I first heard about Abxylute when I covered their M4 snap-on MagSafe controller back in August 2025. Now that emulation on iPhone has soared to new heights thanks to the efforts of Riley Testut and the Delta app, companies have been angling to get a slice of the smartphone retro gaming pie by bringing out different controller options. And while the likes of the MCON provide a 'Backbone' controller experience, Abxylutes' offering is truly pocketable and gives me a mini GBA SP feel. It even comes in a GameCube colour scheme too.
While the M4 is smashing its initial Kickstarter goal of HK$10,000 with a current total of HK$1,709,859 and over 4,200 backers, and plans for the M6 are underway, it's news of a retro handheld coming from Abyxlute HQ called the E1 that has us feeling very intrigued.
We spoke to Abxylute about one of its main features that they're very excited about - a dual OS with both Linux and Android accessible from the device. Abyxylute say that this will remove the hassle of having to install new games via an SD card by giving them the option to download games through Android and play on Linux smoothly.
It's a two-pronged system; Linux for the pre-installed emulators, Android App Support to download titles. They plan to give the player the ability to select games via a mobile link, before entering a 6 or 8-digit code to download the game to the handheld.
Let's take a look at the over specs -
- System: Dual OS – Linux with pre-installed emulator cores
- CPU: Rockchip RK3566, ARM 64-bit Quad-Core Cortex-A55, up to 1.8GHz
- GPU: Mali-G52 MP2 (614MHz), supports OpenGL ES 3.2
- Memory: 2GB LPDDR4 RAM
- Storage: Supports TF/microSD card up to 512GB
- Controls: Dual carbon-film analog joysticks
- Display: 3.5-inch IPS OCA full-lamination screen, 640×480 resolution, MIPI interface
- Audio: Dual 8ohms 1W cavity speakers, with a 3.5mm standard headphone jack when playing on public transport, etc.
- Battery: Built-in 3000mAh lithium battery. Get up to 5 hours of gameplay from 2 hours of charging time.
- Connectivity/Ports: USB Type-C fast charging, Type-C OTG support, HDMI output, 3.5mm headphone jack
In terms of power, the E1 is going to be powered by an RK3566 chip. The RK3566 is 5 years old now and, if we're being honest, was a little late to the party in the first place. And while many makers are moving away from it in favour of Snapdragon chipsets, the RK3566 still remains a popular choice to keep the costs of handhelds down. In my mind, it puts the E1 on a similar par to 2022's ANBERNIC RG353M and the Powkiddy RK2023, and I would expect it to load everything up to N64, Dreamcast, and PSP, though the screen size means PSP would end up looking pretty squished without having large black lines above and below the action.
Credit: Abxylute
I can see this being a sturdy and reliable device for playing GBA games on more than anything, though Abxylute have stated that because the handheld has Android as well as Linux as its operating system, it can also stream more modern titles too. Until we get hold of it, we won't know how well it can handle larger titles, so stay tuned for more information on this.
The HDMI and a Type C On-The-Go adapter will allow users to output to larger monitors, meaning that it could be a great contender to be the handheld you take with you while travelling or when you're on the move. It looks pretty sturdy, though slightly on the larger side of 'pocketable' compared to some of ANBERNIC's recent offerings. I like the asymmetrical joystick design as I'm a Nintendo boy at heart, and the triggers look like they will be comfortable through long gaming sessions.
But the best part of the E1 is undoubtedly the price.
Credit: Abxylute
The Abxylute E1 is priced at $69 for US customers, £53 for gamers in the United Kingdom, and €64.95 for customers in Europe. Abxylute do ship all over the globe, however, and you can discover how much the E1 is in each country from their website.
While they've stated that they haven't posted much about the E1 yet, the handheld is currently on sale on their website via an early product link. As I've said previously, we haven't tested it out yet but we've been assured that we'll get one sent to us for review when it's ready, so keep your eyes peeled for our official lowdown on the Abxylute E1 coming soon!
