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The Zero 40 is a 4.0 inch 3:5 Android handheld that plays everything up to Dreamcast well, made by MagicX. It came out in June 2025 at $75. Inside is the Allwinner A133 Plus with 2 GB of RAM.
Who it's for
Buy it if
- You want to play everything up to Dreamcast, plus some PSP.
- You want a 4.0 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 N64 and 3D PS1 games on two sticks: it has one.
Zero 40 videos
What it plays
Plays up to: Dreamcast. Chip: Allwinner A133 Plus.
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 Zero 40, but I get eye strain very quickly if I try to play DS on it.”
“I have the Zero 40 and it's been collecting dust because it's just too small for DS.”
“I got the zero 40 recently - original hardware is better, but the zero 40 is a charming little device, comfortable in the hands, and overall something I've had a lot of fun with so far”
What the specs mean
Sharpest fit: GBA
At 3x, GBA fills 90% 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 8 other handhelds
The Allwinner A133 Plus also powers the Mini Zero 28, TRIMUI Brick, TRIMUI Brick Hammer, TRIMUI Brick Pro and more. The same chip means similar speed, though memory and cooling can differ.
Based on: Our handheld database (chip field)
Small battery for its class
Only 26 of 103 Android handhelds in our database have a smaller battery than this 4,300 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
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)
DS on one screen
DS games show both screens shrunk side by side, or one big screen you swap. The touch screen stands in for the stylus.
Based on: Layout data: single screen with touch
Android 10
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 Dreamcast well
- Hall effect sticks, so no stick drift
- Low price
Not so good
- Not built for PS2 games
- No video out
Screen fit
Screen: 4.0 inch, IPS, 3:5, 480 x 800.
| System | Original | Sharpest scale | Screen filled |
|---|---|---|---|
| Game Boy | 160 x 144 | 3x (480 x 432) | 54% |
| GBA | 240 x 160 | 3x (720 x 480) | 90% |
| NES and SNES | 256 x 224 | 2x (512 x 448) | 60% |
| Genesis | 320 x 224 | 2x (640 x 448) | 75% |
| PS1 and N64 | 320 x 240 | 2x (640 x 480) | 80% |
| DS, one screen | 256 x 192 | 2x (512 x 384) | 51% |
| PSP | 480 x 272 | 1x (480 x 272) | 34% |
Whole-number scales keep every pixel the same size. Screen 480 x 800.
Size
136 x 105 x 17 mm, 182 g. Too big for a jeans pocket
- Zero 40 (136 x 105 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 A133 Plus |
| CPU | Cortex-A53 |
| Cores | 4 |
| Clock speed | 1.8 GHz |
| GPU | PowerVR GE8300 |
| RAM | 2 GB DDR4 |
| Screen | |
| Size | 4.0" |
| Type | IPS |
| Resolution | 480 x 800 |
| Refresh rate | 60 Hz |
| Pixel density | 233 ppi |
| Aspect ratio | 3:5 |
| Touch screen | Yes |
| Dual screen | No |
| Controls | |
| D-pad | Cross, Upper placement |
| Analog sticks | Yes |
| Stick layout | Single, bottom |
| Hall effect sticks | Yes |
| L3 / R3 | Yes |
| Shoulder buttons | Side By Side |
| Rumble | Yes |
| Gyroscope | No |
| Connectivity | |
| Storage | Dual External MicroSD |
| SD card | Yes |
| Wi-Fi | Yes (4) |
| Bluetooth | Yes (4.2) |
| USB-C | Yes |
| Video out | No |
| Headphone jack | Yes |
| Build | |
| Form factor | Horizontal |
| Dimensions | 136 x 105 x 17 mm |
| Weight | 182 g |
| Battery | 4300 mAh |
| Shell | Plastic |
| Speakers | Front |
| Software | |
| Operating system | Android, Linux |
| Android version | 10 |
| Custom firmware | GammaOSNext |
Questions
Can the Zero 40 play PS2 games?
Not well. PS2 scores 0 out of 100. It plays everything up to Dreamcast well.
Can it play GameCube games?
Partly. GameCube scores 10 out of 100.
Is the Zero 40 good for GBA?
GBA runs at full speed. At 3x it fills 90% of the screen with even pixels.
Does it have a headphone jack?
Yes.
How big is the battery?
4,300 mAh. The middle Android handheld in our database has 5,000 mAh.
Can it connect to a TV?
No, it has no video out.
How much does the Zero 40 cost?
It launched at about $75 in Jun 2025. Prices on the used market change, so check current listings.
Price and newer models
$75 at launch $60 to $120
The newest in its line in our database, out since Jun 2025.
Compared with
Similar handhelds
Specs and emulation scores from the retrocatalog.com handheld database. The score out of 10 is our own.