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The SF3000 is a 4.5 inch 16:9 Linux handheld that plays everything up to SNES well, made by Datafrog. It came out in October 2024 at $33.
Who it's for
Buy it if
- You want to play everything up to SNES, plus some PS1.
- You want a 4.5 inch screen and carry it in a bag or a jacket.
Skip it if
- You want PS1 games: it scores 50 out of 100, so many games struggle.
- You want Wi-Fi for updates and cloud saves.
SF3000 videos
What it plays
Plays up to: SNES.
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
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)
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 SNES well
- Low price
Not so good
- PS1 games do not run reliably
- No Wi-Fi
- No video out
Screen fit
Screen: 4.5 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% |
Whole-number scales keep every pixel the same size. Screen 854 x 480.
Specs
| Performance | |
|---|---|
| CPU | Cortex-A7 |
| Cores | 2 |
| Clock speed | 1.2 GHz |
| RAM | 2 GB DDR3 |
| Cooling | No |
| Screen | |
| Size | 4.5" |
| Type | IPS |
| Resolution | 854 x 480 |
| Refresh rate | 60 Hz |
| Pixel density | 217 ppi |
| Aspect ratio | 16:9 |
| Dual screen | No |
| Controls | |
| D-pad | Separated Buttons, Upper Placement |
| Analog sticks | Yes |
| Stick layout | Double, asymetrical |
| L3 / R3 | Yes |
| Shoulder buttons | Side By Side |
| Rumble | No |
| Gyroscope | No |
| Connectivity | |
| Storage | External MicroSD |
| SD card | Yes |
| Wi-Fi | No |
| Bluetooth | No |
| USB-C | Yes |
| Video out | No |
| Headphone jack | Yes |
| Build | |
| Form factor | Horizontal |
| Battery | 3000 mAh |
| Shell | Plastic |
| Speakers | Back |
| Software | |
| Operating system | Linux |
Questions
Can the SF3000 play PS2 games?
Not well. PS2 scores 0 out of 100. It plays everything up to SNES well.
Is the SF3000 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?
3,000 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 SF3000 cost?
It launched at about $33 in Oct 2024. Prices on the used market change, so check current listings.
Price and newer models
$33 at launch Under $60
The newest in its line in our database, out since Oct 2024.
Similar handhelds
Specs and emulation scores from the retrocatalog.com handheld database. The score out of 10 is our own.