Retroid Pocket 5 reviews after Fully Upgraded

1. Comparison of the configuration parameters of Retroid Pocket 5 and Retroid Pocket 4

As the fifth generation of the Retroid Pocket handheld digital series, Retroid Pocket 5 and Retroid Pocket mini both use Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 865 SOC, 4-core A77 + 4-core A55 CPU + Adreno650 GPU.

Although the Snapdragon 865 is considered an older flagship SoC from a mobile phone perspective, it is still a very capable SoC in the retro handheld space, and can meet the performance requirements of various retro emulators besides the Nintendo Switch. The main specifications of the Retroid Pocket 5 are as follows:

2. Retroid Pocket 5 VS Retroid Pocket 4

The SOC has been upgraded from Dimensity 1100 to Qualcomm Snapdragon 865. Although the theoretical performance improvement is not significant, the compatibility of most simulators is obviously more advantageous over the Qualcomm platform, and the appearance is brand new.

The 2.5D narrow-border glass integrated panel has a higher appearance value, and the larger screen is squeezed in while the overall size of the machine does not change much (only the length is slightly longer).

OLED has better color gamut, contrast, and no ghosting (the response time is improved from several to ten milliseconds of LCD to 0.1 milliseconds level of OLED). I personally think it is a relatively comprehensive upgrade.

Unboxing and Appearance

Compared to the previous Retroid Pocket, the Retroid Pocket 5 has made significant strides in build quality and design, featuring a fully integrated front cover.

The overall feel of the device is very well integrated, and the screen bezel is cleverly hidden beneath the cover. The larger 5.5-inch screen fits within a body similar in height to the Retroid Pocket 4P (4.7 inches) with narrow bezels.

In terms of the screen, this OLED screen looks very good, but it should be noted that the theme of Android 13 is pink, and the drop-down menu bar may mistakenly think that the screen is red (the actual screen color temperature is slightly cold). This is a problem inherent to the Android 13 system itself.

The front button part adopts Nintendo’s ABXY arrangement, but the layout has the cross key on the top and the dual joysticks on the bottom, the SELECT button on the upper left, the START button on the upper right, the Android Home button on the lower left, and the Android Return button on the lower right.

A tempered glass film is randomly included, and the buttons, joystick, microphone, and speaker positions are all designed with holes. The cost of this perforated tempered glass film is very high. The official should have spent some money to customize this tempered glass film for the integrated front panel.

The buttons actually follow the Retroid Pocket 4’s design, with a crisp cross-pad and a slightly stiff ABXY pad. The joystick likely uses the same Hall effect stick as the previous model.

The joystick features a hidden RGB light at the bottom, but I personally prefer the gray color scheme, so I left it on. A softer ABXY pad would be more comfortable.

▼The ABXY layout is replaceable, so the button part actually has a separate circular area, which reduces its integration with the front panel. Personally, I think it would look better if it were made into a fully integrated gray.

The Retroid Pocket 5 was one of the handheld game consoles that caught my attention the moment it was announced. After all, for a high-performance machine, the Odin 2 offers exceptional value, even today.

However, for those seeking a slimmer and lighter handheld experience, the weight and size of both the Odin 2 and Odin 2 mini are unsatisfactory. The Retroid Pocket 5 perfectly captures this differentiated niche, combining a mid-sized screen with a lightweight design.

About purchasing advice

In terms of performance, Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 865 SoC is more than adequate for the previous Nintendo Switch platforms. The integrated front panel design is aesthetically pleasing, and coupled with the high-quality 5.5-inch narrow-border OLED panel, the Retroid Pocket 5 is a true “comprehensive upgrade” compared to its predecessor, the Retroid Pocket 4P.

If you’re looking for a device with good performance and a balanced balance of size, weight, and battery life, the Retroid Pocket 5 is a good choice. The official front-end is still being updated, and the open source community will soon be adapting it to Linux, ensuring immediate playability. The Retroid Pocket 5 is also quite playable.