Top 5 Android gaming handhelds you can buy now! Specifications, details and more of the best Android games systems on the market today!
Top 5 Android Gaming Handhelds
Many people have no idea how flexible of an operating system Android is, and don’t think much of it outside of smartphones and tablets. What they don’t know is that there are so many other devices that use Android going from Google Glass and the Neptune Pine Smartwatch all the way to gaming handhelds, which are the main topic of this countdown. As you can see from the background of my blog, I have a certain obsession with Android powered handhelds, mainly because they’re cheap, can handle a lot of emulators and it just feels so good to play Android games like NOVA 3, Shadowgun: Deathzone and Anger of Stick 2 with physical controls. So, without further a do, here’s my top 5 Android gaming handhelds.
No.5 – iReadyGo Much i5
- MTK6589 @ 1.2GHz
- PowerVR SGX544MP2 @ 350MHz
- 1GB RAM, 4GB ROM
- 5-inch 960×540 IPS display
- 0.3MP Front camera, 5MP Rear camera
- Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean
- 2800mAh battery
Before the iReadyGo Much i5 (horrible name), there was a serious lack of 5-inch Android handhelds. Every manufacturer was going towards larger 7 inch displays that were less portable and not as comfortable as smaller handhelds. It was no wonder a huge part of the Android gaming handheld community rejoiced at the sight of the first 5-inch device since the older dual core times.
It’s main selling point was that it could be used as a phone as well as a gaming device. There were problems though, with the main issue being that the MTK6589 processor powering the device was growing rather obscure at the time. It was still a much loved handheld though, and is probably one of the main reasons for the increase in 5-inchers in the recent months.
No.4- JXD S7800
- Rockchip RK3188 @ 1.8GHz processor
- Mali400MP4 @ 600MHz PGU
- 2GB RAM, 8GB ROM
- 7-inch 1280×800 IPS display
- 0.3MP Front camera
- Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean
- 5000mAh battery
JXD is undoubtedly the most infamous Chinese Android gaming handheld manufacturer on this list. In the past, back when most handhelds had resistive touch screens, JXD and Yinlips (now fading to nothing) were the two brands that constantly went head to head with each other. Time passed and JXD launched what was once the most popular device, the JXD S7300. It had a higher resolution that other handhelds, a larger display, a dual core processor, and a beautiful D-Pad.
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Fast forward a couple of months later, and the successor to the S7300 was born, the JXD S7800. There are tonnes of good things I could say about this handheld, like it’s separate dual analogs and it’s dual shoulder buttons. Unfortunately, it had rather buggy software and didn’t sell as well as it’s predecessor. Now, after a bunch of updates and such, the S7800 is a great handheld, but it’s also one of the pricier ones too.
No.3 – iBen L1
- Allwinner A31s @ 1GHz processor
- PowerVR SGX544 @ 400MHz GPS
- 2GB RAM, 8GB ROM
- 7-inch 1280×800 IPS display
- 0.3MP Front camera
- Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean
- 5600mAh battery
The iBen L1 was the first quad core gaming handheld on the market, and received wide praise from the likes of bloggers like Hailrazer and Spanish blogger Manguiro. The device was well built, fast, comfortable to use, large and had a beautiful display. The device has recently gone into obscurity, but it’s still a good buy none the less.
No.2 – GPD G5A
- Rockchip RK3188T @ 1.4GHz processor
- Mali400MP4 @ 600MHz GPU
- 1GB RAM, 8GB ROM
- 7-inch 800×480 IPS display
- 2.0MP Rear camera
- Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean
- 2800mAh battery
The GPD G5A is the newest device on this list, and it’s here for a good reasons. It brings everything that made the old handhelds great with a fantastically ergonomic and familiar design. Not only is it fast thanks to the RK3188T processor and it’s 480p resolution, but it also has extremely comfortable analog sticks and a very responsive, albeit loud D-Pad. Sure, the screen could use improvement, and there aren’t any vibration motors in it, but for what it is, it’s one great device.
No.1 – Nvidia Shield
- Nvidia Tegra 4 @ 1.8GHz processor
- Nvidia Geforce 72 core GPU
- 2GB RAM, 16GB ROM
- 5-inch 1280×720 IPS display
- Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean
- 5000mAh battery
Arguably the greatest Android handheld available, the Nvidia Shield simply blows everything else out of the water. The monstrous processing power, the advanced graphics, PC streaming, Android, the Nvidia Shield has it all. What it doesn’t have, however, is the low price tag of the devices above. If you can afford one, then go for it. If not, then any of the other devices above may work as well.
And there you have it. My top 5 Android gaming handhelds. Feel free to post your thoughts and opinions in the comments below. If you think there’s a device that I should’ve included then you can post it in the comments section as well. Thanks for reading guys, peace out!
This guest post was submitted by GizChina reader Airyl. If you would like to post a similar guest post, or have some great news you would like to share then head over to our “tip us” pages.
iReady MUCH 5 all the way! Check our review in our blog!
iReady MUCH 5 all the way! Check our review in our blog!
This comment was deleted.
Try checking Willgoo.com. the prices there are pretty much the official prices.
You could try to be civilized. This is nothing to scream profanity about.
haha…laughed when i saw the nvidia shield bundles with those others…
Ummm, Andi, I think I accidentally put in the wrong URL when I sent you this post. *face palm*
I sent the post to you from my blog airylnovatech.blogspot.com.
Also, I think I specced the GPD G5A incorrectly. It has a 800×480 display and a 2800mAh battery.
Again, I’m really sorry about this.
Ok no problem I will change this for you 🙂
OK. Thanks Andi.
Try checking Willgoo.com. the prices there are pretty much the official prices.
haha…laughed when i saw the nvidia shield bundles with those others…
Ummm, Andi, I think I accidentally put in the wrong URL when I sent you this post. *face palm*
I sent the post to you from my blog airylnovatech.blogspot.com.
Also, I think I specced the GPD G5A incorrectly. It has a 800×480 display and a 2800mAh battery.
Again, I’m really sorry about this.
Ok no problem I will change this for you 🙂
OK. Thanks Andi.
You could try to be civilized. This is nothing to scream profanity about.
Hello Andy,
Can I have your word for JXD5000 vs JXD7800b as what i can see JXD offers more than game pad functionality and 7800 provides a bit more in screen and ram department. Please mention any other thing which i am missing.
If you got, please mention the link to but JXD5000 venus model online for Indian availibility
Many thans for making gizchina a regular site to visit.
I’m not Andi, but I guess I can try and help.
The JXD S5800 is basically a mini version of the JXD S7800. In traditional mini fashion, the JXD S5800 has a few downgrades from the S7800, but it gains the ability to make calls. If you need a handheld you can stuff in your pocket and whip out at any time, this is probably the one you want. Personally, I feel that making calls with a gaming handheld would be really odd (imagine someone talking with a PS Vita against their ear) but if you have a handsfree kit, then it should be fine. In gaming though, you might as well get the S7800. The Mali-400 GPU in the S5800 isn’t clocked as high as the one in RK3188 chipsets, and as a result doesn’t perform as well. The analog sticks are also really small and are probably uncomfortable to use.
The JXD S7800 is a larger S5800 with a faster chipset and more RAM but no calling ability. Take this if you carry your handheld in a bag or just want faster and smoother performance.
As for where to buy these handhelds, I usually recommed Willgoo.com.
Hello Andy,
Can I have your word for JXD5000 vs JXD7800b as what i can see JXD offers more than game pad functionality and 7800 provides a bit more in screen and ram department. Please mention any other thing which i am missing.
If you got, please mention the link to but JXD5000 venus model online for Indian availibility
Many thans for making gizchina a regular site to visit.
I’m not Andi, but I guess I can try and help.
The JXD S5800 is basically a mini version of the JXD S7800. In traditional mini fashion, the JXD S5800 has a few downgrades from the S7800, but it gains the ability to make calls. If you need a handheld you can stuff in your pocket and whip out at any time, this is probably the one you want. Personally, I feel that making calls with a gaming handheld would be really odd (imagine someone talking with a PS Vita against their ear) but if you have a handsfree kit, then it should be fine. In gaming though, you might as well get the S7800. The Mali-400 GPU in the S5800 isn’t clocked as high as the one in RK3188 chipsets, and as a result doesn’t perform as well. The analog sticks are also really small and are probably uncomfortable to use.
The JXD S7800 is a larger S5800 with a faster chipset and more RAM but no calling ability. Take this if you carry your handheld in a bag or just want faster and smoother performance.
As for where to buy these handhelds, I usually recommed Willgoo.com.