The Trimui Smart Pro

In the vast sea of budget-friendly retro gaming handhelds, distinguishing oneself from the countless Anbernic and PowKiddy variants can be a daunting task. Enter the Trimui Smart Pro—a device that aims to capture attention not just with its accessible price point, but with a sleek, minimalist design that heavily evokes the iconic Sony PlayStation Vita. Priced well under the $100 mark (often found around €75), this compact console offers a compelling mix of form and function for gamers looking for a comfortable, pocketable emulation machine. Here is our overview of this stylish entry into the retro handheld space.

Vita-Inspired Design and Display

The most striking aspect of the Trimui Smart Pro is its aesthetic. Weighing just 250 grams and measuring 188 x 80 x 17 mm, it feels incredibly light yet surprisingly sturdy in the hands. The star of the hardware is undoubtedly its 4.96-inch IPS display. Featuring a crisp 1280×720 resolution, the screen offers excellent color reproduction and wide viewing angles. This 16:9 aspect ratio makes it an absolute joy for playing Game Boy Advance and PSP titles, which fill the screen beautifully.

Complementing the display is a control layout that feels familiar. The device features an excellent D-pad and a standard Nintendo face-button layout (X, Y, A, B). The dual analog sticks are recessed deeply into the chassis to maintain the device’s slim profile, and they are surrounded by customizable RGB lighting rings. While the sticks lack L3/R3 click functionality, they perform admirably for retro 3D titles.

Under the Hood: The Allwinner A133Plus

Powering the Trimui Smart Pro is the Allwinner A133Plus SoC, a slightly overclocked quad-core chip running up to 1.8 GHz, paired with a PowerVR GE8300 GPU and 1 GB of RAM. While this isn’t the most powerful silicon on the market, it is perfectly tailored for the device’s target demographic. The handheld effortlessly handles everything from 8-bit classics up through the PlayStation 1. Furthermore, the overclocked chip provides just enough headroom to comfortably emulate Nintendo 64 and a solid portion of the PlayStation Portable library without noticeable stuttering.

Software and Connectivity

The Trimui Smart Pro runs a custom Linux-based operating system designed for simplicity. Navigating the interface is smooth, and because it utilizes RetroArch on the backend, users have access to a wealth of modern features, including save states, custom bezels, and display filters (like the classic green dot-matrix Game Boy look).

In terms of connectivity, the device boasts a built-in 5000 mAh battery that easily provides around 5 hours of gameplay. It is fully equipped with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, allowing for wireless controller support and seamless multiplayer via RetroArch’s NetPlay feature.

The Verdict

The Trimui Smart Pro is an incredibly easy device to recommend for gamers on a budget. While it lacks premium features like a touchscreen or HDMI output for TV docking, it nails the fundamentals. By combining a beautiful 720p screen, excellent Vita-style ergonomics, and capable performance up to the N64/PSP era, Trimui has delivered a fantastic “pick-up-and-play” handheld that punches well above its weight class.