How Retrosizer Helps You Decide Which Retro Handheld to Buy

Updated

Retrosizer is a browser-based visual comparison tool for handheld gaming devices. It lets you place devices side by side at true relative scale, rotate and drag them, and preview how retro systems such as Game Boy, GBA, SNES, Genesis, and PlayStation will appear on each screen. Use it when you are choosing between specific handhelds and want to judge size, portability, and screen fit before buying. It is not a store and does not sell devices.

What You Can Actually Do on Retrosizer

The site describes itself as a visual comparison tool, and its feature list is short and concrete:

  • Compare devices at true relative scale
  • See how Game Boy, GBA, SNES, Genesis, and other systems look on different screens
  • Drag, rotate, and arrange devices freely
  • Share comparisons via URL
  • Filter by screen size, manufacturer, and performance

That combination covers the three questions buyers usually ask: How big is it really? How will my games look on it? Which models even qualify?

Step-by-Step: Narrowing Down a Purchase

1. Start from a comparison that already exists

Retrosizer lists popular comparisons on its homepage, including:

  • Miyoo Mini vs RG-280V vs GBA vs Steam Deck
  • Anbernic Devices
  • Nintendo Handhelds

If one of these matches your shortlist, open it and skip ahead. If not, build your own.

2. Filter to a workable candidate set

Use the screen size, manufacturer, and performance filters to cut the supported device list down. The catalog is large — it spans Anbernic, Miyoo, PowKiddy, Retroid, Nintendo, Sony, AYANEO, AYN, Analogue, Asus, Valve, and others — so filtering first saves time.

3. Compare physical size at true relative scale

Drag the devices next to each other. Because they are shown at true relative scale, a Steam Deck beside a Miyoo Mini tells you immediately whether the larger device is something you would actually carry. Rotate devices to check thickness and shape, not just face area.

4. Check the screen simulation for your target system

This is the part that separates Retrosizer from a spec sheet. Select a system — Game Boy, Game Boy Advance, NES, SNES, Genesis/Mega Drive, PlayStation, and others are listed — and see accurate pixel scaling on each candidate screen. A device with a large screen but an aspect ratio that mismatches your favorite system will show it here.

5. Save and share the comparison

Comparisons can be shared via URL, so you can send your shortlist to someone else or reopen it later before committing.

How to Read the Results

What you see What it tells you What it does not tell you
Relative device size Portability and grip feel Weight, build quality, button feel
Screen simulation Pixel scaling and how a system fills the screen Actual display brightness, color, or motion
Filters Which models fit your size/manufacturer/performance limits Price, availability, or software quality

Retrosizer's own framing is that it helps you "visualize the experience before you buy." Treat it as a shortlist tool: it eliminates devices that are too big, too small, or wrong for your games, and leaves you with a set worth researching further.

Where It Fits in a Buying Decision

Use Retrosizer early, when your list is still long. A practical order:

  1. Filter by manufacturer and screen size to get a candidate set.
  2. Compare sizes at true scale to drop anything you would not carry.
  3. Run screen simulations for the two or three systems you play most.
  4. Share the final comparison and check reviews for the remaining candidates.

If your main concern is emulation performance, battery life, or price, Retrosizer will not answer those — its evidence covers size, screen appearance, and filtering only. If your main concern is "will this feel right in my hands and will my games look right on it," that is exactly what the tool is built for.