GKD Mini In-Depth Review

[@bryanmilstid4087]

It's funny to watch this after seeing your most played system video. Honestly, that video sold me on the RG280v.

[@ximplex1]

Honestly, of the mini handheld lineup (which there isn't much unfortunately), I'd say the RG280V is still the most compelling of them, as it has a lot more community support behind it given that it's just a smaller RG350, which the support has been well established for a few years now, and that support is very stable and mature.

[@100toeface]

I tried the rg280v and unfortunately the dpad was so stiff it was unusable. It took too much effort/force to push the dpad in various directions. That was surprising to me, because I have a 280m which has a great dpad and analog stick. Maybe I got a lemon? Can someone please tell me if the dpad is supposed to be the same on both devices? The dpad on the 280m is great, while it is awful on the 280v. Maybe I got a knock off (although its appearance seems legit).? The 280m is great except that it weighs too much, I am looking for something that wont make my pants fall down (I carry a phone on the other pocket, so that is extra weight as well).

[@piplup10203854]

I'm really glad you're still recommending the RG280V over this. I was looking to get this one cause they have a metal shell kickstarter going and I missed out on getting the 280V with the metal shell device. I'll just keep waiting till I can get one of those instead :) thanks for saving me the money!

[@RetroGamesCity]

After seeing your channel, I feel like hunting the latest handhelds again. Many thanks and greetings from RetroGameCity :-)

[@RetroGameCorps]

Awesome, happy to inspire you! Thanks for stopping by, other RGC! :)

[@username-mk8gf]

I want this one, i didnt know if it ran MinUI or not, but i saw it was included in the latest readme, so im a little salty I got a rg28xx instead. The 3.5" 240p screen and vertical soap bar does it for me.

[@xx801cloudxx]

THERE IT IS! haha Thanks for being awesome Russ!

[@MadJackChurchill1312]

Another sick video Russ!

[@RetroGameCorps]

Thank you!

[@thessizzle]

Great review as always! I would like to see an in-depth one for rg280v, that would awesome.

[@SonicLoveEmulation]

Awesome video I absolutely love this and you can take the emulators from the GKD350H and add them to get the emulation and options in English I love this so much I got the metal version…have a great day Russ

[@DJDanceClassic]

exactly ! just what I did as well

[@RetroGameCorps]

Good points, I've started adding a list of compatible emulators to the written guide :) Looking forward to seeing how you like the metal version!

[@Baby_boodle]

Honestly, I really like the form-factor of this device, and I appreciate the little lanyard hoop too. Seems like a good fit for my baby hands and muscle tics lolol.

[@RetroGameCorps]

This would be really nice if you have smaller hands! I have medium hands and it's a bit too small for me.

[@omarguerrero6417]

Good review ,can't wait for one to do gamecube games

[@RetroGameCorps]

Me too, that's going to be awesome.

[@AhmedSayyedNomad]

Nice and thanks for your time.

[@RetroGameCorps]

Thanks for watching!

[@jasonshiers5771]

Good detailed break down Russ.

[@jwill7998]

I don't understand how they're charging $20 more than the RGB10.

[@RetroGameCorps]

Same thing happened with the RG280V -- its initial $80 price tag was ridiculous, but thankfully you can find it for around $60 now. I'm hoping this will go down to below $60 at some point.

[@DJDanceClassic]

It is a much smaller company than anbernic, so their costs are higher, they just sell less machines. But the metal gkd mini has same build quality as anbernic metal versions.

[@jwill7998]

@@DJDanceClassic The RGB10 is made by the same company, Powkiddy.

[@DJDanceClassic]

Game Kiddy is not Pow Kiddy

[@MrCumstein]

@@jwill7998 Two very different companies. GKD is a very very small company.

[@fryke]

When I first saw it, I immediately liked how it looked, but it's quite obvious for me, that in order to be more comfortable, all it'd need is to have a larger chin to more closely resemble a classic GameBoy. To have the controls right at the bottom like the RG280V just isn't really good for normal operation. The vertical stuff, to me, is a gimmick I wouldn't personally need, anyway, so a larger chin would be better.

[@RetroGameCorps]

Agreed, it's in a weird space where it would benefit from being taller, but the squatness of it is part of its visual charm.

[@danc3933]

How is the vertical stuff a gimmick?

[@fryke]

@@danc3933 In that I don't play any games that would make use of it, so the button placement for it is intruding at best. If you play vertical games, it's fine, obviously. _To me_ - it's a gimmick, is what I said.

[@danc3933]

@@fryke I’d say it’s more of a preference than a gimmick. For those of us that grew up on gameboys it feels more comfortable than the horizontal abominations.

[@fryke]

@@danc3933 Oh, then you _really_ misunderstood it all! :) I'm all for vertical Game Boy like devices. What I was talking about was that this device has special buttons, so you can play vertical games if you turn the device by 90 degrees. I _love_ a Game Boy style device, the RG351V is my favourite so far.

[@sfhawkeye]

A solution for the Chinese text. Use Google Translate on your phone with the camera mode. You can get a general translation for options in the menu that are tough to guess.

[@sleepycrow3849]

such a same when the demand for this device is rather low, i hope its price tag drop so more ppl will enjoy this device

[@100toeface]

To translate the Chinese, open the google translate app on your phone and select chinese to english, and then select camera from within the app. As you hover your phone over the chinese characters on the screen, it will show the english translation.

[@rossmclaughlin7158]

How long till we get a proper mobile soc in one of these something like kirin or qualcom or the likes

[@nathangraves1069]

After watching this handheld in action, I believe the pocket go s30 is still the best an cheap option to play retro in my opinion. Thank you for give us another great review.

[@RetroGameCorps]

Thanks for watching! The S30 is still an incredible value, and there is a new firmware in the works from Team Ruka which should be even better than Simple30 :)

[@sergeibayanav7333]

Love you vids! Hopes you will upload more vita content 😮

[@RetroGameCorps]

Yes, I have a few Vita videos in mind!

[@herogear_art]

I love that mint green color. It looks super cute, but also like a super pain on the hands!

[@RetroGameCorps]

It is very cute! My wife couldn't wait to try it out, and then was immediately disappointed with its ergonomics.

[@herogear_art]

@@RetroGameCorps Such a downer! I'm glad there's an aftermarket of grips for the RG351, maybe this will get some love too.

[@demys08_75]

i was thinking about buying this

[@takwu0]

That 4th option in the NES emulator says "select Gold Finger". Its for entering cheat codes, like Game Genie.

[@majeedahmed46]

nice explanation Are there Atari games? inside the device

[@eduardopantoja8386]

i bought a GKD Pixel from Ali Express that has an Ingenic X1830 processor, wich should run similar to the one in the GKD mini since its has de same clock speed and the same ram memory, but the guide yu provide doesn´t work for that device, is there a chance that you are going to do something similar with the GKD pixel, it is a nice and pretty device since its metal case and good looking style, but as you said for the GKD mini, it´s all in chinese and there is so little info on this device out there,, is there any chance that you review the GKD Pixel?

[@Alex_the_Reign]

It's a shame, one year after release and no one made a decent CFW yet. I'd love to pass my RG280V to my kids and try this one with a thumb-sticks extension.

[@JoeyBag-O-Doughnuts]

I like it! All I needed is a vertical, pocketable hand-held that played PS1, CPS3 & most prior systems well, and the RG280V couldn't do it. All that's left is to find someone who can translate some of the Chinese emulator menus to save me the time. :)

[@bezza191]

I would recommend the RG351V - exactly what you're looking for

[@DJDanceClassic]

just delete all the Chinese emulators and install all the English emulators like I did. It plays all the emulators from the RG350 ! I have the metal version on original firmware and 99 procent of my device in in full English !

[@JoeyBag-O-Doughnuts]

@@bezza191 not pocketable enough imo, I dont want a second device thats size comparable to my phone. thnx anyway, man.

[@JoeyBag-O-Doughnuts]

@@DJDanceClassic thnx!

[@Cherokie89]

I really want this because of the look and form factor but that english translation issue is probably a deal-breaker for me :(

[@HopeOurWorldHeals]

Hello, can you please tell me how to delete category games and beta, that would be totally helpful for me

[@fernandaraphaela4313]

I don't see the video player in the new firmware :( only GMU, can an opk be installed to watch videos? Does this dpad and buttons feel as hard as on the RG 280V console?

[@cybershellrev7083]

I love the tamagotchi form factor lol If it wasn't for the price, I probably would've got one.

[@RichardCraig]

I'd love to see a comparison of this and an Anbernic 280v. I had the 280v and sold it, too chunky and not enough chin to be comfortable. This looks like a slightly better form factor. Though I did get a Powkiddy A66 and absolutely love it, don't really need any other ultraportable.

[@DJDanceClassic]

I own both the 280 and this one. This one is better because the 280 is way too uncomfortable

[@Justin-xi6ue]

This probably is more comfortable for sure. But I’ve been pretty happy with my metal shell converted 280V. It’s completely fine for me and I love how small it is, but maybe it’s also because I have small hands. At least there is a grip for it you can buy on Etsy I believe though. If I was gonna buy a grip for it though, I almost feel like I may as well have bought a 351M or 351P.

[@NickDyers]

even 350/351 can't play CPS3/Bloody Roar properly. hands down for GKDmini. But most reviewers still blabbering Anbernic lineup as BEST PORTABLE handheld of the year :)

[@ingramli7733]

​@@NickDyers While you are entitled to your opinion, personally I dont think GKDmini worth the trophy for the year. Sure this little guy is relatively powerful for its size, but it is just not comfortable to play in longer session as Russ said. In addition, this thing has really no QC to talk about, different batch got different D-pad touch feeling as reported by the chinese community, and the workmanship is a joke (read this if you can read chinese : steward-fu.github.io/website/handheld/gkdmini/teardown.htm ) compare to the Anbernic devices, and the manufacturer dont even able to manufacture enough units to fill the shelf of the stores. While Anbernic got their own problems (such as high price for aged JZ4770 devices like RG350M), the GKDmini is just not deserved to be crowned as king retro handheld of the year IMHO...

[@NickDyers]

@@ingramli7733 > GKDmini is just not deserved to be crowned as king retro handheld of the year . nobody said it SHOULD, i just pointing out the techincal aspect where this chaynese knockoff superb against its competitor. . and, please do not talk about QC for chaynese emulators. People EAT every release of these knockoff because retro/nostalgia feels, not purely by QUALITY DESIGN. There is another market for Sony/Nintendo things.

[@AshWilliams-v3e]

Amazing

[@mubarak8840]

I can’t play Game boy/Game boy Color games using the GB/GBC emulator. It just sends me back to the file menu whenever I try to launch a game. I don’t know what to do

[@IcoKirov]

Just a thought/question - wouldn't it be easier or more comfortable to hold if you use your middle finger for the back buttons? So your index fingers would rest on the top portion and you will have "more" room on the bottom. Or this way the face buttons would be way too low?

[@RetroGameCorps]

It's a great idea, and possibly doable -- but for me, it's insanely awkward to use my middle fingers for the back buttons.

[@IcoKirov]

@@RetroGameCorps haha, well to be honest I find it weird to use shoulder buttons on handhelds and controllers overall. As a kid I had the NES and then basically I switched to PC. So they never felt natural to me 😂

[@lenin17301560]

Would you consider a better option buying a phone like a Redmi 9A, that retails for about a 100$, for emulation instead of this device?

[@chedhead3278]

Cheers Russ, great review. I find it really appealing but, head over heart, just slightly too many negatives at that price. Shame, but cute isn't always enough ... in a handheld anyway. :)

[@RetroGameCorps]

Fair enough! I agree that it needs to drop in price before it's a reasonable balance between performance and value.

[@Bibvock]

I'm passing on this one. Great review of the retro handheld/baby rattle😅🎮I wonder if the metal shell version is any better.

[@RetroGameCorps]

Good question, but I'm not going to spend $110 to find out if the metal version rattles! Hopefully someone else can chime in :)

[@danc3933]

I just got the plastic one and you have to shake it quite vigorously to make the buttons rattle. Why you’d ever shake a handheld like that is beyond me. It’s really not an issues if ever be concerned about in the slightest. The crafted quality of this handheld (black version) is excellent in my opinion. Well worth the money.

[@fernandovalero4313]

GkD mini vs RGB20 vs Rg280v who is the best???

[@RyanHryciuk]

Thanks so much for your as always awesome review and guide! I think you can download English emulators and install them.

[@RetroGameCorps]

Yes, there are older emulators that are in English, from the GKD350H. But I unfortunately their performance is sometimes not quite as good and the button mapping may be off since the GKD350H had different buttons.

[@RyanHryciuk]

@@RetroGameCorps Thanks so much, I was curious about that.. I have one coming. Guess I will have to learn some mandarin, lol. As always keep the awesome content. You totally got me back into retro.

[@justaadhdgamerwesley6244]

This thing would be cool if I had smaller hands :/

[@RetroGameCorps]

Step 1: buy an GKD Mini Step 2: get smaller hands Step 3: ? Step 4: profit

[@100toeface]

Gkdmini is far far superior to the 280v (I have both). The dpad is much easier to push , the 280v dpad requires way too much effort to use. And GKDmini is much easier and more comfortable to actually hold and use for awhile. It is the best pocketable handheld available in 2021.

[@sharpsteel6272]

Powkiddy V-90 is still the best pocketable device

[@theshuriken]

i think this is the best design of those chinese handhelds, looks simple and clean but the things you don't like about this handheld are on points.

[@jacobdad2742]

That's not an avtrek watch your wearing is it?

[@jedewitz]

Almost got one of these... Picked up an SX Core Mariko instead. 😅

[@teerilla]

Wtf even is that I googled it and like 6 different things popped up

[@jedewitz]

@@teerilla Chipped Switch Lite, basically.

[@wordsmith451]

It looks like neat, as a collector, and I’ve been through enough systems to handle it, but it just feels like a bit of a luxury - I’ve got a ton of handhelds and the gpd win 3 is gonna be here Tuesday, and I’m spending what I got on guitar stuff, so I’ll pass for now.

[@joego9519]

What's the best handheld system in your opinion?

[@cs9927]

How do you add thumbnails on the roms?

[@hantke1989]

I like they continue making 4:3 devices, but this is not the one I am waiting for :(

[@DJDanceClassic]

it has better performance than the RG350 series which is still my fave handheld ever made.

[@hantke1989]

@@DJDanceClassic I give you that point! but compare to the RG351V, I can not see myself playing full games in this device. I have finished many games on my RG351V. The price is not that different, and the size is not as small either to justify how uncomfortable it is.

[@DJDanceClassic]

Agreed, it looks cool but is too uncomfortable for long sessions.

[@galaga8779]

Mom can I have a 280v We have a 280v at home the 280v at home:

[@ramonnario8309]

I know it's not and shouldn't be a mandatory thing, but man was I looking around for your cat

[@RetroGameCorps]

She'll be in the next video :)

[@ramonnario8309]

Just watched and commented! Keep up the great work as always :D

[@amk8411]

I had the *GKD 350H.* Amazingly bright screen and comfortable to hold. Squeaky buttons and questionable build quality.

[@DJDanceClassic]

I owned that one and sold it, did not like the build quality, cheap plastic. But I bought this one in metal and the BQ is awesome !

[@yamimizuno]

is there any handheld with 6 face buttons?

[@RetroGameCorps]

The PowKiddy A19, Retroid Pocket 1, and the PiBoy DMG all have six face buttons.

[@pyjama9556]

The translation issues are the deal breaker for me on this one, I don’t see the point of having device where some aspects require setting up with every session on top of the language issues. Also once you’ve seen elec, arkos, batocera and the like it’s hard to go back to this very basic os!

[@6Rudolph6Shitler6]

You say this is your go to system in a recent video. Seems like a ton of work to get going.

[@MrFreedownloadgames]

This needs 6 frontal buttons and sega saturn-like rounded d-pad for authentic megadrive emulation, 640x480 screen (maybe bigger than 3.5 inches: with very thin borders like in Miyoo Mini), 1 GB of ram and be powerfull enough to emulate all 2D games up to 5th generation (PS1, Saturn, DOS, CPS 1-3 etc.)

[@DeadSkeletor_Productions]

They have an add on now that adds joysticks to it...

[@khushbujoshi5582]

the software tips are pretty hard i cant do that or my mom or dad its my moms account so pls give me some easy tips

[@Games-lg3vu]

Have java emulador?

[@samariter8837]

Where is the review of the rg280v ? 😥

[@Wario_Kart]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/qZfafXprn56soMk

[@pork6811]

Would you choose this over the RG280V?

[@RetroGameCorps]

Definitely not. The 280V runs the Adam image, which makes the software experience 100x better than on this device.

[@sdoxsd14gyf]

18:05 the fourth option is cheats

[@superjerjer1]

Dont buy this kind of device, trust me its so uncomfortable its a piece of shit

[@OnlyEpicEmber]

I kinda want one but I’ll stick to my Vita

[@PatrickC139]

This kind of made my brain hurt LoL

[@DeadSkeletor_Productions]

And one with it all built in..

[@DJDanceClassic]

you can also delete all the Chinese emulators and use English emulators from rg350m/p or the old gkd350, because they all run dingux !

[@RetroGameCorps]

Hmm, I hadn't tried any RG350 emulators. Are there any you would recommend trying?

[@DJDanceClassic]

i use xmame 1.3 which runs more games than the rg350, fba 44, fceux (cant see which version but all games run great), gambatta build version 20200628-173729 , mame4all latest version, the yellowblue neogeo emulator, temper version 1.24.2 gkd350, pcxs4allxcc v6.6.6 for gkdmini by cc 14 feb 2021 english version, picodrive 1.97 , pocketsnes built sep 2 2017, regba (version unknown, but all english) and the vertical shooter fbaARM english version

[@mcsweatshop]

“This episode brought to you by Hanalei Book Store.”

[@RetroGameCorps]

Haha, I've been waiting for someone to notice that. My mother-in-law hasn't lived on Kauai for over 60 years, I wonder how old that ruler is :)

[@pholly]

Just get the RG351V instead, it’s much better than this unless you just want something small and uncomfortable to use.

[@RetroGameCorps]

Haha, I'm always in the market for uncomfortable devices!

[@DannyTan6675]

A portable game device with a MIPS CPU in 2021 and they're charging upwards of 80 dollars for it? Yeah, no thanks.

[@RetroGameCorps]

Don't forget the $110 metal version! It's quite pricey.

[@jashketchup]

Screen brightness is bad

[@amristar736]

It has a face. See, 2 eyes, a nose, and a mouth.

[@RetroGameCorps]

Now I see it too!

[@Astravall]

I would appreciate if you would add metric measurements too ... cause imperial is rather usless for ... well i would say me and 95% of the rest of the world ;).

[@svcross-do]

Yes please, metric is the standard for the world.

[@pholly]

Nobody cares what you want

[@GleyRiviery]

One more vote for metric system

[@svcross-do]

@@pholly I do, so your statement is false. Eat it liberal.

[@stupidtag123]

Hi:)

[@frostyfire03530]

Learn Chinese real quick 😭

[@japanesemickeymouse6694]

I could marry a Chinese girl instead problem solved lol

[@afox4254]

It looks like a toy