Retroid Pocket 4/ 4 Pro

Retroid Pocket 4 and the 4 Pro version are a great example of a nice, fun console that looks extremely similar to the Switch, but which was also made with retro gaming in mind. It’s definitely one of the retro consoles that’s enjoyable, but also designed to offer that comfort you rarely have from this type of products.

Design and display

Both models rock a 4.7” display, which we found to be very good for retro gaming emulation. They do a good job at keeping the consoles very easy to use too, and the design itself we found it to be really good as well. Everything is quick to understand, and the overall value that we get as a user is impressive. The design might be a bit too similar to the Switch for some, but if you want a great retro console which is also comfortable to use, this is definitely worth taking into consideration for sure.

When it comes to ease of use, both Retroid Pocket 4 and the Pro version do a great job at offering a solid menu. The fact that it’s Android based is definitely helpful, and you don’t need a lot of getting used to, which is common for a lot of these consoles. Here you get a pretty impressive value for the money, all while not worrying that it might take a bit to learn how to use.

CPU and GPU

If you go for the Retroid Pocket 4, you will have a dual core A78 CPU, for the Pro version you have a quad core unit. The graphics chip is also a bit different, G68 MC4 for the Retroid Pocket 4, and the Pro version has a G77 MC9. Both of them are great for what you need here. The consoles do an excellent job at supporting all kinds of emulators, and the graphics were always crisp and looked great for us!

They can emulate the likes of SNES, GBA, but also PS1, Nintendo 64 and many others. Over 20 consoles are supported, which we think is great in its own right. Keep in mind that the unit itself has Android as the operating system, so you can access a plethora of interesting options when it comes to the emulators.

The Retroid Pocket 4 comes with 4 GB of RAM which is still quite a bit for this type of unit, whereas the Retroid Pocket 4 Pro will give you 8 GB. It always depends on what you need and what kind of games you play. But for us, we think both models can be great for pretty much all the retro titles you want. Granted, the devices might be overkill for retro emulation. Yet if you also play some of the newer Android games, you will need that extra power.

Storage space

Here both devices come with 128 GB of Storage. You can go up to 2 TB extra storage with your own extension card. But unless you play Android games on it, you will have space for thousands of games anyway. We think they do an excellent job here too, since 128 GB keeps the price low, and if you do end up wanting more, then you get it.

Battery life

The battery is also identical in both cases. You have the 5000 mAh battery which we think does a very good job when it comes to powering these devices. It’s definitely enough for game sessions that last for a few hours. In our experience, it takes around 2-3 hours to charge the device, and it will last for around 7-9 hours of gaming. It depends on what you play, the brightness and other settings you have. But for the most part, it does a stellar job for what it is, and you won’t see any issues with it from what we saw.

OTA support

OTA support is accessible here, that means you will receive updates via Wi-Fi as soon as they are available. It helps because you get some incremental software upgrades at times. And having this OTA system in place is really handy, not to mention it might actually come in handy when they provide firmware upgrades down the line.

Touchscreen support

Both devices have touchscreen support, which we think is very much a necessity these days. The 750x1334 screen size is definitely on the unusual side, but it’s a cool thing to have and it definitely brings a powerful perspective into the mix. Thankfully, that also means for most players, the touchscreen support becomes very handy and you’ll certainly have a good time using this to begin with. That’s why we think it’s well worth using, especially for menus.

Gaming experience

The Retroid Pocket 4 is great even when it comes to newer retro titles from the late 2000s. It definitely does a really good job at bringing you a wonderful way to play, without any specific hitches. The Pro is definitely smoother and recommended if you want to play the newer mobile games.

Both of them have a fan that can become very audible, especially after a more prolonged game session. Will it hamper your game experience? Not really, but sometimes it does get louder than it should, and that’s why you have to take it into account.

Should you buy the Retroid Pocket 4 or Pro?

The Retroid Pocket 4 is $349, whereas the Retroid Pocket 4 Pro is $499. It all comes down to your budget and the extra features you want. Granted, the Pro is more powerful, and it has double the RAM, but the regular version is also quite good as well. We like the fact that you can use a multitude of emulators, so you can pretty much play thousands upon thousands of games.

During our gameplay, there were no hitches, no specific issues encountered, and all in all it was a delight. Not only that, but there are some extras like using Picture in Picture while gaming. Even if that leads to a bit of lag (especially on the regular Retroid Pocket 4 due to having less memory), it’s still totally worth the investment!