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The GPi Case 2W is a 3.0 inch 4:3 Linux handheld that plays everything up to PS1 well, made by Retroflag. It came out in December 2022 at $80. Inside is the Broadcom BCM2710A1 with 512 MB of RAM.
Who it's for
Buy it if
- You want to play everything up to PS1, plus some Dreamcast.
- You want it in a jeans pocket: the front is 135 x 81 mm.
Skip it if
- You want N64 games: it scores 50 out of 100, so many games struggle.
- You want N64 and 3D PS1 games on analog sticks: it has none.
GPi Case 2W videos
What it plays
Plays up to: PS1. Chip: Broadcom BCM2710A1.
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 2x
320 x 240 times 2 is the screen's own 640 x 480, 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
Only one pair of shoulder buttons
PS1 games that use L2 and R2 need those moved to other buttons.
Based on: Layout data; the PS1 controller has four shoulder buttons
No analog sticks
N64 games and later PS1 games were made for a stick. Here they run on the d-pad, which works for some and ruins others.
Based on: Layout data; N64 and PS1 DualShock games use analog control
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 PS1 well
- Low price
Not so good
- No analog sticks
- N64 games can struggle
- No video out
- Small 2,800 mAh battery
Screen fit
Screen: 3.0 inch, IPS, 4:3, 640 x 480.
| System | Original | Sharpest scale | Screen filled |
|---|---|---|---|
| Game Boy | 160 x 144 | 3x (480 x 432) | 68% |
| GBA | 240 x 160 | 2x (480 x 320) | 50% |
| NES and SNES | 256 x 224 | 2x (512 x 448) | 75% |
| Genesis | 320 x 224 | 2x (640 x 448) | 93% |
| PS1 and N64 | 320 x 240 | 2x (640 x 480) | 100% |
| DS, one screen | 256 x 192 | 2x (512 x 384) | 64% |
Whole-number scales keep every pixel the same size. Bold rows fill the screen with a perfect fit. Screen 640 x 480.
Size
135 x 81 x 32 mm, 224 g. Fits a jeans pocket
- GPi Case 2W (135 x 81 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 | Broadcom BCM2710A1 |
| CPU | Cortex-A53 |
| Cores | 4 |
| Clock speed | 1.0 GHz |
| GPU | Broadcom VideoCore IV |
| RAM | 512 MB LPDDR2 |
| Screen | |
| Size | 3.0" |
| Type | IPS |
| Resolution | 640 x 480 |
| Refresh rate | 60 Hz |
| Pixel density | 266 ppi |
| Aspect ratio | 4:3 |
| Dual screen | No |
| Controls | |
| D-pad | Cross, Upper placement |
| Analog sticks | No |
| Stick layout | No Thumbsticks |
| Shoulder buttons | No L2/R2 |
| Rumble | No |
| Gyroscope | No |
| Connectivity | |
| Storage | External MicroSD |
| SD card | Yes |
| Wi-Fi | Yes (?) |
| Bluetooth | Yes (4.2) |
| USB-C | No |
| Video out | No |
| Headphone jack | Yes |
| Build | |
| Form factor | Vertical |
| Dimensions | 135 x 81 x 32 mm |
| Weight | 224 g |
| Battery | 2800 mAh |
| Shell | Plastic |
| Speakers | Front |
| Software | |
| Operating system | Linux |
Questions
Can the GPi Case 2W play PS2 games?
Not well. PS2 scores 0 out of 100. It plays everything up to PS1 well.
Is the GPi Case 2W good for GBA?
GBA runs at full speed. At 2x it fills 50% of the screen with even pixels.
Does it have a headphone jack?
Yes.
How big is the battery?
2,800 mAh. The middle Linux and other handheld in our database has 3,000 mAh.
Can it connect to a TV?
No, it has no video out.
How much does the GPi Case 2W cost?
It launched at about $80 in Dec 2022. Prices on the used market change, so check current listings.
Price and newer models
$80 at launch $60 to $120
The newest in its line in our database, out since Dec 2022.
Similar handhelds
Specs and emulation scores from the retrocatalog.com handheld database. The score out of 10 is our own.