AmberELEC vs KNULLI
AmberELEC
amberelec.orgKNULLI
knulli.orgSide by side
| Figure | AmberELEC | KNULLI |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Linux | — | Yes |
| Self-hosted | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 1 | 1 |
| Spec score · Emulation Frontends | 8.0 (#8) | 7.7 (#14) |
| Emulation | AmberELEC includes RetroArch and supports multiple emulator cores, with the latest site announcement highlighting new cores and emulators for the RG552. | KNULLI includes EmulationStation or Simplemenu/Simplermenu+ frontends, RetroArch, and multiple libretro cores. |
| Purpose | AmberELEC is open source firmware developed for the Anbernic RG351P/M/V/MP and RG552 handhelds. | KNULLI is custom firmware for retro-gaming devices such as handhelds and bartops, developed as a fork of Batocera. |
| Security | The guide recommends changing the root password or disabling SSH when it is not in use. | The site warns that KNULLI devices have no root password by default, making device data accessible on the local network, and recommends enabling additional security. |
| Support | The project directs general questions and help requests to its Discord community and asks users to submit bug reports and feature requests through issue templates. | The project uses Discord for discussions and provides a wiki with setup and troubleshooting guides. |
Plans
In their own words
KNULLI
KNULLI is free, open-source custom firmware for supported retro-gaming devices, including handhelds and bartops. It runs on Linux and self-hosted setups, with supported platforms including Anbernic RG series, GoRetroid Pocket 5 and Mini, Miyoo Flip, Powkiddy RGB30 and X55, Orange Pi Zero 2w, and TrimUI Brick and Smart Pro. The system provides EmulationStation or Simplemenu/Simplermenu+ frontends, RetroArch, and multiple libretro cores. It adds RetroAchievements, netplay, cover art, and thumbnail scraping through ScreenScraper, TheGamesDB, and ArcadeDB. Wireless and Bluetooth features depend on the device, while external USB wireless adapters are supported. Syncthing synchronizes saves between KNULLI devices or backs them up to a NAS, not a cloud. Installation requires a device-specific image flashed to an SD card or internal storage. Games, BIOS files, saves, and themes must use a strict case-sensitive folder structure.