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Sega Nomad Power Specs

Due to its high cost, short battery life and compatibility issues, the handheld Sega Nomad video game system enjoyed only a short life after its 1995 release. The Nomad, however, was technologically advanced compared to its main competitor, the Game Boy, offering slick graphics and a powerful processor. The system allowed gamers to take their Sega Genesis games on the go.

Internal Power
- The Sega Nomad sported a 16-bit, 7.67 MHz processor developed by Motorola. The system also included 65 KB video RAM to keep the frame rate stable while delivering crisp, colored graphics. In all, this handheld included 156 KB RAM, with additional memory coming from the static ROM (20 KB), main memory (64 KB) and sound card (8 KB).
Battery Power
- One of the most crippling downfalls of the Nomad was its immoderate need for battery power. The system required six AA batteries, which it would drain in two to five hours. This compounded the already staggering cost of the Nomad, which released at $180 in the United States.
Display
- The Nomad's powerful display was one of the most lauded features of the device. The unit's screen resolution measured 320 by 224 pixels, which, for its time, was impressive. The system supported full-color gaming on the liquid crystal screen, which was also rare for the mid-1990s.
Sound
- This handheld was basically a mobile Sega Genesis, with the ability to play any of its games. As such, the Nomad needed powerful sound output to match that of the home console. Sega equipped the Nomad with 8 KB of sound from a 6-channel Yamaha card. This allowed the Nomad to operate in stereo, and the sound was optimized with the use of headphones.

Video Game Consoles