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The TRIMUI Model S is a 2.0 inch 4:3 Linux handheld that plays everything up to GBA well. It came out in November 2020 at $50. Inside is the Allwinner F1C200S with 64 MB of RAM.
Who it's for
Buy it if
- You want to play everything up to GBA.
- You want it in a jeans pocket: the front is 106.5 x 56.5 mm.
Skip it if
- You want PS1 games: it scores only 20 out of 100.
- You want Wi-Fi for updates and cloud saves.
TRIMUI Model S videos
What it plays
Plays up to: GBA. Chip: Allwinner F1C200S.
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
“I love my Trimui model S and I don't care it's cramped and slow and the screen is too small I love it”
“I have the Trimui Model S and it is my most pocketable device.”
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
Sharpest fit: Genesis
At 1x, Genesis fills 93% 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 2 of 117 Linux and other handhelds in our database have a smaller battery than this 600 mAh (the middle one has 3,000 mAh). The heavier the system you run, the sooner it runs out.
Based on: Our handheld database: battery of 117 Linux and other handhelds
No headphone jack
Audio goes over Bluetooth or the speakers. Bluetooth adds a delay you can notice in rhythm games.
Based on: Layout data; Bluetooth audio latency is a known limit of the standard
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 GBA well
- Metal shell
- Low price
Not so good
- No analog sticks
- PS1 games do not run reliably
- No Wi-Fi
- No video out
Screen fit
Screen: 2.0 inch, IPS, 4:3, 320 x 240.
| System | Original | Sharpest scale | Screen filled |
|---|---|---|---|
| Game Boy | 160 x 144 | 1x (160 x 144) | 30% |
| GBA | 240 x 160 | 1x (240 x 160) | 50% |
| NES and SNES | 256 x 224 | 1x (256 x 224) | 75% |
| Genesis | 320 x 224 | 1x (320 x 224) | 93% |
Whole-number scales keep every pixel the same size. Screen 320 x 240.
Size
106.5 x 56.5 x 10 mm, 65 g. Fits a jeans pocket
- TRIMUI Model S (106.5 x 56.5 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 F1C200S |
| CPU | ARM926EJ-S |
| Cores | 1 |
| Clock speed | 717 MHz |
| GPU | 2D accelerator |
| RAM | 64 MB |
| Cooling | Yes |
| Screen | |
| Size | 2.0" |
| Type | IPS |
| Resolution | 320 x 240 |
| Refresh rate | 60 Hz |
| Pixel density | 200 ppi |
| Aspect ratio | 4:3 |
| Dual screen | No |
| Controls | |
| D-pad | Separated Cross (PSP), Upper placement |
| Analog sticks | No |
| Stick layout | No Thumbsticks |
| Shoulder buttons | No L2/R2 |
| Rumble | No |
| Gyroscope | No |
| Connectivity | |
| Storage | 64 MB |
| SD card | Yes |
| Wi-Fi | No |
| Bluetooth | No |
| USB-C | Yes |
| Video out | No |
| Headphone jack | No |
| Build | |
| Form factor | Horizontal |
| Dimensions | 106.5 x 56.5 x 10 mm |
| Weight | 65 g |
| Battery | 600 mAh |
| Shell | Plastic & Aluminum combo |
| Speakers | Front |
| Software | |
| Operating system | Linux |
| Custom firmware | MinUI |
Questions
Can the TRIMUI Model S play PS2 games?
Not well. PS2 scores 0 out of 100. It plays everything up to GBA well.
Is the TRIMUI Model S good for GBA?
GBA runs at full speed. At 1x it fills 50% of the screen with even pixels.
Does it have a headphone jack?
No. Use Bluetooth headphones or the speakers.
How big is the battery?
600 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 TRIMUI Model S cost?
It launched at about $50 in Nov 2020. Prices on the used market change, so check current listings.
Price and newer models
$50 at launch Under $60
The newest in its line in our database, out since Nov 2020.
Compared with
Similar handhelds
Specs and emulation scores from the retrocatalog.com handheld database. The score out of 10 is our own.