Miyoo Mini Flip Review: A EDC Nerds Ultimate Clamshell Handheld

Miyoo have created some absolute belters over the years. Handhelds such as the Miyoo Mini, which is still one of the best retro handhelds ever made.

They then decided to create a larger version of the Mini Flip, which I am reviewing today, earlier this year, called the Miyoo Flip, and it was so bad that I didn't even want to review it. The OS was broken, the hinge was also broken, and the analogue sticks were so slippery my thumbs felt like Bambi on ice.

It was a huge disappointment, and by the time Miyoo fixed those issues, the market moved on, and another wave of handhelds distracted customers.

MMF VS MM

But Miyoo are back swinging and this time they want to create a clamshell version of their popular Miyoo Mini, and they've done just that.

Is it as good? Is it worth the upgrade? Could it be the perfect mini handheld? Let's jump in.

• Release Date: Late 2025
• Pricing: $59.99
• Where To Buy: KeepRetro, or Miyoo
• Competition: Miyoo Mini and RG35XXSP

Miyoo Mini Flip Specifications

• 1.2 GHz Cortex-A7 CPU
• 2.8" IPS 750 x 560
• 128MB RAM
• 2500MAH Battery
• Linux OS
• 2.4G WiFi

Handheld Design & Comfortability

This thing is darn adorable. It's bigger than the Funkey S, but smaller than a typical GAME BOY Advance SP, yet surprisingly thick when shut, a hairline thicker than the GBA SP in fact.

I have the black unit, which looks very sleek in the hand, super minimal, no bright colours, and very streamlined.

The only thing that really sticks out from the shell is the shoulder buttons on the back, which, unfortunately, are the worst part of this device. My left shoulder button on this review unit is stiff, which makes it incredibly hard to press, unlike the right one, which works perfectly fine and can be pressed easily from multiple angles.

This could just be my review sample, but it's noticeable and hinders some games. I can get around it by pressing the exact top of the shoulder button, but it's not where my finger rests, so I do have to concentrate to press it effectively.

The R2/L2 buttons work most of the time, but again, like I just mentioned, they need to be pressed directly from the top down. It really seems like pressing these at an angle decreases the chances of them pressing the contacts below, which is a real shame.

Around the edges, a small volume button, a USB-C port between the shoulder buttons, an SD card slot, a lanyard slot and an on/off button with LED lights that take inspiration from the original GBA SP. However, no 3.5mm headphone jack, which kinda feels missing on this tiny thing, due to the lack of Bluetooth.

When opened, you are greeted with the 2.8" IPS display that sits ever so slightly into the shell so that the buttons don't touch or damage the display. It has a very small border, a glass front, and two grips near the hinge for extra padding when closing this thing.

On the much thicker base, you'll find your menu button, which opens up Onion's menu that allows you to skip to other games quickly, open up settings or jump back into your gaming library.

Then the main buttons. The DPAD is fairly small, requires a very lot touch to press and has tiny travel to it, which I like on a handheld of this size. Too much pressure on a DPAD in this form factor puts too much movement on the handheld per press, so it's nice that this is light, reactive and fast.

The same goes for the action buttons; these look overly large next to the small DPAD but feel like any normal-sized action button. These are again, light, have very little travel to them, but are of high quality, and a little on the stiff side; they don't wobble or move at all, which is what you want.

Then lastly, on the face of a speaker grill, a start and select button, again to look just like the original GAME BOY Advance SP. Even the battery LED lights are on the right side next to the on/off button.

Let's talk about the hinge.

The Miyoo Mini Flips hinge will open without clicking or locking up top 90 degrees, and will stop at any angle up to there.

Once you're at that point, a small push will lock into place at an angle that looks more like a laptop. This is not naturally viewable when holding, so a further push will pull this back to a more natural viewing angle, making it the second locking position.

At these angles, the hinge is very stiff, there's no wiggle to the display, and it's nearly impossible to force this to shut by swinging it around. The hinge is impressively stiff in these locked positions.

When I hold it with one hand, I have the natural obsession of flicking it open with one finger, just like we all did the GBA SP back in the day; however, my finger would always flip open and then push the display to get it to open the whole way.

So I find myself constantly cleaning the display on the right-hand side from fingerprints. This was never an issue with the GBA SP or the RG35XXSP, as the plastic shell around it gave me enough room not to touch the display.

So, just a pre-warning, pack a microfibre cloth with this one.

After 1,000 opens and closes, I was happy to see that there were no obvious issues with the hinge. And to clarify, if you were to use this, say a few times a day, that's 6 opens/closes in total a day, the 1,000 test is equivalent to almost 6 months of use.

It stood the test, just don't push it back beyond the 180-degree limit as it sits back onto the shell of the device and will snap.

The Display

Yes, the display is small before some of you run to the comments and say "the screen is too small". No ****. You buy this thing because of the compact form factor and small display.

What's nice about it is that it's an IPS display, making it incredibly bright, perfect for outdoor gaming on the go and because of the 750 x 560 display, you can do a little bit of upscaling to make things even more crisp.

This 3:2 display will show black borders on 1:1 and 4:3 consoles, but its very minimal. GAME BOY Advance games, which is what this device wants to focus on internally and externally, use up most of the display perfectly, making GBA exploration incredibly fun.

The display has good viewing angles, no light bleed, a glass front and looks modern thanks to the small bezels. The only issue I have is that it when you shut the display, it does not automatically put the device to sleep.

The screen and console stay on, which requires you to press the on/off button once to put it to sleep. This may be because it's using OnionOS and not the stock OS.

User Experience & OnionOS

Miyoo has always nailed the user experience on their devices (apart from the original Flip), mostly thanks to their custom frontends and the fact that many community members are creating their own, which has gained huge popularity over the years.

The review unit came with OnionOS, which can be pre-installed for you at KeepRetro for a couple of bucks extra, so this is what I am reviewing and is not the stock firmware.

OnionOS makes things a lot simpler and far more fluid, alongside some added features and organisation benefits in comparison to the stock option.

It's the perfect OS to pair it with, in my opinion, as this is very much a pick up and play kinda device, and OnionOS makes it quick to jump in, save and jump out with a clean UI.

I did notice some lagging in areas, especially when switching between games, or booting it out of sleep. This wasn't the end of the world, but it would often show unsettling glitch lines when loading, making me wonder if it's actually going to do what I asked or crash.

It has yet to crash on me, but it's unpleasant to see this at random times during my review process.

Battery Life

The small 2500MAH battery can only get this thing so far, around 3 -4 hours on a full charge, which isn't a lot, but that's all I need for a day out, in all honesty. It's that device that you bring with you if you're out of the house for a few hours.

Or for a short bus ride, or a short flight. It will last, even when emulating PlayStation 1 games.

The battery life met my expectations, but didn't blow my socks off.

Speaker Quality

Not the best, not the worst. But it will fill a small room at max, with some distortion. But in all honesty, I rarely had the volume on when playing. I know it's odd to read, but I found myself just using it outdoors when travelling, playing slower RPG games while waiting for things, or wanting to burn 20 minutes.

Emulation Quality

Let's cut straight to the chase here, this is a device that caters to a very small handful of games due to its small display. It can emulate everything well up to and including PlayStation 1 and Nintendo DS.

Who would want Nintendo DS emulation on a 2.4" display is beyond me, but it's there if you're willing to limit yourself to single-screen gaming on that thing and have the eyesight of an eagle.

PlayStation on this display is as far as you'll want to go, text is a little small in some games, and the controls are a little cramped when you want to take PS1 gaming seriously, so I found myself focusing on more casual PS1 games that are a bit slower paced.

The same goes for the SEGA Mega Drive; it can be done, but be sure to pick your games wisely. GAME BOY Advance is where I spent most of my time here; games looked incredible, ran well, and the ergonomics and controls felt natural in a way.

So if you're looking for a mini GBA retro handheld that looks the part, this one will likely tickle your fancy.

Original GAME BOY and GAME BOY Colour games work a treat too, even if it has borders. The same goes for Neo Geo and Game Gear games, and these few consoles are where I had the most fun.

GBA, GBC, Mega Drive, Game Gear and Neo Geo. That's where I spent most of my time, with a sprinkling of PS1 when I want to explore my library.

Overall Opinion

The Miyoo Mini Flip is a fun, pocketable device that focuses on the niche gamer who loves portable clamshell handhelds. It feels like a Funkey XL; it's light and packs a beautiful, bright, colourful display that makes playing retro games a bunch of fun.

The price is quite reasonable, too, starting at around $59, which puts it in the affordable category, making it a great gift for yourself or friends who want something that's pick up and play with an OS that is simple to use.

There are areas that need improving, for example, the stiff shoulder button is an issue in my unit, and the hit-and-miss lag in OnionOS worries me when it shows the awkward glitching effect between loading screens. I could also do with it putting itself to sleep when I close the lid.

If you can deal with that, then you'll find an adorable, pocket-friendly retro gaming handheld from Miyoo that will tick many of your retro gaming needs up to PlayStation 1.