Best budget small screen for Retropie under 5" that can be used as a spare HDMI screen?

batman

Can anybody recommend a specific LCD screen for the Retropie that is preferably 5" or under which can also be used a standalone HDMI LCD/spare display? Touch functionality is not required.

I've had a look on ebay and aliexpress and can see that there is an abundance of small screens claiming to be compatible with the Pi. The Waveshare panels are the most common ones I seem to come across. Going by the comments and reviews of these screens, most require changes to the config file to get Retropie to display properly.

Are there any budget standalone screens that will auto detect the correct aspect ratio and without having to change the config file. Preferably to have the option to use this screen as a standalone HDMI display when not in use with the Pi? I want be able to use to swap and change the image on the SD card so it will display properly on standard TV if it's not being displayed on the small display. Or will changes to the config file not make a difference once it's connected to a TV?

obsidianspider

You mean like this?

batman

@obsidianspider Yep, spot on.

Is no extra script retired required to get these to work with any retropie image? Would I be correct in saying that it would be best to go for screens that have multiple resolutions and a high fps count?

Anybody know if there are any compatible 5" screens instead? I'm not located in the U.S so will need to use alternate sites as Amazon often doesn't ship or is too expensive to ship where I live.

obsidianspider

@batman I've not tried that screen myself yet, but people have used them in Game Boy Zero builds and it seemed like minimal fuss.

batman

@obsidianspider Not a problem - I'll look into it.
Thanks.

InunoTaishou

Here's the same 3.5 at about $7USD cheaper
Same thing on ebay (I'm sure you can find the same thing for your country)
And for a 5" on aliexpress
And the 5" on ebay

Even though you only said 5" I'll post the 7" and 9" screens I found last night (was bored and looking for some good LCDs for the pi)

[5.5" LCD]
$108.56USD - 5.5" LCD (this thing is 2k, not those crappy 800x480 LCDs)

[6" LCD]
$116.48/$117.39USD - 6" LCD (2k lcd)

[7" LCD]
$21.90USD - 7" LCD (with a case) (this is not HDMI, it uses composite, it's a 7" backup camera LCD like you'd use for your car)
$25.46USD - 7" LCD [800x480] (Uses a much larger driver board, like you'd find for a regular monitor)
$13.11USD - 7" Digitizer for the above LCD
$32.88USD - 7" LCD with capacitive touch digitizer
$41.50USD - 7" LCD with capacitive touch (what you use on your phone, the good touch screen) [800x480]

[9" LCD]
$30.97USD - 9" LCD (also uses a monitor LCD driver board)
$43.51USD - Same 9" but with the USB digitizer, for touch

[10.1" LCD]
$76.36USD - 10.1" LCD (another 2k LCD)

batman

@inunotaishou Wow...thanks for going to the effort to post of all those. I still hadn't purchased one as I was indecisive about which one to get but now feel really spoiled for choice.

Hopefully others who are also looking for a portable screen will also find the information and links useful.

InunoTaishou

@batman I was looking into some LCDs too and I added most of those to my wish list while I was laying in bed the other night lol. But I discovered those 2k monitors and the capacitive touch monitors when I was making this post. Really good looking LCDs!