HISPEEDIDO, along with FunnyPlaying, is the most well-known and professional backlit screen kit provider available. Their products are known for ease of assembly, power efficiency, and high brightness. The Chinese company is also quite economical because their screen kits don’t break the bank (unlike a company with premium screen kits like Retrosix). The screen kits and mod kits that HISPEEDIDO have available are from a wide range of systems from the N64 to the Game Boy Pocket. With screen kits, new models are constantly being produced that have better battery efficiency or durability than the last. In this short review, we take a look at the HISPEEDIDO GBA V5 Laminated Backlight Kit along with their USB-C Battery Pack.
Assembly
Screen kits such as the HISPEEDIDO GBA V5 are designed for electronics or gaming hobbyists with a low level of skill to be able to assemble. No soldering is required for the kit. Although there are three wires that you have to solder to be able to use the OSD menu features. This isn’t necessary, especially if you just want a backlit GBA. The OSD menu allows you to alter the kit’s more advanced features. I went with the solderless option and everything is working great.
In this particular version of the V5 screen kit, a laminated screen is used. This means that the lens and actual screen are in one panel. This means that your screen is less prone to dust and smudges. However, there’s also less protection if the console is dropped. With a separate lens, it’s the lens that will crack rather than the laminated screen. Overall, the laminated screen looks more premium than the standard version, and it’s also easier to install as it fits flush in the casing (which has to be specially designed for a laminated screen).
Screen Quality and Options
After I’d assembled the console came the moment of truth. With these screen kits when you flick the power switch for the first time, you will immediately know whether your efforts have been well worth it, and you have a nice backlit handheld, or if you’ve made some mistake and your efforts have been futile. Luckily, I powered on and was greeted by a nice, bright Game Boy opening screen. I’m using an Everdrive Mini (one of the best flash carts available for the system and also one of the cartridges that consumes the most power), and the screen kit effectively coped with the power draw from the cartridge. The colors really ‘pop’ and the action looked ten times better than with an original GBA screen. The dark colors are rich and deep, and the lighter colors have a sparkle to them. I couldn’t test the OSD menu, since I went with the non-soldering option. However, I never really felt the need to adjust settings.
Battery Pack
HISPEEDIDO also produces a USB-C battery pack that compliments their screen kits well. The battery pack comes with both the lipo battery, connecting metal parts, and USB-C port. If you opt for the same set-up as I have be sure to purchase a shell that is IPS (laminated) ready, and also has the cut on the battery cover for the USB-C cable to enter.
The battery pack itself is small and sleek, and despite some trouble getting it to fit into the battery area of the GBA, once inserted and closed you won’t have to open it much, so the tight squeeze isn’t too much of a problem. A nice blue light turns on upon charging. This is useful to tell that power is being transferred, as many of these kinds of battery packs don’t have a light or other signal to confirm that charging is occurring. The battery pack kit has been giving me around ten hours of play with the V5 screen kit. This is such an improvement to using regular batteries and it is worth the money and effort to be able to charge by using USB-C and having such an increase in battery life.
Conclusion
Overall, the HISPEEDIDO GBA V5 Laminated Backlight Kit + USB-C battery pack is one of the best combo mods that you can get in a Game Boy handheld. The bright, easy-to-assemble screen combined with a battery pack that uses a common charging format make the combo both beautiful and convenient. If the user wants extra options, or to test their soldering skills, then the OSD menu option is available. The laminated form factor adds to that premium feel and the battery life on the battery kit will last a full flight across the Atlantic (and more), meaning that this might be the only Game Boy you’ll ever need. While FunnyPlaying may offer a wider range of mods, HISPEEDIDO continues to impress in the modding scene and is one of the best brands out there for Game Boy mods.
BongoBongo123 is an avid Zelda fan who also likes the odd game of Smash. His interests in gaming are broad but he loves a good Metroidvania or action RPGs.