The PowKiddy V90 Is A Clamshell PocketGo

Out of nowhere, the PowKiddy V90 has popped up on AliExpress today. Rumour has it that the PowKiddy V90 is the same hardware as the original PocketGo, but made to fit inside a clamshell reminiscent of the GBA SP.

The V90 has a 3″ 320×240 IPS display, which is larger than the one found in the original PocketGo. It’s the same size as the one in the PowKiddy Q90 but we don’t yet know if it’s the same LCD. I wonder if they’ve solved the screen tearing issues? Only time will tell.

powkiddy v90 lemon yellow

If it shares hardware with the PocketGo and Q90 then it probably runs the same Linux based NxHope OS. That hardware is AllWinner F1C100S ARM9 based, rather than Ingenic JZ* based like most other devices of a similar caliber. NxHope is a decent OS with plenty of emulators and designed to look like RetroFW, but is unfortunately closed source. The hardware is capable of some PS1 emulation, but nothing more advanced than that.

powkiddy v90 back

Unlike the PocketGo and Q90, this one has 4 shoulder buttons on it. There’s not an awful lot of use for those except for a handful of PS1 titles. The PowKiddy V90 also has USB-C charging, a 1020mAh battery and a headphone jack. The OS and ROMs are stored on an accessible microSD card.

powkiddy v90 front

It’s nice to see another clamshell machine come out, especially since the SP design is usually reserved for very low quality GBA SP clones. Clamshells are my preferred design for taking out and about because they fold up small and the screen is protected when not in use. The PowKiddy V90 is available now for $40 at AliExpress, in lemon yellow and carp red (aka orange).

31 thoughts on “The PowKiddy V90 Is A Clamshell PocketGo”

  1. could this be the right one for a user who’s just looking to get proper full-speed game boy advance emulation? thank you! 🙂

    Reply
    • For GBA any of the old jz4770 or f1c100s machines have enough juice. If GBA is your main goal I would be more concerned about screen resolution. For that you’d want a 480*320 screen for beautiful pixel perfect representation. You’re looking at the rk3326 machines for that.

      Reply
      • They really need to change their name. Seriously, who thought “Powkiddy” was good idea? Just sounds wrong and is one of the reasons I don’t buy any of their devices. Who wants a device with a brand name that sound like a synonym for child abuse?

        Reply
  2. Mine arrived yesterday so I can confirm the red is slightly orange. It’s not quite as orange as the picture. Shame, I’d have preferred it orange.

    Reply
    • Mmmh I hoped to customize it with a Metroid theme, cuz’ the color was reminiscent of Samus’ armor. I should get mine soon.

      Reply
      • That should be ok. The Metroid logo fades from yellow to red doesn’t it? In amongst those shades will be the orangey red of the Powkiddy.

        Reply
  3. I’m really tempted. I kept my original Pocket Go, with the custom firmware it’s still a nice little gadget to keep the kids or myself busy. If the CFW could be flashed to this it’d really nice! Plus it has this GBA Advance nostalgia to it … 35€ isn’t too harsh.

    Reply
    • Got mine for 26€. Those handhelds are dirt cheap. I won’t be afraid to have mine damaged at that price… That’s the ideal handheld to bring everywhere as the screen is protected.

      Reply
    • Also I just remembered, my GBA SP has a grip installed on it. I couldnt live with the cramp, so this design is no for me sadly. I’ve seen some beautiful Vita knockoff renders on AliExpress, thats would be the best design and size for me.

      Reply

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