The new GKD Pixel has its sights set on the micro device crown, aggressively coming at the Anbernic RG Nano‘s neck.
The teasers from GKD about the Pixel have been slow. Starting with appropriately pixelated photos, hiding most of the handheld.
But just this past week, GKD has been ramping up the exposure. And we have now seen enough to think we have something pretty special on our hands.
GKD Pixel
The GKD Pixel has been quite a mysterious device, for those of us keeping our eyes on the Discord discussions.
Again, the release of specific details are slow, and GKD seems to be keeping this one close to the chest.
But they have given us a handful of important specs to let us know where it sits in the range of available micro devices.
Rex from RetroCN.com via Discord, who seems to be a big player in the development, gave us the following details:
- Metal shell with 6 color options
(Black, Blue, Red, Green, Pink, All colors + Limited Edition) - 2 inch Screen
- Grooves on the back, easy to be [held]
- [elegant] indicator lights on the shell
- 3.5 jack, USB type-c
He also added that the “rg nano sucks”, which gives us some indication of GKD’s motivation to take down the Nano.
If we check out some of the comparison photos that GKD have shared, we can see a very obvious difference in screen quality between the two devices.
The Pixel features a screen twice the size of the RG Nano, at 2 inches. And it is much sharper and less washed out than the Nano.
The screen also appears to be a 4×3 aspect ratio, making it great for retro video games.
The Pixel is a bit larger than the RG Nano to actually make it playable, not just a gimmick. So this is something we absolutely like.
Capability Expectations
If we had to guess the emulation capabilities of the Pixel, we would anticipate the usual 8-32 bit era consoles on this micro device.
Micro handhelds are not ideal for 64-bit gaming, even if the hardware can handle it. The screen is just too small and the buttons are not going to suit those game titles.
We do expect that the Pixel will suffer from the same software shortcomings as the previous GKD Mini Plus and GKD Plus Classic did.
GKD is always reluctant to share information and source code, keeping their products very exclusive. And GKD has never been good at developing good software for their devices.
There was mention that there is not going to be WIFI in the GKD Pixel.
For some reason, the particular detail that GKD still wants to keep secret is the button configuration. They seem to believe they have something very special here.
Many are speculating about the triggers, and if they will have 2, 4, or even 6 action buttons on the front.
I’m a big proponent for innovation in the handheld scene, and GKD is known for doing their own thing. So we can probably expect the GKD Pixel to be something different than what we are used to.
Release Information
The developers behind the GKD Pixel have indicated that the device will be available for purchase in October 2023.
There was mention that Aliexpress resellers may have some units available, but most will be sold on the RetroCN early bird page.
“Check [..] this Channel in October. The creator team will reserve some units for international buyers.”
It sounds like this will be made available to GKD’s close circle of friends, like their previous devices. But they also intend to make some units available for international buyers.
With the small amount of information we have, we are still expecting the Pixel to be one of the best mini retro handhelds.
And GKD’s elusive tactics are actually working, because it has us very intrigued about what is on the front of this device!
Once they actually give us the full reveal, we’ll update the Retro Dodo readers here. So check back in the future!
