AmberELEC vs RetroDECK
AmberELEC
amberelec.orgRetroDECK
retrodeck.netSide by side
| Figure | AmberELEC | RetroDECK |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Linux | — | Yes |
| Self-hosted | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 1 | 1 |
| Spec score · TurboGrafx-16 Emulators | 8.0 (#9) | 7.1 (#23) |
| Spec score · Emulation Frontends | 8.0 (#8) | 7.0 (#22) |
| Purpose | AmberELEC is open source firmware developed for the Anbernic RG351P/M/V/MP and RG552 handhelds. | RetroDECK is an all-in-one retro gaming platform for Linux handhelds, desktops, HTPCs and PC consoles. |
| 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 directs bug reports to its GitHub issue tracker and guidance requests to its Discord or Matrix community channels. |
Plans
In their own words
RetroDECK
RetroDECK is a free retro gaming platform for Linux handhelds, desktops, HTPCs and PC consoles. It packages emulators, engines, ports, clients, utilities and the ES-DE frontend in a preconfigured Flatpak environment. The RetroDECK Configurator handles file compression and management, BIOS validation, preset management and component tuning. Steam ROM Manager and ES-DE favorites integration let users add games to a Steam library, while Steam Input layouts support devices such as Steam Deck and external controllers. RetroDECK can connect to RetroAchievements, and PortMaster provides a continuously updated catalog of downloadable ports. Sandboxing isolates the package components. The software supports x86_64 Linux systems, including Steam Deck and Linux desktops. Games, proprietary BIOS files and firmware are not included, so users must provide legally obtained files where required. Save states and cheat support are available. RetroDECK is volunteer-run software; donations are optional and do not provide perks or early access. The plan costs nothing.