The Retro Console Emulation Landscape
The emulation scene for retro consoles presents an interesting dynamic. On the high-end, a considerable investment can get you Ryzen powered devices with enough muscle to emulate consoles up to PS3, XBOX 360, etc. On the more affordable end of the spectrum, you can obtain a modest, yet lower-end Android box that can safely play all 8, 16, and even some 32-bit systems. Generally, your spending will likely dictate the performance of a lot of the newer 5th and 6th generation consoles.
Enter Kinhank. Their latest offering, the Super Console X2 Pro, expands their Super Console family of emulation boxes. Equipped with the Mali S905X2 chip, the Mali-G31 MP2 DDR4 GPU, and 2GB of DDR4 RAM, the X2 Pro comes with Android 9.0 pre-installed. Upon inserting the SD card, the system boots into the Linux-based EmuElec 4.5.
Showcasing a sleek black plastic shell, the Super Console X2 Pro features an HDMI port, 2 USB 2.0 ports, and a Gigabit Ethernet port. It presents a cool, low-profile aesthetic that fits well next to a television or within a home entertainment center. Also included in the package are two decent/good quality Playstation 2 style wireless controllers, a USB dongle, and a remote control for the Android operating system.
Performance Benchmark
Performance-wise, the Super Console X2 Pro outperforms most Android boxes currently available, enabling a good number of games on semi-demanding systems to run smoothly. Systems such as the Nintendo DS, Sega Dreamcast, and Sega Saturn generally operate well, marking a significant achievement considering the state of Android boxes just one or two years ago.
Gameplay Experience
Expectedly, all the 8 and 16-bit systems, and even some of the 32-bit ones, run very well, ensuring thousands upon thousands of games will operate at 100% right out of the box. However, systems notorious for challenging low-spec hardware will still encounter performance issues. Games that are difficult to emulate can pose a significant challenge for the Playstation Portable. The Dreamcast, while generally offering a good experience, has noticeable frame drops in some of the most common games and struggles to maintain a constant 60 fps in standard games like Crazy Taxi. “GoldenEye” on the N64 also presents occasional difficulties.
Final Verdict
In conclusion, the SCX2Pro offers great value for its price. If you’re looking for a quick and dirty, plug-and-play device to connect to a spare TV downstairs or as an easy addition to your game room, this might be for you.
Why Choose the SCX2Pro?
It’s an ideal choice if you want to surf the web a bit but don’t necessarily want to undertake the laborious tasks of setting up your own Android box, downloading ROMs, and scraping art for 100,000 games. In terms of performance, the SCX2Pro gives a Raspberry Pi 4 a run for its money, and it comes with two controllers — not bad at all.
Looking Forward
That being said, there is definitely room for Kinhank to improve. If they manage to implement a few quality improvements while keeping their prices competitive, the Super Consoles could have a promising future. Interested in picking one up? You can get one on Ali Express, or follow the link to the official Kinhank store, HERE.
Hi. It’s a nice article, but as I understand it there are both a X3 AND a X4 released on the market, so it’s kind of the third newest version You are reviewing. Thats a little strange for me.
It would be more relevant to either review the newest version og even better to compare them?
Thanks
-Lenni