Best Retro Handhelds Under $150
This list is for buyers who want a capable retro handheld without spending more than $150, whether they're new to the hobby or simply prefer affordable, pocketable hardware. All 40 picks sit at the entry power tier, meaning they handle the classics well without the processing overhead of higher-end devices. The Miyoo Mini Plus at $70 reaches up to Nintendo DS emulation, while several Anbernic options — including the RG-35XX SP at $65 and the RG-35XX Plus at $64 — push to Dreamcast. Even the more modest RG-35XX, priced between $50 and $56, covers up to PlayStation 1. If portability and value matter more to you than raw power, every device on this page is worth considering.
The HandheldWiki Take
The Chipset Bottleneck
The $150 line is an awkward valley. Below it you are buying mature entry-tier silicon (Allwinner H700, RockChip RK3566) that maxes out at PS1/DS/Dreamcast. Just above it sits the first genuinely capable mid-range — the UNISOC and Snapdragon Android handhelds that unlock PSP, Saturn and GameCube. Spending right up to $150 rarely buys a meaningful jump in emulation ceiling; it mostly buys nicer screens, build and battery on the same entry chips.
Display Realities
This is where bigger, higher-resolution panels start appearing. They look great on menus, but remember that retro content still wants integer scaling and 4:3 — resolution is not the same as suitability.
Firmware & Software Reality
Still Linux-CFW territory (muOS, Knulli, ROCKNIX). You are not yet in Android-land, so expect to manage an SD card rather than an app store.
Ergonomics & Build
Build quality is the real upgrade in this bracket — better D-pads, sturdier shells, larger batteries. The fundamentals of the emulation experience are unchanged from the sub-$100 tier.
The Verdict — Price-to-Performance
Honest advice: this is a "spend less or spend more" tier. If you only need up to Dreamcast, the RG35XX Pro ($50) or RGB30 ($90) already do everything devices here do. If you want PSP and beyond, save a little longer and jump to the sub-$200 mid-range — it is the better value per dollar.