How to Avoid Wasting Money on a Bad Retro Gaming Handheld

howtogeek.com:

As retro gaming continues to grow in popularity, so do cheap handheld retro gaming consoles from brands you've never heard of. Many of these devices are not worth your time or money. Here's how you can separate the wheat from the chaff.

How to Spot a Dodgy Handheld

While there is no way to definitively decide that a retro handheld isn't worth buying just by looking at it, there are a few red flags that make it easier to spot a lemon.

First, if the handheld is being sold pre-loaded with unlicensed, illegal video game ROMs, it's best to stay away. Not only are you running afoul of the law, but many dodgy handheld sellers will butter up potential buyers with promises of hundreds or thousands of retro games. In general, good retro handhelds will not contain any illegal software, and leave it up to you to source ROMs legally in line with the laws of your country or region.

If you're using a platform like Amazon, another red flag is either that the handheld lacks any kind of review or rating, or that the reviews and ratings are vague and formulaic. Gamers generally aren't afraid to let their feelings be known, so it's reasonable to expect at least one or two in-depth reviews with photos by someone who was either burned or delighted with their purchase.

Branding is also important. Does the brand exist? Do they have a website? Do they make anything else? Is anyone discussing this brand? Often there's one OEM device that's simply rebranded with disposable brand names and dumped on the market to make a quick buck. You'll get no support, no future updates, and no care for the quality of the product to begin with.

The final red flag is a price that's just too low. While such handhelds are cheaper than ever since you don't need a particularly powerful device to run most retro games, if someone's selling a retro handheld for well under $50, it's hard to see how it could be worth the purchase. At the very least, you're looking at a severely compromised experience due to a poor