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🎮 XF35H Review – RGB Sticks, Inline Shoulder Buttons & a Surprising Bundle for $25?!

Hey Fam!👋


I’ve got something truly wild to show you this week — the new XF35H handheld. And get this… it’s currently selling for just $25.50. Yes, for the price of a couple of pizzas, you’re getting a surprisingly feature-packed vertical handheld. 😲


Let’s dive into everything this little retro box has to offer!


💡 Quick Specs (and why they matter!)

🎨 Color Options: Transparent glacial blue, translucent red, translucent black, white, or purple — something for every taste!

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💾 Storage: Choose between a 64GB microSD (≈18,000 games) or a 128GB card (≈22,000 games) preloaded. That’s a lot of nostalgia.


📺 Display: 3.5” IPS screen with a 640x480 resolution. It’s sharp, clear, and perfect for all your retro needs.

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🎮 Chipset: RockChip RK3326 – a familiar and reliable retro gaming SoC used in many well-known devices. It won't handle PSP God of War at full speed, but it eats through NES, SNES, PS1, and even light PSP games.


🧠 RAM: 1GB of RAM — more than enough to run EmuELEC and dozens of emulators smoothly.


🔋 Battery: 4000mAh – that’s a proper all-day battery. Expect around 6–7 hours of typical use.

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🎛️ Controls: Dual analog sticks (yes, with RGB lights!) + a dish-style D-pad and four face buttons. You’ve also got stacked L1/L2 and R1/R2 buttons on the back — making this thing ready for serious play.


🔊 Audio: Down-firing stereo speakers. Not too shabby at this price point.


🔌 Ports: Type-C charging, HDMI-out for playing on the big screen, and support for OTG controllers.


🌐 Connectivity: Built-in Wi-Fi lets you scrape box art, update systems, or stream from other devices with the right software.

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🎁 In the Box: You actually get a case, a screen protector (plus cleaning gear), a USB-A to USB-C charging cable, and a color manual — not bad for the price!


🧠 Operating System & Emulator Support

Running a Linux-based OS (customized version of EmuELEC most likely), the XF35H supports 30+ emulators out of the box. That means:

  • NES, SNES, GBA, GBC, GB

  • Sega Genesis / MD, Game Gear, Master System

  • PS1 (very solid)

  • Some N64 and PSP (lightweight games like Lumines, not God of War 😅)

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You also get support for MP4 video, MP3 music, and even Ebooks in .txt format — not something I’d use daily, but hey, the feature’s there if you want it.


🕹️ Controls & Feel

Let’s talk about feel: The analog sticks are super responsive, and the RGB rings around them actually look quite cool in the dark. They’re PS-style layout (side-by-side), not Xbox-style offset.


The D-pad is light and responsive, reminiscent of the Game Boy Advance SP rather than the SNES. The stacked shoulder buttons are clicky but solid, better than I expected.

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Oh, and those rubber pads on the back? They add a surprising bit of grip comfort that helps during long play sessions.

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⚙️ Build Quality

At this price point, you’d expect cheap plastic — and sure, it’s no aluminum chassis, but it feels good. The translucent shells evoke early-2000s tech nostalgia, and the seams are well-executed. No creaks, no loose buttons, no rattles. Bonus points for giving us a screen protector and case in the box!


💰 Value & Verdict

Here’s the deal: for $25.50, the XF35H offers:

  • Dual analog sticks with RGB flair

  • A great 3.5” screen

  • A solid battery

  • HDMI-out

  • WiFi

  • And over 18,000–22,000 games preloaded depending on your model


Sure, it doesn’t have the raw power of a Retroid Pocket 4 Pro or AYANEO device — but it also costs 1/10th as much. And for folks wanting a casual, vertical, plug-and-play system with nostalgia baked in? This is a winner.


✅ Top 3 Pros

🎮 RGB thumbsticks and full-featured controls

💾 Comes packed with thousands of games and even accessories

🔋 Long-lasting battery with HDMI output and WiFi/Bluetooth support


❌ Top 3 Cons

🔊 Speakers are fine but not booming

🧠 Linux OS isn’t beginner-customizable

🧱 Not built for higher-end emulation (no heavy PSP, N64, Dreamcast)


🙋 Who It’s For:

  • Newcomers looking for an inexpensive entry into retro gaming

  • Kids or casual players who want something fun and colorful


🙅 Who Should Skip It:

  • Hardcore emulator tinkerers who want full Android/Linux customizations

  • Folks hoping to emulate heavier PSP or Dreamcast games


📦 Where to Buy

🛒 Non-Affiliate Link: AliExpress – XF35H

🛒 Affiliate Link (Thanks for supporting the blog!): AliExpress – XF35H


💬 Let me know in the comments what you think about this colorful little powerhouse. Are you planning to grab one, or do you already have something similar? Or better yet — come share your thoughts and pictures over at the Handheld Hodgepodge section of our forum!


Until next time! 👋


P'Nick ✨

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