Retroid Pocket Nova Review – A 4:3 AMOLED Handheld for Retro Gaming

What is the Retroid Pocket Nova?

The Retroid Pocket Nova review covers a device that works well as an Android handheld console, with a Qualcomm QCS8550 processor, Adreno 740 graphics, a 4.5-inch 1280×960 AMOLED touchscreen and a 120Hz refresh rate. It is designed for native Android games, retro emulation and more demanding systems, with a 4:3 screen that suits many classic consoles and handhelds. That makes it a strong candidate for anyone comparing the best Android gaming handheld options.

Retroid Pocket Nova Overview

The Retroid Pocket Nova measures around 6.68 x 3.31 x 0.61 inches (169.9 x 84.1 x 15.6 mm) and weighs around 256g (0.56 lbs). It is available in seven colours: Black, 16-Bit, GC, Crystal, Watermelon, Clear Purple and Ice Blue.

The 4.5-inch AMOLED display has a 1280 x 960 resolution with a 4:3 aspect ratio, which makes it well suited to retro gaming. It also adds a modern touch with support for a refresh rate of up to 120Hz.On the sides are the usual gaming buttons and controls, with Home and Back buttons on the bottom.

On the top are the left and right shoulder, trigger and macro buttons. The volume and power buttons are on the right side. On the bottom are a covered microSD card slot, a 3.5mm audio jack and a USB Type-C port for charging and data, including output to a TV or monitor.

A separate back shell is available with additional grip. You simply remove the four screws, take off the original back, fit the new one and replace the screws. This is a matter of personal preference, but I prefer the extra grip.

Retroid Pocket Nova Technical Specifications

The Retroid Pocket Nova features the Qualcomm QCS8550. It is essentially a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2-class processor without components normally used in a cellular device, such as 5G data. This design can provide a small performance and power-efficiency advantage in a handheld, while the Adreno 740 provides the graphics power.

Specification	Details
Processor	Qualcomm QCS8550
GPU	Adreno 740
Display	4.5-inch AMOLED, 1280 x 960, 4:3, up to 120Hz
RAM	8GB or 12GB LPDDR5X
Storage	128GB UFS 3.1
Connectivity	Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.3
Battery	5,000mAh
Charging	Up to 27W
Operating system	Android 13
Dimensions	6.68 x 3.31 x 0.61 inches (169.9 x 84.1 x 15.6 mm)
Weight	Around 256g (0.56 lbs)

Battery Life

Powering the Nova is a 5,000mAh battery supporting up to 27W charging. We performed our battery-life test while running AnTuTu on a loop, with full screen brightness, maximum performance and the fan profiles set accordingly. We got around four hours of battery life. Average usage should be around the eight-hour mark, depending on the games and settings used.

Fan noise & Temperatures

While running the battery test, we also tested fan noise and temperatures. We measured 53dB on the Smart fan setting, rising to 63dB on the Maximum setting. Temperatures reached around 42°C in the display area and the high 30s elsewhere, so the chassis remained very cool during the test.

System Benchmarks

The Retroid Pocket Nova benchmark results compare the handheld with the AYN Thor and Retroid Pocket 6 using AnTuTu, Geekbench 5, Geekbench 6 and 3DMark Wildlife Extreme. This section of the Retroid Pocket Nova review uses our supplied hands-on testing. As with any Android emulation handheld, results can vary with the software configuration.

Testing conditions

• Device: Retroid Pocket Nova
• Benchmarks: AnTuTu, Geekbench 5, Geekbench 6 and 3DMark Wildlife Extreme
• Battery test: AnTuTu loop, maximum screen brightness, maximum performance and fan profiles
• Comparison devices: AYN Thor and Retroid Pocket 6

AnTuTu

In AnTuTu, the Retroid Pocket Nova scored 1,497,067. That puts it slightly behind the AYN Thor at 1,555,311 and the Retroid Pocket 6 at 1,518,895. It is around 3.7% slower than the Thor and 1.4% behind the Retroid Pocket 6, although the difference is small in practical use.

Model	Score
AYN Thor	1,555,311
Retroid Pocket 6	1,518,895
Retroid Pocket Nova	1,497,067

Geekbench 5

The Retroid Pocket Nova performed better in Geekbench 5, scoring 1,505 for single-core and 5,031 for multi-core. That is the highest result in both tests, beating the Retroid Pocket 6 and AYN Thor by a clear margin in multi-core performance.

Model	Single-Core Score	Multi-Core Score
AYN Thor	1,438	4,562
Retroid Pocket 6	1,484	4,760
Retroid Pocket Nova	1,505	5,031

Geekbench 6

Geekbench 6 also puts the Retroid Pocket Nova at the top, with scores of 2,053 single-core and 5,564 multi-core. It edges out both competing devices in each test, with the strongest lead coming in multi-core performance compared with the Retroid Pocket 6.

Model	Single-Core Score	Multi-Core Score
AYN Thor	1,995	5,394
Retroid Pocket 6	2,005	5,331
Retroid Pocket Nova	2,053	5,564

3DMark Wildlife Extreme

In the 3DMark Wildlife Extreme test, the Retroid Pocket Nova scored 3,732, narrowly beating the Retroid Pocket 6 at 3,711 and the AYN Thor at 3,668. This gives the Nova the highest graphics score, although the difference between the three devices is small.

Model	Score
AYN Thor	3,668
Retroid Pocket 6	3,711
Retroid Pocket Nova	3,732

Android OS & Software

The Retroid Pocket Nova runs Android 13, which remains widely supported by games and emulator apps. You have the standard home screen, where you can place apps across multiple pages, or you can use the Retroid Launcher.

The launcher is very good overall. It can import your ROM collection and automatically fetch box art and screenshots, although its success varies by game and source. Alternatively, you can use your own front end for launching games.

The Retroid overlay provides shortcuts to commonly used functions and shows performance data. It is not as detailed as some competing overlays, but it does the job.

Android Gaming

Our go-to games, including Alien: Isolation, Dungeon Hunter 6 and Vampire Survivors, all ran without issues. You should not have problems with the vast majority of Android games, and we noticed that quite a few adjusted well to the 4:3 aspect ratio.

As is standard with Android gaming handhelds, the Retroid overlay includes screen-mapping software. It is extremely easy to map on-screen controls to the physical inputs and be up and running within moments.

Emulation Performance

We know from the Retroid Pocket 6 that this processor is well suited to emulation. Because the Retroid Pocket Nova has a 4:3 display, widescreen games will have borders, which affects newer systems. For older systems up to around the PS2 era, however, the display lets you enjoy games at full or very near-full screen.

For newer systems, you can run up to PS2 very comfortably. With the Eden emulator, you can expect acceptable performance in low- and medium-demand games. With Vita3K, compatible games can run at full frame rates. Xbox and Xbox 360 emulators are still relatively early, so compatibility is not great. Xbox 360 performance is slow and can include graphics glitches, although some original Xbox games are playable.

The real strengths of this handheld are systems from before the PS2 era, when widescreen was not standard and most people used 4:3 televisions or monitors.

NetherSX2 Turnip

PlayStation 2 runs amazingly well, and you can increase the rendering resolution and add graphics tweaks to improve the visuals. You should not have issues as long as the game is compatible with the emulator and your chosen settings.

Flycast

The Dreamcast emulator Flycast looks excellent with the 4:3 aspect ratio. You can set a VGA connection, increase the rendering resolution, add graphics tweaks and maintain 60 FPS or more in suitable games.

Dolphin

The Dolphin emulator is easy to run, and as with the other emulators, you can apply visual improvements where the game and emulator support them.

DuckStation

The excellent PlayStation emulator DuckStation transforms the original 320 x 240 resolution into something that looks closer to a modern remake. Crash Bandicoot, upscaled with graphics improvements, looks excellent.

This goes all the way back through many consoles and handhelds that use 4:3 or close aspect ratios, leaving either no borders or only small borders on the sides or top. If you are more interested in retro than modern gaming, this 4:3 gaming handheld display is an excellent fit for a retro gaming handheld.

Final Thoughts

During this Retroid Pocket Nova review, the standout features were the 4:3 aspect ratio, 4.5-inch AMOLED display and compact portability. The optional back shell is also a thoughtful addition because it adds grip without requiring a bulky grip accessory to be fitted over the handheld.

Performance is strong across the CPU and GPU tests. The Nova trails the AYN Thor and Retroid Pocket 6 in AnTuTu, but it leads both devices in Geekbench 5 single-core and multi-core, Geekbench 6 single-core and multi-core, and 3DMark Wildlife Extreme. In practical terms, it has enough performance for demanding Android games and emulation, with the final result depending on the emulator, game and settings.

The Retroid Pocket Nova is aimed primarily at players who want a premium pre-PlayStation 2 retro gaming experience on a compact device with a screen that matches older systems. This Retroid Pocket Nova review also found it powerful enough for modern Android gaming and newer emulation, but widescreen-only games will display with larger borders, so buyers focused on newer systems may prefer a widescreen handheld such as the Retroid Pocket 6.

Our verdict - is the Retroid Pocket Nova worth buying?

Yes, if your priority is retro gaming on a high-quality 4:3 AMOLED display.
Best for: players focused on classic systems, PlayStation, Dreamcast, GameCube and comfortable PS2 emulation.
Not ideal for: buyers who mainly play widescreen modern games and want every title to fill the display.
Current status: tested on the supplied unit and recorded test conditions

The Retroid Pocket Nova is one of my favourite handhelds this year for retro gaming and comes highly recommended if that is your gaming preference. It is also a convincing handheld PS2 emulator when paired with compatible games and suitable settings. You can browse more Android gaming handhelds at DROIX if you want to compare it with other models.

You can learn more and order the Retroid Pocket Nova today at DROIX. It comes with our own one-year warranty, so if anything should go wrong, we will take care of it.

We hope you have found this Retroid Pocket Nova review useful. If you do have any questions, please feel free to ask in the comments below and we will reply back as soon as possible.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Retroid Pocket Nova good for retro gaming?

Yes, the Retroid Pocket Nova is particularly well suited to retro gaming because its 4:3 AMOLED display matches the aspect ratio used by many classic consoles and handhelds. Its Qualcomm QCS8550 platform also provides enough performance for demanding emulation, although compatibility varies by game and emulator.

Can the Retroid Pocket Nova run PlayStation 2 games?

Yes, the Retroid Pocket Nova can run compatible PlayStation 2 games comfortably with NetherSX2 Turnip, including higher rendering resolutions and graphics tweaks. Results depend on the game, emulator version, graphics settings and driver configuration.

Does the Retroid Pocket Nova support modern Android games?

Yes, modern Android games such as Alien: Isolation, Dungeon Hunter 6 and Vampire Survivors ran without issues in our testing. The 4:3 display may leave borders in games designed only for widescreen layouts.

How long does the Retroid Pocket Nova battery last?

The battery lasted around four hours in our AnTuTu stress test using full brightness, maximum performance and active fan profiles. Average usage should be around eight hours, depending on the game, brightness, refresh rate and performance settings.

Is the 8GB or 12GB Retroid Pocket Nova better?

Both versions use the same processor, graphics, display, 128GB UFS 3.1 storage and core features. The 12GB model gives more headroom for multitasking and demanding emulator setups, while the 8GB version should be sufficient for normal Android gaming and emulation.