MagicX are known for its quirky handhelds. They previously made the Zero 40 handheld that used a vertical screen in order to create a device that emulates Nintendo DS games, and it went down a treat with the retro gaming community.
They're very open with their community, so much so that they seek advice frequently via their Discord, asking members what they want, if their ideas are of interest to anyone, and behind the scenes at what they're working on. Today, they revealed what they want to work on next.
"We're thinking about building a retro gaming handheld — but before we commit, we want to hear from you first. Honestly, the retro handheld space is pretty saturated right now, so we don't want to jump in blindly. Your feedback here will directly decide whether we move forward" states MagicX in their Discord server.
With that, a render of their potentially upcoming device, one that has obviously taken design inspiration from the Nintendo 2DS, featuring a 4:3 display placed vertically, much like the Zero 40. MagicX has also teased some specifications and pricing, too, to give their audience a better perspective.
There will be "two configurations", the first being a 5" display (768 x 1024) and an active cooling fan with an mTK G99 CPU and 3GB of RAM for approximately $125. The second features the same display and fan, but this time with an MTK Dimensity 7300 CPU and 4 GB of RAM for $165.
I guess many will want enough power to emulate Nintendo DS and 3DS games, which means it will likely have to be the more expensive unit to make that, hopefully, possible. Magic X also asked the following questions regarding this device:
- Does this pricing work for you?
- Are the two tiers positioned clearly?
- Which one would you pick?
- In such a saturated market, what would make this device stand out?
So what are your thoughts? Do you think you'd be interested in something like this for that price point? Or have you already scratched the DS itch?
