In this episode, we take a second look at one of my previously favorite clone NES systems of all time, the Gamerz Tek 8-Bit HD

It's hard to believe but the first clone NES console reviews I ever did went live over 5 years ago at this point. That review? The Gamerz Tek 8-Bit HD. In a time when hardware-based clone NES systems with HDMI outputs were still fairly new, this system made a lot of promises for under $25. While I have always felt this was one of the better clone systems out there, are my opinions still the same today?

The 8-Bit HD is available now for around $30 on Amazon, but when I bought it back in 2017 I got it for under $24! It includes the system itself, two original controllers, an HDMI cable, an AV cable, and a dedicated power supply. The power supply is one of the first things I did not like about this system, as it uses its own proprietary barrel-style connector to go into the system. In 2017, micro USB truly was the standard and now in 2022, this stands out like a sore thumb.

The story behind the system is the fact that it is an update of their original 8-Bit system, but much like that console this one only has mono audio outputs. That's not a huge deal as the original NES only had mono output, but if you're going to connect to a CRT or to some kind of a sound system you'll need a Y-adapter to drive sound to left and right channels.

The included controllers are still amongst my favorite from any clone system. They are definitely inspired by the original NES controllers, but they have their own unique design. The squared-off corners are gone, and the controller is more oval-shaped, almost in line with the Nintendo oval around the logo. The A and B buttons are quite clicky, and the d-pad is also really good. The start select buttons are small, round buttons instead of the larger oval shape from the original Nintendo controller. They're functional, but could be a bit larger. One of the downsides of this controller is the cable is only about 6 ft long, and shortly after this console was released other manufacturers started including 10 ft long cables with their controllers.

Getting down to gameplay, one of my go-to tests has always been the first level of Super Mario Bros and how the coins sound. Unsurprisingly, the 8-Bit HD has reverse duty cycle issues, meaning the audio sounds pitched up when collecting coins in Super Mario brothers. It's strange that all of these clone HDMI systems still have this problem when, for the most part, audio out of the previous generation's composite jacks was okay.

From a color standpoint, I felt the tones were definitely muted and under-saturated. In Super Mario Bros I thought the blocks needed more brown tones to them. In Punch-Out, Piston Honda's skin tone looked off. The graphics were sharp, and they were fairly clean, but the palate was just a little bit wrong.

Game compatibility is about what you would expect from something like this. Battletoads still locks up on the second level, that's something all clone systems do. Famicom cartridges worked with the 60-to-72 pin adapter. I did not have any issues with homebrews, ROM hacks, or multicarts, but I don't own an Everdrive for the NES, so that is not something I could test

Why it RoX:
- Under $30
- HDMI output
- Two very good controllers included
- Works with us, Japanese, and PAL games
- Very compact

What could be improved:
- Inaccurate audio
- The color palette is undersaturated
- Short controller cables
- Mono audio output on composite
- Battletoads does not work

Should you buy one?
I will admit it, I definitely romanticized the 8-Bit HD, but for under 30 bucks, you still get a pretty decent system to get your feet back into the NES library! Yes, the audio is wrong, and yes, the color palette is soft, but overall performance is pretty decent for someone who's just looking for a convenient way to play the NES and connect to an HDMI port. I haven't heard from Gamerz Tek in several years, the last consoles they put out were the Super HD 2 and the Mini Gen HD, but clearly, they're still supplying inventory to Amazon so the lights are still on somewhere. I would love to see them come back and revamp this system, add a longer controller cable, enhance the audio, & enhance game compatibility as I do think this is a platform they could build from. But as it is, I still will have a soft spot in my heart for the 8-Bit HD.

#Nintendo #GamerzTek #HDMINES #NESClassic


The footage used in this review are used under the Fair Use laws, referenced below:

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