Your NES cartridges still work. Your TV probably does not have the composite or RF inputs that the original hardware needs. The good news: several NES compatible consoles ship with a built-in HDMI port, so you plug one cable into your TV and start playing, no external adapter, no upscaler box sitting on your shelf. The options range from a $39.99 plug-and-play clone to a machined-aluminum FPGA console that sells for several times that. Knowing the difference between them saves you from buying the wrong one.
The original NES outputs a 240p composite signal. Every modern flat-panel TV expects a digital HDMI signal. That mismatch is the whole problem, and each console on this list solves it in its own way, with real trade-offs around picture quality, cartridge compatibility, and price.
Which NES consoles have HDMI built in?
Seven consoles accept NES cartridges and output over HDMI without requiring a separate adapter. Three come from Hyperkin’s RetroN line, two are from Analogue, one is from Old Skool, and one is from RetroUSB. All seven output at least 720p. The technology inside varies: most use a chip-based clone approach, while the FPGA-based options recreate the original hardware at a circuit level for tighter accuracy.
What are the seven consoles, and what does each one actually do?
1. Hyperkin RetroN 1 HD ($39.99)
The RetroN 1 HD is the most focused option on this list. It plays NES cartridges only and outputs at 720p over HDMI. A physical switch on the unit toggles between NTSC and PAL cartridges, which matters if you own any European releases. The package includes Hyperkin’s Cadet controller, a 3-foot HD cable, and a 6-foot Micro USB charge cable. At $39.99, it is the cheapest path from a cartridge slot to an HDMI port.
The picture is a clean 720p upscale of the original 240p signal. The chip inside is a standard NES-on-a-chip design, so audio purists will notice some differences from original hardware, particularly in percussion-heavy soundtracks. For casual play of Super Mario Bros. or Contra, the gap is not going to bother most people.
Get the RetroN 1 HD at Hyperkin for $39.99.
2. Hyperkin RetroN 2 HD ($79.99)
The RetroN 2 HD adds a Super NES cartridge slot alongside the NES slot, making it a two-in-one system that covers the two most popular Nintendo cartridge formats. Both NES and SNES titles output at 720p via HDMI, and a side-mounted switch lets you toggle between 4:3 and 16:9 aspect ratios. The box includes both a Cadet (NES-style) and Scout (SNES-style) controller, plus an AV cable for anyone who still has a CRT around.
Compatibility with NTSC and PAL cartridges is high. The RetroN 2 HD also accepts EverDrive flash carts and repro cartridges, which is genuinely useful if your collection includes homebrews. At $79.99, it doubles the cartridge formats covered by the RetroN 1 HD for twice the price, a fair trade if you own games from both systems.
The RetroN 2 HD is available in standard gray and Space Black.
3. Hyperkin RetroN 5 ($179.99)
The RetroN 5 is the multi-system workhorse of this list. Five cartridge slots cover NES, Famicom, SNES, Super Famicom, Sega Genesis, Mega Drive, Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy Advance. HDMI output tops out at 720p with support for up to 60 frames per second. On top of that, the console includes save states with 10 slots per game, screenshot capture, a built-in Game Genie cheat menu, and a Bluetooth wireless controller with a 25-foot range.
The RetroN 5 runs on an Android-based OS with an on-screen interface, which is where most of its extra features live. PAL and NTSC versions of cartridges are both supported, and a rear SD card slot handles save data and screenshots. If you own cartridges from multiple systems and want one box to play all of them on a modern TV, the RetroN 5 is the most practical option at its price.
4. RetroUSB AVS (discontinued December 2025)
The AVS was the first FPGA-based NES console sold to the public, released in October 2016 and discontinued in December 2025. It accepted both front-loading NES cartridges and top-loading Famicom carts, output 720p over HDMI with near-zero lag, and included four controller ports. Because it used FPGA hardware rather than a chip clone, compatibility was exceptionally high and the picture was clean without the color or audio quirks common to NOAC-based systems.
New units are no longer available from RetroUSB directly, but the AVS turns up regularly on secondary markets. If you find one in good condition, it remains a strong option for anyone who prioritizes accuracy over convenience features like save states.
5. Analogue NT Mini Noir (limited edition, secondary market only)
The NT Mini Noir was the final production run of Analogue’s FPGA NES console, released in 2020. The body is machined from 6061 aluminum. HDMI output goes up to 1080p, and the system also offers analog outputs including RGB, component, S-Video, and composite, covering every signal type a CRT or professional monitor might need. Four NES-style controller ports are built in, along with a Famicom slot and expansion port.
At launch the NT Mini Noir carried a $499 price. It is out of production and sells for considerably more on the secondary market in 2026. The jailbreak firmware adds support for Game Boy, Game Boy Color, Master System, Game Gear, ColecoVision, and several other systems via FPGA cores. The Noir uses the same Spartan-6 FPGA found in professional video hardware, which is why mapper compatibility sits at 99% of the commercial NES library and expansion audio chips like Konami’s VRC6 and Sunsoft 5B reproduce correctly. For collectors who prioritize that level of accuracy, this is the hardware that delivers it, though the price and availability make it a niche choice.
6. Old Skool Classiq 2 HD
The Classiq 2 HD is a budget two-in-one console that accepts both NES and SNES cartridges and outputs 720p via HDMI. It ships with one NES-style and one SNES-style wired controller. A region switch supports NTSC and PAL cartridges, and an aspect ratio switch handles 4:3 versus 16:9. It also includes composite AV cables for CRT use.
The Classiq 2 HD occupies a similar market position to the Hyperkin RetroN 2 HD and tends to trade a bit of SNES accuracy for slightly better NES picture quality, depending on the specific revision. Real-world user comparisons suggest the RetroN 2 HD has an edge for SNES titles, while the Classiq 2 HD performs comparably on NES games. Both are clone-chip designs with the same fundamental trade-offs.
7. Analogue Pocket + Analogue Dock (via openFPGA NES core)
The Analogue Pocket is primarily a handheld that plays Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy Advance cartridges via FPGA. Through the openFPGA framework, third-party developers have published NES and Famicom cores that run on the Pocket’s Altera Cyclone V chip. To get video output to a TV, you need the separate Analogue Dock accessory, which connects over USB-C and outputs at 1080p via HDMI.
This is the most indirect NES solution on the list: you need the Pocket ($219.99), the Dock (sold separately), and a community-developed core installed from an SD card. The Pocket does not have a physical NES cartridge slot, so you would be running ROMs from the SD card rather than original cartridges. For someone who already owns an Analogue Pocket and wants to occasionally play NES games on a TV, the openFPGA route is genuinely good. As a dedicated NES solution, it is overkill.
Does HDMI output quality differ between chip clones and FPGA consoles?
Yes, and the difference is audible as well as visible. Chip clone consoles (RetroN 1 HD, RetroN 2 HD, RetroN 5, Classiq 2 HD) use a “NES on a chip” design that approximates the original hardware. The video path typically runs composite internally before being converted to HDMI, which can soften the image and introduce minor color inaccuracies. Audio tends to be the more noticeable gap: certain games with complex sound expansion chips may sound slightly off.
FPGA consoles (AVS, NT Mini Noir, Analogue Pocket core) recreate the NES hardware at a transistor level. The signal generated is digital from the start, lag is near zero, and compatibility with unusual mappers and expansion audio is tighter. The trade-off is cost: FPGA hardware costs two to five times more than a chip clone at equivalent cartridge coverage.
For most people playing Super Mario Bros. 3 or Mega Man 2 on a 55-inch TV in the living room, a chip clone at 720p looks fine. For anyone running a speedrun, testing homebrew, or playing expansion-audio titles like Castlevania III, the FPGA difference is worth paying for.
The Right Console Depends on What You Already Own
Buying a dedicated NES HDMI console makes the most sense when you already have a cartridge collection. If you own ten NES games, the RetroN 1 HD at $39.99 is probably all you need. If you own NES and SNES carts together, the RetroN 2 HD or RetroN 5 covers both without a second box. If your collection spans five or six different cartridge formats, the RetroN 5 is the only single device on this list that handles all of them. FPGA options like the NT Mini Noir are for collectors who treat accuracy as a non-negotiable and who are comfortable paying secondary-market prices for a discontinued product. The chip clone consoles from Hyperkin cover the practical majority of NES gaming at prices under $80 for single or dual-system setups, and under $180 for a five-system machine.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do NES clone consoles with HDMI output support original NES controllers?
Most do. The Hyperkin RetroN 1 HD, RetroN 2 HD, and RetroN 5 all include original NES controller ports on the front or side of the unit, so your existing pads plug straight in. The RetroUSB AVS includes four NES-style controller ports. The Analogue NT Mini Noir includes four ports as well. The Old Skool Classiq 2 HD includes NES and SNES controller ports. The Analogue Pocket does not have NES controller ports.
Will NES Zapper light guns work on any of these HDMI consoles?
No. The NES Zapper requires a CRT display operating at 15kHz to detect the light pulse correctly. Every console on this list outputs a digital HDMI signal, which modern TVs process with enough latency to break the timing the Zapper depends on. Light gun games like Duck Hunt simply will not register shots on any HDMI-output NES console connected to a flat-panel TV.
What is the difference between 720p and 1080p HDMI output for NES games?
The NES outputs a native 240p signal. Scaling 240p to 720p is a clean integer scale (3x), which means pixels stay sharp and square with no blurring from non-integer scaling. Scaling to 1080p is not a clean integer multiple of 240p, so some consoles that output 1080p (like the NT Mini Noir) let you choose a lower resolution for cleaner scanlines. For most living-room setups, 720p from a chip clone console looks perfectly acceptable on screens up to 65 inches.
Can these consoles play Famicom cartridges as well as NES cartridges?
Some can. The Hyperkin RetroN 5 has a dedicated Famicom cartridge slot alongside its NES slot. The RetroUSB AVS accepts both NES and Famicom cartridges through separate slots. The Analogue NT Mini Noir has both NES and Famicom slots plus a Famicom Disk System expansion port. The RetroN 1 HD and RetroN 2 HD accept NES cartridges only, though a 60-to-72 pin adapter lets you run Famicom carts through the NES slot on compatible hardware.
Is input lag a problem on chip clone NES consoles with HDMI output?
It can be, but the bigger source of lag on modern setups is usually the TV itself rather than the console. Most chip clone consoles introduce minimal processing delay. Enabling your TV’s Game Mode, which disables post-processing like motion smoothing and noise reduction, typically cuts TV-side lag to under 20ms. For action games like Ninja Gaiden or Battletoads where frame-perfect inputs matter, an FPGA console with near-zero processing lag plus a TV in Game Mode gives the tightest feel. For everything else, a chip clone in Game Mode is unlikely to cause noticeable problems.