At $170, the PowKiddy X18S currently provides the best emulation performance you can find in a sub-$200 dedicated handheld right now. But as I demonstrated in my review video, its hardware leaves a lot to be desired. In this video we’re going to improve the gameplay experience by upgrading the d-pad, analog sticks, and face buttons to make this device a little bit more of a bargain. This is the first in a two-part video series; in the next X18S video I will upgrade the software experience with LineageOS.
PowKiddy X18S: https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_vM8X8f
My X18S review video: https://youtu.be/K0hFUdHtQLk
Tools and Materials:
Nintendo DS Lite d-pad: https://ebay.us/w1s3qB
PS Vita 2000 analog sticks: https://ebay.us/v1jNH5
RG350 rubber membranes: https://ebay.us/CnCbTw
iFixit Pro Tech Toolkit: https://amzn.to/3cIZxhx
PS Vita analog stick caps: https://ebay.us/2lOPTA
Check out Sezuko’s hardmods video: https://youtu.be/HY9j-I6IpeM
Featured song: “Rosetta” by T-120: https://soundcloud.com/t-120s/rosetta
Timestamps:
00:00 introduction
01:09 tools & materials
01:50 disassembly
03:09 L2 trigger fix
04:38 more disassembly
06:25 analog stick replacement
08:04 d-pad and face buttons
10:29 reassembly
12:51 hardware & gameplay testing
15:33 summary & conclusion
If you want to support the channel, please consider Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/retrogamecorps
Intro theme song sampled from “Hexadecimal Genome” by Bit Shifter:
https://bit-shifter.bandcamp.com/album/information-chase
Note that this description may contain affiliate links. By clicking on an affiliate link and buying something, I may earn a small commission of the sale at no extra cost to you.
This video is for entertainment and educational purposes only.
#PowKiddy #X18S #RetroGaming
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