June has been one of the busiest months for gaming handhelds in recent times. The Nintendo Switch 2 has broken records in only two weeks since its launch, and Ayaneo has released its Pocket S2 and S2 Pro high-end gaming handhelds. But that's not stopped lesser-known manufacturer MagicX from launching its Zero 40 budget Android handheld this week after a slight delay, with a low price and a nostalgic design that harkens back to the Nintendo DS.
Instead of an announcement on social media, MagicX decided to push the button on its website to make the Zero 40 budget handheld available to all for $75 plus shipping.
An impressive Allwinner A133P chipset powers the device, along with 2 GB of DDR4 RAM and a 4,300 mAh battery, meaning you'll be able to play some of the less-demanding best Android games like Chrono Trigger and Stardew Valley for a long afternoon. It also features Bluetooth 4.2, Wi-Fi, and is available in black or white.
But as the photos show on MagicX's website, it's the tall 4.5-inch and 5:3 aspect ratio 480 x 800 IPS display of the Zero 40 that makes it stand out from the rest, letting you play games and watch movies at the same time. Compared to the other handhelds released this month, such as the Ayaneo Pocket S2 and the Nintendo Switch 2, the Zero 40 is almost a breath of fresh air in what it offers.
MagicX wants to position this handheld as an entry-level option for those who may want to explore the best retro handhelds currently available. For $75, it's an impressive price point for what this handheld offers, and combined with the fact that its tall display can let you game and view media at the same time, there are few negatives to find here.
It's important to note that, while we don't recommend playing ROM images of games you don't own on these handhelds, videos like the above from MagicX demonstrate how well its tall screen works on certain games, which could appeal to many. But there are huge communities of homebrew games that are free and legal to use on these devices.
Nevertheless, it's an exciting time for handhelds, and we're curious as to what else other manufacturers have up their sleeves for the rest of 2025. For now, make sure to check out our guides to the best gaming phones and the best gaming tablets, or our Nintendo Switch 2 review if you're still thinking of buying one. For more of the latest mobile and handheld hardware news, follow us on Google News to stay in the loop.