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Understanding Screens & Aspect Ratios for Emulation Handhelds

With over 30 new handheld consoles hitting the market in 2024 alone, finding the perfect device for playing your favorite retro games can be overwhelming. Among the many factors to consider, the screen’s shape and display characteristics significantly impact your gaming experience.

This guide will help you understand how different aspect ratios affect retro gaming and which screen format might best suit your gaming preferences.

Understanding Screen Fundamentals

Aspect Ratio Basics

Aspect ratio describes the proportional relationship between a screen’s width and height. This fundamental characteristic affects how games appear on your device and determines whether they’ll display as originally intended.

Common Aspect Ratios in Gaming History:

1:1: Perfectly square (rare, but seen in some early arcade games)

4:3: Standard television and computer monitor ratio until the early 2000s

3:2: Used in Game Boy Advance and some photography equipment

5:4: Used in some computer monitors

16:10: An intermediate widescreen format used in some laptops

16:9: Modern widescreen standard for TVs, monitors, and most current handhelds

21:9: Ultrawide format gaining popularity in PC gaming

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