The GKD MINI PLUS is shamefully BAD | Analog stick dock retro emulation handheld FULL REVIEW

[@retrotechdad]

I'm sorry, Shem :( I know you were really looking forward to this one. Thank you for taking one for the team and letting everyone know to basically avoid this junk.

[@MikeySaxMusic]

Great honest review again, Mr. Breeze! I will skip this one until we hear about a nice custom firmware.

[@thomaschipman]

solid, honest review. if the GKD folk happen to see it i hope they take it to heart.

[@adamkane7513]

I have the original GKD Mini. Good, but I would not recommend with so many good options available now.

[@PsoBloke]

Thank you for trying it out so we don't have to! Absolutely love the review by the way!

[@RetroBreezeYT]

Thanks so much for watching!

[@Pridetoons]

Of course it's terrible, all they needed to say was two words "Closed Source" and then everybody said NOPE!!!

[@RetroBreezeYT]

Closed source with open source software that has been made closed source...

[@Pridetoons]

@@RetroBreezeYT Exactly!!! 🤣

[@putzfetzenORG]

Very helpful review! I had big hopes in this device. Of all vertical handhelds that came out in 2022 I thought this one will score best in terms of hand ergonomics due due the roundness both on the edges and bevels. But your review shows that rather bad control placement causes finger/joint fatigue quickly.

[@lurkerphoenix]

It's a shame cause it looks really good

[@justBri123]

Have there been any good updates for this? Was really hoping this would improve over time but I haven't seen any good news about it :(

[@Old_Brooklyn_Warpig]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/ap7doq1omLZ3Y5osi=wRl79_pcXxnWHDKX Under this video is a link to updated stock os set to English with alot of these issues fixed, there were also 1 or 2 new emulators added, the video will explain

[@iyerviking]

Thanks for that warning. I almost bought this one but stopped, thanks to this review.

[@RetroBreezeYT]

There are a million better handhelds with the same chip these days!

[@moonfiend9259]

I just got mine and the dock is a totally different color than the the unit itself. There's no way to select what color dock you'd want from the store I ordered from. They let me buy the same color dock for around $15. I did experience the same issues you had with the menus, and I could only figure out how to change one system's menu language to english. Your video was very helpful on how to change the language in RetroArch. I'm a beginner so doesn't help much with this thing. I'm still in the beginning stages of using it. But mine has been extremely flakey with charging. It'll charge for a little while if the battery is low and then it'll stop altogether. The light will turn off near the charging port and even if I plug it in with the dock, straight to the unit, it just sometimes charges fine and sometimes doesn't. And the instructions tell you not to use any USB-C to USB-C cables and just the USB-C to USB A it came with. I don't have a ton of charging blocks that allow USB-A but could be the type I'm using. Either way it's definitely annoying.

[@loganb6568]

Hey, did you ever test the Bluetooth functionality? I can't find the way to pair with Bluetooth.

[@NickDyers]

I own the original GKDmini, and its awesome. Such an underrated retroemulator indeed. the original GKDmini even play Bloody Roar 2 smoothly while RG280V and so many other pricier, overglorified emulator at that time have no capability to do so without 3rd party OS help.

[@JoeyBag-O-Doughnuts]

the grip (from previous model use) is ok, so, 75% of this video with its rehashing on that don't apply to me. It's the smallest vertical 3.5' unit out there, got that great look, and is a 640x480 bump up with some dreamcast & saturn. Everything else I wasn't interested in anyway. Fair game to criticize all other broken/missing features, and that scummy software move, but for me, the aforementioned is enough to upgrade my 2nd, stowaway-&-forget, handheld-I-dont-have-to-baby, needs...esp if they do a metal version, and a eng software update, just like the previous mini later had

[@sleepyvoyager]

I wish i watched your video earlier! I ordered mine last week and currently under transit . I hope there some hack or other custom OS for beginners

[@reviewdle6173]

For whatever reason, i can save the control remaps and language, but when i try to turn overlays off and save the option it says it failed to write to the config. Dunno how to fix this

[@RetroBreezeYT]

Yeah the more I look into it the more weird errors I get. Even changing the language doesn't properly stick for me

[@rolen47]

The PSX emulator is probably set to display native resolution. PSX have a lot of different resolution modes. If they don't get stretched to an aspect ratio then that's what they look like in the VRAM.

[@bigemugamer]

I don't understand why so many people have such difficulties with the noisy shaky buttons, I find that when I play these devices, as long as i don't constantly violently shake it back and forth I'm not bothered by the noisy buttons. Of course I'm a weird person so naturally once again I don't experience what everyone else experiences. =(

[@thegameguy208]

Its a potential indicator of poor quality. Your buttons shouldn’t rattle if theyre set in right, and its pretty rare for stuff like the front buttons to do so.

[@D1777YB0T]

I’m hoping that the gkd pixel does better but I know better than to get too excited

[@RetroBreezeYT]

Agreed! It looks really great but the mini plus was so bad I'm not sure I can't trust it.

[@420hansol]

Is it still terrible? Damnit I wish I saw the review before the purchase. Worst of it all is that everything is in Chinese, but I managed to somehow get into gaming folders but even the game titles are in Chinese so I don't know which game I will be playing when I select them lol

[@RetroBreezeYT]

This is probably the worst handheld I've owned so far, which is saying a lot. I wouldn't touch it with a 10 foot pole, especially now that compact 3566 handhelds are a dime a dozen.

[@Aliceyuee]

Mine is suddenly stuck at black screen! How to restart it? 😭😭

[@RetroBreezeYT]

I'd contact them via the GKD website... They might have a fix for you.

[@j_eezus_christ_bro_chill]

I mean buy this powerful thing or wait years for Miyoo Mini to be back in stock? Also there are these things called "updates" that tend to improve emulation. I feel like ur expectations were too high. U need to do a follow up if they have an update.

[@RetroBreezeYT]

Wait a few months and be proactive in tracking stock and get a Miyoo Mini. Alternatively, get the absolutely great RG35XX, 353V/VS/M or of course, an RP3+ for the same price or cheaper. At the $150 price point, you are absolutely spoiled for choice right now and there is no reason whatsoever to get the GKD Mini Plus over any one of its competitors. Of course I'll check out any update if they do, but like I say in this video, there is a huge amount of work to be done to make the software even remotely usable and even then there are a ton of other problems with the device as well. I highly, highly recommend NOT buying a bad device for $150 when there are so many other options out there.

[@MadJackChurchill1312]

They’re not going to update a closed source handheld lmao. They made their money on it, they’re not going to work for free.

[@DeathMetalThrasher]

What a shame. It presents to be a more premium device, yet it has so many issues. Like a Victoria's secret model, but with daddy issues, suicidal depression, and other mental illnesses.

[@agtugo9197]

This is the only device that can play N64 descently that really fits my pocket without damaging sticks apart from the powkiddy clamshell. I just want to play Pokemon puzzle on the go.

[@RetroBreezeYT]

I one million percent understand the desire to play Pokemon Puzzle League at all times of day

[@PongbyAtari]

Without the stick attached it doesn't look comfortable the rattling is bizarre it would make a great maraca lol. It's a shame I was looking forward to this system myself thanks for the headsup I won't be buying one maybe If they make a V2 that's improved but that's doubtful.

[@benlogan4038]

Thank You! Was about to buy for cute form factor, but HARD PASS

[@RetroBreezeYT]

I gave it a third chance for a couple hours the other day. It really is truly, truly terrible.

[@Brad-D]

♪ ♫ THE WOOORST! ♫ ♪

[@pasupang51]

我實在非常不同意你的觀點和評測，我認為這是一台藝術機子，我很喜歡他，我已經準備買第三台，支持創作掌機的老張，他才是用心研究游戲的人，他是懂游戲的人

[@chrisdyers8017]

這是一個非常糟糕的評論。它並沒有改變我的意見。我仍然會購買它，因為它提供了我正在尋找的一切。

[@BLeDude]

Lovely child os... Something sounds really wrong here.. 😂

[@RetroBreezeYT]

That's a you problem

[@BLeDude]

@@RetroBreezeYT 😂

[@Shimashimatchi_]

The fact they stole jelos baffled me, this device deserves ZERO support of any kind. I hope nobody buys it.

[@icemeoutlikeelsa]

oh no I thought the pink one was cute

[@RetroBreezeYT]

It is cute, but also trash

[@ericxiao4120]

They just copied the source code of jelos and tried to use EE cover it. Totally disgusting!

[@Trustyfilms]

Was this thing designed by a committee or what?

[@EightPieceBox]

So uhhh, did you like it? I like the removable analog sticks. That could be useful in maybe a decade when something like this can play games that use dual analog sticks.

[@Curryking32000]

Its broken by the sounds of it. Come on GKD, you can do better than this if you wish to appeal to western consumers.

[@buster5661]

ok maybe your likes/dislikes segment is too close to retro game corps and it looks like crap

[@RetroBreezeYT]

Interesting, they were pretty close. I never watch anybody's reviews before making my own, but I guess we both came to similar opinions, though mine are much harsher than Russ'!

[@buster5661]

@@RetroBreezeYT -I don’t think you understood what I meant

[@JonnTM]

Update this review.

[@RetroBreezeYT]

To what?

[@NaraMakesGames]

jesus. so no positives basically. hahaha

[@buster5661]

i can hear your lips smacking every single syllable