When it rains, it pours, and we’re right in the middle of a storm as there are new gaming handhelds being announced every week. One of the latest is the Abxylute One Pro, which is a successor to the Abxylute Cloud Gaming Handheld from 2023.
Abxylute saw what Logitech was about to do with the G Cloud and tried to capitalize on the idea of a “cloud-gaming-first” handheld. Unlike AYANEO or AYN, the One Pro doesn’t have a flagship processor; instead, it relies on the MediaTek Genio 510.
This is paired with just 4GB of RAM and 64GB of expandable storage, which isn’t all that much, but that’s the point. However, there’s one handheld out there that can do everything the One Pro promises, as the Retroid Pocket 5 has a few key advantages over Abxylute’s newest gaming handheld.
Powered by the Snapdragon 865, the Pocket 5 is already quite a bit more performant than the One Pro. This lets you enjoy many of the best Android games while also being pretty fantastic when it comes to retro emulation.
I was surprised to see Abxylute point out that the One Pro can emulate up to PS2, because while it’s a massive improvement over its predecessor, it’s also not unprecedented. Meanwhile, the Retroid Pocket 5 has a unique advantage in that you can either stick to Android, or you can install a custom Linux firmware (ROCKNIX or Batocera) that unlocks Xbox and PS3 emulation.
Okay, the latter was more exciting before RPCS3-Android began development, but there’s no such solution with Xbox emulation. Sure, you can fire up Xbox Game Pass or any of the other cloud gaming services and stream Halo Infinite. But being able to play the original Halo and Halo 2 without worrying about internet speeds is pretty incredible.
On top of that, another big benefit that the Retroid Pocket 5 has over the Abxylute One Pro is the AMOLED display. Abxylute opted for an LCD panel, which looks great in the videos I’ve seen, but it doesn’t match up to an OLED screen. And the one that we have in the Pocket 5 looks simply incredible.
However, the One Pro has an advantage of its own, as it sports a 7-inch display compared to the 5.5-inch screen of the Pocket 5. This also makes for a larger footprint, which some will likely find to be more comfortable than what Retroid provides.
Lastly, there is one more hurdle that I think Abxylute will need to figure out how to overcome, and that’s price. Right now, the One Pro can be ordered via Kickstarter for $209. But that’s just the Early Bird price, and the One Pro will jump up to $249 once it’s officially released.
That’s still less expensive than the G Cloud and its $299 price tag, but it’s also more expensive than the Retroid Pocket 5. It’s even more expensive than the upcoming Retroid Pocket Flip 2, which is essentially the Pocket 5 in a clamshell form factor, complete with the OLED display.
Nevertheless, it’s interesting to see Abxylute release a new cloud-first gaming handheld while Logitech hasn’t decided to do the same with the G Cloud. If the One Pro’s Kickstarter campaign is anything to go by, there’s still plenty of interest in such a handheld, even with similar devices already available.
If you want to get the Abxylute One Pro, the Kickstarter campaign is officially live. Early Bird pricing puts the handheld at $209, which saves you $40 off the expected retail price of $249.
On paper, there’s a lot to like about the Abxylute One Pro, especially if you enjoy cloud gaming. Just be sure to temper your expectations about performance when it arrives.
