The Retroid Pocket 5 is still the newest flagship device in Retroid’s lineup and is expected to remain so for most of 2025. Acclaimed as one of the best retro gaming handhelds ever made, it’s built a solid reputation. But is it still the right purchase? Let’s dive into the experience of making this device your go-to handheld and whether it’s still worth picking up today.
Unboxing and First Impressions
The Retroid Pocket 5 comes in Retroid’s signature neat, magnetic box packaging.
Right out of the box, the highlight of this device is its 5.5-inch OLED screen. At 1080p, it delivers vibrant colors, deep blacks, and great brightness control. It feels like the display is seamlessly integrated into the glass, making everything pop.
The build quality is exceptional—far more premium than something like a Nintendo Switch Lite. The glass front, LED joysticks, and front-facing speakers make for a polished, high-quality experience. Even the buttons feel great, with satisfying feedback.
Design and Ergonomics
While the Retroid Pocket 5 is well-built, it’s not without its physical flaws:
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The grips feel inadequate. You tend to hold the device on your fingertips instead of comfortably in your palms.
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The triggers have an odd pivot mechanism. Instead of pressing down smoothly, they rotate backward, making them less comfortable to use.
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The joysticks are inline. This works fine for retro games but isn’t ideal for modern titles.
To fix these ergonomic issues, I spent days 3D printing custom grips. After several failed attempts, I landed on a modified grip cover that improves the trigger feel and joystick positioning.
- Original Model: https://www.printables.com/model/1221760-retroid-pocket-5-flip-grip
- My modified Model: https://tynology.com/RP5_Grip_Tynology_v2.stl
Android Setup – A Different Experience
Unlike Linux-based handhelds that come preloaded with emulators and ROMs, the Retroid Pocket 5 runs on Android. This means:
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You have to set up everything manually—Google account, Play Store, emulators, and frontends.
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It doesn’t come with an SD card, so you’ll need to buy one separately.
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If you’re new to Android-based handhelds, setting up emulators, BIOS files, and ROMs can be daunting.
That said, once everything is configured, the experience is incredibly rewarding. I installed RetroArch, Dolphin (GameCube), Sudachi (Switch), PPSSPP (PSP), and Emulation Station (ES-DE) as my frontend. Using Obani, an app that auto-updates software from GitHub, saves me from manually downloading updates.
Battery Life and Performance
One of my biggest gripes with handhelds is poor standby time, but the Retroid Pocket 5 excels in this area. Even after 2-3 days of inactivity, the battery is still at 85%. When actively gaming, the device lasts an entire day, which is impressive.
Emulation Performance
The Retroid Pocket 5 crushes everything up to GameCube and PS2:
✅ PS2 & GameCube – Runs at 2-3x resolution, making games look stunning.
✅ Dreamcast & PSP – Runs flawlessly, with PSP games scaling up to 4x resolution.
✅ All older consoles – NES, SNES, Genesis, GBA, etc., run without issue.
For Switch, Wii U, DS, and 3DS, performance is hit-or-miss. Some games run well with tweaking, but the experience isn’t as seamless.
Shaders and Overlays
I finally experimented with shaders, and they transformed my experience. Here’s what I use:
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For consoles (SNES, PS1, etc.) → CRT GDV Mini Ultra Shader (adds scanlines, curves, and even CRT projection effects).
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For handhelds (GBA, Game Boy, etc.) → LCD 3X Shader (makes pixel art look crisp).
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For overlays → Exodus CRT Collection from the Libretro forums, which enhances the OLED display beautifully.
Beyond Emulation – Android Games and Game Streaming
What I didn’t expect was how fun Android gaming would be. Since the Retroid Pocket 5 runs Google Play Store apps, I downloaded:
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Netflix’s free games (Katana Zero, Monument Valley, GTA San Andreas)
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Call of Duty Mobile (looks amazing, plays great with the controls)
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Genshin Impact (surprisingly decent performance)
On top of that, Steam Link lets me stream Forza Horizon 5, Halo, and more from my PC. The OLED screen makes streamed games look fantastic.
Is the Retroid Pocket 5 Still Worth It in 2025?
For under $200 with a coupon on AliExpress, nothing else competes with this device.
✔ Way cheaper than PC handhelds like the Steam Deck and ROG Ally
✔ More affordable than the Odin 2, which starts at $330+
✔ Massive power for its price, handling up to PS2 and GameCube effortlessly along with select WiiU & Switch titles
The only real alternatives at this price are Retroid’s own upcoming handhelds, like the Retroid Pocket Flip 2, which is basically the same device in a clamshell form. But if you prefer a traditional handheld layout, the Retroid Pocket 5 remains one of the best purchases in 2025.
