I'm about to buy some more #gamedad handhelds with the intent of printing them with custom shells, loading up my custom firmware, and sticking some games on them.

I have to decide which gamedad I want.

I'm tempted to go with any of the SP options, but the 34xxSP was hovering around 80 bucks last time I looked, and I'd really love to be sub 40. (although even the venerable anbernic rg35XX is currently 50 most places)

The SP models are the easiest to do custom shells for, though, because I can do it without disassembling them.

I've seen a new entrant in the SP formfactor from Daxceirf. I've never heard of Daxceirf. It still isn't as cheap as the regular 35XX, but it's cheaper than anbernic's SP.

I also really like the Rg Cube (which isn't a cube), but I'm not convinced it's my best option, as it is also fairly significantly more expensive than the classic anbernic.

I don't need thumbsticks. I'm shipping gameboy color games, and possibly some other contemporary systems (snes, nes, etc.) if I can clear distribution rights for the games.

The 35XX is probably the best price to performance, but doing a custom shell for it means full disassembly, masking off the screen, dealing with two ribbon cables, and handling a bunch of loose buttons. It's not a huge undertaking to do once, but it's a lot to do a dozen times in a day.

(on the other hand, it is very pretty.)

Do you have an opinion?

I think I'm going to go with the 35xxSP to start.

And then I'll figure out if I also want to do something not SP'd.

@ajroach42 my first thought: is there a reason why you can’t do a few of different models, price to the level of pain in the ass. And see what sells?

[time passes]

I mean. I sat with it for a bit. I can think of a few reasons why not to do that I suppose.

The 34 has their newer chip so it’s a bit more expensive. The 35xxsp is closer to 60 dollars. https://anbernic.com/products/rg35xxsp

(This tarrif situation sucks. You can get those for 40 at Ali express but they won’t ship to the US)

ANBERNIC RG35XXSP

@crazybutable good call! I hadn't realized that they had a 35xx SP.
@ajroach42 I got caught up in additional junk this morning but I have more thoughts on this whole thing. This whole thing looks pretty cool though
@crazybutable I'd love to hear them, when you have time.
@ajroach42 Unpopular opinion: not only are you being hit by tariffs (being in the US) but we're in the early stages of a supply chain shock that's going to dwarf 2022, thanks to the partial closure of the Straits of Hormuz—semiconductor prices are going through the roof already thanks to the AI bubble, and soon the impending helium shortage will start shutting down fabs in SK and Taiwan. Prices are only going to go up.