The market for handheld emulation is forever growing, and so is our ongoing list of the best retro handhelds.
This is because the technology used to power PS2 emulation is getting cheaper while the public demand to play PS2 games is increasing, so we’re in a special moment in time where PS2 emulation is both affordable and easily accessible.
But that said, choosing a handheld that can emulate PS2 games is more challenging than expected, especially when you consider that this market can be a little shady at times and there's a wide selection to choose from.
But do not fear, I have tested hundreds of handhelds over the years, and below are my personal best handhelds for PS2 emulation from respectable and trusted brands with a history of great devices
📖 Give me the TL:DR 📖
- Best Overall: Retroid Pocket 5
- Best Metal Handheld: ANBERNIC RG477M
- Best For No-Budget: Steam Deck OLED
- Best Clamshell Handheld: Retroid Pocket Flip 2
- Best Pocket-Friendly: ANBERNIC RG Slide
- Best Luxury Handheld: AYANEO Pocket Ace
Retroid Pocket 5
- Release Date: Late 2024
- Pricing: $219
- Where To Buy: GoRetroid.com
The GOAT at the moment is the Retroid Pocket 5, crafted by a company called GoRetroid, which has been manufacturing retro handhelds since 2020, and good ones at that.
The Retroid Pocket 5 is a $219 Android handheld, built with premium materials, featuring a gorgeous 5.5" 1080p AMOLED display, a powerful Snapdragon 865 CPU, Adreno 650 GPU and 8GB's of RAM.
This thing is incredibly powerful and can emulate most PS2 games at silky smooth frame rates, even dipping into 2x native resolution and beyond when the "smaller", less power-hungry games are chosen.
Because it's Android-based based the OS is super simple to get around, and GoRetroid have even created their own launcher too, which makes it feel more like a retro games console, alongside simple setup assistance straight out of the box. Heck, it even installs the most popular Android emualors for you.
The 5000MAH battery will get you 4 - 6 hours of gameplay on a single charge, but it varies greatly depending on what console you are emulating. PS2 emulation looks stunning on this display, especially upscaled and although the 16:9 display adds borders, it opens up the opportunity to play PSP games much more naturally, and Android games too.
It's an all-round beast, and is one of the most affordable and most reliable PS2 handhelds on the block. GoRetroid also have a history of good customer support, which is something I can't say for every brand on this list.
ANBERNIC RG477M
- Release Date: Mid 2025
- Pricing: $289.99
- Where To Buy: ANBERNIC.com, AliExpress or Amazon
- Our Full Review: ANBERNIC RG477M Review
The ANBERNIC RG477M is built for those that want something a little different, and don't mind sacrificing the weight of this portable device.
This is the first metal device from ANBERNIC since 2023, and they're turning it into a power-hungry, luxury portable handheld with enough power to emulate Playstation 2 games at 3x native resolution. Yes, 3X!
The metal CNC-machined body adds to the luxurious feel, partnered with a 4.6" LTSP display that looks crisp and is bright enough to see in broad daylight. Alongside the sturdy action buttons, LED hall-joysticks and Android 14 OS, it's a great device for those who want a metal design.
Inside is a Dimensity 8300 Processor, a Mali-G615 GPU, a whopping 12GB's of RAM and 5300MAHs of battery. That's some serious power for a device that can fit in your pocket. Just make sure you tighten the belt; this thing is as heavy as a Nintendo Switch 1.
However, it's now flawless, and that's because ANBERNIC hasn't taken much time to polish the UX with an underwhelming front-end launcher and a buggy setup process; it loses the charm.
But if you can get past that, and the click shoulder buttons, you'll find the best and most powerful pocket-friendly metal retro handheld ever made. It's beautiful and powerful.
AYN Odin 2
- Release Date: Early 2024
- Pricing: $289
- Where To Buy: AYN's Official Website
The AYN Odin 2 is an oldy but a goldy. It was one of the first devices I reviewed that actually emulated Playstation 2 games to a high standard, wrapped in a large shell, with a big 6" IPS 1080p display and a huge 8000MAH battery.
It's smaller than a Steam Deck and smaller than a Nintendo Switch 2, and although it's not pocketable, it's certainly portable in a backpack or a sling.
Internally, is a Qualcomm Kyro CPU, an Adreno 740 GPU, up to 16GB of RAM and an Android 13 OS. It's super easy to set up and comes with more power than needed to emulate Playstation 2 games incredibly well.
Offering 2 - 3x native resolution upscaling on some games and a 16:9 display to make other consoles and Android apps look great. This is the deivce I go to if i want a mix of retro gaming and modern gaming, thanks to Android and Cloud Streaming.
It comes in an array of colours, AYN has good customer support, and it feels more like a portable PC than a retro handheld, thanks to its size. Yes, it's a little overkill, but AYN are dropping the price on it recently because of its age, so it may be a good time to snag one before the Odin 3 comes around.
Retroid Pocket Flip 2
- Release Date: Mid 2025
- Pricing: $199
- Where To Buy: GoRetroid.com
- Our Full Review: Why I Have Fallen Back In Love With Clamshell Handhelds
The Retroid Pocket Flip 2 is probably the most enjoyable device to play on in this list, thanks to it simply being a bunch of fun to use.
It's a clamshell handheld from GoRetroid featuring very similar specs to the Retroid Pocket 5, however, they've put all of that into a clamshell device that feels like a Nintendo 3DS but performs like a Playstation 2.
It runs on Android, comes with a super simple setup process that pre-installs Android emulators for you with a single press of a button and even has a front end option that looks like a Nintendo Switch menu from the past.
Inside is a Snapdragon 865 CPU, Adreno 650 GPU, 8GBs of RAM and 5000MAH of battery. The screen is a 5.5" AMOLED 1080p display with great brightness and good viewing angles.
Opening up the display, you'll be greeted with two LED hall joysticks, and solid action buttons, with stacked shoulder buttons and USB-C charging. It's a beautiful and fun-looking device that comes in an array of colour choices and emulates Playstation 2 games well at native resolutions.
It's one of my favourite retro handhelds of the year. It's different, it's quirky and it emulates everything I need to on a reliable, well-crafted custom front-end with great build quality. It's GoRetroid's best product they have ever made, the only issue that I have seen is users pushing the hinge back to far and it cracking.
But in all honesty, it's pretty hard to do that; you need some serious force to break the hinge.
Steam Deck OLED
- Release Date: Late 2024
- Pricing: $679
- Where To Buy: Steam or Amazon
- Our Full Review: Is The Steam Deck OLED A Great Retro Gaming Device?
There’s no denying that the Steam Deck OLED is one of the best handhelds on the market. Valve has created an affordable, powerful device for the masses, and is even happy to take a loss on hardware to make a profit on software further down the line… and it’s working.
Many gamers will purchase a Steam Deck primarily to play their library of PC games, but it also has the ability to emulate most retro consoles, including the PlayStation 2.
You will need to do some research on how to play PS2 games on the Steam Deck, but once you’ve followed our guide, you’ll be ready no time, and even able to add all of your other retro games to an easy-to-use EmuDeck library.
It might be a bit big in the hands, but it’s incredibly comfortable, features a great OLED display, touch-sensitive pads and a near-perfect user experience which can be crafted to emulate almost any console you want, alongside the choice of playing your favourite AAA games on the go.
It's overkill, but that's the reason you buy it, to cover all areas, even if it feels like King Kong's big toe.
The ergonomics, matched with the affordable price and ease of use, make this a great contender as one of the best handhelds for PS2 emulation. Oh, and it will ship within a week, which can’t be said for most on this list.
AYANEO Pocket Ace
- Release Date: Late 2025
- Pricing: $459+
- Where To Buy: AYANEO's Official Website
- Our Full Review: AYANEO Pocket Ace Review
The AYANEO Pocket Ace is a premium, retro handheld from AYANEO, a company specifically focusing on luxurious gaming devices. The Pocket Ace is targeting pocketable, horizontal gaming on an Android OS with incredible build quality.
It features a bezel-less 4.5" display, a Qualcomm Snapdragon G3X CPU, 8GBs of RAM, a 6000MAH Battery and a glass front with hall-joysticks.
It kinda feels like a modern-day GAME BOY Advance on steroids, with stacked shoulder buttons and modern touches such as active cooling, gyroscope and fast charging, but admittedly for a premium price.
If you have no budget and want a device that just about fits in your pocket, this is one of the best on the market, thanks to the insane specifications and beautiful 3:2 display that makes retro games fit perfectly.
AYANEO have also crafted a stunning front-end launcher that allows you to customise settings, tweak performance on the go and organise your retro library in a beautiful manner.
It's the Aston Martin of retro handhelds, which can emulate Playstation 2 games in flawless fashion at 2 - 3x native resolutions. It may sound like a Harrier jet after 20 minutes of gaming, but the beautiful design and premium touches make this feel like no other handheld on the market.
ANBERNIC RG Slide
- Release Date: Mid 2025
- Pricing: $189.99
- Where To Buy: ANBERNIC.com or Amazon
- Our Full Review: ANBERNIC RG Slide Review
ANBERNIC's RG Slide is a very unique device, and is one of the first retro handhelds to feature a sliding mechanism, likely because of Sony's incredibly long patent on this style of gaming systems.
The RG Slide features a 4.7" LTSP display with a resolution of 1280x960, a Unisoc T820 CPU, a Mali G57 GPU, 8GB's of RAM and a 5000MAH battery.
That's quite a lot in this somewhat compact shell. Compact it is, but its also very heavy, and very thick when closed, which is worth noting.
The reason I really like this device is that, firstly, it can emulate most PS2 games at native resolution; the higher-end stuff may show signs of struggle, but you'll be happy with most of the performance.
And secondly, it feels like a PSP Go that slides out and reveals the awesome game pad, which features two hall joysticks and soft, resilient action buttons.
