Photo: Evan-Amos · Public domain · via Wikimedia Commons
Sega Nomad
Sega · Released Oct 1995 · 1995
A portable Sega Genesis that plays the entire cartridge library on real hardware — gloriously impractical, with battery life to match.
Pros
- +Plays the full Genesis cartridge library on the go
- +Can output to a TV
- +Second controller port for multiplayer
- +No emulation — real Genesis hardware
Cons
- −Dreadful battery life (~2-3h on six AAs)
- −Large and heavy
- −Dim screen with motion blur
What can it play?
Emulation performance by platform, based on real-world testing.
Full specifications
Hardware
- Chipset (SoC)
- Motorola 68000 + Zilog Z80
- CPU
- 16-bit 68000 @ 7.6 MHz (+ Z80)
- GPU
- Sega VDP
- RAM
- 64 KB + 64 KB video
- Storage
- Cartridge Genesis / Mega Drive cartridge
- Weight
- 320 g
- Dimensions
- 135 x 180 x 40 mm
- Cooling
- Passive
Display
- Size
- 3.25″
- Resolution
- 320x224
- Panel
- Backlit LCD
- Refresh rate
- 60 Hz
- Touchscreen
- No
Battery & Connectivity
- Battery
- 2000 mAh
- Real-world life
- ~2.5 hours
- Wi-Fi
- None
- Bluetooth
- None
- Ports
- Genesis cartridge slot, 2nd controller port, AV out, 3.5mm headphone
- Expandable storage
- No
Controls
- Analog sticks
- 0
- D-pad
- Yes
- Face buttons
- Yes
- Analog triggers
- No
- Gyroscope
- No
- Hall effect sticks
- No
Software & custom firmware
Ships with: None (cartridge-booted)
Also plays natively: Sega Genesis / Mega Drive cartridges
No third-party custom firmware tracked for this device.
Our verdict
The Nomad was an audacious idea: a handheld Genesis that ran the full cartridge library on genuine hardware and could even hook up to a TV. The catch was battery life measured in a couple of hours from six AAs, plus considerable bulk. Released as Sega's console fortunes were fading, it flopped commercially but is now a prized collector's item.