Device comparison

BOYHOM R40S vs. QRD Vortex F5

Compare specs, emulation support, community reviews, ownership, and play history.

Compare

With

R40S
QRD Vortex F5

Shown to scale from each device’s real-world dimensions.

Quick verdict

Best value
R40S
More portable
R40S
Newer model
QRD Vortex F5

Main differences

  • QRD Vortex F5 has similar emulation coverage to BOYHOM R40S.
  • BOYHOM R40S is about $20 cheaper based on catalog pricing.
  • BOYHOM R40S is roughly 45% smaller and 36% lighter.
  • QRD Vortex F5 is highlighted for PSP, N64, PS1, GBA; BOYHOM R40S is highlighted for PS1, SNES, Game Boy, NES.

BOYHOM

R40S

Details
Price
$70
OS
Linux
Released
May 2024
Up to
Dreamcast
Screen
4.0 inch IPS
Weight
211 grams

No reviews yet

0 collectors

QRD

QRD Vortex F5

Details
Price
$90
OS
Linux
Released
Feb 2025
Up to
Dreamcast
Screen
5.5 inch IPS
Weight
330 grams

No reviews yet

0 collectors

Specs

BetterWorse

SpecR40SQRD Vortex F5
Price$70$90
Screen4.0 inch5.5 inch
Aspect ratio1:116:9
Resolution720 x 7201280 x 720
RAM1 GB LPDDR41 GB LPDDR4X
StorageDual External MicroSDInternal 8 GB eMMC, External MicroSD
Battery4000 mAh5000 mAh
Weight211 grams330 grams
Dimensions145 mm x 86.5 mm x 10* mm223 mm x 103 mm x 35 mm
Hall effect sticksNoYes
Analog triggersNoYes

Emulation

Excellent › Good › Playable › Limited › Unsupported

SystemR40SQRD Vortex F5
Classic systems
Game Boy
NES
Genesis
GBA
SNES
PS1
Mid-generation systems
DS
N64
Dreamcast
PSP
Saturn
Sixth-generation systems
GameCube
Wii
PS2
Modern systems
3DS
Switch
Wii U
PS3

Emulation source notes

  • R40S DS: Nintendo DS: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip This device does not have a touchscreen, so you won't be able to play DS games that rely heavily on the touchscreen
  • QRD Vortex F5 DS: Nintendo DS: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip This device does not have a touchscreen, so you won't be able to play DS games that rely heavily on the touchscreen
  • R40S 3DS: Nintendo 3DS: Only the easiest to emulate games are barely playable 3DS will only work on Android, not Linux
  • QRD Vortex F5 3DS: Nintendo 3DS: Only the easiest to emulate games are barely playable 3DS will only work on Android, not Linux
  • R40S GBA: Nintendo Game Boy Advance: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
  • QRD Vortex F5 GBA: Nintendo Game Boy Advance: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
  • R40S N64: Nintendo 64: Most games playable at full speed, a few games have lower frame rates but still mostly playable with frameskip
  • QRD Vortex F5 N64: Nintendo 64: Most games playable at full speed, a few games have lower frame rates but still mostly playable with frameskip
  • R40S NES: Nintendo Entertainment System: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
  • QRD Vortex F5 NES: Nintendo Entertainment System: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
  • R40S PS1: Sony Playstation: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
  • QRD Vortex F5 PS1: Sony Playstation: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
  • R40S PS2: Sony Playstation 2: Only the easiest to emulate games are barely playable PS2 will only work on Android, not Linux
  • QRD Vortex F5 PS2: Sony Playstation 2: Only the easiest to emulate games are barely playable PS2 will only work on Android, not Linux
  • R40S PS3: Sony Playstation 3: Either cannot run any games at all or games are unplayably slow
  • QRD Vortex F5 PS3: Sony Playstation 3: Either cannot run any games at all or games are unplayably slow
  • R40S PSP: Sony Playstation Portable: Most games playable at full speed, a few games have lower frame rates but still mostly playable with frameskip
  • QRD Vortex F5 PSP: Sony Playstation Portable: Most games playable at full speed, a few games have lower frame rates but still mostly playable with frameskip
  • R40S Wii: Nintendo Wii: Either cannot run any games at all or games are unplayably slow
  • QRD Vortex F5 Wii: Nintendo Wii: Either cannot run any games at all or games are unplayably slow
  • R40S SNES: Super Nintendo Entertainment System: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
  • QRD Vortex F5 SNES: Super Nintendo Entertainment System: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
  • R40S Wii U: Nintendo Wii U: Either cannot run any games at all or games are unplayably slow
  • QRD Vortex F5 Wii U: Nintendo Wii U: Either cannot run any games at all or games are unplayably slow
  • R40S Saturn: Sega Saturn: Most games playable but mostly with frameskip, struggles with harder to emulate games
  • QRD Vortex F5 Saturn: Sega Saturn: Most games playable but mostly with frameskip, struggles with harder to emulate games
  • R40S Switch: Nintendo Switch: Either cannot run any games at all or games are unplayably slow
  • QRD Vortex F5 Switch: Nintendo Switch: Either cannot run any games at all or games are unplayably slow
  • R40S Genesis: Sega Genesis / Mega Drive: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
  • QRD Vortex F5 Genesis: Sega Genesis / Mega Drive: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
  • R40S Game Boy: Game Boy / Game Boy Color: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
  • QRD Vortex F5 Game Boy: Game Boy / Game Boy Color: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
  • R40S GameCube: Nintendo GameCube: Only the easiest to emulate games are barely playable
  • QRD Vortex F5 GameCube: Nintendo GameCube: Only the easiest to emulate games are barely playable
  • R40S Dreamcast: Sega Dreamcast: Most games playable at full speed, a few games have lower frame rates but still mostly playable with frameskip
  • QRD Vortex F5 Dreamcast: Sega Dreamcast: Most games playable at full speed, a few games have lower frame rates but still mostly playable with frameskip

Frequently asked

What's the difference between the BOYHOM R40S and the QRD Vortex F5?
QRD Vortex F5 has similar emulation coverage to BOYHOM R40S. BOYHOM R40S is about $20 cheaper based on catalog pricing. BOYHOM R40S is roughly 45% smaller and 36% lighter. QRD Vortex F5 is highlighted for PSP, N64, PS1, GBA; BOYHOM R40S is highlighted for PS1, SNES, Game Boy, NES.
Which is cheaper, the BOYHOM R40S or the QRD Vortex F5?
The BOYHOM R40S is the cheaper of the two at around $70, roughly $20 less than the QRD Vortex F5 based on catalog pricing.
Which is newer, the BOYHOM R40S or the QRD Vortex F5?
The QRD Vortex F5 is the newer model, released in 2025.

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