Yidedraw T16 Max – The Vertical Handheld for Batman Fans?

P'Nick
Jul 10
4 min read

If you’ve been searching for a vertical handheld with a bold look and solid specs under $50, then the Yidedraw T16 Max might just grab your attention — especially if you're a Batman fan.

No, seriously! This thing has not one, but two Batman logos — one under the front speaker grill and another right under the shoulder buttons on the back. It’s dramatic, unapologetic, and different.

But is it more than just a novelty? Let’s find out.

🧰 What’s in the Box?

Here’s what you get when your T16 Max arrives:

1x T16 Max console
1x USB-C charging cable
1x Color box
1x User manual

There’s no pre-applied screen protector or case included, but for a device in the sub-$50 range, this is a fair bundle. You’ll want to add a screen protector yourself for extra peace of mind, especially with that laminated screen.

🎨 Available Colors

As of now, you can choose from three colors:

Transparent Purple – A nice throwback to Atomic Purple Game Boy Color
Orange – Eye-catching and different
Black – Stealthy and matches the Batman vibe

Older listings hinted at more colors, but if you want all three current options in stock, check the links at the end.

📺 Display – 4.0” 720x720 IPS Screen

One of the biggest highlights is the 4.0-inch square IPS display with a resolution of 720x720. Square screens are rare in handhelds, and that’s a good thing here. It gives perfect 1:1 scaling for many retro games like NES, Game Boy, SNES, and Genesis titles without weird stretching.

It’s also laminated, which means there’s no air gap between the screen and the top layer of glass. This reduces glare and gives a much crisper image — a major plus.

But keep in mind: games with widescreen resolutions (like PSP) will have black bars or get shrunk down. For 8-bit and 16-bit fans, though, this screen is ideal.

🧠 Internals – RK3326 & 1GB RAM

The T16 Max uses the Rockchip RK3326, a quad-core Cortex-A35 CPU clocked at 1.5GHz, along with 1GB of RAM.

Now, if you’re familiar with retro handhelds, you’ll know this combo has been powering fan favorites like the Anbernic RG351P and R36S. It’s not new, but it’s reliable, power-efficient, and extremely well-supported by the community.

It’s great for:

NES, SNES, GBA, GB, GBC
PS1
PSP (2D games run well, 3D can struggle)
Dreamcast (some games), N64 (inconsistent), and even some Sega Saturn

It’s not suitable for GameCube, PS2, or Wii, so set your expectations accordingly.

⚙️ OS and UI – EmuELEC or ArkOS

The system runs EmuELEC or ArkOS — two community-built Linux-based operating systems designed for retro gaming. Both are:

Simple to use
Highly customizable
Fast to boot
Packed with emulator support

This also means you can update themes, add box art, install emulators, and tweak performance settings with ease.

There’s no touchscreen, and no Android, so don’t expect Netflix or browsing — this is for gaming only.

🎮 Controls – Good Layout with a Unique Twist

The layout follows a classic vertical design but includes a few modern touches:

D-pad and ABXY face buttons are crisp and responsive, great for 2D gaming
Dual analog sticks at the bottom — parallel like PlayStation, not offset like Xbox. These are Switch-style sticks, so they feel smooth
Shoulder buttons (L1/L2 + R1/R2) are stacked inline along the back
Grippy rubber pads on the back help with long play sessions

The only thing that might bother some players is the shoulder buttons being flat rather than angled. If you mainly play fighting or 2D platformers, you’ll be fine. For FPS or racing games that need frequent shoulder input, it might feel less natural.

🔊 Sound – Mono, but Respectable

You get a single BOX-style cavity speaker, which offers decent clarity for solo gaming. It won’t blow your socks off, but it’s better than tinny smartphone speakers.

There’s also a 3.5mm headphone jack — a must-have in this price range — so you can plug in wired headphones and enjoy clean retro music with no lag.

🔋 Battery Life – 3000mAh / ~4 Hours

The 3000mAh battery gives you around 4 hours of game time, depending on what you’re playing and your screen brightness.

That’s not amazing, but not bad either — this is standard for RK3326 devices. Charging is handled via USB-C, and a full charge takes about 2.5 hours. It also supports 5V 2A charging, so any standard phone charger should work fine.

🎮 Emulator & Game Support

The T16 Max supports over 30 emulators, including:

NES, SNES, GB, GBC, GBA
PS1, N64, Dreamcast, NDS
PSP, Sega Saturn, CPS1-3
NEOGEO, FBA, and more

It includes a 64GB microSD card filled with thousands of games, but you can always load your own ROMs via the second TF card slot (up to 512GB expansion). Just make sure your ROMs are in supported formats.

📶 Connectivity & Extras

This handheld comes with some welcome features:

2 USB-C ports – one for charging, one for OTG (controller support)
Support for OTG wireless controllers – great for couch multiplayer
WiFi support – for box art scraping, updates, or online retro netplay

No HDMI out or Bluetooth, but again, this is a sub-$50 device. You’re getting a lot already.

📏 Dimensions & Feel

Size: 14.7 x 8.5 x 3.0 cm
Weight: 330g (boxed)

The device feels solid without being heavy. It’s slightly bulkier than some vertical handhelds like the RG35XX, but that bulk makes it more comfortable to hold, especially with the rear rubber grips.