Hands-On With the TRIMUI Brick Pro: A Better Handheld, but Not a Faster One

When a retro handheld manages the sort of reputation that the original TRIMUI Brick and Brick Hammer have, their successors arrive with a heap of expectation. Rumors of a "Pro" model had enthusiasts imagining faster processors, more demanding emulation and another leap forward for one of retro gaming's favorite vertical designs. With twin thumbsticks revealed, many of us assumed this was going to be the next-generation Brick. Instead, TRIMUI took a somewhat different approach, splitting its latest vertical handhelds into two distinct devices: the Linux-powered Brick Pro that I'm reviewing today, and the significantly more powerful Android-based Brick Hammer Pro U to be released soon.Side-by-side, the Brick Pro (in black) with the Brick Hammer (silver)On paper, the Brick Pro is quite a conservative upgrade. Under the hood, the Brick Pro retains the same Allwinner A133P found in the original Brick, so its emulation ceiling remains largely the same, while the improvements come elsewhere:…