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The X6 is a 3.5 inch 4:3 Linux handheld that plays everything up to SNES well, made by BOYHOM. It came out in July 2023 at $25. Inside is the Actions Semiconductor ATJ2273S with ? DDR of RAM.
Who it's for
Buy it if
- You want to play everything up to SNES.
- You want a 3.5 inch screen and carry it in a bag or a jacket.
Skip it if
- You want PS1 games: it does not run them.
- You want Wi-Fi for updates and cloud saves.
What it plays
Plays up to: SNES. Chip: Actions Semiconductor ATJ2273S.
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
Sharpest fit: Genesis
At 2x, 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 29 of 117 Linux and other handhelds in our database have a smaller battery than this 2,000 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 SNES well
- Video out to a TV
- Low price
Not so good
- PS1 games do not run reliably
- No Wi-Fi
- Small 2,000 mAh battery
Screen fit
Screen: 3.5 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% |
Whole-number scales keep every pixel the same size. Screen 640 x 480.
Size
122 x 162 x 60 mm. Too big for a jeans pocket
- X6 (122 x 162 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 | Actions Semiconductor ATJ2273S |
| CPU | Actions Semiconductor ATJ2273S |
| Cores | 1 |
| Clock speed | 450 MHz |
| RAM | ? DDR DDR |
| Cooling | No |
| Screen | |
| Size | 3.5" |
| Type | IPS |
| Resolution | 640 x 480 |
| Refresh rate | 60 Hz |
| Pixel density | 228 ppi |
| Aspect ratio | 4:3 |
| Dual screen | No |
| Controls | |
| D-pad | Cross, Lower placement |
| Analog sticks | Yes |
| Stick layout | Double, symetrical |
| L3 / R3 | Yes |
| Shoulder buttons | No L2/R2 |
| Rumble | No |
| Gyroscope | No |
| Connectivity | |
| Storage | External MicroSD |
| SD card | Yes |
| Wi-Fi | No |
| Bluetooth | No |
| USB-C | Yes |
| Video out | Yes |
| Headphone jack | No |
| Build | |
| Form factor | Vertical |
| Dimensions | 122 x 162 x 60 mm |
| Battery | 2000 mAh |
| Shell | Plastic |
| Speakers | Front |
| Software | |
| Operating system | Linux |
Questions
Can the X6 play PS2 games?
Not well. PS2 scores 0 out of 100. It plays everything up to SNES well.
Is the X6 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?
No. Use Bluetooth headphones or the speakers.
How big is the battery?
2,000 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 X6 cost?
It launched at about $25 in Jul 2023. Prices on the used market change, so check current listings.
Price and newer models
$25 at launch Under $60
The newest in its line in our database, out since Jul 2023.
Similar handhelds
Specs and emulation scores from the retrocatalog.com handheld database. The score out of 10 is our own.