently made the switch from the Lenovo Legion Go (Z1 Extreme) to the new MSI Claw A8 (Ryzen Z2 Extreme, 24GB RAM) after the question I have asked here the other day. The extra VRAM/RAM headroom, VRR display, and overall performance in modern AAA games have been a big difference for me. The weight and dimensions as well is playing a big part for me. I loved LeGo but I am super satisfied with the upgrade so far!

Even though I have around 10–12 handhelds (Linux, Android, Windows, even a Switch V1), I always come back to the Lite for short gaming sessions.