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The GamerCard handheld device suffers from inconsistent controls, lacking a dedicated Home button and physical volume controls, which complicates navigation and system management. Its Bluetooth connectivity is unreliable, and loading ROMs for emulation is hindered by the absence of an easy microSD card ejection method. Despite its potential for emulation, these hardware shortcomings limit its practical use.
A tech guide lists ten practical second uses for retired Android phones, noting that even older devices retain working cameras, GPS, displays, speakers, sensors and Wi-Fi. Suggested uses include turning the phone into a kitchen display, hiking GPS unit, or retro gaming handheld. The guide recommends backing up data and performing a factory reset before repurposing a device.
Reports indicate Valve is evaluating a new processor codenamed Gainsborough for a future handheld, widely assumed to be the Steam Deck 2. Details on the chip's specifications and manufacturer have not been officially confirmed by Valve.
Amazon is selling the Retroid Pocket 5 for $219, down from its $249 list price, matching the lowest price seen since summer Prime Day. The device features a 5.5-inch 1080p AMOLED screen, Snapdragon 865 chip, Hall effect sticks, active cooling, analog triggers, gyroscope and vibration, and is rated 4.6 stars by reviewers.
AYANEO has officially released the KONKR Pocket BLOCK, a Game Boy-style vertical Android handheld first shown in May. It comes in 2GB/32GB and 3GB/64GB configurations priced at $89 and $109 respectively, though AYANEO is currently offering promotional pricing of $79 and $99. The device features a 3.33-inch 960x720 LCD, a MediaTek Helio G85 chipset, a 3,500mAh battery, Android 12, and no analog sticks, with shipping starting late October in three color options.
CNET reviewer John Carlsen tested the SandBar Roller Starter Kit, a $30 device with two 8-inch lint rollers, an extendable handle and two preinstalled rolls, designed to clean pet hair and litter from between bed sheets in one pass. The dual-roller design lets it clean top and bottom sheets simultaneously without snagging, and SandBar sells six-pack refill rolls for $20, or $16 each with a subscription.
Ayaneo's budget sub-brand Konkr unveiled the Pocket Block, a compact vertical handheld resembling a Game Boy, priced from $89 with a $79 preorder deal. It features a 3.3-inch 960x720 LCD screen, a MediaTek Helio G85 chip, a 3.5mm jack, microSD slot, USB-C, and Wi-Fi/Bluetooth. Higher storage models cost $99 and add color options, with shipping expected by the end of October.
Retroid has introduced the Pocket Duo Lite Plus, a new dual-screen handheld positioned between the standard Pocket Duo and the cheaper Pocket Duo Lite. It pairs the Lite's 60Hz LCD screens and digital triggers with the standard Pocket Duo's Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 chipset and 8GB/128GB memory configuration. The device launches at $219 but is discounted to $199 through a promo code available until the end of October.
Retroid Pocket has launched a third handheld in its Duo family, the Duo Lite Plus, which pairs the slim body of the Duo Lite with the more powerful Qualcomm Dragonwing Q-7790 chip used in the standard Duo. It's priced at $219 (or $199 with an early bird code) and ships mid-November, arriving just over a week after preorders opened for the original Duo and Duo Lite models.
With Switch 2 now offering Handheld Mode Boost and free or paid upgrades for older titles, the original Switch is increasingly being outpaced as more major games go Switch 2-exclusive, including Splatoon Raiders and upcoming titles like Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave and Metroid Ravenous. The original Switch OLED still holds advantages in battery life and screen contrast, but its $399.99 price looks weak next to the base Switch 2 model for anyone who mostly docks the console.
Amazon is selling the Retroid Pocket Flip 2 for $229, down $40 from its $269 list price, marking the handheld's lowest price yet. The clamshell Android device uses a Snapdragon 865 chip with active cooling and a 5.5-inch 1080p AMOLED screen, enabling emulation up to GameCube, Dreamcast and PS2 as well as lighter Switch and Android titles.
Gaming handhelds like the Steam Deck and ROG Ally run full PC operating systems—SteamOS or Windows—so they suffer from the same software buildup issues as desktop computers. Periodically restarting these devices can resolve problems like game crashes, frame drops, lag, and audio glitches by clearing background processes and giving the system a fresh start. Valve itself lists restarting as an early troubleshooting step on its official Steam Deck support page.