V · Retro · 1 min read

Retroid Pocket 5: the best-value emulation handheld for childhood games

Small, with a lovely AMOLED screen, and it runs emulation up to the PS2 era in many games. Buy it and play, but be ready to put in setup work at first.

Draft · yellow-underlined parts are waiting for our own measurements

Retroid Retroid Pocket 5
Display
5.5″ AMOLED
RAM
8GB
Storage
128GB
Battery
5000mAh

Buy it if

  • ✓You want to replay PS1, PS2, GBA and SNES games
  • ✓You like a small device that fits in a jacket pocket
  • ✓You don't mind installing emulators yourself

Skip it if

  • ✕You want to open the box and play right away
  • ✕You need to run PC games or new games

This is for people who want to replay old games with the real handheld feel, instead of sitting at a computer.

The AMOLED screen is the selling point

5.5 inches, 1080p AMOLED. 2D games come out vivid, with deep blacks, and it looks much better than the IPS screens on many devices at the same price.

Strong enough for the PS2 era

Snapdragon 865 chip, 8GB of RAM. Emulation up to PS1, GBA and SNES runs smoothly. PS2 and GameCube run well in many games, though heavy ones still need tweaking.

3 specific games you tried and whether they ran smoothly, noting which emulator you used.

It runs Android

The device runs Android 13, so you install emulators from the app store and can adjust the button layout for each emulator. The trade-off is that the first setup takes time.

The two analog sticks use Hall effect sensors, so they're less prone to drift over time.

Should you buy it?

Yes, if you want a small emulation handheld with a nice screen to replay your whole childhood. No, if you don't want to touch any settings.

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