The best clamshell retro handhelds

A clamshell folds shut to protect the screen and fits in a pocket. Seven handhelds in our data use that shape. Five are Linux handhelds on weak-to-mid chips built for 2D games, one is the dual-screen Android RG DS, and one is the AYN Thor, a high-end dual-screen Android model.

All clamshell handhelds in our data

Every price shows its source and date. Anbernic and Powkiddy prices are from their official stores (lowest listed price incl. any sale, China warehouse version for Anbernic); Retroid and AYN official stores were not readable, so confirm those before buying. A dash means the data has no value.

Emulation ratings

The AYN Thor has no ratings in our data, so its row is empty, not a "no". The three Anbernic H700 clamshells share the H700 row. Ratings are provisional; read the emulation chart notes.

The picks

Anbernic RG SP (2026) and RG34XX SP: the Game Boy Advance SP replacement

Both use the Allwinner H700 with a 3:2 screen at 720x480, the shape of a GBA screen. The RG SP (2026) is a slim 168 g body listed at $64.99 (third-party aggregator (heldgames.com street price), Nov 5, 2026) with TV out and about 6 hours of battery. The RG34XX SP has a 3300 mAh battery and is listed at $70 (third-party aggregator (heldgames.com street price), Nov 5, 2026). Held Games describes the RG34XX SP as focused on games up to GBA and PS1, and the RG SP as strong for GBA, SNES, NES and 2D PS1 games but not stick-driven N64 or Dreamcast.

Check the RAM on the RG34XX SP before buying. It was cut from 2 GB to 1 GB in January 2026, and some units have been reported with 512 MB. Specs also differ by production batch. The RG SP (2026) lists muOS and Knulli support as expected only at launch, so check the current firmware status on the custom firmware guide.

Anbernic RG35XX SP: the older design

Same H700 chip, a 4:3 640x480 screen, and a 3300 mAh battery. It has HDMI out and sleep on close. It is listed at $52.19 (Anbernic official store, Nov 5, 2026). Its listed con is no analog sticks, which matters for N64 and PSP games. RG35XX family differences are on the comparison page.

Miyoo Mini Flip: smallest

A 2.8 inch screen, SigmaStar SSD202D chip and microSD only storage. Sources praise the improved hinge over the original Miyoo Flip and support for Onion and MinUI. The listed cons are no Bluetooth, no internal storage, mushy shoulder buttons and a 480p image that scales poorly. Our data rates it great for GB through PS1 and playable for DS, and no for N64, Dreamcast and PSP. Price: $52.99 (retail price as reported (not seen on store page), Nov 5, 2026).

Miyoo Flip: stronger chip, hinge worry

A Rockchip RK3566, a 3.5 inch 640x480 screen and PortMaster and multiple firmware options. Rated great for N64 and Dreamcast, good for PSP, no for GameCube and PS2. The listed cons include a plastic build and hinge issues reported. Our data has no price for it. The Miyoo Flip V2, a frequent search, is not in our database, so we make no claims about it.

Anbernic RG DS: two screens

Two 4 inch touchscreens on a clamshell, Android 14 with Play Store (the system is listed as Android 14 / Linux), 3 GB RAM and 32 GB storage. Rated great for GB through PS1 and DS, playable for N64, Dreamcast and PSP, and no for GameCube and above. Slippery sticks are the listed con. Price: from $94 (third-party aggregator (heldgames.com street price), Nov 5, 2026).

AYN Thor: the premium clamshell

A 6 inch AMOLED plus a 3.92 inch AMOLED, Hall sticks and Wi-Fi 7, on a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (the Lite model uses a Snapdragon 865). It weighs 380 g, so it is not a pocket device, and prices rose $10 to $30 in 2026. It has no emulation ratings in our data. Price: from $259 (Notebookcheck report: Thor Lite 8/128 (SD865), Nov 5, 2026).

Hinge and durability: what the sources say

Our data records one hinge warning (Miyoo Flip hinge issues reported) and one improvement (Mini Flip). It has no durability tests for the Anbernic clamshells, so we do not claim any. Look at recent buyer reports for the specific batch you plan to order.

Clamshell or flat?

A clamshell protects the screen and sleeps on close, but the three Anbernic SP models have no analog sticks. If you want N64 or PSP, a flat horizontal with sticks is better; see best retro handheld. For the Anbernic vs Miyoo question see Anbernic vs Miyoo.