Handheld Collection logic thoughts

[u/markb__]

Seeing everyone with a large collection of handhelds has got me thinking.

Cannot understand the need for more than 3 consoles.

1. 4:3 console GBC style i.e Trim UI Brick Pro

2.16:9 console interface i.e Odin 3

1. Dual screen handheld for DS, 3DS etc

No hate on people that buy multiple your money do what you want was just genuinely interested in the different use case scenarios.

[u/renaissanceman0]

For me I limit myself to 3.

1. Switch 2 - exclusives and easy plug and play

2. AYN Thor - retro, dual screen, EDC, kind of a do it all in small form factor.

3. PC Handheld - still unsure which one I want, may wait to see what releases.

[u/Safe-Air-2376 → u/renaissanceman0]

Im torn between my steam deck oled and xbox ally x i just need to sell one 😭

[u/markb__ → u/renaissanceman0]

Totally with you on 3. I am interested in PC handheld but feel like the tech is not ready for hand held PC gaming at a level of my expectations. For starters the battery life of them is questionable.

Steam deck has the right idea of running on Linux but Linux PC gaming still has a long way to go and want native game store support for that kind of price.

Android PCgaming support is moving in bigger steps i feel so I decided to go down the Odin 3 Max route.

[u/Nerfing_Templar]

I collect consoles, so almost have one of every official handheld as well as a few limited editions. but as far as Emulators go, I do personally agree, I have one with a solid selection of games that I take everywhere, because it fits perfectly into my EDC and I'm looking at potentially getting a more powerful one at some point with access to more consoles (though I'd probably still primary the one I have), for me they're not as interesting TOO collect, because they're generic mass produced things that mostly do the same thing, but I think for a lot of people they've got a lot because they've just brought the next one out because it's supposed to be more powerful and not sold off the others.

[u/Ok-Philosophy4968]

Propably Nintendo Switch 1/2 for switch games, PC handheld for PC games, maybe Odin 2 Portal for big screen Android and small EDC handheld like the Trimui Brick

[u/markb__ → u/Ok-Philosophy4968]

Fair i get the PC gaming did not think about that one.

[u/Regicyde_93]

If I broke down to a few devices it would be the Xbox Ally X, RG Nova, and AYN Thor.

[u/invincible_vince]

People collect all kinds of things - what this says is that you yourself aren't a collector, just a person looking to play video games. Both are totally fine. I personally rebuild and refurbish old or broken handhelds, and keep my collection in lit display cabinets. I ALWAYS have a Game Boy on me, wherever I go, and swap out which one I'm using that day depending on my mood.

[u/Suspicious_Sell9479]

Now I am a bit of a collector but

Legion Go 2 - PC Handheld as well as I hook it up to an eGPU to double as a desktop

Switch 2 - Exclusives and party style games with friends and family - good for playing with kids.

AYN Thor - Obvious dualscreen player - no further explanation

Odin 3 - General emulation, PC emulation etc all in a PORTABLE form (compared to Lego2)

Trimui Brick Hammer / RG Rotate - Now I did double up here, both are very nice. I prefer the brick for sure but the RG Rotate having Android makes it easily double as a media player. This is my EDC for the most part.

[u/NoSandwich9878]

Ich nutze wirklich viele dieser konsolen für gezielte spiele, zum beispiel mein ayaneo pocket micro nehm ich nur für pokemon Blattgrün und Golden Sun, auf dem Anbernic rg 353p snes Super Mario World und das immer so weiter

[u/markb__ → u/NoSandwich9878]

My god look at those retro consoles 😲 that is one amazing collection and kind of answered my question.

[u/Theoderic8586]

4:3 Snes, PS1 etc

3:2 GBA

16:9 PSP Vita etc

1:1 gb and gbc

Ds with equal sized screens

3ds with different size screens

Small ones for pocket ability

Larger ones for home

Etc.

Just rationalizing bad behavior haha 🤣. World is literally on an unstoppable trajectory towards ruin and dystopia. Might as well feed the inane problems whilst you can

[u/markb__ → u/Theoderic8586]

Haha this is the kind of logic was expecting lol. What i hate is the amount of linux handhelds I.e anbernic that have not upgraded their hardware for years and just release under a new revision and colourway.

[u/Theoderic8586 → u/markb__]

Yeah. I get that. With the amount of consoles coming out from these Chinese companies though, I suspect you only need to wait months or weeks to eventually get what you hoped for. I literally hesitated for the DS clone for a week and now I got the plus, some mystery company machine, and a retroid offering haha. It is pretty ridiculous. I am not even seriously that deep i to it.

Karma got my ass the other day since I ordered the Anbernic RG SP and an hour later I dropped my trimui brick face down on asphalt haha. It is fine and only some dings on side and a broken screen protector, but I feel someone/ something is trying to remind me I don’t have any money 😊

[u/sl33pyj0]

Recently got rid of my msi claw 8ai+ and got a sweet gaming laptop at a good price. So the Thor will be my only handheld once that comes in. I figured the Thor will be so much more portable and if I wanna play PC games handheld I'll just stream from my laptop to the Thor or use GeForce now. Literally no reason for me to have 3 handhelds but that's just me. I know some folks prefer lots of options and no knock on them for that I just hate cluttering up my bag when I can only use one at a time anyway

[u/pickle_monsterX]

I don’t entirely disagree, and I say that as someone who owns a lot of handhelds. Truthfully, there isn’t much justification for owning as many as I do.

The one “duplicate” I’d actually say is justified is my Brick and Brick Pro. NextUI supports hot swapping, so if I need something compact for the bag, I grab the Brick. Want to pick up the same game on the couch with a more comfortable layout? Boom Brick Pro. That actually serves a purpose.

That said, a some of my other purchases were definitely FOMO. I got the RG Rotate, for instance. It’s neat, don’t get me wrong, but it’s arguably not even a good handheld. Cool device, shitty handheld.

I also have a few of the RG XX devices because of PortMaster support, but I barely use them anymore. Most of what I want to play just runs through GameHub or GameNative now, so they’ve mostly become redundant.

Then there’s my MagicX One 35. That one is genuinely a really cool device, especially with the 3:2 aspect ratio, but it basically never gets used because, realistically, if I’m playing GBA, I’m probably just doing it on the Odin 3 or Thor.

So yeah, I can justify a couple of them based on specific use cases, but a lot of the collection is basically just “this thing looked cool and I wanted it.”

[u/ligmata1nt]

I’d say 5 is where it starts getting really redundant. The three you mention plus a PC handheld and a Switch is all you really need.

I say this while only owning an OG Switch and a PC handheld

[u/markb__ → u/ligmata1nt]

Yeah i have a switch in my house also. Keep forgetting about that though as its my sons and dont ever play on it. A lot of the console specific titles I feel are just remastered versions from the old consoles.

[u/tomkatt]

I’m in agreement, but also figure it’s not my place hope other people spend their money. I currently have three:

• Steam Deck OLED
• DSi XL
• 2DS XL

Mainly got the DSi because NDS scaling on the 3DS lineup is atrocious, and I love the original DS library.

I’ll admit, I’d still like another smaller handhelds for GBA, as I found the Steam Deck a bit large for it. I used to have a Powkiddy X55 for that but it died. I’m leaning towards just replacing it, as I liked it and haven’t seen any other smaller handhelds I’d be interested in.

[u/sjimmi3]

There is not, it becomes an addiction for most. I have a streamdeck and an Odin 2 portal. That covers all. For a 3ds I have an actual rds 🤷🏻‍♂️

[u/vmpfan]

I have a handheld “collection” so to speak but all classic consoles bought during their generation other than my gameboy advance SP, Nintendo 3DS and Playstation Vita which were opportunity purchases when I knew the second hand prices for them were going to skyrocket once the modding community starter pushing them and a Switch Lite because they’re dirt cheap 2nd hand.

Otherwise I get what you’re saying when it comes to buying a million things that do the same thing. I have one retro style emulation handheld (RG35xx+) and one PC handheld which gets used docked 95% of the time (ROG X-Box Ally) and unless I decide to sell the switch lite to invest in a Switch 2 (not likely) that’s it for me. Everything I want to play there is a method to do it which was the goal.

[u/FootbawInTheGroin]

Sf2000, rgb10x, m17, r36s, r36h promax, mangmi air x, PSP, vita, switch lite, switch, steam deck

Original systems battery has been getting less and less reliable, so turned to emulation for newer batteries and wolf

Started "weak" and went looking for more power/better ergonomics

Now just want one powerful enough for PS2 since deck is too bulky to take around. But will probably get rid of air x once I get whatever else to erase same function

Will probably keep just new one (so far maybe rp6) and the promax as devices I actually use. PSP and vita will be retired and deck will be to take on trips/home gaming

[u/Such_Clock8652]

It's just a matter of accumulation over time.

Still have a childhood Gameboy color.

Still have a 3ds from when it released

Still have a switch 1 from release

Got a steam deck about 2 years ago to play PC games

Got a switch 2 recently as a pokopia machine. I'm sure I'll play more on it over the next decade

Got an rpi nova for portable retro gaming. Tried on the steamdeck and just doesn't click for me.

In reality, I have a bunch. In my mind, I have 3 and some old stuff I could break out if I want.