Retroid Pocket 5 handheld game console test

The Retroid Pocket 5 has the familiar, simple, clean style, Comes in a white box with a flip top, which securely protects the console and major accessories: a USB-C charging cable, a screen protector, and a brief overview of operationThere is no charging adapter in the package, so if you want fast charging, you should get at least a 30W PD compatible adapter.

Its design is the best yet: got more rounded edges, so it was more comfortable for me over the long haul than its predecessor. The device size 199×78×15 mm, making it compact enough to be easily portable, but large enough to be comfortable to use for extended periods of time. It weighs only 280 grams, so it doesn't get tiring to hold in your hand. Despite its slimness, it lies surprisingly stable in the hand, 5,5 inches, 1080p AMOLED display is sharp, colorful, and provides sufficient brightness even in sunlight, and supports 60 Hz image refreshThe touch sensitivity of the display is flawless, which is a great help when navigating the Android interface.

Hardware and Games – This is almost too good

It's no secret that the hardware of Retroid consoles has never been top-of-the-line. The goal has always been to run everything that came out before the PS2 era at a fair price. But now we get a Snapdragon 865 processor, which isn't that exciting on paper, but in reality it is surprisingly strong. The eight-core chip and the Adreno 650 GPU absolutely good. This is combined with 8GB LPDDR4 RAM and 128 GB UFS 3.1 storage, which is more than enough for most emulation and native Android games. Emulation is where the progress really shows. The Retroid Pocket 5 handles the NES–Dreamcast with 100% of the games of the era, but what's even worse:

It can run both the GameCube and the PS2.

 Obviously not all titles, and not always at full speed, but for example the Mario Kart: Double Dash, Shadow of the Colossus or the God of War also starts, and not only at the cost of suffering. The Android 13 operating system fast, clean and responsive. The Retroid Launcher is simple, but you can easily switch to another frontend, for example Daijisho or Pegasus also work well. Factory emulator compatibility (PPSSPP, Dolphin, AetherSX2, RetroArch) comes pre-installed, but can be freely expanded. The Google Play Store is working, so you can even Netflix, YouTube or play native Android games – but that's obviously not what the Retroid Pocket 5 was designed for. The Steam Link or the Moonlight You can even stream from your PC to it if you have a fast enough network. Bluetooth 5.1 and WiFi 6 are included.

I have collected the tested platforms, emulators and game examples in the table below:

Az 5000 mAh capacity battery lasts surprisingly well (of course, only if you give upstylish RGB mood lighting around the arms):

• PS2/GameCube emulation: 4-5 hours
• Android game: 3-4 hours
• Retro emulation: 6-7 hours

Charging is fast via USB-C, It takes about 2 hours.

🔧 Fine-tuning and performance settings – How to get the most out of it?

The Retroid Pocket 5 performs excellently out of the box, but with a few minor tweaks an even better gaming experience is achieved. The following tips will help you get the most out of your console:

• Optimizing emulators: In the case of AetherSX2, it is worth enabling the "Fast Boot" mode and the "Multithreaded VU" option, or applying unique graphics settings for the given game (for example, XNUMX times or XNUMX times render scale). In Dolphin, it is worth using asynchronous shader translation, which reduces the number of micro-stutters.
• Resolution and performance balance: The PPSSPP emulator can handle up to triple resolution, but if you want longer battery life, it's better to reduce it to double. This is especially true for PS2 games, where native resolution means less heat and power consumption.
• Energy management and cooling: Retroid OS provides the ability to change the CPU mode (Power Save, Balanced, Performance). For emulation, Balanced mode is often sufficient, while for native Android games, it is worth switching to Performance. The fan mode can also be adjusted: in smart mode, it remains quiet but efficient.
• Storage optimization: It is a good idea to format the microSD card containing your games in exFAT format, so that larger files (like PS2 ISOs) can be handled without any problems. The system will also access the files faster.
• Controller settings and input latency: Bluetooth latency can be reduced after enabling developer mode by disabling aptX codecs and setting audio transmission to SBC or AAC only. This can help with more accurate than average control.

🔥 Heat treatment – ​​Will it leave skin on your palm?

The Retroid Pocket 5 active cooling system It uses a built-in fan that automatically adjusts the speed to the current load. The factory settings include several modes: quiet, intelligent and powerful, so the user can even manually choose how aggressive the cooling should be. The fan is almost completely silent at low load, It is only slightly audible when running resource-intensive games, such as PS2 or Android AAA titles, for extended periods of time. The temperature in such cases it does not exceed the limit of 58-60 °Cand the fan cleverly disperses the heat.

Benchmark results – Not only does it perform well on paper

I also tested the performance of the Retroid Pocket 5 with various benchmark tests. The table below shows the most important measurements:

What do these results mean?

• Geekbench 6: Single-core and multi-core scores measure processor performance under single-core and multi-core workloads, respectively. They show how quickly the system can handle common tasks and applications running in parallel.
• 3DMark Wild Life and Wild Life Extreme: Graphics performance is tested, especially during gaming simulations. Wild Life Extreme is a more difficult test, so the lower score here is not a negative, but rather reflects the difficulty level of the measurement. The Pocket 5 delivers fair mid-range results in this area.
• GFXBench Aztec Ruins: Tests the performance of OpenGL and Vulkan APIs. FPS values ​​show what graphics speed the device can produce in a modern gaming synthetic environment. 30+ FPS is enough for smooth running in these tests.
• Antuto v10: A comprehensive benchmark that evaluates CPU, GPU, RAM, and storage performance. The 694-point score is outstanding in this price segment, especially for a handheld console intended for emulation.

These results show that the Retroid Pocket 5 is in its category extremely powerful device, and can run most emulated and native Android games smoothly.

❌ Weaknesses and shortcomings – What could be better?

Although the Retroid Pocket 5 performed well overall, I noticed a few minor weaknesses during testing:

• Speaker quality: The volume and sound quality of the built-in stereo speakers are not outstanding. The bass is weak and the treble is a bit sharp, so it is definitely worth using Bluetooth headphones or external speakers for longer games or music.
• Lack of charging adapter: The package does not include a charging head, so it must be purchased separately.
• No pre-installed games: The system does not come with any pre-installed games, so each user must obtain and set up their own emulated content. While this is legally understandable, it may be a disadvantage for some.
• Limited support for custom ROMs: Currently, community support and modding options have not yet reached the level of, for example, Retroid Pocket 3+ or 4 Pro.

Pocket 4 Pro 🆚Pocket 5 – Spectacular progress, with some compromises

Who used the 4 Prot, you understand exactly why it was sometimes a “loveable suffering” to play with him. On paper it had a weaker chip, the display was smaller, the grip was worse, the lever and button were weaker. Version 5 does not try to overpower its predecessor, but was put together smartly: it can be used much better with minor compromises. The Retroid Pocket 5 is more comfortable, quieter, has a nicer display, and it also has plenty of room for PS2 emulation. This is clearly the winner for daily use.