Retroid not so quietly dropped a trailer on the 3rd of November, announcing teasing the next Retro Gaming Console. Shortly after, the Pocket 3+ was announced with a much-needed hardware bump.
Whilst the Retroid Pocket 3 came out only about 3 months ago, the Shenzhen-based Retro Gaming enthusiasts have been hard at work to give us the hardware upgrade we needed.
In a similar fashion as with the previous generation, Retroid refreshed the design of this generation with the release of the Pocket 3, and the improvements under the hood are coming with the “+” Plus version. I’m not mad, just disappointed.
And it looks like Retroid are delivering with their latest Gaming Handheld. The Retroid Pocket 3+ will sport the same SoC as the Samsung Galaxy Tab A8. Whilst it’s categorised as an entry-level SoC, it’s a potent one nevertheless.
Retroid Pocket 3+ Specifications
As we have established already, Retroid is pushing a “under the hood” revision to the latest addition of their Retro Gaming Handhelds line-up.
| SoC | Unisoc Tiger T618 ; Octa-Core | 2x Fast Cortex A75 @ Up To 2Ghz + 6x Efficient Cores |
| Graphics | ARM Mali G52 MP2 @850Mhz |
| Memory (RAM) | 4GB LPDDR4x RAM @1866Mhz |
| Storage (ROM) | 128GB eMMC 5.1 |
| Display | 4.7″ Touchscreen | 750×1334 |
| Battery | 4500mAh Li-Po | Aprox. 4.5hr |
| Operating System | Android 11 + Retroid UX |
| Expandable Storage | Via MicroSD/TF Card |
| I/O | 1x Mini HDMI | 1x 3.5mm Headphone Jack |
As you can see from the table above, the Retroid Pocket 3+ shares the Display, Buttons, Battery and Shell with the Retroid Pocket 3.
Now, how does this compare with the other Retro Gaming Devices on the market? For starters, we have the PowKiddy X18S that shares the same SoC, a device that was not well received by the community due to the poor User Experience related to the Operating System.
A direct competitor would be the ANBERNIC RG552 Retro Handheld, with a sticker price of £219.95, the ANBERNIC RG552 gives you a bigger display, more RAM and a bigger battery.
Whilst the ANBERNIC RG552 sports an RK3366, that’s a six-core chip from 2016 on a 28nm FAB. Compared to the T618, that’s a Q3 2019 chip with eight cores. Regardless of which one you go for, it will have to be based on what features matter the most to you.
Retroid really won us over with their custom launcher, a feature we’d love to see in more handhelds nowadays, especially as the scene is getting quite crowded. Having a one-stop-shop for all of your gaming needs is important to give the user a streamlined experience. After all, it’s a gaming device. It should get you into a game within 2 taps/clicks.
Where to buy Retroid Pocket 3+
We (DroiX) will be retailing the Retroid Pocket 3+ on our store (below), and we expect to have a video review on our YouTube channel shortly. You can add the Retroid Pocket 3+ to your watchlist, to be notified once it goes on pre-order.
