MagicX Mini Zero 28: a 4:3 retro console that really does fit in a pocket

Emulators on a phone work, but a touchscreen D-pad will never replace real buttons. The Mini Zero 28 answers that exact problem: a shell 130 mm long weighing 120 g, a 2.8-inch IPS screen at 640 x 480 in the original 4:3 format of 8-bit and 16-bit machines, and an Allwinner A133P chip backed by 2 GB of RAM. It is designed for 2D and the PS1, not for going higher.

What it does

• A 4:3 screen with no black bars: 640 x 480 across 2.8 inches, or around 285 pixels per inch. NES, Game Boy, Mega Drive, Super Nintendo and arcade appear in their original frame.
• Smooth up to the PS1: the quad-core Cortex-A53 at 1.8 GHz and the PowerVR GE8300 GPU handle 8-bit and 16-bit systems, the GBA, classic arcade and the PlayStation without effort.
• Two microSD slots: one for the system, one for the library, without having to start over every time you change firmware.
• Android 10 as standard, Linux alternatives possible: the community firmwares MinUI and GammaOS C work on this machine, each with its own trade-off between simplicity and power.
• 2,900 mAh and USB-C charging: a comfortable battery for the size of the device.

What it doesn't do

• It emulates neither the PS2, nor the GameCube, nor the Wii, nor the Switch. This is not a matter of settings: the chip cannot keep up.
• PSP, Nintendo 64, Dreamcast and Nintendo DS are not settled ground. They mostly run on the Android side, game by game, with settings to adjust and frame rate drops. On the Nintendo DS there is an ergonomic problem on top: with no touchscreen and on a 2.8-inch panel, the dual screen stays uncomfortable. Do not buy this console for those four systems.
• No video output. The two USB-C ports are for charging and data: the console does not connect to a TV, and there is no dock.
• Non-touch screen. The Android interface is driven entirely with the buttons, which is uncomfortable in some menus and apps.
• Supplied without games. The microSD card included is blank: no system, no ROM, no emulator preinstalled on it. You prepare the card yourself.
• A 4:3 screen is still a 4:3 screen. 16:9 systems such as the PSP appear with black bars at the top and bottom.

Compatibility

Comfortable: NES, Super Nintendo, Game Boy, Game Boy Color, Game Boy Advance, Master System, Mega Drive, PC Engine, Neo Geo, CPS1 and CPS2 arcade, PlayStation.
Variable, to be confirmed game by game: Nintendo DS, PSP, Nintendo 64, Dreamcast, Saturn, CPS3 and Naomi arcade.
Out of reach: PlayStation 2, GameCube, Wii, Wii U, Nintendo 3DS, Xbox, Switch.
The microSD cards are exFAT or FAT32 depending on the firmware you choose; both slots are external, so no disassembly is needed.

Skill level required

No soldering, no disassembly. On the other hand the console is not ready to use: the card supplied is blank, you have to format it, put your own game backups on it and, if you want to leave Android, write the firmware of your choice. Allow an evening of preparation the first time. A microSD card reader on a computer is essential.

In the box

• 1 MagicX Mini Zero 28 console (colour of your choice: black, blue or purple)
• 1 blank 64 or 128 GB microSD card depending on the variant chosen

The supplier does not guarantee that a USB-C cable is in the box: plan to use your own, any USB-C charging cable will do.

Legal notice

Console supplied without games, in compliance with the law. The microSD card included is blank and contains no protected content. Page checked on 25/08/2026.

Going further

• Setting up an Android console from scratch: the installation evening
• ES-DE, Daijishō, Beacon: which launcher for an Android console
• The first ten things to do when your console arrives
• Choosing a microSD card for a retro console
• Firmware and OS compatibility table by console

Supplied without games, in compliance with the law. The legal ways to build up a game library are set out on our Where to play legally page.

Read before ordering: Retro gaming consoles · microSD cards

Delivery in 10 to 18 days · ships within 3 to 5 days · 2-year legal guarantee · 14-day returns.