My Favorite Sub $100 Handheld - TrimUI Smart Pro

It's been a while since I found a handheld device priced under $100 that impressed me. Let's dive into the TrimUI Smart Pro and see what sets it apart. How does it perform straight out of the box?
Grab one below (non-affiliate link):
Global - www.gogamegeek.com/Trimui-Sma...
Grab a screen protector (non-affiliate link)
www.aliexpress.com/item/10050...
Timestamps:
0:00 - Intro
1:32 - "Unboxing" and What's Included
2:17 - GoGameGeek (Pricing and Availability)
4:49 - First Look at the Device
6:29 - Build Quality and Plastics
6:52 - The Screen is... Plastic?!
8:37 - First Look at the UI
10:15 - Brightness and LEDs
10:53 - UI (Continued)
11:25 - Quality Control Concerns
12:06 - Game Testing (Game Boy)
13:01 - Game Testing (Game Boy Advance)
14:07 - Game Testing (Game Boy Color)
14:31 - Game Testing (Nintendo DS)
15:00 - Game Testing (Sega Dreamcast)
16:00 - Game Testing (Nintendo 64)
16:41 - Ergonomics
16:48 - Thermals
18:03 - The Plastics?
18:16 - Face Buttons... Too Small?
18:45 - DPAD
18:53 - Recessed Joysticks
19:13 - It's a THIN device!
19:26 - Final Thoughts and Worth Buying?
▬▬ MY GEAR ▬▬
Camera: (www.po.co/global/poco-f3/)
Camera Mount: (www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B085...)
Camera Arm: (www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B06X...)
Mount Adapter (for the kit above):(www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B07Z...)
Microphone: [Shure SM7B](www.amazon.ca/Shure-SM7B-Dyna...)
USB Audio Interface: [Focusrite Scarlett Solo](www.amazon.ca/Focusrite-SCARL...)
Microphone Boom Arm: (www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B001...)
Lights: [Amazon Link](www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B08G...)
All music was created by the talented Jim Gray of Our Ghosts. Be sure to check out his amazing work (ourghosts.bandcamp.com/).
Please note that this video is intended for entertainment and educational purposes only.
#emulation #retrogaming #handheldgaming #handheldconsole #handheldgames

[@KeiRetroGaming]

A few quick notes about the device that slipped my mind in the video and some updates since posting it: The screen is definitely glass, the dust stickers in the kit are just terrible. The battery life is excellent, easily lasting you all day, though further testing is necessary as I've only had the device for a short time. Sleep mode functions perfectly, this should last for nearly a week in it. Lastly, addressing the volume issue, updating to the latest firmware has resolved it. You can find the firmware update here (this also adds saturation and other panel tweaks): github.com/trimui/firmware_smartpro/releases

[@sergeigarcia186]

You might want to mention in this pinned comment that the device has dropped to $50 USD frequently on sites like AliExpress since launch (it was that price just last week), making it the indisputable value king, shaming even devices like the RG35XX+ and Miyoo Mini Plus in terms of hardware for the money. Custom firmware support is also getting there slowly, with Knulli (batocera port) in Alpha, and Min UI now officially support it.

[@SenpaiMD]

I got this for $50 on sale and I'm very happy for price to performance. Very solid PSP performance

[@lookingforwookiecopilot]

I chose this device over others of similar size based solely on looks. That was four months ago and I have no regrets. Its definitely an awesome device for vertical arcade gaming!

[@weyoun6535]

Can the vertical mode be use either way so it can use D-Pad instead of the analogue stick? It’s the most attractive thing about it for me, I currently have a gameforce chi which performance wise is more or less the same territory.

[@lookingforwookiecopilot]

@@weyoun6535 Yes, I generally play vertical games using the d-pad on top with the buttons on bottom, it makes the device much more stable in my hands. Some games you may have to use the "video/output/rotate" way instead of "TATE" mode to set up that way.

[@agamaz5650]

your videos are really awesome! Very professional and informative, fantastic work!

[@gordobot24]

Great review. I liked that you covered price and visited to vendor. The temperature checks were very interesting as well. Like to see this with custom firmware and if it can be used for streaming games from a gaming pc. Thanks for the good work!

[@smartsteevy]

Lovely review. Quite informative and very thorough. I just snagged one with a 64gig SD card for 49USD on Aliexpress.

[@KeiRetroGaming]

Not a bad deal! Hope you like it.

[@CryptidxKris]

Im another canuck eying this bad boy up and think your video convinced me to grab one. I have a 35XX (original) and just something about having a bigger screen seems much much more appealing for SNES and GBA games. And I agree, hard to find it for under $100 CAD

[@KeiRetroGaming]

I think you'll be pretty impressed with it, but I'd be interested to hear what you think when it arrives. Hope you found a good deal on one.

[@Tetrastuctural_Intelligence]

Hey thanks for the video. How can you tell that it’s a plastic screen? I have one and it seems like normal glass to me. Thanks!

[@KeiRetroGaming]

It was mostly the way that stickers adhered to the screen and the feeling it had on the front. Felt like plastic. Maybe they're shipping some with glass?

[@SirMuddyToast]

Great review, Don't suppose you have or have tried a 35xx H? I was looking at possibly one of these two to purchase in the near future.

[@KeiRetroGaming]

I've tried the 35xx but not the 35xx h. Every Anbernic panel I've tried has some odd tint with yellows, they don't look as accurate as mentioned in the review.

[@SirMuddyToast]

@@KeiRetroGaming Got it thanks. I've got a MM+ already and had no panel issues like you mentioned. It's a shame you had a bad one because they are a great little device. I was looking at a sub $100 for the wife, wondering on the Trim, H or MM+ so your review was well timed. Thanks!

[@KeiRetroGaming]

Glad to help! My recommendation would definitely be the TrimUI Smart Pro between the three. After an easy update it's basically good to go out of the box.

[@ThePoisonSun]

That GB Color footage looks like it has Color Correction enabled - an option in retroarch to simulate the dampened colours of the original un-backlit screen.

[@KeiRetroGaming]

Oh I'll have to take a look at that, thanks! I definitely want to disable it.

[@knock090]

I do have one of these and while I would recommend it, I unfortunately already have an RP3 (not plus) which beats this handheld in almost every category feature-for-feature so if you can find that second hand for around $80-$90 get it instead of this

[@doozeruk2000]

Why bother buying it then.. Surely you knew the rp3 was superior 🤷‍♂️

[@knock090]

@doozeruk2000 I have a problem 😭 Maybe i'll give it to a friend as a gift

[@chocho2188]

Great review. I'm not really into this device and don't really get why they went for vita sticks? The plastic screen is kind of weird too but I guess you can't expect too much from a budget device.

[@KeiRetroGaming]

I think they were really aiming for ultra pocketability with those joysticks. But yeah it's an odd choice.

[@bilditup1]

IMO the Vita sticks are less of the issue than them being inset so much. I get wanting to go for pocketability but Vita sticks at their normal height feel much nicer than these

[@HDWB_Gaming]

with 30-35$ i can't complains xD good

[@masamasa1815]

That particular brand of screen protector has terrible dust removal stickers. They have done the same thing to me on my phone that is definitely glass. It will stick hard and then leave sticker residue. I noticed those stickers get worse as they age too. Most of the time I just use a piece of packing tape to remove dust these days since it doesn't stick so aggressively. I'm pretty sure the screen lense on this device is glass by the way.

[@KeiRetroGaming]

That's great to know! I won't use those dust stickers if I buy from them again.

[@CornyPuddle]

Is the firmware on the SD card? Or is it just games on the card

[@KeiRetroGaming]

Just the games.

[@aulazon9309]

Hi, Im new to handhelds, I see there ar emultiple options for this handheld, (no card, 64gb, 128gb) which one should I get? is 128gb enough and how many games do you get?

[@KeiRetroGaming]

I would just get the 64gb option and put your own games on there. The micro SD card is set up in a very particular way so I'd copy the files from the 64 over to a brand name card.

[@aulazon9309]

@@KeiRetroGaming do you get a lot of games if you get the 128gb version?

[@KeiRetroGaming]

It's never worth buying the bigger included micro SD for the games.

[@Lost_n_Found_1]

​@@KeiRetroGamingThat depends on who you are and what kind of pc/internet access you have.

[@Setzer777]

Great review but one thing to note is that the screen is glass, not plastic.

[@KeiRetroGaming]

Yep sorry for the mistake, just bad dust stickers apparently. I'll update the pinned comment.

[@mdadibalzian3389]

Should I buy a sd card with high reading and writing speed for trimui for better performance?

[@WatsonDynamite]

you should buy an SD card, not because of the performance but because the cards that come with these devices tend to be super cheap and prone to randomly kicking the bucket out of nowhere

[@reggiegunn8934]

i think yours is not on the latest firmware, mine already has bluetooth enabled

[@HammerHeadBubba]

Since bittboy 10 years ago these devices haven't had any problem up through gba. Stop taking 5 minutes to tell us it runs Gameboy with no latency 😂 Sa2 on Dreamcast is a good test. Just go straight to that

[@neofigure1279]

Are this device have wifi?

[@KeiRetroGaming]

Yep! It supports Wi-Fi but no 5ghz band unfortunately so you likely wouldn't want to use it for streaming.

[@neofigure1279]

@@KeiRetroGaming unfortunatly i feel over heat on screen .my finger is burn

[@rlouis215]

I bought this and wasn’t great then it stop turning on get ANBERNIC 405M OR RP4 PRO

[@SenpaiMD]

both those devices are double the cost of the TMS, you can't compare them.

[@raiusdaltar1483]

4x the cost

[@glittlehoss]

Test psp games

[@pvtjoker3616]

its a shame most of these devices still cant match the value of a ps vita.

[@randynguyen6402]

A used ps vita is alot more expensive so not comparable

[@MichaOXS]

this device was sent to me by... but it's my own opinion. best device under 100 dollars. of course! your independent, own opinion. others don't find the device particularly good. weird.

[@joeydelmarsjr.646]

you dont expect $100 device to play dreamcast lol. >< come man its an allwinner a133

[@toycoma98]

I almost bought this, until i found out it can barely play psp, bad speakers, bad sticks, bad screen, a lot of things bad. I got a RP3+ instead and i'm happy. Also own a MM+ which is great for ps1 and below.

[@rafaelf.9246]

I mean, there's a clear price gap between them, so, while you're absolutely right, the whole purpose of your argument is pointless. Trimui gets as cheap as 50$, the rp3+ was like 150+ not really long ago. It's not really discardable the idea that the trimui is worth it since it's like 3 times cheaper.

[@DownForwardPunchRepeat]

I spent $60 and got the cheap 128gb SSD card with the device as well, would have been $50 without. If you don’t need the sd card then $50 for this is a great deal. The manufacturer also continues to update, as well as work with community members to keep the firmware advancing. I already have a hacked 3ds Xl, hacked Switch, hackd Vita, and I still pick this bad boy up to play. The pocket ability, the consistent firmware updates, and the ability to connect to your pc via moonlight makes this device a solid $50 handheld. Also psp performance is surprisingly good considering the current price point. Around $50 this is a good deal, but once you start paying more it’s would be better to spend that extra to get a little better of a device. Price to performance this thing is right up there currently.

[@ks1ngh27]

For 50 bucks it’s a steal. Anything above it’s not worth it. This is 100% pocketable based on how slim it is with small joysticks.

[@sleepydanpunk]

Upgrade the software. Can Find files GitHub. Now emulates PSP perfectly.

[@tombstonefreak]

This device plays DC and ss , can ur mio do that, and it's for 50 usd. Screen is great, sofware great, Vulcan support with retroarch and ppsspp, and it plays 90% psp games FINE. I have no idea what you talking about. Great time shitying devices according to some reviews and not trying unselfish. I have ally, legion go, sd, rp4 pro and 2 trimui, and guess what? Most time I use trimui. And ur rp3+ is garbage for 150 which cannot even play most ps2 when u can get rp4pro for 190

[@natehinxman9050]

RG35XX plays all PS1 games, MOST ds/dreamcast/64 games, and even some PSP games. you're just biased because u had a quality assurance issue with one anbernic device

[@KeiRetroGaming]

As I wanted to give it another chance I bought a new one to take a look at in a future review. I was an avid user of the 35xx until it just died. Excited to see how the 35xx plus stacks up to the TrimUI Smart Pro.

[@natehinxman9050]

@@KeiRetroGaming great to hear that you're giving it another chance! ill admit im a bit biased myself since the RG35XX+ is the only handheld emulator i own. But ive been nothing short of impressed with the performance. I hear stock OS has a bit better compatibility with the higher demanding systems but i really love using Batocera. the only place i got frustrated with was PSP because its hit or miss depending on the title. the added Wi-Fi and bluetooth for the Plus is a great benefit to! i love being able to plug it into my tv, bluetooth it to a controller and im playing any game on PS1 in minutes AND earning RetroAchievements! its hard to find a better deal for

[@natehinxman9050]

@@KeiRetroGaming did ur OG RG35XX die because of the "USB" charging issue? that was the only thing that kind of bothered me about the device. if you use a charging block thats too powerful u can brick the battery.

[@KeiRetroGaming]

I think the charging is what bricked the battery yeah. I remember when I first picked up the 35xx, I instantly liked it more than the mini I had at the time. I even put a nice decal on the front and it looked great (old video though so audio isn't the best): kzbin.info/www/bejne/eIbInY2ne9Cfn5o

[@natehinxman9050]

@@KeiRetroGaming those decals look pretty good and super affordable! I'll definitely be picking one up! thanks for being responsive and an honest reviewer! you just earned another subscriber and a few more likes. keep up the good work, friend!

[@mso]

RG35xx is better 😎

[@knowmynameyoucant5355]

So small

[@jhunmontina6422]

all you do is mumble

[@randynguyen6402]

Youre deaf af lmao