Although single-board computers (SBCs) boast many uses, retro gaming emulation remains a popular endeavor. Because running the likes of RetroPie, Recalbox, Batocera, and Lakka offers a fun, practical project that's perfect for everyone from beginners to seasoned makers, emulation stays relevant. There are plenty of choices in your approach, ranging from a basic board to an arcade cabinet replica. But you'll want to make sure you've got the proper hardware for the job. Check out the best SBCs for retro gaming!

Why Use an SBC for Emulation?

Although many maker boards such as the Raspberry Pi are regularly transformed into retro gaming consoles, a desktop or laptop often outperforms even the beefiest of development boards. Because most emulators are CPU bound, the majority of SBCs can't handle emulation of newer systems such as the PlayStation 3, Wii U, Wii, PlayStation 2, and GameCube. Even many dev boards underperform when tasked with running Nintendo 64 and PlayStation Portable ROMs. My GTX 1060, Ryzen 5 powered desktop, for instance, tackles PS2, Wii, and even some PS3 emulation gracefully.

Nevertheless, single-boards are much cheaper and smaller. As such, they present an uber-affordable entryway into emulation. For older systems, about PlayStation 1, N64, or Dreamcast and earlier, tons of SBCs are up to snuff. So you can make your own NES Mini, SNES Classic, or Mega Drive Mini. Emulation is in fact an important from a preservationists' perspective.

The Raspberry Pi 4 isn't the only maker board on the market. But it continues to reign supreme as the best SBC on the planet, and that holds true for retro gaming emulation. Since the Raspberry Pi 4 features excellent community support with loads of operating systems (OSes), official apps and accessories, plus a slew of third-party resources, it's a ridiculously well-backed device. OSes and apps are optimized for the underlying hardware, and a bevy of forums, books, websites, and podcasts provide troubleshooting or getting started information.

Whereas many Raspberry Pi releases proved iterative, the Pi 4 presented a massive overhaul. Notably, the Raspberry Pi 4 saw a choice of 1GB, 2GB, or 4GB of RAM as well as a revamped system-on-a-chip (SoC), dual micro-HDMI output with 4K compatibility, and a switch from micro USB to USB-C power supplies. Unfortunately, this hardware refresh broke compatibility with certain operating systems, and even fractured long-running case support. As such, some OSes are still being optimized for the fourth generation Raspberry Pi, and you might have to wait for some retro gaming cases to hit shelves. Still, the Pi 4 is a more than capable retro gaming SBC, even handling the likes of PSP, N64, and PSP ROMs far better than its predecessor, and the best Raspberry Pi for emulation.

Raspberry Pi 4 retro gaming OSes: RetroPie (dev build and unofficial images), Lakka, Batocera, Recalbox (coming Oct. 7, 2020)

Why the Raspberry Pi 4 is great for emulation:

Great support

Lots of compatible operating systems

Runs higher-end systems well (N64, Dreamcast, PSP)

Lots of accessories i.e. cases

Affordable

Buy the Raspberry Pi 4

Raspberry Pi 4 specs:

Broadcom BCM2711, Quad-core Cortex-A72 (ARM v8) 64-bit SoC @ 1.5GHz

1GB, 2GB, 4GB, or 8GB LPDDR4-2400 SDRAM (depending on model)

2.4 GHz and 5.0 GHz IEEE 802.11ac wireless, Bluetooth 5.0, BLE

Gigabit Ethernet

2 USB 3.0 ports; 2 USB 2.0 ports.

Raspberry Pi standard 40 pin GPIO header (fully backwards compatible with previous boards)

2 × micro-HDMI ports (up to 4kp60 supported)

2-lane MIPI DSI display port

2-lane MIPI CSI camera port

4-pole stereo audio and composite video port

H.265 (4kp60 decode), H264 (1080p60 decode, 1080p30 encode)

OpenGL ES 3.0 graphics

MicroSD card slot for loading operating system and data storage

5V DC via USB-C connector (minimum 3A*)

5V DC via GPIO header (minimum 3A*)

Power over Ethernet (PoE) enabled (requires separate PoE HAT)

Operating temperature: 0 – 50 degrees C ambient

The Odroid N2 is a solid little maker board. Powered by an Amlogic S932x and available with up to 4GB of RAM, it's a powerful little PC. Owing to a robust GPU and CPU combo, N64, PSP, and Dreamcast games run extremely smoothly on the Odroid N2. What's more, you can even play Nintendo GameCube ROMs, although not very well. Still, the N2 trounces the Raspberry Pi 3 B+.

Odroid N2 retro gaming OSes: Slash TV, Batocera, TheRA,

Why the Odroid N2 is great for emulation:

Good OS support

Runs higher-end systems well (Dreamcast, N64, PSP)

Affordable

Odroid N2 specs:

Amlogic S922X (4x Cortex-A73 @ 2.2GHz, 2x Cortex-A53 @ 1.9GHz); 12nm fab; Mali-G52 GPU with 6x 846MHz EEs

2GB or 4GB DDR4 (1320MHz, 2640MT/s) 32-bit RAM

eMMC socket with optional 8GB to 128GB

MicroSD slot with UHS-1 SDR104 support

8MB SPI flash with boot select switch and Petitboot app

Gigabit Ethernet port (Realtek RTL8211F); up to 1Gbps

HDMI 2.1 port for up to 4K@60Hz with HDR, CEC, EDID

Composite video jack with stereo line-out and 384Khz/32bit audio DAC

SPDIF audio via 40-pin GPIO

4x USB 3.0 host ports (340MB/s typical)

Micro-USB 2.0 OTG port (no power)

Integrated serial console interface and Fan connector

40-pin GPIO header (25x GPIO, 2x i2C, 2x ADC, 6x PWM, SPI, UART, SPDIF, various power signals, etc.)

12V/2A adapter recommended; consumption: 1.8W (idle) to 5.5W (stress)

Buy the Odroid N2 - Save $1 off purchase of $10 or more with code EMSUPPORTER at checkout

With a phenomenal price-to-performance ratio, the RockPro64 is a beast of a maker board. And featuring retro gaming OS images from the likes of Lakka, TheRA, Batocera, and Slash TV, you have plenty of options for gaming on the RockPro64. Its RK3399 processor packs loads of potential, although many software just isn't as optimized as it could be. However, you'll be able to play many N64 and Dreamcast ROMs. PSP emulation is hit and miss on the RockPro64, with certain games running fine and others somewhat playable with tweaks such as toggling on frameskip.

Where the RockPro64 really shines is support. Admittedly, some software could be a bit better optimized. But you've still got a lot of different OSes to pick from. Moreover, there's a retro gaming Roshambo Super Famicom (European SNES) case for making a DIY SNES Mini Classic. As such, the RockPro64 was engineered as an emulation platform. Batocera runs incredibly well, as do Lakka, TheRA, and Slash TV.

RockPro64 retro gaming OSes: TheRA, Batocera, Lakka, Slash TV,

Why the RockPro64 is great for emulation:

Great OS support

Lots of accessories including the Roshambo Super Famicom clone retro gaming case

Affordable

Runs higher-end systems well (Nintendo 64, Dreamcast, PlayStation Portable)

Reasonably-priced

Buy the RockPro64 - Save $1 off purchase of $10 or more with code EMSUPPORTER at check out

Buy the RoshamboPro Retro Gaming Case - Save $1 off purchase of $10 or more with code EMSUPPORTER at checkout

RockPro64 specs:

SoC - Rockchip RK3399 Hexa-Core (dual ARM Cortex A72 and quad ARM Cortex A53) 64-Bit Processor and MALI T-860MP4 Quad-Core GPU

RAM - 2GB or 4GB LPDDR4

PCIe x4 open ended slot

eMMCmodule/microSD card storage (not included)

1x USB 3.0 type C Host with DP 1.2, 1x USB 3.0 type A Host, 2x USB 2.0 Host

Gigabit Ethernet

PI-2 GPIO Bus

1x HDMI 2.0 port, MiPi DSI interface, eDP and Touch Panel interfaces, stereo MiPi CSI interface

The Odroid XU4 is a total Raspberry Pi killer. Clocking in at a pretty reasonable price point, the XU4 doesn't skimp on performance capabilities. You'll be able to emulate up through Dreamcast, Nintendo 64, and even some PlayStation Portable ROMs. The XU4 runs Batocera, Recalbox, TheRA, Odroid GameStation Turbo, Lakka, and RetroPie. Plus, the Odroid XU4 OGST N64 case allows you to cobble together a do-it-yourself N64 Mini Classic. I'm a huge fan of the XU4 for retro gaming, and especially the OGST case which lends a nostalgic aesthetic.

Odroid XU4 retro gaming OSes: RetroPie, Batocera, Lakka, Recalbox, TheRA, Slash TV, GameStation Turbo,

Why the Odroid XU4 is great for emulation:

Great OS support

Lots of accessories including the N64 OGST GameStation Turbo case

Affordable

Runs higher-end systems well (PSP, N64, Dreamcast)

Odroid XU4 specs:

Samsung Exynos5422 Cortex™-A15 2Ghz and Cortex™-A7 Octa core CPUs

Mali-T628 MP6 (OpenGL ES 3.0/2.0/1.1 and OpenCL 1.1 Full profile)

2GB LPDDR3 RAM PoP stacked

eMMC5.0 HS400 Flash Storage

2 x USB 3.0 Host, 1 x USB 2.0 Host

Gigabit Ethernet port

HDMI 1.4a for display

Operating temperature range: approx. -10C to +45C

Size: ~82 x 58 x 22 mm (including heat sink)

Fully software compatible with ODROID-XU3 and XU3-Lite

Low cost, small form factor, high performance!

Buy the Odroid XU4 - Save $1 off purchase of $10 or more with code EMSUPPORTER at check out

Buy the OGST Gaming Console Case - Save $1 off purchase of $10 or more with code EMSUPPORTER

Coming in the same form factor as the Raspberry Pi 3 B+, the ASUS Tinker Board is an incredible, competitively-priced SBC. There's superb OS support, with releases from Batocera, Lakka, Slash TV, and RetroPie. Competent at running PS1, N64, Dreamcast, and even some PSP titles, the Tinker Board is a cost-effective SBC for retro gaming. I appreciate the ability to plop my Tinker Board in a Raspberry Pi 3 retro gaming case such as the NES, SNES, Super Famicom, or Mega Drive options from RetroFlag. Well supported, inexpensive, and decently powerful, the ASUS Tinker Board is a best-bet.

ASUS Tinker Board retro gaming OSes: Slash TV, Batocera, Lakka, RetroPie,

Why the ASUS Tinker Board is great for emulation:

Great OS support

Runs higher-end systems well (N64, PSP, Dreamcast)

Affordable

Excellent first- and third-party resources

Raspberry Pi 3/3 B+ case support

ASUS Tinker Board specs:

CPU Rockchip RK3288 Cortex-A17 quad-core SoC

GPU: ARM Mali-T764 GPU

Up to 4K video support

2GB DDR3

802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi

Bluetooth 4.0

4 x USB 2.0 ports

15-pin MIPI CSI slot

40-pin GPIO header

micro USB port for power

ASUS Tinker Board S (same as ASUS Tinker Board plus):

16GB eMMC

HDMI-CEC

Low-voltage input detection

Plug-in detection, audio auto-switching

Buy ASUS Tinker Board - Save $1 off purchase of $10 or more with code EMSUPPORTER at check out

Buy ASUS Tinker Board S - Save $1 off purchase of $10 or more with code EMSUPPORTER at check out

Because it can run many PC games including Overwatch, albeit at low settings ant not full 1080p HD, the Odroid H2 is a retro gaming beast. Dreamcast, GameCube, and Wii games play back with buttery smooth visuals. PSP won't be a problem either. The main drawback is its high price. The Odroid H2 alone retails for over $100, and that doesn't include a case or any accessories. Still, it's a really competent gaming machine for both newer systems and PC games alike.

Odroid H2 retro gaming OSes: Windows 10, RetroPie, Recalbox, Lakka, Batocera, desktop Linux distros,

Why the Odroid H2 is great for emulation:

Great OS support, runs x86 operating systems

Handles newer systems (GameCube, Wii)

Pricey

Solid community resources

Odroid H2 specs:

SoC – Intel Celeron J4115 quad core processor @ up to 2.3 GHz (real frequency) with 12EU Intel UHD Graphics 600

System Memory – Dual-channel Memory DDR4-PC19200 (2400MT/s) supporting up to 32GB RAM in total

Storage – M.2 PCIe 2.0 x4 slot for one NVMe storage, 2x SATA 3.0 ports, eMMC flash support

Video OutputHDMI 2.0 up to 4K (4096×2160) @ 60 Hz

DisplayPort 1.2 up to 4K (4096×2160) @ 60 Hz

Audio – HDMI, audio jacks for HP, MIC. and S/PDIF

Connectivity – Dual 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet (RJ45) via RTL8125B chipset

Expansion – 24-pin header with I2C, UART (3.3V), USB2.0 and HDMI CEC signals

Misc – RTC battery (Included)

Power Supply – 14V to 20V DC power input

Dimensions – 110x110x43mm

Weight – About 320 grams with heatsink, two DRAM modules, and M.2 NVMe SSD

Buy the Odroid H2 - Save $1 off purchase of $10 or more with code EMSUPPORTER at check out

If you can shell out the money for one, the UDOO Bolt isn't just the best SBC for emulation. It's arguably the top maker board money can buy. Of course, you'll need quite a bit of cash to snag a Bolt. Clocking in over $300 USD, it's not cheap. Although, since the UDOO Bolt offers desktop and laptop-replacement specs, it's not a bad deal. A major benefit of the Bolt is its ability to run x86 Linux distributions (distros) and even Windows 10. That's a massive bonus of the Bolt, and one that makes it well worth the enormous price tag.

Udoo Bolt retro gaming OSes: Windows 10, desktop Linux distros, RetroPie, Recalbox, Lakka, Batocera,

Why the UDOO Bolt is great for emulation:

Runs new AAA titles and extremely high-end systems (i.e. PS3, Wii, PS2)

Tons of community resources

Desktop-replacement SBC

Pricey

UDOO Bolt specs:

AMD Ryzen Embedded V1000 with Microchip Atmega32U4 MCU: V1202B — 2x (4x thread) Ryzen cores @ 2.3GHz/3.2GHz boost with Radeon Vega 3, or Microchip Atmega32U4 MCU V1605B quad-core, (8x thread) Ryzen cores @ 2.0GHz/3.6GHz boost with Radeon Vega 8 graphics

Memory/storage: 0GB, 4GB, 8GB, or 16GB DDR4-2400 RAM with ECC support via 2x sockets (supports up to 32GB)

32GB eMMC 5.0

M.2 B-Key 2260 for SSDs (also supports PCIe x2)

M.2 M-Key 2280 for NVME storage modules (also supports PCIe Gen 3 x4)

SATA III connector with SATA power

802.11ac and Bluetooth 4.0

Gigabit Ethernet port

Dual HDMI 2.0a ports, dual DisplayPorts available through dual-role USB 3.0 Type-C ports

4 x simultaneous 4K@60 displays

Radeon Vega 3 or 8 graphics with DirectX 12, OpenGL, and Vulkan support; H.265 decode and (8-bit) encode, VP9 decode

Headphone/mic combo jack

2 x USB 3.1 ports

2 x USB 3.0 Type-C

Arduino-compatible MCU I/O:Up to 26x digital I/O (includes up to 7x PWM)

Buy the UDOO Bolt V8

Buy the UDOO Bolt V3

Although the Raspberry Pi 4 has been released, the Raspberry Pi 3 B+ remains a great choice for emulation. Particularly if you only plan to play older titles, it's a solid system with a bevy of OSes to boot. PlayStation 1 games run just fine, and you'll be able to eek out a bit of N64 and light PSP playback with some tweaks. Bonus points for the enormous community, unrivaled hardware support, and slew of apps available. You'll be able to run Batocera, RetroPie, Lakka, Recalbox, and more.

Raspberry Pi 3/3 B+ retro gaming OSes: RetroPie, Batocera, Recalbox, Lakka, Slash TV,

Why the Raspberry Pi 3/3 B+ are great for emulation:

Great OS support

Massive community

Loads of hardware options including retro gaming cases

Affordable

Raspberry Pi 3 B+ specs:

Broadcom BCM2837B0, Cortex-A53 (ARMv8) 64-bit SoC @ 1.4GHz

1GB LPDDR2 SDRAM

2.4GHz and 5GHz IEEE 802.11.b/g/n/ac wireless LAN, Bluetooth 4.2, BLE

Gigabit Ethernet over USB 2.0 (maximum throughput of 300 Mbps)

Extended 40-pin GPIO header

Full-size HDMI

4 USB 2.0 ports

CSI camera port for connecting a Raspberry Pi camera

DSI display port for connecting a Raspberry Pi touchscreen display

4-pole stereo output and composite video port

MicroSD port for loading your operating system and storing data

5V/2.5A DC power input

Power-over-Ethernet (PoE) support (requires separate PoE HAT)

Buy the Raspberry Pi 3 B+

Despite its small stature and low specs, the Raspberry Pi Zero and Zero W are awesome portable retro gaming SBCs. While both will work perfectly in a desktop case, adding a shell such as the RetroFlag GPi lets you use your Pi 0/0W for on-the-go gaming. Loads of older titles run flawlessly, including NES, SNES, GameBoy, GameBoy Color, and GameBoy Advance ROMs. As such, The Raspberry Pi 0 and Raspberry Pi 0 W work shockingly well for retro emulation.

Raspberry Pi 0/0 W retro gaming OSes: RetroPie, Batocera, Recalbox, Lakka,

Why the Raspberry Pi Zero/Zero W are great for emulation:

Cheap

Massive community

Loads of hardware options including retro gaming cases

Raspberry Pi Zero specs:

Raspberry Pi Zero specs:

1 GHz single-core CPU

512MB RAM

micro USB power port

Mini HDMI port

Micro USB power supply

HAT-compatible 40-pin header

CSI v1.3 camera connector

microSD card slot

Lots of compatible OSes including Raspbian, OSMC, and more

Raspberry Pi Zero W specs (same as the Raspberry Pi Zero plus):

Bluetooth 4.1

802.11 b/g/n wireless

Buy the Raspberry Pi Zero

Buy the Raspberry Pi Zero W

Best SBCS for Retro Gaming Emulation - Game Over

Ultimately, a desktop PC or even a laptop will yield better results than most single-board computers available. Slap even a GT 1030 GPU into an aging desktop, and you've got a reasonably powerful emulation build. But the price-to-performance ratio, coupled with a small footprint, of most maker boards posits them as no-brainers for old school games. Personally, I recommend the Raspberry Pi 4 since it's got great support from both first- and third-party channels. Likewise, the Raspberry Pi 3 B+ is an excellent option. I've had great success with the Odroid XU4, and have mine housed in the N64 OGST case. And my RockPro64 in its Roshambo retro gaming case is a cool little SNES/Super Famicom clone. Slash TV on the ASUS Tinker Board is a nifty means of cobbling together a cheap, solidly performing home theatre PC and retro gaming machine. Options like the Odroid H2 and UDOO Bolt run virtually anything you throw at them, granted neither board is cheap. With SBCs for every budget and all retro gaming decades, you can certainly find a dev board for emulation that fits your needs and budget.

Your turn: What SBCs do YOU use for retro gaming?