Getting an original NES to display on a modern television is, in 2026, a genuinely annoying project: RF adapters that no longer fit, composite-to-HDMI dongles that add input lag, and TVs that quietly dropped those yellow-and-red jacks years ago. The Hyperkin RetroN 1 HD sidesteps all of that by outputting 720p over a standard HDMI cable, so you plug in your original NES cartridges and you are playing in under two minutes, with no adapters, no converters, and no fiddling with settings menus. It costs $39.99, which is less than most of the adapter stacks people build for original hardware, and it arrives with every cable you need already in the box.
What makes the RetroN 1 HD so much simpler to set up than an original NES?
The original NES was designed for a world of CRT televisions and RF connections. Connecting one to a modern flat panel in 2026 means either hunting for a composite-to-HDMI converter (budget options typically run $25 to $40 and often introduce noticeable input lag), having the console professionally RGB-modded (a process that can cost $80 to $150 before you even buy an upscaler), or accepting a blurry, washed-out picture from a composite signal on a screen that was never built to handle it.
The RetroN 1 HD skips that entire chain. It has a native HDMI output on the back panel alongside a Micro USB port for power, a 16:9/4:3 aspect ratio switch, and a composite AV output for anyone who still has a CRT they prefer. The box includes a 3-foot HD cable, a 6-foot Micro USB charge cable with a USB AC adapter, and the Cadet controller. You are not sourcing anything separately. Plug the HDMI into your TV, plug the USB into the included adapter (or your TV’s USB port, which will often power it directly), drop in a cartridge, and press power.
That is the whole setup. No menu to navigate, no firmware to update, no region unlock codes to enter.
Does the RetroN 1 HD actually work with your existing NES cartridge collection?
For most collections, yes. The console supports both NTSC and PAL cartridges, switchable via a physical toggle on the bottom of the unit. That PAL support is worth noting because most budget NES clones skip it entirely, which means anyone with European or Australian carts is out of luck before they even start.
Compatibility with the broader NTSC library is high for standard titles. Games like Super Mario Bros., Mega Man 2, Contra, Metroid, and the bulk of the Nintendo first-party catalog load without issue. The two controller ports on the front accept original NES controllers as well, so if you kept your old pads, they will work here. The Cadet controller that ships in the box has a 10-foot cable, which is noticeably longer than what you got with the NES Classic Mini, and the D-pad and buttons feel solid for an included peripheral.
Where compatibility gets murkier is with a small number of titles that used unusual mapper chips or had historically finicky behavior even on original hardware. Castlevania III is a known example in the clone console space generally. If your collection is built around the mainstream library, you are unlikely to hit those edge cases.
How does the 720p picture actually look on a big screen?
Honest answer: it looks like 8-bit gaming upscaled to HD, which is exactly what it is. The console uses NES-on-a-chip technology to run your cartridges and then converts that signal to 720p HDMI output. On a 55-inch or 65-inch TV, the pixels are large and the image is soft around the edges compared to what an FPGA-based console like the Analogue Nt Mini (which starts at several hundred dollars) would produce. Colors can look slightly different from game to game compared to a reference CRT image.
But the target audience for the RetroN 1 HD is not the person who has spent months calibrating a PVM monitor. It is the person who found a box of NES carts in their parents’ basement and wants to play them on the living room TV tonight. For that use case, 720p over HDMI on a modern screen looks far better than composite video through a $30 dongle, and it is immediately recognizable as the game you remember. The aspect ratio switch between 16:9 and 4:3 also helps: 4:3 keeps the original proportions intact, which is the right call for NES titles that were designed for that format.
Is $39.99 the right price for what you get?
At $39.99, the RetroN 1 HD is priced at roughly the same point as a decent composite-to-HDMI converter, except it is also the console itself, with a controller and all cables included. The Analogue Nt Mini sits at the premium end of the NES clone market and costs several times more. The RetroUSB AVS, an FPGA-based option, is also significantly pricier. Both of those are better for pixel-perfect accuracy, and if that is your priority, the price difference is probably worth it.
For everyone else, the math is straightforward. You are paying $39.99 for a console that plays your original cartridges, connects to any TV made in the last decade via HDMI, and ships with every cable you need. If you are also starting from scratch on controllers, note that Hyperkin’s broader lineup includes options like the RetroN 5 for collectors who want to play cartridges from multiple systems. But for a single-system, no-fuss NES setup, the RetroN 1 HD is the most cost-efficient path from “box of old carts” to “playing on the couch.”
Plug It In and Play: The RetroN 1 HD Earns Its Reputation
The retro gaming market in 2026 has no shortage of ways to spend money chasing a perfect NES signal. Most of them require research, sourcing parts, and a tolerance for technical tinkering. The Hyperkin RetroN 1 HD does not ask any of that of you. One HDMI cable, one USB power connection, one cartridge: that is the whole equation. For anyone who wants their NES games on a modern TV without a weekend of setup, this is the console that actually delivers on that promise at a price that makes sense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the Hyperkin RetroN 1 HD come with an HDMI cable included in the box?
Yes. The RetroN 1 HD ships with a 3-foot HD cable, a 6-foot Micro USB charge cable, a USB AC adapter, a composite AV cable, and the Cadet controller. You do not need to purchase any additional cables to start playing your NES cartridges on a modern HDMI television right out of the box.
Can I use my original NES controllers with the RetroN 1 HD, or do I need to buy new ones?
The RetroN 1 HD has two standard NES controller ports on the front of the console, which are fully compatible with original NES controllers. The unit also ships with Hyperkin’s Cadet controller, a modern take on the classic NES pad with a 10-foot cable, so you have options whether or not you kept your original hardware.
Will the RetroN 1 HD work with PAL NES cartridges from Europe or Australia?
Yes. The RetroN 1 HD supports both NTSC and PAL cartridges. A physical switch on the bottom of the console lets you toggle between the two formats, so European and Australian game libraries are compatible without any additional hardware or software configuration required.
What is the difference between the RetroN 1 HD and the RetroN 5 for NES games?
The RetroN 1 HD is a single-system console dedicated to NES cartridges, priced at $39.99, and uses hardware-based NES-on-a-chip technology. The RetroN 5 ($179.99) uses software emulation and supports cartridges from multiple systems including NES, SNES, Sega Genesis, Game Boy, and Game Boy Advance, making it a better fit for collectors with carts across several platforms.
Does the RetroN 1 HD introduce noticeable input lag compared to original NES hardware?
For most players, input lag on the RetroN 1 HD is not a practical issue in everyday play. It is not an FPGA-based system, so hardcore speedrunners or players who are extremely sensitive to timing differences may notice something. Casual players and anyone returning to NES gaming for fun are unlikely to find it affects their experience in any meaningful way.