Grant Sinclair’s GamerCard is a handheld console based on the Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W and a 4-inch color IPS display offered in an ultrathin design that’s about the size of a typical retail gift card.
It joins other Raspberry Pi-based handheld terminals like the BeepBerry, ShaRPiKeebo, or DevTerm, but it’s more of a consumer device and offers by far the slimmest design at just 6mm thick. Being described as a “Grab & Go Raspberry Pi Gaming” platform, it’s mainly designed as a portable gaming console, but since it’s based on Raspberry Pi hardware, you could also use it as a battery-powered Linux terminal connected to a USB keyboard and mouse, and it also offers expansion capabilities through a Qwiic connector.
GamerCard specifications:
- SBC – Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W (soldered on mainboard) – Based on Raspberry Pi RP3A0 quad-core Arm Cortex-A53 SiP with 512 MB SDRAM, Bluetooth 4.2 and Wi-Fi 4
- Storage – 128 GB
- Display – 4-inch IPS display up to 60 Hz; 254 ppi; flush-fit sapphire glass protective layer.
- Video Output – Mini HDMI port
- Audio
- 2x sub-miniature loudspeakers
- 2x monoblock amps with audio codec IC for stereo sound.
- USB – 1x USB Type-C port for keyboard and mouse (Note there’s one Type-C port at the bottom for charging. But if the mouse/keyboard port is directly on the Pi Zero 2 W then it should be a micro USB port)
- Controls
- 8x silicone control pads using tactile snap-dome micro push buttons on the front panel
- L+R silicone shoulder-style buttons with tactile snap-dome switches at the back
- Silicone micro push buttons for START, SELECT, and POWER-ON
- All silicone control pads and buttons have an anti-bacterial coating
- Expansion – Qwiic connector for I2C module
- Misc
- Power button
- 3x micro LEDs for battery recharge status
- Passive heat sink integrated into the Zytel layer and sitting on top of the processor
- Power Supply
- 5V charging via USB-C port
- Built-in 1600 mAh Li-Po battery
- Dimensions – 128 x 88 x 6.5 mm
- Weight – 100 grams
- Construction – Patented, sealed PCB sandwich construction with Zytel layer.
The GamerCard can run thousands of games from various classic systems through emulators available on OS images such as Recalbox, RetroPie, and Lakka. The device also comes preloaded with two multi-level action games, with more coming soon via the company’s store app, and it’s also compatible with PICO-8 games (extra purchase required), which we tested with the PocketCHIP many years ago.
Grant Sinclair also highlights that the GamerCard is more than just a gaming console, and it also supports coding development in MicroPython, C, C++, BASIC, and more. That means it could potentially be used for education using those languages, as well as PICO-8 with tools for editing code, music, sound, sprites, and maps in games.
The GamerCard can be purchased for 125 GBP ($170) on Grant Sinclair’s website. I could not find any documentation website, so all information is from the shop and some images Grant Sinclair shared with CNX Software.
Jean-Luc started CNX Software in 2010 as a part-time endeavor, before quitting his job as a software engineering manager, and starting to write daily news, and reviews full time later in 2011.
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The idea is good, especially with the ability to add a keyboard, mouse, Bluetooth, WiFi, internal storage and HDMI connectivity.
But then you look at the price for the power that you get from a Pi Zero 2 W.
Then we have the vague description ‘Preloaded with two multi-level action games (with more coming soon via our Pi games store app)’re.
No indication of range and cost of games.
Then we have the comment with a *.
‘A convenient emulation device capable* of running thousands of games from multiple classic systems’.
Where you then read the legal:
‘It is the responsibility of the individual user to ensure they are complying with all applicable copyright laws and to verify the legality of downloading, owning, or using emulators or game files in their country or region.’
There is nothing wrong with mentioning the purchasers own legal responsibility and should be a standard description for all such devices aimed at gaming.
But it also demonstrates that this is pretty much the same as many other more powerful and capable handhelds that have the same ability to play games from multiple systems.
Whilst the likes of Anbernic and others load up their products (or offer the option) with thousands of games, Grant Sinclair’s, being a UK based company, they could not even consider doing this because they would face immediate prosecution (despite Customs allowing thousands of pirated devices into the UK all the time and Amazon even hosting, selling and delivering them, with no action taken against them (yet)).
So the bottom line is that this is, when comparing against all other available products available for £125, is almost certainly going to be seen as poor value from the off.
I suspect that it would have to be in the region of £60 to have any real appeal.
I’m with you there, I was excited until I saw the price tag! £60 would have been an impulse buy, £125 is a no for me considering what’s is put there.
Display has 720×720
Does it have the ability to do web based email, such as Gmail or Yahoo? Can’t be a stand alone, travel only-device, without Gmail. I want to leave my phone at home, and take only one device.
It can run Raspberry Pi OS with Firefox and/or Chromium, so the short answer is yes. But it lacks a touchscreen and only has a few buttons, so you’d need a keyboard if you want to reply to emails…
A terminal like the CyberT with a built-in keyboard would work better, but it’s not as slim and not available yet.