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The PowKiddy X55 is a 5.5 inch 16:9 Linux handheld that plays everything up to Dreamcast well. It came out in May 2023 at $90. Inside is the RockChip RK3566 with 1 GB of RAM.
Who it's for
Buy it if
- You want to play everything up to Dreamcast, plus some PSP.
- You want a 5.5 inch screen and carry it in a bag or a jacket.
Skip it if
- You want PSP games: it scores 70 out of 100, so many games struggle.
- You want a handheld for a jeans pocket.
PowKiddy X55 videos
What it plays
Plays up to: Dreamcast. Chip: RockChip RK3566.
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 owners say
“Still enjoying my Powkiddy X55, and haven't felt a need for anything else.”
“My first powkiddy x55 had a huge battery issue after about 100 hours of gaming and I've been leery of powkiddy ever since.”
“I really love my Powkiddy x55. It was the first Powkiddy unit I ever tried.”
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: PS1 and N64
At 3x, PS1 and N64 fills 75% 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
Same chip as 26 other handhelds
The RockChip RK3566 also powers the GAMEMT E6 Plus, GKD Bubble, GKD Mini Plus, GKD Mini Plus Classic and more. 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 16 of 117 Linux and other handhelds in our database have a bigger battery than this 4,000 mAh (the middle one has 3,000 mAh).
Based on: Our handheld database: battery of 117 Linux and other handhelds
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 Dreamcast well
- Video out to a TV
- Low price
Not so good
- Not built for PS2 games
Screen fit
Screen: 5.5 inch, IPS, 16:9, 1280 x 720.
| System | Original | Sharpest scale | Screen filled |
|---|---|---|---|
| Game Boy | 160 x 144 | 5x (800 x 720) | 63% |
| GBA | 240 x 160 | 4x (960 x 640) | 67% |
| NES and SNES | 256 x 224 | 3x (768 x 672) | 56% |
| Genesis | 320 x 224 | 3x (960 x 672) | 70% |
| PS1 and N64 | 320 x 240 | 3x (960 x 720) | 75% |
| DS, one screen | 256 x 192 | 3x (768 x 576) | 48% |
| PSP | 480 x 272 | 2x (960 x 544) | 57% |
Whole-number scales keep every pixel the same size. Screen 1280 x 720.
Size
212.5 x 94.5 x 19 mm, 293 g. Too big for a jeans pocket
- PowKiddy X55 (212.5 x 94.5 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 | RockChip RK3566 |
| CPU | Cortex-A55 |
| Cores | 4 |
| Clock speed | 1.8 GHz |
| GPU | Mali-G52 2EE |
| RAM | 1 GB LPDDR4X |
| Cooling | Yes |
| Screen | |
| Size | 5.5" |
| Type | IPS |
| Resolution | 1280 x 720 |
| Refresh rate | 60 Hz |
| Pixel density | 267 ppi |
| Aspect ratio | 16:9 |
| Dual screen | No |
| Controls | |
| D-pad | Cross, Lower placement |
| Analog sticks | Yes |
| Stick layout | Double, asymetrical |
| L3 / R3 | Yes |
| Shoulder buttons | Stacked |
| Connectivity | |
| Storage | 16 GB |
| SD card | Yes |
| Wi-Fi | Yes (?) |
| Bluetooth | Yes (?) |
| USB-C | Yes |
| Video out | Yes |
| Headphone jack | Yes |
| Build | |
| Form factor | Horizontal |
| Dimensions | 212.5 x 94.5 x 19 mm |
| Weight | 293 g |
| Battery | 4000 mAh |
| Shell | Plastic |
| Speakers | Bottom |
| Software | |
| Operating system | Linux |
| Custom firmware | ROCKNIX, KNULLI, PlumOS, GammaOS C., UnofficialOS |
| PortMaster | Yes |
Questions
Can the PowKiddy X55 play PS2 games?
Not well. PS2 scores 10 out of 100. It plays everything up to Dreamcast well.
Can it play GameCube games?
Partly. GameCube scores 20 out of 100.
Is the PowKiddy X55 good for GBA?
GBA runs at full speed. At 4x it fills 67% of the screen with even pixels.
Does it have a headphone jack?
Yes.
How big is the battery?
4,000 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 PowKiddy X55 cost?
It launched at about $90 in May 2023. Prices on the used market change, so check current listings.
Price and newer models
$90 at launch $60 to $120
The newest in its line in our database, out since May 2023.
Compared with
Similar handhelds
Specs and emulation scores from the retrocatalog.com handheld database. The score out of 10 is our own.