Retrostation 14K Review – Twice The Emulation

The Retrostation 14K is a bit more than just a regular retro console. This is because of its ability to dual-boot, allowing it to work as an Android TV box and a retro console at the same. This gives it a slight edge over the competition, but it does come with a bit of a cost.

For only $79, the Retrostation 14K packs great value for money. It not only brings you over 14,000 games to play through but can also turn your TV into a smart TV for cheap. Not to be confused with Retrostation 11k, which, as the name says, brings 11,000 games packed in a smaller storage option.

But to keep the price as low as $79, the creators had to cut a few corners and it’s quite clear with the build and design. The console feels like a cheap miniature rip-off of the PlayStation 1, but the remarkable performance and great software support easily make up for it. The addition of two wireless controllers in the box is commendable as well.

Specifications:

Pros:

• Great value for money (console + Android TV box)
• Consistent performance up to Dreamcast and PlayStation 1
• No setup required

Cons:

• Cheap design
• Mixed performance for PSP and Nintendo 64
• Needs better cooling

Design and Build

The console’s design does not leave a good impression when it comes out of the box. It’s a small and light box covered with a cheap-looking PlayStation look-alike sticker. Even the Retrostation logo is a straight rip-off of the PlayStation 1 logo. It’s as if the Retrostation is not even trying to be its own console.

However, the company is nice enough to include two wireless controllers in the box with included Bluetooth dongles. Despite the light plastic build, these controllers do not feel cheap at all. In fact, the buttons and triggers are quite responsive and the curvature at the back makes for a comfortable grip. You can also put on a d-pad cover for smoother controls if you prefer them.

The cooling system is just okay with a combination of active and passive cooling but could use an improvement with better openings. The console could also use more USB ports since the only two ports available are permanently occupied by the wireless controllers.

Performance

The Retrostation 14k brings Amlogic’s S905x3 chipset, which is packed with a quad-core 1.9GHz CPU, and a Mali G31 GPU. This is an upgrade over previous generations and it clearly shows during gameplay performance.

This retro console can easily handle almost all its titles easily up to the PlayStation 1 and Dreamcast era. These games have consistent FPS and no video glitches whatsoever. The audio may lag behind in some of the games, but this is only a minor issue.  The games also have seamless two-player support.

However, the console starts to struggle when you go up to PlayStation Portable (PSP) and Nintendo 64 games. A lot of the games will be perfectly playable, but the performance takes a hit when it comes to more demanding games like God of War, which clearly need more juice.

The same results can be observed with Nintendo 64’s Cruis’n USA, whose performance is not ideal. But games like Buck Bumble will be a treat to play.

This is not a deal-breaker by any means since there are still thousands of other games to choose from that run butter smooth.

Software and UI

As mentioned before, the Retrostation 14k has dual-boot capabilities. You can either boot it into its Android TV side, or the retro console UI. The device will automatically boot into Android TV if you remove the SD card. It takes a few minutes to load and takes you to a standard smart TV interface.

With the memory card included, it will take you to the gaming console UI. This is based on the highly popular EmuElec software, which brings reliable support and a bug-free experience. It does tend to crash at times while playing games, but that is about the only drawback when it comes to the software experience.

The software is incredibly easy to get into as there is no setup required. The console greets you with a clean and simple menu that shows a long list of pre-loaded games and all of their original game consoles. These games are accompanied by artworks and brief descriptions for each.

You can also add your own games to the included SD card and boot them through supported ROMs and change keybinds and other settings through the options menu.

Verdict

The Retrostation 14K is a value champion. It stays under the $100 mark and still packs remarkable hardware performance that is not even found on some of the more expensive options on the market. As the name says, it is pre-loaded with over 14,000 games, and the console struggles with only a select few titles in the PSP and N64 categories.

Not just that, but the console is also an Android TV box at the same time. It boots Android TV 9.0 and will turn any television set into a smart TV.

The included wireless controllers are quite nice as well, but the same cannot be said for the console’s build. The main device feels like a cheap rip-off of the PlayStation 1, especially due to the two-bit sticker at the top.

But other than that, the Retrostation 14k is an impressive machine and will make the most of only $79.

FAQs

Can I save my games on the console?

You can save your games anytime by pressing R1 + Select. You can then load up any backup points by pressing L1 + Select.

Is the console ready to use?

The console is ready to use out of the box. You simply need to connect everything and start playing.

Does the console work with modern screens?

The console works with all modern screens with the included HDMI cable. You can connect with up to 4K screens as well.