Strange, but functional design
Ok, so maybe I fibbed a little in the intro. The MagicX Zero 40 has taken over my Nintendo DS game time, but not from the original hardware. My Nintendo DS Lite has been in storage for well over a decade, with the Nintendo 2DS taking up the mantle. I know the screen isn’t perfect for DS games, but the convenience beats pixel-perfect graphics for me.
But in a way, the Nintendo 2DS is a more apt comparison. They’re both flat slabs with the same general layout (although the joystick is at the bottom on the Zero 40). MagicX’s handheld looks strange at first, with all sorts of bumps and curves, but I find it much more comfortable to hold.
It’s also smaller, although I’m not sure pocketable is the right word. It’s roughly the same size as an old CD jewel case or a slice of bread, neither of which I’d recommend stuffing into your pockets.
That smaller footprint also reduces the effective screen size. For DS games, the vertical panel is split in two, giving the same effect as two 2.6-inch panels. The original Nintendo DS had two 3-inch screens, although the resolution is noticeably worse, and the panels themselves really show their age.
Powered by Android, driven by DraStic
Aside from the form-factor, one of the most surprising things about this device is that it runs Android 10. Typically low-power devices like this one (it runs on an Allwinner A133 Plus) use Linux, which has a lower overhead and a more straightforward setup.
Even stranger, it runs Android 10 from an included microSD card. There’s no internal storage here, although there’s a second microSD card slot if you need extra space. I wasn’t thrilled about this, since losing or corrupting the microSD card will require extra work to get it back in working order. At the very least, the included card is from KIOXIA, so it should last longer than the no-brand cards in most cheap handhelds.
The problem with pre-loaded fun
These emulation consoles exist in a legal gray area, but unfortunately, the MagicX Zero 40 dips a little deep into the black. The 64GB microSD card I received with the console has not just Android 10 pre-installed, but also roughly 1,400 DS games and 500 tate mode games. The 128GB version presumably has even more. Everything is pre-configured, with artwork already scraped and looking good.
For most people, this is probably good news. After all, you can skip the setup of uploading your own ROMs and scraping artwork to get right to playing your favorite Nintendo DS games. It’s very much a plug-and-play system.
MagicX Zero 40 review verdict: Is it worth it?
Faults aside, the MagicX Zero 40 absolutely fulfills its promise of providing solid Nintendo DS emulation. It’s much more convenient than lugging around my Nintendo DS Lite or 2DS with a case full of games, although there are inconveniences in titles that require precise inputs or microphone support.
These cost significantly more, so in terms of pricing, I’d recommend lower-power devices like the Linux-powered TrimUI Smart Pro (.99 at Amazon). That one actually uses the same chipset, although without the magic of DraStic, DS performance is a bit worse.
In other words, the MagicX Zero 40 is the best Nintendo DS emulation device you can currently buy at this price. It’s not perfect and I’d love to see an updated version with a stylus and mic, but I still wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it. Just don’t expect to emulate anything other than DS and tate games or you’ll be in for a bad time.
