FunKey S : Smallest Retro Handheld Review and How to Setup MAME

Product Reviewed

FunKey S — an extremely small retro handheld retro-gaming device with a clamshell design.

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Key Features Mentioned

Size / Portability

• Described as the smallest retro handheld the reviewer has used.
• Folded up, it fits inside the display area of a Nintendo Game & Watch, compared against other handhelds’ thickness/footprint.
• Reviewer calls it roughly “the size of two quarters” and says it’s easy to carry almost anywhere.

Hardware Specs

• ARM Cortex A7 @ 1.2 GHz
• 64 MB DDR2 RAM
• Internal 32 GB microSD, expandable to 128 GB
• 240×240 IPS LCD
• Mono speaker
• 410 mAh battery, claimed ~2 hours playtime

Controls / Usability

• Power: open clamshell; also the top middle button (press/hold) powers on/off
• Menu: short press opens menu
• In-game and launcher controls adjust:
  • Zoom
  • Aspect ratio
  • Brightness
  • Volume
• Buttons: has L1/R1 on top; menu/function behavior described by the reviewer

Display & Sound Features / Limitations

• No FPS counter shown.
• No headphone jack and no Bluetooth, so audio is limited to the mono speaker.

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Included Content / Accessories

• Micro USB (USB-A) charging + data transfer cable
• Additional button color inserts
• Small manual explaining main functions
• Includes a small keychain (reviewer doubts they’ll use it)

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Setup / Software Experience

Emulators Included

A large set of emulators is included out of the box, including:

• Game Boy, Game Boy Color, Game Boy Advance
• NES, SNES
• Game Gear, Sega Master System, Sega Genesis
• TurboGrafx, Atari Lynx
• Neo Geo Pocket
• WonderSwan Color
• PlayStation 1

Game Management / Exiting

• Exiting a game: menu button → up → “exit game” → A twice
• Volume: menu button → left/right
• Power down: menu → up → A, or simply close the lid

Themes

• Can change launcher themes (example themes shown: flat, TFT, and a favorite purple theme).

Copying Games via USB

• Uses USB “mount USB” option.
• When mounted on Windows, it shows ~27.8 GB available.
• Folder structure behavior:
  • ROM artwork appears when the ROM filename matches the artwork PNG filename.
  • PS1 requires BIOS: copy SCPH100011.bin into the PS1 emulator BIOS folder.
• Copy ROMs and related .png files, then eject twice.

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Firmware / Open-Source Emphasis

• The project is open-source, including software and hardware schematics.
• Firmware update process:
  1. Download the latest firmware from funkey-pro.com
  2. Copy the firmware file to the USB root
  3. Double press A on eject USB to apply firmware

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MAME / Arcade Experience (Installation + Play)

How MAMEim Works

• Uses third-party OPK applications from the FunKey wiki/Discord ecosystem.

How MAMEim Was Installed

• Download MAMEim OPK and copy the OPK into the emulator subdirectory
• Create a main folder under root
• Copy arcade game files (reviewer keeps some ZIPs unextracted)
• Reviewer recommends samples for better audio on older games

Launching Arcade Games

• Turn on → menu → “set launcher” (double press A)
• Enters G Menu 2X launcher
• Select main, then the target game

Arcade Game Controls / Options

• Exit via menu → exit game → start/menu sequence described
• Save states: 9 available
• Load state: from menu (“load”)
• Brightness/display mode shortcut:
  • hold function + X/B (also mentioned: hold function + down)
• Quick pause/resume:
  • close clamshell pauses
  • reopening resumes where left off

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Real-Game Performance / Observations (No Detailed Benchmarks)

Examples of games tested:

• Game Boy: Asteroids, Miss Pac-Man
• NES: Galaga Demons of Death, Tetris
• SNES: Donkey Kong Country
• GBA: Super Mario Advance, Mario Kart: Super Circuit
• Sega Master System: Afterburner
• Sega: Sonic the Hedgehog 2
• PS1: Crash Bandicoot 3, Tekken 3
• Arcade via MAMEim: Donkey Kong (original arcade), with samples

Performance notes:

• No FPS counter.
• Reviewer says most games (including many PS1 games) play relatively well.

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Pros Mentioned (Unique Points)

• Extremely compact / portable
• Simple to use (clamshell power, straightforward menu controls)
• Lots of emulators included out of the box
• Good setup workflow for USB transfers and artwork/box art matching
• Open-source hardware/software and easy firmware updating
• Themes and customization options
• MAMEim support via community third-party OPKs
• Sleep/pause behavior: close/open remembers last position
• Save states available (9) in the MAME/im usage described
• Audio improves if samples are included (for arcade)

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Cons Mentioned (Unique Points)

• Not comfortable for long sessions (buttons are very close together)
• Audio limitations:
  • Mono speaker only
  • No headphone jack and no Bluetooth
• Battery is limited (about ~2 hours playtime)
• Implied performance limitation: positioned as a novelty/compact device rather than a power machine
• Price/value:
  • about $92 (not the cheapest)
  • reviewer claims more powerful devices exist around similar price

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Comparisons Made

• Compared size/folding footprint against:
  • Nintendo Game & Watch
  • RG 351V (folded across the display comparison)
  • Odin GO Super (similar thickness/extended size comparison)
• Compared value against other handhelds around the $92 range:
  • says more powerful devices can be found at similar prices

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Overall User Experience Verdict (Reviewer)

The reviewer calls it a novelty device: extremely small and convenient, but not meant to replace a primary handheld.

Recommended if your goal is:

• the smallest easy retro handheld
• and you don’t mind short play sessions, small button comfort limits, and limited audio connectivity

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Concise Recommendation

• Buy it if you want a tiny, easy-to-set-up retro handheld with lots of built-in systems and decent “relatively well” game compatibility.
• Skip it if you need:
  • comfort for long sessions
  • better audio options (headphones/Bluetooth)
  • best value/performance for the money

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Speakers / Views

• One speaker only (mono); no separate speakers indicated in the subtitles.