It has since been overtaken by some other portable devices, but thanks to a new collaboration with Skull Gaming, reseller MechDIY is offering a souped-up variant which boasts a metal shell, improved buttons and an upgraded speaker.
The variants feature (unofficial) artwork from a wide range of series, including Zelda (green model), Mobile Suit Gundam (black model), Neon Genesis Evangelion (red and purple models) and Pokémon (lilac and yellow models).
MechDIY was kind enough to send us a sample of the black Gundam model, and regardless of your opinion on the off-brand artwork, the device certainly feels more premium than the standard model, thanks to that CNC'd premium metal case. The new buttons are also a welcome improvement, although they're a little on the clicky side.
There are some caveats to note here; firstly, the battery compartment has been removed, so if you want to swap out the battery in the future, you'll need to disassemble the case (MechDIY included a set of tools for this purpose with our review unit).
The other big issue is the price; while V4 of the stock Miyoo Mini Plus is a very reasonable $80, this upgraded variant retails for around $300, depending on the mods and MicroSD card you choose. That's a lot of dollars for a knock-off anime-inspired case design, but there's no denying that the metal shell gives the device a premium feel; it's up to you if that's worth paying over three times as much for.
