A computer barely larger than a stick of chewing gum has been pushed into gaming territory, and the result is more capable than its size suggests. In an experiment carried out by technology YouTuber Lecctron, the goal was to find the smallest PC that could still be used for gaming, with Minecraft as the main target.
The test was not about picking the tiniest board available and calling it a gaming machine. Lecctron set a clear requirement from the start: the device had to function as a real PC, complete with monitor support, input, and an operating system, so it could genuinely serve as a gaming setup.
A tiny board becomes the leading candidate
Among the compact boards considered, Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W emerged as the most practical choice. The single-board computer measures 65 x 30 mm, which makes it small enough to look almost unreal beside everyday objects such as a pack of gum.
Its hardware is modest by design. The board uses a quad-core CPU, VideoCore IV graphics, and 512 MB of RAM, yet that configuration still proved sufficient for more limited gaming use cases. The kit shown in the video was reportedly unavailable, though a similar kit was described in the reference material as selling on Amazon for around $40, while the base Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W itself can serve as the starting point for a simple “gaming PC” at around $15.
Minecraft runs, but only under lighter settings
The headline test centered on Minecraft, and the result was encouraging within its constraints. Minecraft Pi Edition was reported to run at around 60 FPS, but only when the game was configured lightly.
Lecctron used Creative Mode with a short render distance, which helped keep the workload within the limits of the tiny hardware. That detail matters because it shows the board can handle the target game, although not in a demanding setup.
Even with those restrictions, the performance remains notable for a device this small and inexpensive. It demonstrates that the Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W can move beyond basic computing and still deliver a usable gaming experience in a very narrow scenario.
PS1 emulation is where the hardware looks most comfortable
The system appeared even more at ease when the testing shifted to PlayStation 1 games. Several titles were tried, including Doom, Wipeout XL, Silent Hill, Tomb Raider Chronicles, and Final Fantasy IX, and the results were described as smooth for such a compact machine.
That outcome is less surprising in the retro context. PS1 emulation requires far less computing power than modern gaming, and that gives the Zero 2 W room to perform well despite its small memory and lightweight design.
For users who are mainly interested in retro gaming, that kind of result is especially relevant. It suggests the board has a practical niche that fits its hardware profile much better than any attempt to turn it into a full-scale modern gaming PC.
Higher-demand systems expose the limits
The weaknesses of the Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W appeared once the testing moved to Nintendo 64 and PSP emulation. The board could still launch some games, but stability and smoothness began to decline as the load increased.
On Nintendo 64, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time and Majora’s Mask were both playable, but periodic stutter and frame-rate drops made the experience less consistent. PSP performance varied by title as well, with LocoRoco and LittleBigPlanet PSP running well, while Wipeout Pulse managed only about 15 to 20 FPS on the Zero 2 W.
Those results help define the practical ceiling of the device. It can handle selected older titles, but once the software demands rise, the limitations of its tiny hardware become difficult to ignore.
A gaming PC only in a very specific sense
The experiment was never meant to rival a conventional gaming desktop. Its purpose was to show how far gaming functionality can be compressed into a very small form factor without losing the basic identity of a PC.
That distinction is important because a real gaming machine still needs enough space, power, and cooling to operate properly. For that reason, desktop gaming systems remain far larger than smartphones or single-board computers, even if the latter can still surprise in targeted use cases.
Within that context, the Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W has value for people who want a miniature DIY project or a simple retro gaming setup. Its ability to run Minecraft Pi Edition and several PS1 games makes it stand out in its class, especially for tech enthusiasts who are more interested in experimentation than raw performance.
