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The PowKiddy RGB10MAX3 Pro is a 5.0 inch 16:9 Android handheld that plays everything up to PSP well. It came out in July 2023 at $115. Inside is the Amlogic A311D with 2 GB of RAM.
Who it's for
Buy it if
- You want to play everything up to PSP, plus some GameCube.
- You want a 5.0 inch screen and carry it in a bag or a jacket.
Skip it if
- You want 3DS games: it scores only 20 out of 100.
- You want Wi-Fi for updates and cloud saves.
PowKiddy RGB10MAX3 Pro videos
What it plays
Plays up to: PSP. Chip: Amlogic A311D.
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
16:9 screen
PSP and Switch games fill it. 4:3 home consoles show bars at the sides, and Game Boy games look small.
Based on: Display math: native screen shapes of each system
Sharpest fit: GBA
At 3x, GBA fills 84% of the screen with even pixels. Filling the rest means stretching, which some people smooth with a filter.
Based on: Display math: largest whole-number scale that fits the screen
Small battery for its class
Only 16 of 103 Android handhelds in our database have a smaller battery than this 4,000 mAh (the middle one has 5,000 mAh). The heavier the system you run, the sooner it runs out.
Based on: Our handheld database: battery of 103 Android handhelds
Digital triggers
The GameCube's triggers were pressure sensitive, and a few games use a light press, such as spraying while you walk in Super Mario Sunshine. Here the triggers are on or off.
Based on: Hardware fact: GameCube controller triggers are analog; this device is not listed with analog triggers
Shoulder buttons in a row
L1 and L2 sit side by side along the top edge instead of stacked. PS2 games that need L1 and L2 together mean sliding one finger between them.
Based on: Layout data (shoulder button layout)
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
Android
Besides emulators it runs Android games and game streaming apps, from your PC or the cloud.
Based on: Operating system data
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
Not so good
- Not built for PS2 games
- No Wi-Fi
Screen fit
Screen: 5.0 inch, IPS, 16:9, 854 x 480.
| System | Original | Sharpest scale | Screen filled |
|---|---|---|---|
| Game Boy | 160 x 144 | 3x (480 x 432) | 51% |
| GBA | 240 x 160 | 3x (720 x 480) | 84% |
| NES and SNES | 256 x 224 | 2x (512 x 448) | 56% |
| Genesis | 320 x 224 | 2x (640 x 448) | 70% |
| PS1 and N64 | 320 x 240 | 2x (640 x 480) | 75% |
| DS, one screen | 256 x 192 | 2x (512 x 384) | 48% |
| PSP | 480 x 272 | 1x (480 x 272) | 32% |
Whole-number scales keep every pixel the same size. Screen 854 x 480.
Size
183 x 84.5 x 18 mm. Too big for a jeans pocket
- PowKiddy RGB10MAX3 Pro (183 x 84.5 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 | Amlogic A311D |
| CPU | Cortex-A73 |
| Cores | 6 |
| Clock speed | 1.8 GHz - 2.2 GHz |
| GPU | Mali-G52 MP4 |
| RAM | 2 GB LPDDR4X |
| Screen | |
| Size | 5.0" |
| Type | IPS |
| Resolution | 854 x 480 |
| Refresh rate | 60 Hz |
| Pixel density | 195 ppi |
| Aspect ratio | 16:9 |
| Dual screen | No |
| Controls | |
| D-pad | Cross, Upper placement |
| Analog sticks | Yes |
| Stick layout | Double, symetrical |
| L3 / R3 | Yes |
| Shoulder buttons | Side By Side |
| Connectivity | |
| Storage | 16 GB eMMC |
| SD card | Yes |
| Wi-Fi | No |
| Bluetooth | No |
| USB-C | Yes |
| Video out | Yes |
| Headphone jack | Yes |
| Build | |
| Form factor | Horizontal |
| Dimensions | 183 x 84.5 x 18 mm |
| Battery | 4000 mAh |
| Shell | Plastic |
| Speakers | Front |
| Software | |
| Operating system | Android, Linux |
| Custom firmware | ROCKNIX, UnofficialOS |
| PortMaster | Yes |
Questions
Can the PowKiddy RGB10MAX3 Pro 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 50 out of 100.
Is the PowKiddy RGB10MAX3 Pro good for GBA?
GBA runs at full speed. At 3x it fills 84% of the screen with even pixels.
Does it have a headphone jack?
Yes.
How big is the battery?
4,000 mAh. The middle Android handheld in our database has 5,000 mAh.
Can it connect to a TV?
Yes, it has video out.
How much does the PowKiddy RGB10MAX3 Pro cost?
It launched at about $115 in Jul 2023. Prices on the used market change, so check current listings.
Price and newer models
$115 at launch $60 to $120
Newer in the same line: the RGB10MAX3 (Feb 2024). Compare before you buy this one new.
Similar handhelds
Specs and emulation scores from the retrocatalog.com handheld database. The score out of 10 is our own.