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The Action Pi is a 4.02 inch 4:3 Linux handheld that plays everything up to PSP well, made by Helegaly. It came out in July 2025 at $65. Inside is the Allwinner A527 with 2 GB of RAM.
Who it's for
Buy it if
- You want to play everything up to PSP, plus some 3DS.
- You want a 4.02 inch screen and carry it in a bag or a jacket.
Skip it if
- You want 3DS games: it scores 50 out of 100, so many games struggle.
- You want a handheld for a jeans pocket.
Action Pi videos
What it plays
Plays up to: PSP. Chip: Allwinner A527.
Scores out of 100. 100 means the system runs at full speed with no known issues on this device. 80 or more plays well (green), 50 to 79 plays partly (yellow).
What the specs mean
4:3 screen
NES to PS2 era home consoles were 4:3, so they fill it. GBA and PSP games show bars above and below.
Based on: Display math: native screen shapes of each system
PS1 and N64 at exactly 3x
320 x 240 times 3 is the screen's own 960 x 720, so PS1 and N64 pixels stay perfectly even with no filter and no bars.
Based on: Display math: native resolution x whole-number scale = screen resolution
Same chip as 1 other handheld
The Allwinner A527 also powers the GAMEMT E6 Max. The same chip means similar speed, though memory and cooling can differ.
Based on: Our handheld database (chip field)
Big battery for its class
Only 3 of 117 Linux and other handhelds in our database have a bigger battery than this 5,000 mAh (the middle one has 3,000 mAh).
Based on: Our handheld database: battery of 117 Linux and other handhelds
D-pad on top, sticks below
The d-pad has the natural thumb spot, which suits 2D games. In 3D games your thumb lives on the lower stick.
Based on: Layout data (d-pad placement)
DS without touch
There is no touch screen, so DS games that need the stylus use a pointer moved by a stick.
Based on: Layout data: no touch screen
Rating
How we score: what it plays 30%, how many players own and recommend it 20%, screen 15%, price compared with handhelds that play as much 10%, controls 10%, size and weight 10%, battery size for its chip 5%.
Good
- Plays everything up to PSP well
- Video out to a TV
- Big 5,000 mAh battery
- Low price
Not so good
- Not built for PS2 games
Screen fit
Screen: 4.02 inch, IPS, 4:3, 960 x 720.
| System | Original | Sharpest scale | Screen filled |
|---|---|---|---|
| Game Boy | 160 x 144 | 5x (800 x 720) | 83% |
| GBA | 240 x 160 | 4x (960 x 640) | 89% |
| NES and SNES | 256 x 224 | 3x (768 x 672) | 75% |
| Genesis | 320 x 224 | 3x (960 x 672) | 93% |
| PS1 and N64 | 320 x 240 | 3x (960 x 720) | 100% |
| DS, one screen | 256 x 192 | 3x (768 x 576) | 64% |
| PSP | 480 x 272 | 2x (960 x 544) | 76% |
Whole-number scales keep every pixel the same size. Bold rows fill the screen with a perfect fit. Screen 960 x 720.
Size
172 x 82.5 x 30.3 mm, 220 g. Too big for a jeans pocket
- Action Pi (172 x 82.5 mm)
- iPhone 15 (71.6 x 147.6 mm)
True scale, front view. Jeans pocket = front no bigger than an iPhone 15 Pro Max in a case (160 x 82 mm).
Specs
| Performance | |
|---|---|
| Chip | Allwinner A527 |
| CPU | Cortex-A55 |
| Cores | 8 |
| Clock speed | 0.4 GHz - 2.0 GHz |
| GPU | Mali-G57 MC1-2EE |
| RAM | 2 GB LPDDR3X |
| Cooling | No |
| Screen | |
| Size | 4.02" |
| Type | IPS |
| Resolution | 960 x 720 |
| Refresh rate | 60 Hz |
| Pixel density | 298 ppi |
| Aspect ratio | 4:3 |
| Dual screen | No |
| Controls | |
| D-pad | Cross, Upper placement |
| Analog sticks | Yes |
| Stick layout | Double, symetrical |
| L3 / R3 | Yes |
| Shoulder buttons | Stacked |
| Connectivity | |
| Storage | 16 GB eMMC |
| SD card | Yes |
| Wi-Fi | Yes (4) |
| Bluetooth | Yes (4.2) |
| USB-C | Yes |
| Video out | Yes |
| Headphone jack | Yes |
| Build | |
| Form factor | Horizontal |
| Dimensions | 172 x 82.5 x 30.3 mm |
| Weight | 220 g |
| Battery | 5000 mAh |
| Shell | Plastic |
| Speakers | Bottom |
| Software | |
| Operating system | Linux |
Questions
Can the Action Pi play PS2 games?
Not well. PS2 scores 20 out of 100. It plays everything up to PSP well.
Can it play GameCube games?
Partly. GameCube scores 40 out of 100.
Is the Action Pi good for GBA?
GBA runs at full speed. At 4x it fills 89% of the screen with even pixels.
Does it have a headphone jack?
Yes.
How big is the battery?
5,000 mAh. The middle Linux and other handheld in our database has 3,000 mAh.
Can it connect to a TV?
Yes, it has video out.
How much does the Action Pi cost?
It launched at about $65 in Jul 2025. Prices on the used market change, so check current listings.
Price and newer models
$65 at launch $60 to $120
The newest in its line in our database, out since Jul 2025.
Similar handhelds
Specs and emulation scores from the retrocatalog.com handheld database. The score out of 10 is our own.