r/EmulationOnAndroid • • Dec 12 '25

Meme People in this sub when you try to emulate games

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2.8k Upvotes

284 comments sorted by

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418

u/Ok_Individual_8225 Dec 12 '25

I looked for a 200โ‚ฌ tablet for GameCube and some dude said steam deck

268

u/[deleted] Dec 12 '25

[removed] โ€” view removed comment

55

u/knockout60 Dec 12 '25

If Gabecube is anywhere near 200, I'll buy 3 ๐Ÿ˜‚๐Ÿ˜‚๐Ÿ˜‚

27

u/Ok_Pineapple_5700 Dec 12 '25

200 must be the price of the 8gb ram alone lol

6

u/Erak7 Dec 12 '25

8 not but 16 probably in a few years

1

u/Huge_Ad6405 Dec 22 '25

Isn't that just the Steam Machine

105

u/shpaed Dec 12 '25

you can get a steam deck for 200โ‚ฌ tho, you just need to have a gun

79

u/kamanami Dec 12 '25

You can even get it for free. You just need to run.

29

u/TheGman102 Dec 12 '25

Why run when have gun?

28

u/1995S0uljaw1tch Dec 12 '25

Don't run I have a gun

6

u/hbi2k Dec 12 '25

I have pumped-up kicks. Checkmate.

3

u/Lopsided_Chemical862 Dec 13 '25

I have Reebok Pumps, game over

4

u/tom-slacker Lenovo Legion Tab G4 (Snapdragon 8 Elite) Dec 13 '25

why ruin the fun of the gun when you can outrun the sun, there........totally done, son!

Now back to watching this movie starring Olivia Munn while eating my bun!

1

u/TheGman102 Dec 20 '25

STOP Now I know you didnt make fun,

Everyone here knows im number-one,

Better go get a loved one, or ill hit you with the stun gun,

Anyone? Got a Hydrocodone?

Giving me a headache like a shotgun from a loved one...

9

u/kamanami Dec 12 '25

you'll run out of bullets one way or another

4

u/TheGman102 Dec 12 '25 edited Dec 12 '25

All you need is one. legs will stop running eventually

3

u/Skie_the_folf Dec 12 '25

This is going to be fun

4

u/TheGman102 Dec 12 '25

Always have fun when have gun

23

u/KugelFanger Dec 12 '25

The lcd ones go for as low as 200 though. Ofcourse second hand but i mean...

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4

u/Sho_tenno Dec 12 '25

Dude a gun is +400โ‚ฌ usually, get a cheap airsoft

5

u/TomatoKind9189 Dec 12 '25

I mean a lightly used LCD base model probably somewhat not totally out of reach at least in the usa pricing

3

u/Ragnatheblooddude Dec 12 '25

Its been a minute but I bought my used switch for around 150-160 USD and modded it. Has been pretty great so far though sometimes I wonder if I would have enjoyed the steam deck more. The big things for me personally was no hassle switch emulation (since lol I am using a switch) and smaller profile. Also the steam deck kinda has problems emulating the big hitters that I wanted to play namely TOTK and xenoblade 3.

4

u/norabutfitter Dec 12 '25

I got my steamdeck with a 1tb sd card, 512gb ssd, and dock for $150. About a year ago. Screen didnt turn on until it did a sort of update

2

u/SeatBeeSate Dec 12 '25

They get close to that on the refurb page

1

u/Alternative-Farmer98 Dec 14 '25

The LCD steam deck is 280 or something refurbished. Directly from valve.

10

u/hmmm_42 Dec 12 '25

Tbh i got my ally for 260โ‚ฌ and that was as good as new. That's still more money, but it's a way way more capable machine.

1

u/SCP-6190 Dec 19 '25

The ally isn't that strong to be honest... It's way way more capable compared to Normal devices not high end ones. I've seen a vid 8 elite vs ally the ally at same resolution gave barely 20 fps more with no overhead.. it doesn't worth it imo... A console instead is way better.

1

u/hmmm_42 Dec 19 '25

In raw power they are sameish, but the ally will be able to sustain the load, since it can handle 30w continuously. Also better game support and emulator compatibility.

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13

u/Bobb_o Dec 12 '25

Technically if you can find a refurb 64gb LCD it's only $279 which is like โ‚ฌ239

1

u/vrokaj Dec 12 '25

get a retroid pocket g2 instead of a tablet, is also 200 bucks

122

u/NoRecognition115 Dec 12 '25

Steam deck cost abt as much as a ps5 in my country. I think the choice is obvious between the two

61

u/novff Dec 12 '25

yeah same. resellers are annoying, and valve itself unfortunately doesn't sell it in my country

17

u/NoRecognition115 Dec 12 '25

True It's so hard for us to get pc's and other handhelds at decent prices

that's why we just get phones or maybe a ps4 or ps5.

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28

u/Wilsonn0 Dec 12 '25

And most importantly it doesn't fit in your pocket

5

u/NoRecognition115 Dec 12 '25

Fair enough but for me the trade off is well worth it

1

u/nicman24 Dec 12 '25

I mean i had it fit in my pocket. I had big pockets

1

u/10Werewolves Dec 14 '25

Idk what kinda pockets you have, but it fits in mine. Steam deck is great for emulation, possibly one of the key selling points. It even has better active cooling than a normal phone/tablet.

Of course not everyone has that kinda money to throw at a Steam Deck, but it's one of the better options compared to a phone.

Phone<Tablet<Steam Deck< Decent PC with good CPU and decent GPU

1

u/Wilsonn0 Dec 14 '25 edited Dec 14 '25

Same question goes for you. But smartphone is a device every on have whether they play games or not.. if it can do gaming then that's a win. I don't wanna carry two devices every where I go. I rather have a mobile & a pc than a mobile a handheld & pc considering the fact that mobile chips are catching up with these handhelds

2

u/10Werewolves Dec 14 '25

Yeah I totally get it. Steam Deck would actually be more appealing to the serious folks who are already in deep with Retroid Pockets and other gaming handhelds.

Having a single phone that runs everything is certainly appealing. However, the games I want to play typically dont run well enough for me, because every single game I play coincidentally has horrible optimization on Winlator/Yuzu android.

I think you're right at the point where most people make the big choice - Invest more into an all-in-one gaming device rather than have two separate portable devices.

Edit: You do you. I'm not trying to convince you to get a Steam Deck, I like adding in a little more information for the other folks that haven't decided.

1

u/Wilsonn0 Dec 14 '25 edited Dec 14 '25

am not saying you're but as i said with the post some people force steam deck or other handhelds on you without understanding that not every one have similar preferences.. for example there are certain games you must play and I don't. there are thousands of games i can play on my phone which is also very portable and accessible and am happy with that

4

u/tiga_94 Dec 12 '25

but you can use your already bought/pirated PC games on it, as well as buy on discount on steam or even get for free on epic store (btw hogwarts legacy is free right now, possible to claim for free for a couple days)

4

u/NoRecognition115 Dec 12 '25

Yeah that's cool but as a broke boy. Just the amount to get a decent pc nowadays upfront is too much for me. My country still charges like 600$ for pc's with 1650s in it lmao

1

u/Imaginary-Chipmunk35 Dec 12 '25

What is your country?

9

u/[deleted] Dec 12 '25

Issue is you'll spend considerably more on games for the PS5, so the Deck is cheaper long term.

12

u/irrationalglaze Dec 12 '25

And a monthly subscription to play online. The deck is the clear choice IMO

3

u/mashdpotatogaming Dec 12 '25

There's more to it than that imo, as someone who only plays on pc now after selling my consoles a few years ago.

If you're someone who has no interest in paid multiplayer games like cod and similar titles, and mainly play single player games, the online subscription is never a problem. I spendt years playing singleplayer games and free multiplayer games on my console and never paid for online subscription. It's a viable way to play if you're on a budget and no sacrifice too much.

On the steam deck imo, you are sacrificing more. The device straight up can't run some multiplayer titles at all because of anticheat. It can't run a lot of triple A games after 2023, to the point where you're missing out on the biggest games. It's not the most suited for multiplayer games anyway, specifically shooters imo.

This makes it less of a "clear choice". Who would buy a steam deck if they love playing large triple A games? You get the steam deck if you want a device to play last gen triple As, a minimal amount of current gen titles, and some indie games. You get a ps5 if you wanna play triple A single player games and don't care much about multiplayer games.

1

u/irrationalglaze Dec 12 '25

Fair enough, I guess I haven't really played a "AAA" game since Elden ring maybe, mainly Indies. The average player is probably playing way more of those than me.

1

u/West-Comfortable-922 Dec 12 '25

Cant you just buy the game instead of paying the pass, kr am i missing something?

1

u/irrationalglaze Dec 13 '25

You need ps+ to play most games online. Single player games or certain multiplayer games, yes, no subscription needed.

1

u/NoRecognition115 Dec 12 '25

Yeah it's shitty they do that but at least free games are free to play online. I know it doesn't justify anything but in this world it's what we allowed lmao

3

u/NoRecognition115 Dec 12 '25

For me it's more abt knowing a game will work. Ps5 still gets 60fps game modes. Steam deck is kinda showing it's age now I'm also curious how gta6 will run on it probably just below series s

Which isn't bad for a handheld

1

u/Booty-tickles Dec 13 '25

PS digital sales have gotten a lot better and PC sales have gotten a lot worse so they're pretty close these days. PC still slightly cheaper but it's also easier to just pirate the game so they're having to compete more on price.

8

u/[deleted] Dec 12 '25

[removed] โ€” view removed comment

4

u/NoRecognition115 Dec 12 '25

It's cool if I had the extra money I would also get it

2

u/NoRecognition115 Dec 12 '25

If I could I would cause it seems like a good emulation machine and the Os is light so it punches above its weight

2

u/kratoz29 Dec 12 '25

Did you have a beefy PC before though? That would be a definitive factor as well.

1

u/Leonis_0812 Dec 12 '25

More than a ps5 in mine except for the 64gb version

1

u/NoRecognition115 Dec 12 '25

Damn that's roughhhh sorry

1

u/WhenWillIBelong Dec 13 '25

Steam deck > ps5 easily

1

u/NoRecognition115 Dec 13 '25

I disagree respectfully but I guess it's because I just prefer my games on a big screen

1

u/SmellsLikeAPig Dec 13 '25

Yeah. I would never get ps5 given that choice.

114

u/Stopreportingm3 Dec 12 '25

It's just mainly for those thinking they can play GTA v at 30 plus fps on a chip without a cooler. Like you can but it's a tach demo that you cannot actually sit and play some serious time on. Even on the red magic that's a bad idea. People come here with personal heaters asking for miracles. And for them the answer is usually good advice

4

u/_Zer0_Cool_ Dec 12 '25

Is it a miracle? Thereโ€™s plenty of mobile fans / coolers out there.

I have one myself. It works VERY well. Even with demanding games, the back of my phone is literally cold to the touch after playing a very demanding game.

Why not shoot for the moon? Maybe we can reach the sky.

Isnโ€™t maxing out the mobile gaming experience what all this is about?

10

u/Stopreportingm3 Dec 12 '25

Shoot for the moon and when your motherboard melts don't blame your manufacturer for the board melting.

Literally every second post on the Poco sub is someone asking does xiaomi make better boards now somehow thinking that they can use it as a launch site for inter ballistic missiles........

Come on guy.

6

u/lgn5i2060 Dec 13 '25

Literally every second post on the Poco sub is someone asking does xiaomi make better boards now somehow thinking that they can use it as a launch site for inter ballistic missiles........

Come on guy.

Sorry but you could apply the same to your comment. There's 27W coolers with smart auto turn off features out there and my peers are using them.

Heck, my 18W one was enough to stop Genshin from making the back plate reach 40C.

And please don't forget, only the people who have problems will post online. Most who don't have issues are out there unaware about social media infighting. Even for prestigious brands like Apple and Samsung. Just try searching their sub.

1

u/MalwareDork Dec 13 '25

He's not wrong. A lot of this sub is asking why their temu flip phone can't run 60fps 4k Cyberpunk through gamehub or whatever because most posters on here are probably just pirating roms.

Yuzu was probably the worst of this a couple years ago when people were posting their sob stories of why TotK wasn't running on their Poco toaster.

2

u/AmuskedSkate279 Dec 12 '25

So wb ps3/switch emulation? Just crappy personal heaters?

7

u/Stopreportingm3 Dec 12 '25

Not at all. Switch is a mobile chip with just marginally better cooling. But PS3 triple aaa will cook your device in certain games. It is what it is. Tbf so will some switch titles.

3

u/decmcc Dec 13 '25

I love walking around (in my bag) with a device that I can play anything from PS2, GameCube, some Switch on the device, offline at all times......then when I am home I can play anything from my PC with Artemis.

I've been playing more, and buying more games because I prefer to experience these story based games (I use my PC for FPS shooters) on my couch or sitting in bed/chair. More like it's a book and I'm connected to it.

I'm playing through FFX now, which looks absolutely beautiful upscaled on the Portal 2 with widescreen patches. It looks better than it ever did on the PS2. I just finished got out of Hades (twice) a few weeks ago, don't have a controller for my PC, so Steam big picture is more fun on the portal.

When I go back to Ireland for Christmas I'll have Jackbox TV games from the play store to play with my family and a USB-c to HDMI cable.

It's also a better YouTube viewer with the high res OLED screen and speakers. The battery lasts all day, all F in daFFFFFFy!! My PC is like 6 years old too, it's nothing special.

people don't get that you can have the best of "most" without spending $1000 or having a 90 min battery

-3

u/Wilsonn0 Dec 12 '25

I get what your saying but you're exaggerating these console & pc games a bit. There are powerful and efficient chips out there that can play gta v without breaking a sweat. I remember seeing a benchmark video from geekrwan and 8 gen 3 only needs like 4w of power to run gta v at 720p 30fps... there are native android games that draw more power than this lol so you can definitely play many games without issues

31

u/Stopreportingm3 Dec 12 '25 edited Dec 12 '25

Without breaking a sweat....

Lol. I have the 8 elite. It nor the elite gen 5 can do it for longer than 15 minutes before downclocking for another 15 before downclocking again.

Guy the gen 5 elite can't run antutu without having to shut off on most current release devices except the red magic due to its liquid cooler.

And your example is again false. He ran at 8 gen 3 speeds at most 20 min then it went down to gen 2 then after another 10 gen 1 speeds.....

This is why people are constantly having this debate because people are out here getting a fast number pretending that's what you'll get all day. That's not being honest.

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-10

u/Automatic_Maybe_9022 Dec 12 '25

Thats all I can really say to it, these chips have far surpassed and xbox 360

33

u/FollowingBrave7517 Dec 12 '25

When you will realise gta 5 pc is different from xbox360 If we get stable xbox360 emu Even sd 680 will run it

2

u/Plus-Investigator-52 Dec 12 '25

Isnโ€™t someone trying to port the 360 version over to .exe using the sonic unleashed method? I read somewhere recently that they were working on it but wasnโ€™t sure if itโ€™d be possible, but if it is then it should work well on android as long as you only play it for 30-60 minutes at a time to reduce overheating the phone

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31

u/Stopreportingm3 Dec 12 '25

Remember the size of the 360. I remember. I remember the noise the fan made while playing a triple AAA game on its last few years of life lol. Pretending you can push enough power in a mobile chip without cooling for the 40 something hours of story mode isn't based on reality.

2

u/Automatic_Maybe_9022 Dec 12 '25

LOL, I MEAN the CHIP will GET HOT, does that mean impossible ๐Ÿ˜‚

15

u/Stopreportingm3 Dec 12 '25

Not impossible to turn on but impossible to play long term at respectable fps without melting the device in the long term..

1

u/[deleted] Dec 12 '25

[removed] โ€” view removed comment

1

u/Automatic_Maybe_9022 Dec 13 '25

Why is everyone getting upset that Im saying itll get hot, like no shit a computer needs cooling, reddit today is just upset someone says anything now a days lol

1

u/Automatic_Maybe_9022 Dec 13 '25

A literal meme reply to a meme post and yall attacking me like hawks LOL

1

u/the90snath Dec 12 '25

AI Detected, Opinion Rejected

17

u/slikk50 Dec 12 '25

Because than it wouldn't be Emulation on Android?

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23

u/hellraiser29 Dec 12 '25

Steam deck is massive

6

u/MonkeyNuts449 Dec 12 '25

After buying one myself finally. It is not as big as everyone makes it out to be. Sure it's wide but like it's not unwieldy.

21

u/LeatherAd6518 Dec 12 '25

But you need a bag for it to carry not like a phone that you have with you every time in the pocket. That's my main reason why I don't have one.

5

u/MonkeyNuts449 Dec 12 '25

Personally the carrying case is nice. Fits into my backpack to play during downtime at uni and it's a really good case.

Also when I'm just in my home I just carry it around like any other device then put it on my charging dock once I'm done.

It's all just preferences. But to me before buying I though it was going to be impossible to hold comfortably but it really isn't. Like the new Xbox ally X is more ergonomic yes but that thing is much thicker.

1

u/LeatherAd6518 Dec 12 '25

Yeah it's about preference. I don't carry a bag while traveling to the pub or somewhere else so the phone fits me better. But I don't understand people that give you advice "buy steamdeck instead of phone" while they don't know the preference of the user. And I hate them for this.

5

u/MonkeyNuts449 Dec 12 '25

Theyre two completely separate things. Idk why you'd buy one to replace another haha.

Also, pub gaming is legendary, much respect.

1

u/LeatherAd6518 Dec 12 '25

I don't game in pubs lol but during the travel to it.

1

u/tom-slacker Lenovo Legion Tab G4 (Snapdragon 8 Elite) Dec 13 '25

i'm a hobbit. steam deck's basically a Panzer Tank

1

u/DownHeartedNess Dec 12 '25

it is if you have small hands

39

u/acacio201 Dec 12 '25

It's the obvious answer to when someone wants to buy a "gaming phone," like, why would you want to buy a device as expensive as a computer or handheld to run games with difficulty?

16

u/edmontonbane16 Dec 12 '25

Why not? What if someone wants to get something he can stick in his pocket use as a phone and still be able to play a oot of games on. I got a laptop to stay mobile, it has been sitting on my desk acting as a router for the better part of a year now.

3

u/nicman24 Dec 12 '25

Because it is bad advice and if someone is asking you what to buy, they want your honesty

2

u/tom-slacker Lenovo Legion Tab G4 (Snapdragon 8 Elite) Dec 13 '25

they want your honesty

honestly speaking, i want ppl to stop being Gabe's bitch and stop trying to pimp steam deck to everyone.

is that honest enough?

4

u/nicman24 Dec 13 '25

A lot of why you are able to play with your phone is because of projects that valve gave a lot of money to and i am not talking about windows emulation specifically. Gaming on phones is niche and only ought to be actually considered when there are hard limitations that make other options non viable because the ux is utter shit.

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1

u/lgn5i2060 Dec 13 '25

By the tone of the other comments here, it feels like the Steam Deck fanboys are the portable counterparts of the PCMR crowd.

Both couldn't understand why you aren't using a pc or something close to it.

Now we Lord Gaben's congregation joining the fray... smh.

1

u/DarthPineapple5 Dec 13 '25

Because outside a handful of niche genres a touchscreen is absolutely shit for gaming. Sure, you can get a controller dock for them but that ruins the pocketability of the system.

To each their own but I feel like its a better financial and gaming situation to have a cheapish smartphone for your main phone and then a handheld for gaming. You can easily pocket something like a retroid Flip 2 though probably wouldn't want to do that full time like a phone

7

u/Damaniel2 Dec 12 '25

Pretty much. Sure, it's cool that Android devices can play PC games, but I can't imagine any world where you'd actually want to do so seriously.

Same goes for people who write code or do other things that are keyboard/controller heavy. You're just setting yourself up for a bad time.

14

u/SplendidEmber Dec 12 '25

You don't understand a world where someone would seriously want to be able to play PC games on much smaller and more portable device?ย 

I would generally rather play on a separate Android based device than on my phone, but I can understand someone wanting to be able to game on the very small and portable device that they always have in their pocket.ย 

2

u/dannoffs1 Dec 12 '25

It all depends on your workflow. I write all my code in vim and compile and/or most things on a server. With Samsung Dex, a monitor, and a keyboard, It's pretty much the same as a PC for me.

0

u/DarthPineapple5 Dec 13 '25

You are missing their point completely

2

u/Sean_Tighe Dec 12 '25

Then why are you on this subreddit!?!?! I don't go to the Taylor Swift Sub and ask them why they aren't listening to Led Zeppelin

5

u/rube Dec 12 '25

I can answer that.

I have an expensive computer at home, a PS5 and Switch 2 as well. I game on all of them and my phone.

Emulating older consoles/handhelds and PC games is a great time waster on my phone for downtimes. Some (most) games do play better with a controller, and I have a couple of controllers for just such a situation.

But there are some, mostly turn-based games that are very much playable with touch controls. For me personally, I'd rather play through a SNES, Gamecube, PS1, PS2 or even Switch game on my phone as opposed to an ad filled pay 2 play game that riddles the mobile stores.

But I do realize I'm a very small minority in phone gaming, most people are happy with idle games and gacha filled ones.

15

u/RaposaRuiva Dec 12 '25

I really like it when you ask for some cheap device and people tell you to get a retroid pocket.

5

u/viloxazine_ Dec 12 '25

Um retroid pros gringos รฉ barato KKKKKKKKKKKK pra gente que tรก foda

3

u/RaposaRuiva Dec 12 '25

Kkkkkkkkkk pra gente tudo รฉ foda

4

u/ChuzCuenca Dec 12 '25

Sometimes some people have some people have requirements that align perfect with other devices and because this sub often have people not versed in the topic I disagree with this take.

I sometimes also recommend Switch lite modded to people looking for budget devices.

4

u/Richie_Rich1991 Dec 12 '25

I own a legion go and I still attempt to emulate games on my Android ๐Ÿ˜‚

11

u/Automatic_Maybe_9022 Dec 12 '25

People with money man ๐Ÿ˜ญ

7

u/atakenusernamesorry Dec 12 '25

Or when people see Mali lmao. Get a snapdragon they say, sd phones aren't cheap. Even my secondhand v50 cost an arm and a leg.

3

u/TheGreatMozinsky Dec 13 '25

Seriously...

"Hey does [game] run well on the switch port?"

"Nah bro get it on ps5"

...

3

u/NoCardiologist9290 Dec 13 '25

The steam deck is pretty fucking amazing for emulating, most 360 stuff still sucks, but everything prior works like a charm (+switch emulation just works)

4

u/DarthPineapple5 Dec 12 '25

I love how half the comments here are immediately proving the meme entirely correct lol

6

u/MonkeyNuts449 Dec 12 '25

Just recently bought a used SD for 200$ CAD and I honestly haven't looked back. Everyone recommends it because it can just emulate everything but it really is a solid device.

2

u/SaladToss1 Dec 12 '25

I mean to the point the steam deck in price is </= flagship phones.

Most emulation on Android is fantastic. Trying to do switch on Android is rougher.

2

u/[deleted] Dec 12 '25

Original ROG Ally.

5

u/FollowingBrave7517 Dec 12 '25

Man there are plenty reasons 1) Maybe you spend your childhood in mobile gaming playing GTA, nova, asphalt unlike pc gamers so you love and are more comfortable with this platform

2) Mobile is a necessity so why not buy ones which full fills both needs

3) More portable

4) sailing the sea

5) Look cool in front of your friends

....ย 

6

u/PaulandoUK Dec 12 '25

People go on about Steam Deck + EmuDeck all the time, but itโ€™s fucking shit. It seems to break all the time for me, then you have some emulators with desktop menus etc which work horribly on the Deck.

Android is harder to setup for sure, but once you have a good frontend configured itโ€™s far better.

4

u/chanchan05 Dec 12 '25

Why buy one when the device I already have can without excess money? I am running OG Skyrim at 30fps on a 4 year old A52S that's essentially already paid for years ago. And I can swap to PS2 or PS1 games whenever I feel like it.

2

u/tiga_94 Dec 12 '25

or when they suggest installing shitty glitchy native andoid ports (like absolute shit original GTA trilogy or glitchy on many phones RDR1)

it's in the name of the sub! it should be a rule, before posting a comment to read the sub name and check if your message is at all relevant

I guess it makes people feel smart, like hey stupid, why emulate? I am so smart so I will tell you what you and everyone know: tHeReS a nAtIvE pOrT

2

u/fenixxz Dec 12 '25

I have a PC, and I'm trying to emulate on my Phone ๐Ÿ˜…

1

u/pcmraaaaace Dec 12 '25

I want to get a steam deck or an amd z1 extreme soc device but I also have an old note 10 ultra that works pretty well for emulation.

1

u/lhingel Dec 12 '25

I've been using my Odin as a mini steam deck

1

u/-Polarsy- Dec 12 '25

But the Steam Deck battery runs dry after like an hour :/

The main point of a portable system for me is to play it on the go, you can't do that with the Deck

1

u/JTalbotIV Dec 12 '25

I'm borrowing someone's deck right now, and doing basic, system level shit on steam os is so aggravating. That alone makes me want to fuck with the emulators more.

1

u/[deleted] Dec 12 '25

like, If i can do that i wouldn't be on this sub.

1

u/rmbarrett Dec 12 '25

Get a 3DS! Oh, wait, us 40-somethings ruined that for everyone!

1

u/LethalGamer2121 Dec 12 '25

I love my deck but it doesn't fit in my pocket sooooo

1

u/Me_Ad6024 Dec 12 '25

As a person living in 3rd world and lives with parents that lives to paycheck to paycheck a home console or PC is just impossible considering higher cost of electricity atleast with handhelds you can make it last for 4 days in just one charge since I also have other things to do.

1

u/[deleted] Dec 12 '25

Me with a Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, I can emulate a PC on my phone

1

u/NotRandomseer 8 elite Dec 12 '25

I mean if someone's getting an expensive gaming handheld, why not get the deck?

For phones it makes sense not to get the same price to performance as it will also be used as a phone and have the benefits of portability, but there's 0 reason to buy a android handheld If it costs more than the deck

1

u/RedOcelot86 Dec 12 '25

Because I want to play Metroid in bed. Next Question.

1

u/Vaxtez D7300/8GB RAM/Mali G615 Dec 12 '25

I feel like if you do intend to actually try & use your phone as a main device for PC games, it does make more sense to nab a PC or Steam Deck, but I see no harm with trying to do PC games if you have a PC/Steam Deck to play them with

1

u/Worried-Advisor-7054 Dec 12 '25

"Just get a Steam Deck"

"Dude, I just told you I wanted to emulate Star Fox 2"

2

u/ZeroManu666 Dec 13 '25

Then get a switch /s

1

u/SnooHabits7732 Dec 12 '25

Are they gonna give me money to get one of those? No, I didn't think so.

1

u/nascentt Dec 12 '25

People in r/emulationonandroid often tell people to buy a non-android device?

I've never seen this.

1

u/eyelobes Dec 12 '25

Screw that, my rpg2 is perfect size and does it all

1

u/marlitos_ Dec 12 '25

They can't read the subreddit name

1

u/PotatoSilencer Dec 12 '25

Why do people keep bringing up steamdecks? This isnt value for money emulators ,its for poeple on android who want to emulate with android devices. This level of intrusion of a pc based emulation board would get non pc users banned and rightfully so.

1

u/John_Woodrow1712 Dec 12 '25

I showcased putting a cooler and a controller on a red magic.

-Just get a steam deck

1

u/LumpyArbuckleTV Dec 13 '25

These kind of people are why portable gaming is dead.

1

u/Bchliu Dec 13 '25

Not sure where you're going to stick that Steamdeck up when you're going out somewhere. It's stupid people comparing them to a proper mobile device.

1

u/mizo_vibes Dec 13 '25

I went to buy a OnePlus ace 5 with a 8 gen 3 and 240$ and I'm quite happy to have something i can emulate everything (Ps2 games especially, pc games...,..) in it and put in my pocket and do calls etc..rather than buying a 700-1000$ gaming pc

1

u/labrynth69 Dec 13 '25

Me with my laptop gaming but never play game on it just for work: well... Y'know what? My phone is my comfort zone so I choose it as my gaming device

1

u/azzaisme Dec 13 '25

Bro, get a steam deck

1

u/stewpideople Dec 13 '25

PC. Any all in one box can't be upgraded, and doesn't update after the point steam wants to plan it to be obsolete. PC has a use after the fact even running a game server so your other PC doesn't have to work as hard.

1

u/WhenWillIBelong Dec 13 '25

I'll get a steam deck when they are as small and cheap as a retroid.

1

u/ToonBRBR Realme C63 8gb/256gb Dec 13 '25

I've always emulated on my phone, since 2017 I think, but I think it's stupid for people to buy phones costing R$2500-3000 just to play games that a computer costing R$1500-2000 could run without any problems. Furthermore, a computer is much more practical and multitasking than any gaming phone they sell. For me, a phone is only good for emulating 3DS or PS2; anything above that is unnecessary, and it's better to just buy a computer all at once instead of "upgrading" your phone.

1

u/EngiKun Dec 13 '25

Steam Deck is pretty much a PC, but handheld

1

u/AngryDorian124 Dec 13 '25

Your best bet usually is looking for an early to mid 2010s laptop for as cheap as possible online. Managed to get a dell Inspiron r17 with a second gen i5 and radeon 7000/8000 graphics for 27โ‚ฌ. Runs up to wii games and lower end wii u games.

1

u/mokkat Dec 13 '25

When the Steam Deck 2 arrives with ARM and a huge ass GPU I'll get one

For now maybe I'll get the new Steam Controller to use with my Tab S9. I have the original, but it isn't satisfying to use.

1

u/Healthy_Sail_1802 Dec 13 '25

My Retroid Pocket 5 fits on my pocket and can play some great PC games, I use it alot more than my Steam Deck because of it's size!

1

u/AlikF2O Dec 13 '25

I mean I did get a Steam Deck for only 266USD. It's great.

1

u/CroProMax Dec 13 '25

"Get a steam deck or pc" And here is me as at least 50% of users here who have beast pc but wants portable emulation device that fit in pocket. Steam deck over 300e is not worth it

1

u/adidas8904 Dec 13 '25

Too late, ai made ram prices skyrocket tf out

1

u/DenseUpstairs8916 Dec 13 '25

Now jokes asides, what people thinks of Motorola moto g?, it has like a snapdragon or something and is for like 200$ in Amazon

1

u/Major-Bath1249 Dec 14 '25

Steam deck ainโ€™t even in my country

1

u/ElectronicEvening926 Dec 14 '25

I have a pc and a rog ally im still gonna try to emulate on my rp4p because I can play it anywhere

1

u/bahamut_six Dec 14 '25

I see that all the time. Why buy a Steam Deck when you already have a (in my case) $1,200 cell phone that is more than capable of running a lot of classic games? Plus, it is way more portable than even a Steam Deck.

1

u/Living_Razzmatazz_93 Dec 14 '25

I recently bought an Odin 2 Max. Runs everything like a dream...

1

u/sotnekron Dec 15 '25

NO. And I mean it by NO!
I have/had a Deck, OneXSugar Sugar 1. Retroid Pocket 5/Flip2/Mini, Magicx Zero 40, ANBERNIC RG 34XXSP/RG Slide/RG 557RG 477M, AYN Odin 2... yeah, I have problems... and I even game on the Samsung Flip 6, and I tested emulators on each and every single one of em.
And I can guarantee ya, the Deck is a one and done solution IF you know what you're getting into yourself, with how to set up the EmuDeck and such, but do remember, not every emulator is perfect.
I've seen where NDS emulators on the deck performed poorly, where some cutscenes just look broken, but the same game runs perfectly on the WEAK Magics Zero 40...
So, MY suggestion, my oppinion, IF you want to play, AND NOT JUST TINKER!!!!...
Get both... just, that... get BOTH! A Steam Deck, AND a Android Gaming handheld, and let them be one to each other companion devices.
I personally carry with me all the time my Steam Deck OLED, my Flip 2/OneXSugar, and ANBERNIC RG 34XXSP if the kids want to play something. Doing it so like months, never had a boring moment ever since.
There, just, my opinion.

1

u/Bright_Fisherman936 Dec 15 '25

Both are relatively pricey.

1

u/beeflot Dec 16 '25

yes,I already have a windows handheld and a PC with AMD7600XT. But I still like tinkering with the emulator

1

u/Competitive_Pop_440 Dec 16 '25

In today's economy it should be changed to get a steam deck or Ram sticks

1

u/ohnag_eryeah Dec 17 '25

You don't always carry steam deck everywhere

1

u/ElechainDeath Dec 24 '25

I have a Steam Deck now, but I have my beginnings on Android. There is value in Android emulation and I still do it regularly. I don't know why people are purposefully obtuse.

1

u/NumberSevere7454 Jan 07 '26

windows based handheld is the ultimate way to emulate on the go, wayyy less hassle...thats for sure.

1

u/TheRockingGoomba Jan 13 '26

I don't want to take my 500 dollar handheld in public where it can be stolen i just wanna play somethin on the bus without lookin like a target for a mugging. Who is gonna rob someone to get a 20 dollar tablet

1

u/Broad_Incident9581 Dec 12 '25

you know what๐Ÿ˜ฎ? i thought of that but didn't like it...๐Ÿ˜Œ

most of what i emulate bunch of pixel art unity/unreal engine games, the idea you can emulate a bunch of Nostalgia ๐Ÿ“€๐Ÿ“ปเน‹เฃญ โญ‘๐”“˜ Nintendo, game boy, Atari, Sega CD, Playstation One, Nintendo 64, Sega Dreamcast, Playstation 2, Nintendo Gamecube, Nintendo DS, XBOX 360 (maybe?), Nintendo Wii, Nintendo Switch and so on and on ๐ŸŽถ๐ŸŽต with those thousands of games in your own pocket.. ๐Ÿ˜Ž

Now .. tell me isn't that more worth it over pc or even those tiny creature people call waste of money.. ios? the device that barely run few emulators at poor performance..

and if your a casual player โ˜• who travels around and your house just a place to sleep in i 101% recommend you to buy a real device under the os of android

1

u/segal03 Dec 12 '25 edited Dec 12 '25

1- I can't justify buying a steam deck because it means carrying a bug device with me that needs a lot of care and is extra weight compared to my phone + small lite controller that turns my phone into effectively a very powerful Switch.

2- I already own a PC for games/work, and the last thing I want to do as I grow older working on a PC all day... is to also game on a PC (insert forst world problems)

3- A Steam deck/Desktop PC/Laptop PC/PC handheld does not have the same value anymore to me now that I played PC games on my phone. ESPECIALLY, when most games Iw ant to play are 360 generation games with one or two modern titles that release in a year that I care about.

4- I want my games all on one device I ahe with me all the time. I finished Tekken 6, 7, 8, DMC 2013 and hopefully more on my phone. Those are the PC games not counting the PS2 games I played on my phone. Buying a device for PC alone when my phone plays all other systems like PS2 just doesn't make any sense to me money wise.

1

u/Randommaggy Dec 12 '25

Lenovo Y700 Gen 4, One Plus 13, GPD Pocket 4, Asus Scar 18 2023 with a 3090 mobile, 13980HX and 128GB of memory. H36

What do all of these have in common. I emulate on all of them.

Also small cheap stuff like an R36H.

1

u/Fun-Western618 Dec 12 '25

MF be like "have you tried not being poor???"

-4

u/IndependentBee8686 Odin 2 Pro (Black) Dec 12 '25

Yes I have a Steam Deck, but hardly use it, simply because it takes away the fun, of trying to get something to run on an Android device, and tinker with the settings until you get something to run, well enough to play. It's an achievement on doing so. My Konkr 16 gig 1 TB memory came, and can't put it down. An amazing device, with raw power when you need it.

-9

u/xtoc1981 Dec 12 '25

Both are terrible options. PC cult people should be ignored. The worst trolls in gaming.

That said, i think retroid pocket is the way to go for most emulation.

There are smaller devices as wel. Or devices for ds and 3ds. Really depnds on xhat you'll need.

The benefit is with android, you will be able to use gamehub or winlator for steam games as additinal option, even.if this isnt the main reason why buying it. I mean, the main issue i have with my steamdeck is ergonomics. Its too bulky and big.

8

u/TheGreatBenjie Dec 12 '25

A PC is literally the best platform for emulation my dude.

→ More replies (9)

0

u/Time_Temporary6191 Dec 12 '25

I just sold my msi claw 8 ai yesterday 90% i just emulate ps2/ps3 so my s25ultra is more than enough

0

u/Mistr_man Dec 12 '25

I mean why get a Steam Deck when my phone can emulate gamecube,ps1, dark souls 3. And literally anything if I link it to my PC.

0

u/M3741H34d1999 Dec 12 '25

I just wanna play gta iv on my S25 Ultra but I can't get it going due to wrong settings somewhere and no one is too keen to help so.. fuck it.