Vertical, Horizontal or Clamshell? Choosing the Right Handheld Shape for the Games You Play

Pick the shape based on the systems you play most. Vertical, Game Boy-style handhelds suit d-pad games like Game Boy, GBA, NES and SNES. Horizontal handhelds with two sticks are better for PS1, N64 and PSP. Clamshells fold shut, so they fit in a pocket and keep the screen covered. The screen's aspect ratio also matters, because it decides how much of the display a game actually fills.

Quick picks

Why the shape matters

Older consoles were built around a d-pad and a few face buttons. Systems from the PS1 and N64 era onward added analog sticks, and many games from that point need them. A handheld's shape mostly comes down to where it can fit those controls:

• Vertical designs stack the screen above the controls, like the original Game Boy. Your thumbs rest close together and low, which suits d-pad games. There is less room for sticks, and when a vertical model has them, they are usually small or tucked under the face buttons.
• Horizontal designs put controls on both sides of the screen. That leaves room for two full sticks and shoulder buttons, and the screen can be wider.
• Clamshell designs fold shut like a Game Boy Advance SP or Nintendo DS. Closed, they are small and the screen is protected. The catch is space: smaller clamshells often have no analog sticks at all.

Screen aspect ratio: the part people overlook

Every console outputs a picture with a fixed shape. When the handheld's screen has a different shape, you get black bars or a stretched image. Here are the native shapes:

Most retro libraries are 4:3, so a 4:3 screen such as the 640×480 panels on most of our budget Linux handhelds is a safe default. A widescreen 16:9 display suits PSP and modern Android games, but it puts black bars on both sides of 4:3 games. A 3:2 screen suits GBA best. A 1:1 square screen leaves bars on every system, but it works well for Game Boy and for arcade games that run in portrait (tate) mode.

Resolution matters too. The ANBERNIC RG SP's 720×480 screen is exactly 3× the GBA's resolution, and the KONKR Pocket Advance's 960×640 is exactly 4×. Both scale GBA pixels cleanly, with no uneven pixels or shimmer.

Vertical (Game Boy-style) handhelds

Go vertical if most of your library is Game Boy, GBC, GBA, NES, SNES, Genesis or other games built around the d-pad. These handhelds are comfortable for long sessions of platformers and RPGs. They can still run PS1, but games that rely heavily on the sticks feel cramped.

• ANBERNIC RG40XX V (from ₱3,999): Allwinner H700, 4" 640×480 IPS, 3200mAh, one analog stick. A solid all-rounder for 8- and 16-bit games, and it handles PS1 well.
• TrimUI Brick Pro (from ₱4,599): 3.95" 1024×768 IPS (4:3), a 5000mAh battery and dual Hall sticks in a compact vertical body. Its screen is sharper than most budget vertical models.
• ANBERNIC RG 35 (from ₱2,999): an RK3326 vertical handheld with dual analog sticks and a 3.5" 640×480 screen. A low-cost way to get a vertical body with sticks.
• ANBERNIC RG35XX (2024) (from ₱2,999): the simplest option, with no sticks. Fine for GB through SNES and PS1 games that use the d-pad. The 2600mAh battery is the smallest in this group.
• Mangmi Air Y (from ₱7,499): Android 14, a Snapdragon 662, a 4.2" 1280×960 4:3 touchscreen and a single Hall stick. Android gives you more emulator choice and some extra headroom for PSP and DS. The Mangmi Air Y Pro (from ₱12,999) keeps the same 4:3 screen and moves up to a Snapdragon 865 for much more power.

Trade-off: a vertical handheld with one stick, or none, is not the right tool for N64 or dual-stick PS1 games.

Horizontal handhelds

Go horizontal if you want PS1, N64, PSP or (on Android) more demanding systems. You get two sticks, a wider grip and usually a bigger screen.

• R36S (from ₱2,499): RK3326, 3.5" 640×480, dual analog, ArkOS-based Linux. The most common first handheld for 8-bit to PS1 games. The R36S Plus (from ₱2,699) moves up to a 4.0" screen. Both can be hit-or-miss with N64 and PSP.
• ANBERNIC RG40XX H (from ₱3,999): H700, 4" 640×480 IPS, dual analog, 3200mAh. Sturdier build and a newer chip than the R36S, in the same 4:3 shape.
• ANBERNIC RG556 (from ₱11,999): Android 13, Unisoc T820, 8GB RAM, a 5.48" 1080p AMOLED touchscreen and Hall sticks. A comfortable mid-range choice for PSP and Dreamcast.
• Retroid Pocket 6 (from ₱17,990): Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, a 5.5" 120Hz AMOLED, 3D Hall sticks, analog triggers and active cooling. It handles GameCube and much of the PS2 library, though not every PS2 game runs at full speed.

Trade-off: horizontal handhelds are wider and do not fold, so on a crowded jeepney or MRT ride you will want a case.

Clamshell (flip) handhelds

Choose a clamshell if portability is the priority. Folded, the screen is protected from keys and coins in a bag, and the hinge lets you set the viewing angle. Small clamshells usually skip the sticks. The larger dual-screen models are the best way to play Nintendo DS games.

• ANBERNIC RG35XXSP (from ₱3,299, low stock): H700, 3.5" 640×480, 3300mAh, no sticks. Plays GB through PS1 in a GBA SP-style body.
• ANBERNIC RG SP (from ₱4,199): same chip, but with a 3.4" 720×480 screen in 3:2. The better choice if GBA is your main system. No sticks.
• Miyoo Mini Flip (from ₱3,799): 2.8" 750×560 screen and Onion OS. The most pocketable model here, but its 128MB RAM limits it to roughly PS1 and below. No sticks.
• ANBERNIC RG DS (from ₱7,299): dual 4" 640×480 touchscreens, Android 14 and Hall sticks. The RG DS Plus (also from ₱7,299) runs Linux on dual 4.3" 1024×768 screens and has a single Hall stick. Both are built for DS games, which use 4:3 screens.
• Retroid Pocket Duo Lite (from ₱10,990): Android 15, a 5.5" 1080p main screen plus a 4.2" 1280×960 second screen, and a 6000mAh battery. A middle option for DS and 3DS-style dual-screen setups.
• AYN Thor (from ₱24,990): our best seller. A 6" 120Hz AMOLED plus a 3.92" AMOLED, available with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (the Lite version uses a Snapdragon 865). A powerful dual-screen handheld that still folds into a bag.

Trade-off: the hinge is one more part that can wear out, so open and close it gently. On the stickless models, N64 and analog PS1 games are not practical.

The oddballs

• ANBERNIC RG Rotate (from ₱5,999): a 3.5" 720×720 square screen that swivels. Android 12 on a Unisoc T618 with 3GB RAM. The 1:1 screen suits Game Boy and portrait-mode arcade games, but every other system gets black bars. It has no sticks, and its 2000mAh battery is small.
• AYANEO KONKR Pocket Advance (from ₱8,299): a GBA-style horizontal body with a 3.5" 960×640 screen in 3:2, a Helio G90T, Android 12 and a 4000mAh battery. If GBA is your favorite system, this is the closest thing to a GBA with a modern screen. It has no sticks.

Comparison table

Pick this if…

• You mostly play Pokémon, Zelda and Mario on GB, GBA or SNES: RG40XX V, or the RG SP if you want a 3:2 screen for GBA.
• You want PS1 with analog control on a tight budget: R36S or RG40XX H.
• You want PSP and Dreamcast in one handheld: RG556.
• You want something that fits in a pocket for the commute: Miyoo Mini Flip or RG35XXSP.
• You want to play DS games: RG DS or RG DS Plus on a budget, Retroid Pocket Duo Lite or AYN Thor if you want more power.
• You want the strongest horizontal handheld: Retroid Pocket 6.
• GBA is the only system you care about: KONKR Pocket Advance.

Whichever you choose, play games you own and dump your own cartridges and discs.

FAQ

Can a vertical handheld play PS1?

Yes. Most PS1 games play fine with a d-pad, and models like the RG40XX V or RG 35 add sticks for games that need them. Games that rely on two sticks are more comfortable on a horizontal model.

Is a clamshell more fragile?

Not overall, since the closed shell protects the screen better than an open-faced handheld does. The hinge is the part that wears over time, so don't snap it open with one hand or leave it in a hot car.

Which aspect ratio is best for GBA?

3:2, the GBA's native shape. The RG SP and KONKR Pocket Advance both have 3:2 screens at clean multiples of the GBA's 240×160. On a 4:3 screen, GBA games show thin black bars at the top and bottom.

Why do PS1 games show black bars on a widescreen handheld?

PS1 games were made for 4:3 TVs. On a wide screen, the emulator adds bars on the sides to keep the picture's proportions correct. You can stretch the image, but it will look distorted. If PS1 is your main system, a 4:3 screen fills edge to edge.

Do I need analog sticks for N64?

Yes, at least one, and ideally two for games that map the C-buttons to the right stick. Stickless models like the RG35XXSP, Miyoo Mini Flip and RG Rotate are not suited to N64.

Which shape is best as a gift for someone new to retro gaming?

For a first handheld under ₱5,000, the R36S (horizontal) or RG40XX V (vertical) covers the most ground. Choose by the games they grew up with: d-pad classics point to vertical, and PS1 points to horizontal.

Still deciding? Browse all our handhelds or message GameCove on our chat or Facebook page, and tell us which games you play.