Video summary

Kinhank Super Console X5 Pro: The Most Complete Retro Gaming Package?

Main summary

Key takeaways

Product Review

Product Reviewed

Kinhank Super Console X5 Pro (Android TV-box-style “retro gaming package”) bundled with a 4TB internal hard drive preloaded with retro games and a GameSir T3 wireless controller.

Key Features

Android TV Box Hardware

  • 8-core RK3588S chipset with:
    • Bluetooth 5.2
    • Wi‑Fi 6
    • Gigabit Ethernet
  • Ports:
    • 4x USB 3
    • 1x USB‑C
    • 1x SATA 3.0
  • 8GB DDR4 RAM

Included Storage

  • 3.5” Seagate ST4000DM000 4TB internal HDD
  • Claimed library: “over 16,000 games”
  • User-reported usable space: about 230GB free to add your own ROMs
  • Well curated: mostly single-disc ROMs per game (not flooded with regional variants/junk)

Front-End / UI

  • Choice of Pegasus or ESDE emulation front ends
  • ESDE loads faster than Pegasus scanning/boot
  • Pegasus UI preferred for TV scanning, but:
    • includes background 8-bit soundtrack
    • feels more locked down, with music harder to disable

Controller

  • GameSir T3 budget controller
    • micro USB charging
    • quick auto-disconnect
  • Out-of-box note: initial control method described as IR (slow/laggy until paired correctly)
  • Fix: pair the controller via Android settings using a button combo
    • described as making it feel more responsive than the reviewer’s smart TV

Performance / Emulation Notes (RK3588S)

  • PS2 and GameCube: plays at 2x–3x resolution, sometimes drops to native for harder titles
  • Most systems: generally smooth, with caching improvements on replay

Notable issues by system:

  • Sega Saturn: stutters on demanding 3D titles
  • Wii / GameCube: occasional micro-stutters during asset loading
  • 3DS: surprisingly good overall, but:
    • Mario Kart 7 had slowdown
    • Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon ran poorly
  • Jaguar: rough performance (Tempest reported down to ~11–12 fps at times)
  • Switch: only 1 included game; reviewer suspects Switch emulation won’t be great on this hardware

Game Library Details (As Described)

  • No licensed games (ROMs/emulation rather than official distribution)

Systems / approximate counts mentioned:

  • Nintendo DS: ~15
  • Nintendo Switch: 1 (included game)
  • 3DS: ~450
  • Master System: ~300
  • Genesis: ~900
  • SNES: ~800
  • PlayStation 1: ~2,000
  • PS2: ~653
  • GameCube: ~624

Curated experience: fewer unwanted variants; the out-of-the-box setup is positioned as the main value.

Pros (User Experience Highlights)

  • Plug-and-play retro library: ready to play quickly (reviewer mentions “in 30 seconds” in spirit)
  • Strong emulation for PS2/GameCube with scaling above native
  • Pegasus/ESDE flexibility
    • ESDE boots faster
    • Pegasus is nicer for TV browsing
  • Curated ROM set reduces clutter (less junk and regional variant noise)
  • Also useful as a non-smart TV streamer (Android TV box use implies Netflix/YouTube capability)
  • Value vs buying separately: reviewer argues the controller (~$30) plus rising hard drive costs make self-building harder for similar money

Cons / Limitations

  • Pegasus scanning/loading time: can be slow at startup because it rescans game files when opened
  • Pegasus soundtrack annoyance: difficult to disable
  • Bundled HDD is exposed “bare metal” (no enclosure)
    • joked about needing an enclosure solution
    • enclosure option exists, but would require using USB 3 plus remapping and extra power
  • Controller behavior issue out of the box: described as IR and laggy until properly paired
  • Budget controller quality concerns
    • face buttons/casing feel cheap/plasticky
    • D-pad not favored for precise movements (may hurt fighting-game control)
    • some external reports of controller failures exist (reviewer personally hadn’t seen issues)
    • reviewer preferred an 8BitDo Pro 3 instead for comfort/quality
  • Emulation gaps by platform
    • Saturn stutter, Wii micro-stutters, occasional troublesome titles
    • 3DS not flawless (notably Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon)
    • Jaguar disappointing (Tempest ~11–12 fps)
    • Switch practically not covered (only one game included; reviewer suspects limited compatibility)

Comparisons / Positioning

  • Positioned against the broader “Super Console” market for people who want console-like frictionless play without button mapping or hardware tinkering.
  • Reviewer notes similar devices (Windows handhelds / other Android consoles) often involve driver/compat issues; the X5 Pro is presented as a simpler, curated alternative.
  • Implied performance comparison: Switch emulation likely weaker than Pocket 5 / Anbernic 477M class devices (mentioned by name).
  • Other options mentioned:
    • For maximum value: buy the drive alone (reviewer says Kinhank sells it separately)
    • For streaming only: cheaper Android TV boxes exist

Overall Verdict / Recommendation

Recommended if you want a ready-to-play, curated retro gaming + streaming box for a spare/bedroom TV and you don’t want to source ROMs, scrape artwork, or configure emulation. The reviewer feels the good outweighs the bad, especially for PS2/GameCube.

Not recommended if your main goal is:

  • the best possible emulation, especially for Switch/Jaguar/Saturn edge cases, or
  • avoiding limits of a budget controller, or
  • doing a DIY setup (where you can often get more performance for less by building/configuring yourself).

Unique Points by Speaker

  • A single main speaker/reviewer covers everything: motivation/background, unboxing contents, hardware specs, front-end behavior (Pegasus vs ESDE), controller pairing/performance, emulation performance by console, curation/library details, and overall value comparison.

Original video