Post by gursharan on Nov 2, 2013 19:38:08 GMT
JXD S7300 Review
Arriving in what can only be described as a thin replica of the Wii-U Gamepad’s housing, the outside of the JXD S7300B features everything you’d expect from a device of this decade. Dual analog sticks, a large d-pad, ten buttons and a touch screen. Elsewhere on the exterior are two front facing stereo speakers, and course, a massively generous 7-inch display.
When compared with the Sony PlayStation Portable and Nintendo DS, the JXD S7300 aesthetically packs a larger punch with its more impressive exterior - despite feeling a little cheaper - however, as we all know, what matters is on the inside...
Luckily enough for retro gamers, the device’s dual core processor means that the majority of emulators available will casually cruise through our favourite titles with ease - something that generally rings true, at least until the later Nintendo 64 releases are put to the test. While the likes of Majora’s Mask, Conker’s Bad Fur Day and other intensive 3D titles put a little strain on the system, as of speaking just about every older title tested was incredibly, albeit surprisingly, smooth for an emulation device. Classics such as Super Mario Bros, Sonic The Hedgehog and Crash Bandicoot run as if they were designed for the handheld, allowing you to indulge in a huge library of classics on one system.
That said, the only area the games could do with a little improvement is through the handheld’s display. When the JXD S7300B is compared to the likes of an iPhone or Samsung tablet’s screen, this Android tablet feels somewhat dimmer than it should be - even at the maximum brightness. Then again, this did raise an interesting question - have we been spoilt with how bright today’s screens can go? Think back to how dim the original Game Boy Advance and Nintendo DS screens were.
Having said that though, the handheld’s screen can be extended onto an external display via its HDMI port. Using this I was able to use various emulators on a HDTV in high definition with surprisingly crisp visuals, however, there was one slight snag. Throughout testing we noticed an ever so slight performance hit when using the HDMI port - something that becomes more noticeable during emulation of more advanced games. The device may begin to stutter during and generate some considerable heat during. While this might be a dealbreaker for some, if anything it is acceptable given how cheap the device is and how well it works when self-contained.
This low cost as well is worth mentioning. With 8GB of internal storage up for grabs and a MicroSD slot ready for business, there really is no limit to the amount of games you can cram onto this handheld. During tests and initial setup, I managed to fit on the device complete ROM sets for several classic consoles including the Sega Mega Drive and Super Nintendo, whilst also having a generous collection of Mega CD and Sony PlayStation ISOs at the ready.
While filling up this storage might be an easy task, getting the device to perform correctly is a more difficult challenge, which is sadly the main downside to this handheld. Unfortunately the stock operating software on the JXD S7300B (at the time of writing) left many feeling frustrated due to issues such as delayed response time from the analog sticks. Many of these troubles have since been addressed, however, it wouldn’t be JXD who solved them first. Like many Android devices, custom firmware has been made available for the S7300B which not only ironed out several of the factory-made problems, but also introduced new features which cater especially for the gamers using this device.
Although these fixes may address all that was wrong with the device, installing them is not the easiest task, especially for those hoping for an out of the box emulation powerhouse. Further complications arrive too from the way the Android based filesystem works. To further explain this point, navigating to folders containing your game ROMs isn’t as simple as we’d like, as occasionally emulators will place you in the root directory, expecting you to navigate blindly through system folders you’re unfamiliar with.
Nevertheless these are issues that are soon quashed once you become familiar with device and more importantly, ones you shouldn’t let yourself be put off by. With a few hours research into custom firmware and a moment spared to understand where your game ROMs are stored, a lot can be had from the JXD S7300B.
JXD S7300B Conclusion
After several months testing this device, the most surprising aspect was how little I was let down by the hardware. Having experienced countless similar devices beforehand, I was awaiting errors, glitches and bugs galore, only to find quite the opposite. While it does have its flaws, you’ll be hard pressed to find a better emulation device on the market today for such a low cost.
Pros: Fantastic price, generously sized screen, emulators at the ready
Cons: Fiddly setup, requires custom firmware to get the most of
Arriving in what can only be described as a thin replica of the Wii-U Gamepad’s housing, the outside of the JXD S7300B features everything you’d expect from a device of this decade. Dual analog sticks, a large d-pad, ten buttons and a touch screen. Elsewhere on the exterior are two front facing stereo speakers, and course, a massively generous 7-inch display.
When compared with the Sony PlayStation Portable and Nintendo DS, the JXD S7300 aesthetically packs a larger punch with its more impressive exterior - despite feeling a little cheaper - however, as we all know, what matters is on the inside...
Luckily enough for retro gamers, the device’s dual core processor means that the majority of emulators available will casually cruise through our favourite titles with ease - something that generally rings true, at least until the later Nintendo 64 releases are put to the test. While the likes of Majora’s Mask, Conker’s Bad Fur Day and other intensive 3D titles put a little strain on the system, as of speaking just about every older title tested was incredibly, albeit surprisingly, smooth for an emulation device. Classics such as Super Mario Bros, Sonic The Hedgehog and Crash Bandicoot run as if they were designed for the handheld, allowing you to indulge in a huge library of classics on one system.
That said, the only area the games could do with a little improvement is through the handheld’s display. When the JXD S7300B is compared to the likes of an iPhone or Samsung tablet’s screen, this Android tablet feels somewhat dimmer than it should be - even at the maximum brightness. Then again, this did raise an interesting question - have we been spoilt with how bright today’s screens can go? Think back to how dim the original Game Boy Advance and Nintendo DS screens were.
Having said that though, the handheld’s screen can be extended onto an external display via its HDMI port. Using this I was able to use various emulators on a HDTV in high definition with surprisingly crisp visuals, however, there was one slight snag. Throughout testing we noticed an ever so slight performance hit when using the HDMI port - something that becomes more noticeable during emulation of more advanced games. The device may begin to stutter during and generate some considerable heat during. While this might be a dealbreaker for some, if anything it is acceptable given how cheap the device is and how well it works when self-contained.
This low cost as well is worth mentioning. With 8GB of internal storage up for grabs and a MicroSD slot ready for business, there really is no limit to the amount of games you can cram onto this handheld. During tests and initial setup, I managed to fit on the device complete ROM sets for several classic consoles including the Sega Mega Drive and Super Nintendo, whilst also having a generous collection of Mega CD and Sony PlayStation ISOs at the ready.
While filling up this storage might be an easy task, getting the device to perform correctly is a more difficult challenge, which is sadly the main downside to this handheld. Unfortunately the stock operating software on the JXD S7300B (at the time of writing) left many feeling frustrated due to issues such as delayed response time from the analog sticks. Many of these troubles have since been addressed, however, it wouldn’t be JXD who solved them first. Like many Android devices, custom firmware has been made available for the S7300B which not only ironed out several of the factory-made problems, but also introduced new features which cater especially for the gamers using this device.
Although these fixes may address all that was wrong with the device, installing them is not the easiest task, especially for those hoping for an out of the box emulation powerhouse. Further complications arrive too from the way the Android based filesystem works. To further explain this point, navigating to folders containing your game ROMs isn’t as simple as we’d like, as occasionally emulators will place you in the root directory, expecting you to navigate blindly through system folders you’re unfamiliar with.
Nevertheless these are issues that are soon quashed once you become familiar with device and more importantly, ones you shouldn’t let yourself be put off by. With a few hours research into custom firmware and a moment spared to understand where your game ROMs are stored, a lot can be had from the JXD S7300B.
JXD S7300B Conclusion
After several months testing this device, the most surprising aspect was how little I was let down by the hardware. Having experienced countless similar devices beforehand, I was awaiting errors, glitches and bugs galore, only to find quite the opposite. While it does have its flaws, you’ll be hard pressed to find a better emulation device on the market today for such a low cost.
Pros: Fantastic price, generously sized screen, emulators at the ready
Cons: Fiddly setup, requires custom firmware to get the most of