Helegaly Action π – A Surprisingly Stacked 4" Handheld With a Lot to Love
- P'Nick
- Jul 24
- 4 min read
Hey fam! 👋
If you’ve been on the hunt for a new horizontal handheld that doesn’t break the bank but still checks a lot of boxes, I think you’re gonna want to sit down for this one. Let’s talk about the Helegaly Action π, a name that might be hard to pronounce at first, but trust me, this little device packs some features you normally don’t see at this price point or size.
Let’s dive in, break it all down together, and I’ll tell you why this might be one of the most interesting 4-inch handhelds to come out recently.
📦 What’s in the Box?
Right out of the gate, Helegaly gets some points for presentation. Each Action π unit comes with:
A storage case (yep, not sold separately)
A tempered glass screen protector
A USB-C to USB-A charging cable
A manual to help get you started
It’s always nice when you don’t have to immediately hop online to order screen protection or a carrying pouch, especially for those of us just getting into handheld gaming.
📺 The Display – Sharp and 4:3, Just How We Like It
The screen on this one is a 4.02-inch IPS panel with a native resolution of 960 x 720 and a classic 4:3 aspect ratio. That means:
You’re getting sharp image quality and great color from every angle.
It supports integer scaling really well, especially for older consoles like SNES, GBA, and PS1.
Retro games will look clean and crisp with minimal distortion or weird stretching.
For such a small device, that’s a big win.
🧠 Internals and Performance
Under the hood, the Action π is running on the Allwinner A527, which is still pretty fresh. You’re getting:
2GB of LPDDR3X RAM
16GB of eMMC internal storage
And support for a microSD card (64GB or 128GB depending on the model)
It’s not a powerhouse, but for retro systems and emulation up to PSP, Dreamcast, and even some N64 or PS2 titles, it should hold its own.
🔋 Battery Life
The 5000 mAh battery is pretty generous for a handheld of this size. Depending on what you’re playing, you can expect anywhere from 4 to 7 hours of game time. If you’re mostly into 8-bit or 16-bit titles, it’ll lean closer to the upper end.
Also, since it uses passive heat dissipation, you won’t be hearing any noisy fans during your chill play sessions.
🎮 Controls That Feel Right
Now this is where things get really interesting. For such a compact device, Helegaly went all out on controls:
Stacked shoulder buttons, a rare find at this size, giving you both L1/L2 and R1/R2.
Hall effect analog sticks, same tech used in high-end controllers to prevent stick drift.
Parallel stick layout, similar to PlayStation controllers.
A curved 4-way D-pad for precise directional input.
Domed face buttons that feel satisfying to press.
And micro trigger switches for tactile feedback.
On top of that, the back of the unit features ergonomic grips, making it super comfy to hold even during longer play sessions. No hand cramps here.
🎨 Color Options With Personality
One of the standout features is that each color variant has its own unique flair, not just in shell color, but also in button color schemes. Here’s a quick breakdown:
White: Gray D-pad and analog sticks, face buttons in red, green, blue, and yellow, and white shoulder buttons.
Black: Everything is black except for the face buttons, which are bright red, sleek, and bold.
Blue: Gray D-pad, one yellow analog stick, and one gray, red, and green A & B buttons, and gray X & Y buttons. A fun, playful mix.
Pink: Soft pink shell, hot pink D-pad and buttons, and white analog sticks, super cute and stands out from the crowd.
It’s clear that Helegaly wanted each unit to feel distinct and give players some personality in their choice.
🔌 Ports and Connectivity
There’s no shortage of ports here either. The Action π includes:
2 USB-C ports — one for charging (DC in), one for OTG (data/peripherals)
A mini HDMI port (though heads-up, I confirmed with the OEM that video out is NOT supported, despite what some early listings said)
A 3.5mm headphone jack
Bluetooth 4.2
And Wi-Fi b/g/n support for retro achievements, scraping art, or downloading content wirelessly
💬 Where to Get It
You can grab the Helegaly Action π directly from their official website here (non-affiliate link):
Or, if you prefer shopping on AliExpress, here’s the listing (also non-affiliate):
📣 Final Thoughts
The Helegaly Action π is an exciting little device. Between the solid build quality, colorful options, surprisingly full control layout, and a nice clean 4:3 screen, it’s already looking like a great choice for retro gamers or folks just getting into the handheld scene. It’s not trying to compete with high-end emulation monsters, but for a casual pick-up-and-play experience, there’s a lot to love here.
If you’ve got thoughts about the Action π or want to ask questions, leave a comment below or head over to our สุ่มศูนย์ของ Handheld Hodgepodge and join the discussion. And as always, until next time! 👋
P'Nick ✨
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