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For a Game Boy style vertical handheld, the Anbernic RG40XX V is the easiest pick: a 4 inch screen, HDMI out and great ratings from GB to PS1, at a price near $75. The TrimUI Brick Pro costs about $100 and adds Hall sticks. For GameCube and PS2 in a vertical body, the Anbernic RG406V is the only option in our data.
"Vertical" means a portrait body where the screen sits above the controls, like a Game Boy or a Game Boy Color. Our data holds five of them. Four run Linux or Android-Linux on entry-level chips, and one, the RG406V, runs Android on the Unisoc T820.
All vertical handhelds in our data
| Handheld | Chip | Screen | Sticks | Video out | Weight | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anbernic RG40XX V | Allwinner H700 | 4" | - | HDMI | - | $75third-party aggregator (heldgames.com street price), Nov 5, 2026 |
| TrimUI Brick Pro | Allwinner A133 Plus | 3.95" | 2 | - | 236 g | $99.99retail list price as reported (not seen on store page), Nov 5, 2026 |
| Anbernic RG406V | Unisoc Tiger T820 | 4" | 2 | - | 289 g | $160.27Anbernic official store, Nov 5, 2026 |
| TrimUI Brick Hammer | Allwinner A133 Plus | 3.2" | 0 | none | 196 g | - |
| MagicX Zero 40 | Allwinner A133 Plus | 4" | - | none | 182 g | - |
A dash means the data has no value, not that the handheld lacks it. Prices come from the maker's official store (Anbernic, Powkiddy) or a named third party, each with source and date.
Emulation ratings for the vertical handhelds
| Handheld | GB / GBA / NES / SNES | PS1 | N64 | Dreamcast | PSP | Nintendo DS | GameCube / Wii | PS2 | Switch | 3DS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anbernic RG40XX VAnbernic | great | great | great | great | good | great | no | no | no | no |
| Anbernic RG406VAnbernic | - | - | - | - | - | - | great | good | playable | great |
| TrimUI Brick HammerTrimUI | great | - | great | great | playable | great | no | no | no | no |
| TrimUI Brick ProTrimUI | great | great | playable | playable | playable | - | - | - | - | - |
| MagicX Zero 40MagicX | - | - | great | great | good | great | no | no | no | no |
Only systems with a rating are claimed. The RG40XX V shares its row with the other H700 handhelds, the Brick Pro rows come from a Retro Handhelds review, and the RG406V rows come from Retro Catalog scores. All are provisional; see the emulation chart for how the words are assigned.
The picks
Anbernic RG40XX V: the default
A vertical Game Boy style body with a 4 inch screen. Our data rates it great for GB through SNES, PS1, N64, Dreamcast and DS and good for PSP, and says no to GameCube and PS2. It lists HDMI out. Its listed con is that the small analog nubs are uncomfortable for long 3D sessions, and the sources conflict on RAM, weight and stick count, so check the shop page. Price: $75 (third-party aggregator (heldgames.com street price), Nov 5, 2026).
TrimUI Brick Pro: sticks and a 4:3 screen
The Brick Pro has a 3.95 inch 4:3 screen, Hall sticks with RGB rings and support for SpruceOS and NextUI. It launched in July 2026 at a reported $99.99 list price. The cons in our data are blunt: performance drops sharply past PS1, it is top-heavy, and a reviewer found the screen dim. It is rated great for GB to PS1 and playable for N64, Dreamcast and PSP. Price: $99.99 (retail list price as reported (not seen on store page), Nov 5, 2026).
TrimUI Brick Hammer: smallest and metal
A metal body with a 3.2 inch 1024x768 screen and a 3000 mAh battery. No sticks and no video out. It is rated great for GB through SNES, N64, Dreamcast and DS, and playable for PSP. Our data has no verified price for it.
MagicX Zero 40: touch and vertical arcade
A 4 inch touchscreen with a 480x800 resolution, Hall sticks and a 4300 mAh battery. The data lists it as Android 10 with Linux, which is outdated, and notes that dual-screen games get a small image. It suits DS games and vertical arcade games. No verified price in our data.
Anbernic RG406V: the only PS2-class vertical
The RG406V has a 4 inch 960x720 touchscreen, Hall sticks, 8 GB RAM and a 5500 mAh battery. Our data rates it great for GameCube and 3DS, good for PS2 and playable for Switch, with the caveat that the T820 limits Switch and heavy PS2. It weighs 289 g and is listed at $160.27 (Anbernic official store, Nov 5, 2026). Compare it with the horizontal model in RG406V vs RG406H.
Vertical vs horizontal
- Pocket fit. Vertical bodies are narrow. Of the four with a listed weight, three are under 240 g and the RG406V is 289 g.
- Old games. A 4:3 vertical screen fits 4:3 systems without bars. Wide 16:9 screens add bars on old systems; the TrimUI Smart Pro S lists this as a con.
- Games that use sticks. The RG40XX V's small nubs are listed as uncomfortable for long 3D sessions, so N64 and PSP are better on a horizontal body.
- Dual-screen DS games. The MagicX data notes a small image. For DS, a clamshell or the dual-screen RG DS fits better.
If your budget is the main limit, start from best retro handheld under $100. If your goal is GBA games, see best handheld for GBA.
Which one to pick
- Pick the RG40XX V for the cheapest vertical handheld with the most great ratings and HDMI out.
- Pick the TrimUI Brick Pro if you want Hall sticks and the TrimUI firmware ecosystem and accept the PS1 ceiling.
- Pick the Brick Hammer for the smallest metal body and a sharp 4:3 screen, if you find one in stock.
- Pick the MagicX Zero 40 for touch and vertical arcade games.
- Pick the RG406V only if you want GameCube or PS2 in a vertical body and accept the price above.
Questions people ask
Are there vertical retro handhelds under $100?
In our data the RG40XX V is listed at about $75. The Brick Pro is listed at $99.99. Check the current shop price.
Which vertical handheld is best for Game Boy and GBA?
The H700 RG40XX V and the TrimUI Brick models are all rated great for the GB to SNES group. The RG34XX is a horizontal with a 3:2 GBA-shaped screen; see best for GBA.
Can a vertical handheld play PS2?
Only the RG406V, which is rated good for PS2 in our data. The others are not rated for it or are rated no.
Is vertical or horizontal better?
Neither wins everywhere. Vertical is narrow and suits GB-era games and vertical arcade games; horizontal bodies leave more room for sticks and triggers.
Sources
Specs and prices were checked on the dates shown. Prices change often: check the shop before you buy.
- Retro Catalog: Anbernic RG40XX H - 2026-11-05
- Held Games: Anbernic RG40XX V review - 2026-11-05
- Retro Handhelds: TrimUI Brick Pro review - 2026-11-05
- Retro Catalog: TrimUI Brick Hammer - 2026-11-05
- Retro Catalog: MagicX Zero 40 - 2026-11-05
- Retro Catalog: Anbernic RG406V - 2026-11-05