ACG Diary: Retro Handheld Gaming (Emulator) Parameters Guide & Buying Tips

Recently, the blogger purchased a retro handheld gaming device. Since the blogger had zero prior knowledge about retro handhelds, they created this table while figuring things out. The "Recommended CPU" column represents what the blogger considers a good current choice and does not mean lower-tier CPUs can't run the games (but performance below this tier will likely be unsatisfactory). CPU model selections are primarily based on popular handheld devices; other CPU models can be cross-referenced accordingly. If you spot any errors, please leave a comment for correction. Thanks!

Additionally, the blogger has compiled a large collection of Chinese-translated games available for download.

Recommended CPU Performance Ranking:
Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 > Dimensity 8300 > Snapdragon 865 ≈ Dimensity 1200 > Tiger T820 ≈ Snapdragon 845 > Tiger T610 ≈ Snapdragon 665 > Rockchip RK3566 > Allwinner H700

System (Emulator)	Era	Screen Size	Aspect Ratio	Output Resolution	Recommended CPU
Arcade (Final Burn Neo)	1971	N/A	~4:3	384×224 (Typical)	Tiger T820 Dimensity 1200 Snapdragon 865
Atari (Stella)	1977	TV Output	4:3	160×192	Allwinner H700 Rockchip RK3566
FC/NES (Mesen)	1983	TV Output	4:3	256×240	Allwinner H700 Rockchip RK3566
MD/Genesis (Genesis Plus GX)	1988	TV Output	4:3	320×224	Allwinner H700 Rockchip RK3566
GB (SameBoy)	1989	~2.6 inches	~10:9	160×144	Allwinner H700 Rockchip RK3566
SFC/SNES (Mesen S)	1990	TV Output	4:3	256×224	Allwinner H700 Rockchip RK3566
PS1 (PCSX ReARMed)	1994	TV Output	4:3	640×480	Allwinner H700 Rockchip RK3566
SS (Kronos)	1994	TV Output	4:3	704×480	Tiger T820 Dimensity 1200 Snapdragon 845
N64 (Mupen64Plus)	1996	TV Output	4:3	640×480	Tiger T610 Snapdragon 665
GBC (SameBoy)	1998	~2.6 inches	~10:9	160×144	Allwinner H700 Rockchip RK3566
PS2 (PCSX2)	2000	TV Output	4:3 / 16:9	640×480 – 1920×1080	Tiger T820 Dimensity 1200 Snapdragon 865
GBA (mGBA)	2001	~2.9 inches	3:2	240×160	Allwinner H700 Rockchip RK3566
NDS (DeSmuME)	2004	Top: ~3.0" Bottom: ~3.0"	4:3 (both)	256×192 (each)	Tiger T610 Snapdragon 665
PSP (PPSSPP)	2004	~4.3 inches	16:9	480×272	Tiger T610 Snapdragon 665
Wii (Dolphin)	2006	TV Output	16:9	480p – 1080p	Tiger T820 Dimensity 1200 Snapdragon 865
PS3 (RPCS3)	2006	TV Output	16:9	720p – 1080p	Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
3DS (Citra)	2011	Top: ~3.53" Bottom: ~3.02"	Top: 5:3 Bottom: 4:3	Top: 400×240 Bottom: 320×240	Tiger T820 Dimensity 1200 Snapdragon 865
PS Vita (Vita3K)	2011	~5.0 inches	16:9	960×544	Dimensity 8300 Snapdragon 865
Wii U (Cemu)	2012	TV + GamePad (~6.2")	16:9	TV: 1080p GamePad: 854×480	Dimensity 8300 Snapdragon 865
Switch (YUZU)	2017	~6.2 inches	16:9	720p	Snapdragon 8 Gen 2

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These parameters should be very helpful for choosing a retro handheld (at least the blogger found them essential), especially the output aspect ratio, which is crucial when selecting devices with different screen sizes. For example, the blogger purchased a handheld with a 5.5-inch 16:9 screen. When scaled to fit common emulator output ratios, the maximum usable display sizes are as follows:

16:9 (Native)	5:3 (Scaled)	4:3 (Scaled)	3:2 (Scaled)	10:9 (Scaled)
5.5 inches	5.24 inches	4.49 inches	4.86 inches	4.03 inches

Based on these calculations, the scaled display sizes are all larger than the original consoles' screens (the blogger isn't overly concerned with perfect pixel-for-pixel "point-to-point" rendering). This ensures a baseline playable experience. The blogger also advises calculating this yourself before buying, especially if choosing a 4:3 aspect ratio handheld. Be sure to check the scaled 16:9 display size to avoid ending up with an unreadably small image when playing games.

3DS Screen Size Conversion on 5.5" (16:9):

• Top Screen (Scaled): ~3.11 inches
• Bottom Screen (Scaled): ~2.66 inches

A special note on dual-screen emulation (NDS/3DS):
On a 5.5-inch 16:9 screen, displaying both 3DS screens side-by-side at their original aspect ratios requires scaling them down to approximately 85% of their original size. This results in a top screen of ~3.11 inches and a bottom screen of ~2.66 inches. However, most emulators allow adjusting the scaling independently (e.g., enlarging the top screen while shrinking the bottom). Overall, while NDS is manageable on a 5.5" 16:9 display, 3DS can be slightly annoying.

For optimal 3DS emulation:
A 1:1 (square) aspect ratio display is ideal. Calculations show that a 5.13-inch square screen can display both 3DS screens at their original sizes and proportions without scaling. This is the most suitable aspect ratio for 3DS.