MIYOO MINI PLUS REVIEW 2026: IS IT STILL THE BEST?
The Miyoo Mini Plus has been the community favourite budget handheld for two years. We put it through its paces to find out if it still deserves that crown in 2026.
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MIYOO MINI PLUS
★★★★★The 3.5-inch IPS screen is the Miyoo Mini Plus's strongest feature. At 640x480 it's the perfect resolution for retro gaming — pixel-perfect for Game Boy, SNES and Mega Drive games. Colours are vivid, brightness is good, and there's no ghosting even in fast-paced games. It's genuinely one of the best screens at any price in this category.
The plastic shell feels solid and premium for the price. Buttons have a satisfying tactile click — the D-pad in particular is excellent for 2D platformers and fighting games. The shoulder buttons are well positioned and responsive. At 105g it's light enough to hold comfortably for long sessions without hand fatigue.
Stock firmware is poor — install Onion OS immediately. It's a free community-built operating system that transforms the device. You get a clean UI, hundreds of emulators, RetroAchievements support, save state syncing over WiFi, and a package manager for adding new apps. The community behind it is enormous and updates arrive regularly. Onion OS alone is a significant reason to choose the Miyoo over competitors.
The 3000mAh battery delivers around 5-6 hours of gameplay depending on screen brightness and emulator load. It's not class-leading — the R36S lasts noticeably longer — but it's enough for a commute or a long flight. Charges via USB-C in about 2 hours.
PROS
- Outstanding IPS screen
- Excellent build quality
- Onion OS is best in class
- WiFi for save syncing
- Huge active community
- Compact and pocketable
- USB-C charging
CONS
- Stock firmware needs replacing
- No analogue sticks
- 256MB RAM limits N64/PS1
- Can sell out quickly
- Pricier than R36S
The Miyoo Mini Plus is the right choice if you want the best overall experience — screen quality, build, software and community support all in one package. It's ideal for NES, SNES, Game Boy, GBA and Mega Drive gaming. If you mainly want PS1 and N64 emulation, consider the R36S instead for its extra RAM.
The Miyoo Mini Plus remains the best budget retro handheld in 2026. Two years on the market and it still hasn't been beaten for the combination of screen quality, build, and software. Buy it.