Good for
Dreamcast, PSP, DS, N64
Support listed to
Saturn
OS
Android 11
Released
Sep 2021
The PowKiddy X18S is a mid-range clamshell retro handheld from PowKiddy with a 5.5-inch 1280×720 IPS screen, WiFi and Bluetooth, and runs Android 11. It is best suited for Dreamcast, PSP, DS, N64, with support listed up to Saturn. It typically sells for around $173.
Played on the PowKiddy X18S
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Emulation
Supports 15 of 18 tested systems: 10 at excellent, 1 running well.
Mid-generation systems
Excellent5 of 5 systems listed as playable or better
Modern systems
Limited1 of 4 systems listed as playable or better
Classic systems
Excellent6 of 6 systems listed as playable or better
Sixth-generation systems
Limited3 of 3 systems listed as playable or better
Emulation source notes
- DS: Nintendo DS: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
- 3DS: Nintendo 3DS: Most games playable but mostly with frameskip, struggles with harder to emulate games
- GBA: Nintendo Game Boy Advance: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
- N64: Nintendo 64: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
- NES: Nintendo Entertainment System: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
- PS1: Sony Playstation: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
- PS2: Sony Playstation 2: Most games playable but mostly with frameskip, struggles with harder to emulate games
- PS3: Sony Playstation 3: Either cannot run any games at all or games are unplayably slow
- PSP: Sony Playstation Portable: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
- Wii: Nintendo Wii: Most games playable but mostly with frameskip, struggles with harder to emulate games
- SNES: Super Nintendo Entertainment System: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
- Wii U: Nintendo Wii U: Cemu for Android is only compatible with Adreno GPUs and Android 11-14, so any device with a Mali GPU will not run Cemu.
- Saturn: Sega Saturn: Most games playable at full speed, a few games have lower frame rates but still mostly playable with frameskip
- Switch: Nintendo Switch: Either cannot run any games at all or games are unplayably slow
- Genesis: Sega Genesis / Mega Drive: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
- Game Boy: Game Boy / Game Boy Color: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
- GameCube: Nintendo GameCube: Most games playable but mostly with frameskip, struggles with harder to emulate games
- Dreamcast: Sega Dreamcast: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
Specifications
Display
Screen
5.5 inch
Aspect ratio
16:9
Resolution
1280 x 720
Pixel density
267.02 PPI
Panel
IPS
Refresh rate
60 Hz
Performance
Chipset
UNISOC Tiger T618
CPU
Cortex-A75 / Cortex-A55
CPU clock
2.0 GHz
CPU cores
8
CPU threads
8
GPU
Mali-G52 MP2
GPU clock
850 MHz
RAM
4 GB LPDDR4X
Storage
Internal 64 GB eMMC,
Architecture
ARM
Build
Battery
5000 mAh
Weight
308 grams
Dimensions
152 mm x 92 mm x 22.5 mm
Material
Plastic
Charge port
USB-C
Controls
Shoulder buttons
Inline
Thumbsticks
Symmetrical
Extra buttons
Power, Volume +-, Back, Home, Keymap, Menu
Features
FAQ
- What systems can the PowKiddy X18S emulate?
- The PowKiddy X18S plays systems up to Saturn well. It is at its best with Dreamcast, PSP, DS, N64.
- Can the PowKiddy X18S play Saturn games?
- Yes. Saturn performance on the PowKiddy X18S is rated good in our catalog. Sega Saturn: Most games playable at full speed, a few games have lower frame rates but still mostly playable with frameskip
- Can the PowKiddy X18S play GameCube games?
- Only partially. GameCube on the PowKiddy X18S is playable with compromises. Nintendo GameCube: Most games playable but mostly with frameskip, struggles with harder to emulate games
- How much does the PowKiddy X18S cost?
- The PowKiddy X18S typically sells for around $173, which puts it in the mid-range tier of retro handhelds.
- What operating system does the PowKiddy X18S run?
- The PowKiddy X18S ships with Android 11.
- What screen does the PowKiddy X18S have?
- It has a 5.5 inch IPS display with a 16:9 aspect ratio, running at 1280 x 720 at 267.02 PPI.
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