A growing number of cheap handheld retro game consoles can run mainline Linux
The Steam Deck is probably the best known handheld gaming PC with a Linux-based operating system, but a number of cheap handhelds from companies like Anbernic and Powkiddy also run Linux-based software… but they tend to use custom kernels.
But when Phoronix reported this week that developer Chris Morgan submitted some code to bring support for a mainline Linux kernel to the Powkiddy X55 handheld, Morgan responded that the X55 is just the latest in a line of similar devices with mainline Linux support.
Others include the Anbernic RG503, RG353 series, and RG Nano. What those devices all have in common is a Rockchip RK3566 processor, which is a quad-core ARM Cortex-A55 processor with Mali-52 EE graphics.
So what’s the advantage of mainline Linux support? Basically it will make it easier for developers to port other operating systems to run on those handhelds, as well as to keep them up to date with the latest performance, security, and feature updates.
Notebookcheck:
-
Mainline Linux kernel support coming to cheap retro gaming handhelds like Powkiddy X55
Phoronix has noticed that more Linux distributions could soon be available to a recent Powkiddy retro gaming handheld. By default, the Powkiddy X55 utilises a customised Linux distribution, as do many of its contemporaries. However, mainline Linux kernel support is actively being developed for the device, which currently sells for $114.99 on Amazon with a $20 coupon or for US$89 via Powkiddy directly.
For reference, Powkiddy bases the X55 around the Rockchip RK3566, an SoC that integrates four ARM Cortex-A55 CPU cores clocked at 1.8 GHz and a Mali-G52 GPU. Incidentally, the same chipset can be found in other Powkiddy devices, including the RGB30 and RK2023. Arguably, the X55 is the most capable of the three, thanks to its 2 GB of LPDDR4X RAM, 4,000 mAh battery and 5.5-inch IPS display. Please see our Powkiddy X55 launch article for more details.