On this page
Retro handheld prices in 2026 depend mostly on one choice: Linux or Android. This index counts every handheld in our database that has a verified US price, and the headline is below.
From the Palm Arcade data (33 handhelds with a US price, checked Nov 5, 2026): median price $100; the middle half costs $65 to $229; cheapest Anbernic RG35XX Pro ($50), most expensive AYANEO Pocket Micro 2 ($438.41). Of all 40, 28 have two analog sticks, 10 an OLED or AMOLED screen, 18 list a video output and 21 run Android. 7 more are listed without a verified price.
The catalog page lists every device with its specs; this page only summarizes the prices. For the full table see all retro handhelds compared.
Key findings
Price by what the handheld plays well
| Plays well (great or good) | Handhelds | Median | Range | Cheapest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PS2 or GameCube | 5 | $240 | $160.27 - $438.41 | Anbernic RG406V |
| PSP, Dreamcast or N64 | 13 | $65 | $50 - $150 | Anbernic RG35XX Pro |
| PS1 and older only | 3 | $94 | $52.99 - $99.99 | Miyoo Mini Flip |
Lowest listed US price per handheld, checked Nov 5, 2026. Ratings are the provisional emulation ratings on this site.
Price follows the heaviest console a handheld runs well. The step up to PS2 and GameCube is the biggest jump in the table, because those systems need a fast chip. Handhelds that stop at PS1 and older overlap in price with the PSP, Dreamcast and N64 group, so check the rating before you pay for a higher tier.
Price by operating system
| System | Handhelds | Median | Range | Cheapest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | 14 | $62 | $50 - $99.99 | Anbernic RG35XX Pro |
| Android and Linux (dual boot) | 2 | $122 | $94 - $150 | Anbernic RG DS |
| Android | 16 | $234 | $87.99 - $438.41 | Anbernic RG Rotate |
Lowest listed US price per handheld, checked Nov 5, 2026. Ratings are the provisional emulation ratings on this site.
Linux handhelds on small budget chips are the cheap end of the market. Android handhelds cost a multiple of that and cover the expensive end. The dual-boot models sit in between. The Linux vs Android comparison explains what the extra money buys.
Where the cheap models sit
The chart ranks every handheld priced up to $200 from cheapest to dearest, with the source named on each bar. The best retro handheld under $100 and under $200 lists pick from this part of the chart.
Price by shape
Vertical handhelds are a small group:
From the Palm Arcade data (3 handhelds with a US price, checked Nov 5, 2026): median price $100; cheapest Anbernic RG40XX V ($75), most expensive Anbernic RG406V ($160.27). Of all 5, 2 have two analog sticks, 0 an OLED or AMOLED screen, 1 list a video output and 2 run Android. 2 more are listed without a verified price.
Clamshells, the other common shape, are shown below:
From the Palm Arcade data (6 handhelds with a US price, checked Nov 5, 2026): median price $67; the middle half costs $56 to $88; cheapest Anbernic RG35XX SP ($52.19), most expensive AYN Thor ($259). Of all 7, 2 have two analog sticks, 1 an OLED or AMOLED screen, 2 list a video output and 2 run Android. 1 more are listed without a verified price.
Method
The sample is the Palm Arcade device database, the same data the handheld catalog uses. Each price is the lowest listed US price in dollars for a handheld, before shipping and tax, with the source and the check date stored next to it. When several storage or RAM versions exist, the cheapest is used and marked "from".
Prices in the data come partly from official stores and partly from named third-party listings such as Held Games, Retro Catalog, Notebookcheck and Retro Dodo. Each row names which one it used. Handhelds without a verified price are excluded from every median and range, and the first summary above prints how many that is.
The emulation ratings behind the tier table are provisional: many Android handhelds have no rating yet, and some ratings were mapped from review-site scores. Treat the tiers as a guide, not a benchmark.
Prices rose through 2026 on reported memory costs, so a street price can be out of date within weeks. The data is re-checked every 3 weeks and the date shown in each summary is the last check.
What changed since the last check
This is the first edition of the index, dated 5 Nov 2026, so there is no earlier edition to compare with. The next check will list price changes per handheld and the shift in the median.
Use the data
Download the data: retro-handhelds.csv ยท devices.json
Free to reuse under CC BY 4.0: credit Palm Arcade with a link to this page. Each row keeps its source and check date.
The numbers are free to reuse with attribution: credit Palm Arcade and link to this page. To compare a few devices side by side, use the handheld finder.
Questions people ask
How much does a retro handheld cost in 2026?
The median price is in the headline summary at the top of this page. The cheapest handhelds are Linux devices, and Android models are priced several times higher. The by-system table shows the range for each.
How much do you need to spend to play PS2 or GameCube games?
Use the "PS2 or GameCube" row of the tier table. Those handhelds are the most expensive group, and the cheapest one in that row is named there.
Are Android or Linux retro handhelds cheaper?
Linux handhelds are cheaper in this data. The by-system table gives the median and range for Linux, Android and dual-boot models, and the Linux row is the lowest.
Sources
Specs and prices were checked on the dates shown. Prices change often: check the shop before you buy.
- Held Games: RAM shortage and handheld prices 2026 - 2026-11-05
- Notebookcheck: AYN announces new prices for Thor, Odin 3 and Odin 2 Portal - 2026-11-05
- Retro Catalog: retro handhelds database - 2026-11-05
- Held Games: Anbernic RAM downgrade 2026 - 2026-11-05
- Open data: devices.json - 2026-11-05