GK Handheld Gets STM32MP2 Upgrade

For retro gaming fans in Britain and beyond, John Cronin has updated his GK handheld console with a new STM32MP2 chip, giving the portable emulator a much bigger performance headroom than the earlier version. The change is aimed at stronger emulation across classic systems, with support now stretching further into more demanding territory.

The previous GK handheld, version 3, used a single Cortex-M7 core running at 600 MHz with a 2D NeoChrom GPU. This new model uses dual Cortex-A35 cores clocked at 1.5 GHz, plus a Cortex-M33, which opens the door to a wider range of 8-bit to 32-bit systems, along with Nintendo 64 through a specialised fork of mupen64.

Its custom operating system, gkos, is largely POSIX-compliant and gives the handheld very fast boot times. The system also supports Atari ST and XL emulation, plus DOSBox, which runs like a 50 MHz 486 PC. That means early PC games, including the original DOOM, are in scope, although a native sdl-DOOM port performs even better.

The GK handheld also adds practical hardware touches, including extra inputs, a larger screen than the earlier version, integrated WiFi, accelerometers for tilt control, and touch support. Taken together, it is more than a simple emulation box, it is a compact portable computer built for classic games and older software.

Hackaday’s report says the project shows how far hobbyist hardware has come, with OpenGL support and enough power to handle more complex emulation in a small form factor. For readers following RetroShell’s news coverage, it is another sign that homebrew handhelds keep pushing further into territory once reserved for bigger machines.

Originally published by Hackaday. Read original article.