The Steam Deck originally launched with a price tag of 9, cheaper than other x86 handhelds. AYANEO and AYN have now released Android gaming handhelds powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite, offering top spec models for 9 and 9 respectively. These handhelds can run Windows emulation and offer a user-friendly experience for gaming. The Snapdragon 8 Elite is capable of emulating other consoles, including Switch games. AYANEO, AYN, and Retroid are releasing handhelds with a similar price-to-performance ratio as the Steam Deck.
Emulation on Android devices allows users to play classic video games from various gaming consoles such as NES, SNES, Game Boy, and PlayStation. Users can customize graphics settings, use cheat codes, and save game progress while enjoying a nostalgic gaming experience.
Google has enabled GPU-accelerated rendering for Linux applications in its Android Terminal app, currently exclusive to the Pixel 10, as part of the upcoming Android 16 QPR2 update. This feature utilizes Gfxstream technology to improve graphical performance, addressing previous limitations that restricted the app to command-line programs. The integration of Gfxstream allows the app to connect the virtual machine’s graphics API calls directly to the host device’s native GPU, enhancing rendering tasks. The Pixel 10's firmware includes a specific overlay file that enables Gfxstream support, which is not present in other Pixel devices. Although the Pixel 10 can run graphical desktop Linux applications using its GPU, the implementation is still in progress, with access to only 47 of the 142 Vulkan extensions supported by the device, and some extensions malfunctioning, resulting in suboptimal performance for certain applications.
The Google Pixel 10 series struggles with higher-end emulators, with frame rates dropping significantly during PlayStation 2 and Dolphin emulation tests. The switch to the Tensor G5 chip has resulted in performance and API issues compared to its predecessor, making it a risky choice for gamers.
The text describes how the author was able to play Hollow Knight: Silksong on their Android phone using Windows emulation and GameHub. They were able to adjust settings for better performance, such as lowering in-game settings and capping the framerate, to reduce power usage and prevent overheating. Other options to play Silksong on a phone include using different Windows emulators, Xbox Cloud Gaming, local game streaming, or emulating the Switch version.
