Two Iconic '80s PCs Are Making A Huge Comeback (But Not The Way You'd Think)
Retro is in. Well, okay, it's been popular for a while with retro gaming, handhelds that prioritize emulation, new PCs that look old, like Maingear's Retro98, and so on. In that same vein, two old PC designs are making a huge comeback, traveling all the way from the iconic '80s. You might remember a little old console called the Commodore 64 or, in the UK, the ZX Spectrum? They're just two of a handful of gaming consoles that defined the '80s for many gamers back in the day. Yes, both the C64 and Spectrum are coming back, but not in their original forms.
Blaze via HyperMegaTech, the maker of Evercade, has unveiled two clamshell-style handheld consoles in a partnership with Retro Games Ltd. The two new models are inspired by the ZX Spectrum and Commodore 64, and come complete with pre-installed games and simplified controls — no keyboards are onboard. If you want, you can connect an external USB keyboard through an included USB-A port.
On the outside, and when shut, they look like their original counterparts. But open them up, a la Nintendo DS, and you're treated to the 4.3-inch IPS display, the physical controls and the various I/O ports. The games are different for each system, but there are some decent ones. Both will cost $130 at launch for just the console, and should be available to those who pre-order in October 2026. If you order a Collector's Edition for $150, you also get a carrying case and exclusive magazine, but only 2,000 of each limited release are available.
What are the specifications of each handheld?
Ultimately, they're designed to be the same experience, albeit with the varying designs and games installed. To put it simply, they feature the same internals and hardware for the most part. The 4.3-inch IPS high-resolution display supports a maximum of 840 by 480, and they're powered by a quad core 1.2GHz processor (unspecified). With only 256MB of DDR RAM, that's not a lot of memory for modern titles, obviously, but plenty for these specific systems. If you're looking for any handheld consoles more powerful than the Steam Deck, or equal to it, these are not it.
They also have a 2,000mAh battery that should last for over three hours on a single charge, USB-C charging with a cable included, and a 3.5mm headphone jack for audio out. A microSD port allows you to do some "additional game loading," presumably with roms from each system. Physical controls and buttons include a d-pad, face buttons, and mappable function keys. You also have the standard menu, start, and select keys for use in-game. You can read the full list of games for each system at HyperMegaTech's website. Some notables are "Manic Miner," "Tiny Dungeons," "Nightmare Rally" and "The Great Escape" on the Spectrum handheld. On the C64 handheld, you'll find "A Pig Quest," "Sam's Journey," "Super Boulder Dash," "Knight N' Grail," and more.
These are better compared to handheld and retro gaming consoles than PCs, especially considering the limited button layout. If you like these and want more options, you might consider some other cheap handheld gaming consoles worth the price.