DIY Retro Carnival CM3

The DIY Retro Carnival CM3 is a horizontal handheld launched in 2019, built around the Broadcom BCM2837 SoC. Its quad-core Cortex-A53 CPU runs at 1.2 GHz, paired with a Broadcom VideoCore IV GPU at 250 MHz and 1 GB of DDR2 RAM. In practice it handles SNES FX-chip games and 3D PlayStation titles at 60 FPS, while N64 and Nintendo DS are playable but can get laggy. The platform list is huge, spanning Atari, Commodore and ZX Spectrum machines through Neo Geo, MAME, Game Boy Advance and Sega Genesis / Mega Drive.

The 3.2-inch IPS screen offers HVGA resolution at 480 x 320, a 3:2 aspect ratio, a 60 Hz refresh rate and roughly 180 ppi. There is no dedicated lens, only a screen protector, so the panel deserves some care.

Controls include dual symmetric analog sticks, an upper-mounted cross D-pad, four face buttons and four shoulder buttons: L1, R1, L2 and R2. The aluminum body measures 149 x 60 x 17.5 mm and weighs 303 g, giving it a solid, substantial feel. Cooling is handled by a heatsink and ventilation cutouts. There is no rumble.

The 2920 mAh battery charges over Micro USB. Connectivity covers WiFi, a USB port, Mini HDMI video output for playing on a TV and a 3.5mm headphone jack. Audio comes from dual bottom-facing stereo speakers, and volume and brightness are adjusted through the menu. Storage is handled by a microSD card.

The device runs Linux with RetroPie support, offering a familiar front end and plenty of flexibility for configuring emulators and ports such as OpenBOR, ScummVM or Pico-8. The CM3 is now discontinued, with a reference price of 358 USD.

Ideal for: retro emulation enthusiasts who want a sturdy metal handheld with dual analog sticks and L2/R2, smooth PlayStation performance and HDMI output for TV play.