Pimoroni PicoSystem

The Pimoroni PicoSystem is a tiny horizontal handheld launched in 2021, built on the Raspberry Pi Pico architecture. It is not a retro emulation machine but rather a pocket-sized gaming gadget, small enough to hang from a keychain, with a reference price of about 79.90 USD.

At its heart is the RP2040 M0+, a dual-core ARM chip running at 133 MHz, paired with 265 KB of SRAM and 16 MB of flash storage. These figures are deliberately modest: the PicoSystem cannot emulate classic consoles at all. Instead, it runs games made specifically for it, flashed directly onto its internal memory, and only a limited number of titles fit at a time.

The 1.54-inch IPS display has a 240 x 240 resolution in a square 1:1 format, with a pixel density of 220.4 ppi. The image is crisp and suits simple pixel-art games well, even if the small size doesn't invite very long sessions.

Controls are minimalist: a cross D-pad, four face buttons and a power button. There are no analog sticks, no shoulder buttons and no rumble. The aluminium body gives it a solid feel, while sound comes from a single front-facing mono speaker.

Power comes from a 525 mAh battery charged over USB-C, and the device is switched on and off with a dedicated button.

Being based on the Raspberry Pi Pico platform, the console particularly appeals to tech enthusiasts who want to load and experiment with games made for the RP2040, written straight to the device's flash memory.

Ideal for: gadget and microcontroller enthusiasts, anyone wanting a pocket- or keychain-sized console for simple games, and those who value a well-built aluminium device rather than an emulation machine.