What Android phones do you use for emulation?

[endoverend]

Flash Cyanogenmod... gets rid of bloatware and more customizable (EG overclock helps for some emus)

 

[Tom Bombadildo]

I use my NVIDIA Shield, but before that I used my Galaxy S4. Most emulators have options for upscaling and various filters to make them not look like ass. Even when I use my Shield in console mode (HDMI output at 1080p) emulation looks good.

 

[Joe88]

Don't buy an S3. It's cool when you get it, but after a year you'll be wishing you had another phone. It's cheap plastic, a cheap screen, and a terrible battery rolled together and called "the next big thing".

Whatever you say
Ive had it for about 2 years now and never had a problem
Not exactly sure how an Super AMOLED screen is "cheap" either

 

[endoverend]

Well maybe i just got a shitty one.
Screen cracked after a 3 foot drop, colors are very washed out.
Guess I'm kinda taking my own experience and applying it to everyone, aren't I. Oh well, I do it all the time.

 

[matpower]

Flash Cyanogenmod... gets rid of bloatware and more customizable (EG overclock helps for some emus)

I was expecting that reply tbh.
Anyway, my Galaxy Tab 3 is pretty resistent, it suffered a lot of drops from high places, besides a small plastic that lost its color and a little scratch on the screen, it is really reliable in my experience.

 

[cracker]

It's gone OT but what the hell... I have had an S3 going on 3 years now. It is a solid phone that outperforms other devices of its time (and many since then). The design might seem a little fragile but take a look at physical stress testsof it vs say the iPhone 4 or 5. The battery life is on par with many phones of similar specs. Just like any other phone -- more apps running in the background == more drain. Fortunately, ZeroLemon makes amazing batteries for Galaxys. I have the 7000mAh one for S3 which is a no-brainer to get @ 40USD.

 

[Satangel]

Whatever you say
Ive had it for about 2 years now and never had a problem
Not exactly sure how an Super AMOLED screen is "cheap" either

It's gone OT but what the hell... I have had an S3 going on 3 years now. It is a solid phone that outperforms other devices of its time (and many since then). The design might seem a little fragile but take a look at physical stress testsof it vs say the iPhone 4 or 5. The battery life is on par with many phones of similar specs. Just like any other phone -- more apps running in the background == more drain. Fortunately, ZeroLemon makes amazing batteries for Galaxys. I have the 7000mAh one for S3 which is a no-brainer to get @ 40USD.

Oh thanks for the replies guys, was getting worried. It should come this week, secondhand for about 200USD (includes a couple of cases + accessories)
Hopefully I don't have a 'shitty one'

 

[jalaneme]

Don't buy an S3. It's cool when you get it, but after a year you'll be wishing you had another phone. It's cheap plastic, a cheap screen, and a terrible battery rolled together and called "the next big thing".

No you are wrong, the s3 and note ii have gorilla glass, not sure where you got that idea that the screen is cheap, it has a amoled display too, i also don't wish i had another phone, i like my note ii a lot thanks.

Well maybe i just got a shitty one.
Screen cracked after a 3 foot drop, colors are very washed out.
Guess I'm kinda taking my own experience and applying it to everyone, aren't I. Oh well, I do it all the time.

I've dropped my phone on hard floor & concrete and the screen is still good, maybe i got lucky who knows.

 

[endoverend]

Look, there CAN BE manufacturing errors. "Having a shitty one" is a perfectly reasonable phrase.

 

[Haloman800]

Galaxy Note 2, RetroArch is ze best. That + Wiimote is awesome. I normally use Wii + WiiFlow for emulation however.

No you are wrong, the s3 and note ii have gorilla glass, not sure where you got that idea that the screen is cheap, it has a amoled display too, i also don't wish i had another phone, i like my note ii a lot thanks.



I've dropped my phone on hard floor & concrete and the screen is still good, maybe i got lucky who knows.

You should upgrade from 4.1.2 to a 4.4.2 official ROM, lots quicker.

 

[cracker]

Galaxy Note 2, RetroArch is ze best. That + SixAxis + SixAxis controller is awesome. I normally use Wii + WiiFlow for emulation however.

Fixed that for you.


You should upgrade from 4.1.2 to a 4.4.2 official ROM, lots quicker.

 

[raulpica]

Galaxy Tab 3 here, using RetroArch, most stuff runs fine besides a few GBA games when I got stuff on the background, I would recommend using it with a Custom Android, since Samsung stuff is filled with bloatware running on the background :/ (I would love some recommendations on Custom Android )

Galaxy Note 2, RetroArch is ze best. That + Wiimote is awesome. I normally use Wii + WiiFlow for emulation however.
You should upgrade from 4.1.2 to a 4.4.2 official ROM, lots quicker.

Ugh, how can you guys tolerate the super-crappy UI of RetroArch? It's seriously one of the worst I've ever used on Android. EVER.

It's like they've hurriedly slapped a bog-standard Android UI on RetroArch's internal UI which is made for _physical_ controller - Oh wait, that's EXACTLY what they did!

Also, all the dedicated emus are a LOT more customizable than the various RetroArch's cores. Gotta admit that RetroArch has got the most accurate cores out there. I have it installed only for that reason.

Picodrive, higan, PCSX ReARMed, ... You name it. That makes it even worse that the devs didn't care to give it a DECENT UI.

 

[DinohScene]

I honestly hate to emulate old school games on me S4.
I can't handle the touch screen controls.

I did try N64 OOT and NES LoZ.
But eh, I just can't be fucked with it.

 

[Tom Bombadildo]

I honestly hate to emulate old school games on me S4.
I can't handle the touch screen controls.

I did try N64 OOT and NES LoZ.
But eh, I just can't be fucked with it.

There's a reason everyone here talks about using controllers

If you have a PS3 controller, you can sync it up via bluetooth just fine with SixAxis Controller.

 

[Xabring]

There's a reason everyone here talks about using controllers

If you have a PS3 controller, you can sync it up via bluetooth just fine with SixAxis Controller.

Well, that, or Use an Xperia PLAY to not worry about controllers, since the phone itself it's a controller!!!

of course, since it's old and that, I can only play properly the SNES emulator and surprisingly, the Play Station 1 emulator but nothing else fancy.

 

[DinohScene]

There's a reason everyone here talks about using controllers

If you have a PS3 controller, you can sync it up via bluetooth just fine with SixAxis Controller.

Cba to do that xd

 

[Tom Bombadildo]

Well, that, or Use an Xperia PLAY to not worry about controllers, since the phone itself it's a controller!!!



of course, since it's old and that, I can only play properly the SNES emulator and surprisingly, the Play Station 1 emulator but nothing else fancy.

...or he could just buy a $20 clip http://buy.thegameklip.com/ and be done with it. Simple, cheap, easy.

 

[mightymuffy]

Ugh, how can you guys tolerate the super-crappy UI of RetroArch? It's seriously one of the worst I've ever used on Android. EVER.

It's like they've hurriedly slapped a bog-standard Android UI on RetroArch's internal UI which is made for _physical_ controller - Oh wait, that's EXACTLY what they did!

Also, all the dedicated emus are a LOT more customizable than the various RetroArch's cores. Gotta admit that RetroArch has got the most accurate cores out there. I have it installed only for that reason.

Picodrive, higan, PCSX ReARMed, ... You name it. That makes it even worse that the devs didn't care to give it a DECENT UI.

Gawd, I hope squarepusher doesn't read that (it's true though)
RA makes for a handy all in one (and is of course great on the Wii), but there's great alternatives.
Anyway on my HTC One (M7 here still), yep emulation is great! Got a MOGA that I can clip my phone into on the go, DS3 if I want to fire it up at home. Also got an iPega one somewhere about the house that also allows you to clip the phone into, but input lag was iffy on that anyway.
Input lag is the problem more than any screen resolution in my opinion: all 3 of my controllers are bluetooth there, and it's noticeable. A usb controller would be better, but less convenient.

 

[Xabring]

...or he could just buy a $20 clip http://buy.thegameklip.com/ and be done with it. Simple, cheap, easy.

Well, finaly a reason to ditch the xperia and use a Photon 4G instead! If only I have a sixaxis controller now.....

 

[Ashen12345]

I have an Xperia Play, its great for truly portable retro gaming.

However I prefer to play on this:

Its the holy grail of cheap Chinese android handhelds IMO. Its the first one I've bought that is pretty much perfect out of the box. Much better quality/attention to detail than JXD or Yinlips.

http://www.willgoo.com/gpd-g58-gaming-tablet-console-quad-core-5-screen-8g-p-578.html

Though I hear the G5A is also great.

http://www.willgoo.com/gpd-g5a-android-gaming-tablet-hand-grip-design-quad-core-5-8gb-p-539.html

EDIT: This is a great emu frontend for Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.vektor.gamesome&hl=en