The Gamercard shares a family tree with the ZX Spectrum, but I wasn’t expecting the giftcard-inspired handheld to fully embody its microcomputer ancestry

I’ve tested enough handhelds at this stage to know most device makers like to play it safe. The Gamercard isn’t remotely one of those handhelds, and that’s hardly surprising considering it shares a lineage with the very man who pioneered the microcomputer that arguably kicked off a whole gaming industry in the UK. That inventor is none other than the legendary Sir Clive Sinclair of ZX Spectrum fame, and his nephew, Grant Sinclair, is carrying the mantle within the portable console space.

Objectively speaking, the Gamecard doesn’t trade blows with the best gaming handhelds out there. I almost feel like that’s intentional by design, as comparing it to the majority of emulation devices and consoles out there effectively feels the same to placing the ZX Spectrum next to other microcomputers like the Commodore 64 and the MSX. By that, I mean there are elements of the Gamercard that absolutely put it at a disadvantage, and while that will be an automatic turn-off for some, I’m drawn in by this gadget’s odd design choices and inherent limitations.

Starting at £99, the Gamercard feels very much like the same genre of handheld as the Playdate. Yes, I could slate it for its strange rubber pads, aversion to any sort of ergonomics, and odd-shaped screen, just like you could dunk on Panic for releasing something with a monochrome, non-backlit screen in 2022. Doing that completely overlooks the beauty of making a unique platform where indie games and tinkering can flourish, though, and if I’m being real, I’d take that over a conventionally “good” portable any day.

Card by name, card by nature

The Gamercard’s whole design philosophy is that it’s meant to resemble a gift card. It fully commits to this idea in almost every way, even going as far as to feature a built-in hang tag. That’s pretty funny since it’s unlikely to be on any standees or shop ends out of its box, but it's going for the same vibes as something like a Teenage Engineering Rhythm Synthesizer, and it’s doing so in more ways than one.

You see, upon freeing the Gamercard from its minimalist cardboard packaging, you’ll swiftly realise this handheld’s guts aren’t in a shell. In fact, its guts are the shell, as this device is made up of stacked PCBs with Raspberry Pi innards sandwiched between what are virtually etched circuit boards. That’s how this portable manages to measure in at just 6.5mm thick, despite packing a 720 x 720 IPS screen and 13 buttons in there.

I’m not quite sure describing the Gamercard is minimalist does the handheld justice, and it disregards the unique blend of rough and refined. The black and gold PCB mask coating evokes a sense of elegance that makes the portable almost feel high-end, while elements like the etched back-of-box blurb at the rear keep it grounded as a substance-over-style DIY device.

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The whole approach of making a Raspberry Pi handheld that’s virtually just a PCB sandwich means caveats are unavoidable. Your hands aren’t going to be too happy with you spending hours with the Gamercard since there are zero ergonomic curves or accommodations. My personal counterargument there is that we’re all too happy to doomscroll on heavier phones for hours at a time, so while it’s okay to moan a little about crampy claws, keep your complaints in mind the next time you reach for your rectangle of despair.

Return of the living dead(flesh keys)

Love it or hate it, the ZX Spectrum’s “dead flesh” rubber keyboard is part of the microcomputer’s legacy. While Sir Clive’s choice of keeb was integral to affordability, Grant Sinclair has effectively emulated the spirit of the controversial buttons with the Gamercard’s strange circular disks.

Originally, I’d assumed the front pads would feel more like Valve’s OG Steam Controller. Instead, they feel almost like the ZX Spectrum had clicky microswitches under its squishy rubber instead of membranes, and the result is something that feels eerily similar but with enhanced tactility. It makes for a pretty clever way to keep things super low-profile while still providing 4 directional inputs and four face buttons, but I’d be lying if I said I was in love with the setup.

I pretty much feel the same way about the ZX Spectrum keyboard in that while I’ll happily use it to embrace the overarching ethos of the microcomputer and handheld alike, it’s hard to push desires for full controls down. In the case of the Gamercard, adding a proper D-pad and raised buttons would disrupt the whole low-profile vibe the device is going for, so I’m happy with classing the buttons as a necessary con.

Perhaps I’m being a bit too much of a backseat handheld designer without an awareness of costings, but some customization on the buttons front could have fixed my gripes. Being able to swap out the rubber pads for something more like a raised D-pad would have made a massive difference to the feel, all while not permanently disrupting the core feel of the device.

The solution there could be to utilize the Gamercard’s Bluetooth connectivity, which is present alongside mini HDMI at the side to allow for big-screen gaming. I wasn’t able to actually sync up any gamepads yet, which could be because the feature is coming in a later OS update, but I’m keen on the idea of experimenting with hooking up a GameSir Pocket Taco or even 8Bitdo’s FlipPad as an overlay alternative.

You could call trying to add controllers to the handheld as blasphemy, and I’ll take that on the chin. At the same time, the experimental nature of the Gamercard means I’m keen to put together a setup that works for me, and that feels very much in the same spirit as bolting joystick interfaces and other gizmos to a ZX Spectrum back in the ‘80s.

A punchy slice of Pi

As someone who first tinkered with a Raspberry Pi Model B back in 2015, it’s hard to get my head around the Gamercard being one. What do you mean this handheld, with the same thickness as a coaster, is a tiny Linux-based computer? Even when I do stare at a bare Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W, the very board this portable is using, and fully comprehend its size, I’m still baffled that it’s living inside this device.

There’s something charming about the nephew of a microcomputer pioneer using a literal micro computer to make a new gaming device. It’s not like it compromises on specs, as the Pi Zero 2 is packing an ARM Cortex-A53, 512MB RAM, and room for a microSD card. Effectively, while the Pi is impossibly tiny, it can actually keep up with sub-$100 portables by the likes of Anbernic, like the RG28XX, while boasting a much bigger, higher-res square screen not unlike the RG Cube.

It should be becoming clearer that the Gamercard isn’t hoping to sail on the success of its ZX Spectrum ancestor. If anything, you should be thinking more about what the Sinclair name means in this scenario, as this handheld is all about providing the right amount of power to fuel creativity and run everything you’re meant to on something with this form factor.

While the Gamercard knocks on your door with promises of impressive emulation abilities, and really delivers on that front, its underlying goal is to introduce you to Pi gaming. The Zero 2’s specs are integral to that mission, as it means you can dive into the pre-installed Store and the separate PICO-8 store app.

What is PICO-8? It’s actually an emulator for a fictional console. Yes, I know that sounds bizarre, but the idea is that it gives developers a 8-bit platform and a place to make creative capers within a restrictive environment. The idea isn’t unlike the Playdate in that encourages low-spec innovation, placing all the attention on gameplay loops and clever mechanics rather than shiny visuals.

If you really just want to emulate a bunch of retro consoles, the Gamercard will deliver. In 2026, running even PS1 games on the dinkiest of devices isn’t really that impressive, though, and I fully believe this Pi Zero 2 portable’s specs pack the biggest punch when running Pi-specific ports and classics that never existed in the first place.

Down the Raspberry Pi rabbit hole

I know I keep comparing the Gamercard to the Playdate, but it’s the closest handheld I can think of when it comes to fuelling pure curiosity. The device’s OS really isn’t the slickest frontend out there, and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t continually muddled by which clicky switch under the rubber pads was the right button. Yet, between scrolling through the device’s own store and the PICO-8 App’s separate collection, I found that I was too intrigued to focus on the questionable controls and absence of ergonomics.

Even before you get to the fantasy console emulator, the Gamercard really has you covered on the Pi gaming front. It comes with a bunch of full games pre-loaded, like the platformer Bloo Kid 2, rhythm shooter AstroBlaze DX, and Clive Townsend’s Saboteur trilogy for all the Speccy fans drawn by the Sinclair name. The excellent thing here is that this collection has been custom tuned for the square screen and the handheld’s specific Pi hardware, which means while you can play them on something like the Switch, their presence feels natural on the portable.

At least, they feel as natural as they can when played with single momentary switches under rubber pads. I’ll admit that I could feel frustration surfacing when timing jumps in Bloo Kid 2, only to either not directly press the button under in a way that registers as an input. As someone that likes to roll their thumb across D-pads, it really took several sessions to get used to the individual directionals too.

But, I did manage to eventually zone out enough to put the controls out of mind, allowing me to enjoy (or in the case of Saboteur, be extremely bad at) playing games on the Gamercard. I’d really advise against wanting to be good at anything on this handheld, as it’s not really geared towards anyone looking to hone their skills. The same could be said for trying to play games using the ZX Spectrum keyboard rather than a proper joystick, but my point is that this portable should be used as a portal to games to spark your intrigue, rather than a definitive way to play.

Once you’re done with the freebies, you’re free to grab anything going at the Gamercard store, fetch RetroPi to revisit your own collection, or venture into the world of PICO-8. Before I get to the latter, I’d like to express how excited I was to see a Quake port on the store, as the idea of playing the shooter on something that’s the same profile as my wallet is simply bananas. Again, the controls are less than ideal, but playing the shooter using little clicky switches is worth it for pure novelty factor alone.

On to the PICO-8 parts, and I really do think the Gamercard shines at giving the fantasy console a host body. While I do thing the big thumbnail grid of the main interface works well, I was pretty captivated by the app’s specific “SPLORE” lo-fi cartridge browser, and clicking through to list felt like a more magical experience thanks to the handheld’s crispy square 4-inch IPS screen and those clicky pads.

Again, you’re not meant to feel like you're good at any of this. The joy in playing PICO-8 games is diving into the unexpected with less-than-ideal tools. Before you know it, you’ll be lobbing things at birds in “we fed seagulls last week” or playing a Krispy Kreme version of Flappy Bird. The carts out there for the platform range from silly arcade fun to more in-depth, impressive tower defence games like Necromancer TD.

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The whole experience is undeniably delightful, and it absolutely scratches the same itch as the Playdate or even full-blown, deliberately low-spec consoles like the 8-bit Gametank. PICO-8 support is absolutely a main reason to pick the Gametank up, and while the app will virtually run on anything, the fact it looks so sharp on the handheld’s square screen and sounds excellent on its surprisingly serviceable built-in speakers mean I’d pick the portable deliberately for the platform.

Gamercard gripes and grumbles

I want to take a second to outline some Gamercard elements that keep creeping up on me, just on the off-chance that they’re a deal-breaker for you personally. One of the first ties once again to buttons, as there’s no real dedicated home button to get you back to the main screen. There are Start and Select buttons on the top right, but whether they’ll give you the option to quit out fully depends on the game you’ve got open.

There are also no dedicated on-board volume controls, meaning you have to go into the settings menu on the home page. Some apps may take a different approach to hot keys and button combos, but as far as I can tell, there’s no universal way to toggle. On the subject of audio, there’s also no room for a headphone jack on this handheld, meaning you’ll need to stick with USB-C or Bluetooth when the latter is available to use. That’s a bit of a shame seeing as there are two music apps on the storefront, and I’d love to use this thing as a weird MP3 player hooked onto a carabiner.

My only other gripe is admittedly half-hearted, as it stems to battery life. During testing, I found that I was only able to get around two hours out of the Gamercard, but I suspect that was due to having the screen brightness cranked up pretty high. If you’re conservative with the 1,600mAh cells, you should be able to stretch their runtime, but I really shouldn’t be grumbling considering the thinness of this handheld.

Should you pick up the Gamercard?

You arguably have to be a specific type of curious cat to let the Gamercard kill your thumbs with its strange rubber pad controls and no grips. I for one am certainly that kind of cat, and while there are drawbacks with using a handheld this thin, the entire setup provides a unique on the go gaming experience, warts and all.

It’s easy to simply brand the Gamercard as a ZX Spectrum based on its creator’s family name. For what it’s worth, Grant Sinclair is absolutely living up to his uncle’s legacy here with this handheld, innovating with a specific portable vision rather than just going with the flow. There are clear callbacks to the microcomputer weaved into this device’s design, but at the same time, I reckon the Raspberry Pi-based system deserves to be celebrated in its own right as something different play games on while RAMageddon wreaks havoc with higher spec options.

If you’re looking for portable perfection, you really shouldn’t be immediately reaching for the Gamercard. You won’t struggle to find another handheld that’ll provide your mitts with something conventional for console emulation, but they won’t quite feel as weird and exciting as this ultra-thin device. The idea here is that you’re getting a fresh platform to try that’s free from the old rhythm of installing Android apps, all while still having access to many of the same games as typical options.

This is arguably just the beginning for the Gamercard, and that personally helps me look past some of its flaws. The main storefront is still in beta, and as more developers are drawn to the platform, I suspect we’ll see hardware revisions and upgrades as the scene expands. I can’t wait to see what ends up on the Gamercard and how it evolves over time, and I’ve got a fully feeling we could be looking at the next big Indie powerhouse portable.

How I tested the Gamercard

For a month, I used the Gamercard as a handheld at home and while travelling to play its built-in games, experiment with RetroPi, and dive into PICO-8 releases using the app. Throughout that time, I assessed the portable console’s ergonomics and controls alongside its screen quality and clarity to weigh up whether it offers up a great way to play games compared to other options around the same price.

For more information on how we test handhelds and retro gadgets, swing by our full GamesRadar+ Hardware Policy for a full rundown.