It's interesting to see the difference in perspective from a hobbyist like Russ and a purist/enthusiast like Modern Vintage Gamer. Russ focuses more on the look/feel of a device and price to performance, whereas MVG focuses on the precise emulation quality, sound, and intense detail. Watching them both gives a good perspective of some usability/accessibility stuff that MVG misses, and some emulation detail that Russ misses.
@@BGL19283 did you miss the COVID thing, the world wide chip shortage that is happening, the fact I preordered a Steamdeck literally over a year ago and I don't even have a ship date, the fact his beloved Odin Pro isn't in stock anywhere and they've raised the price on it like 4 times already... Shall I continue?
It’s important to note that a 10x scale means times ten on BOTH the vertical and horizontal axis. So it’s 100 pixels for every single game boy pixel. For the display modes, this means a lot of room to replicate the original screen, using the pockets pixels like the original game boys subpixels
Pretty much exactly my experience. I found playing on the pocket for long periods of time was a bit uncomfortable and I don’t like taking my vintage cartridges with me when I travel. I ended up getting a RG552 which I use all the time instead. The pocket is def the best game boy ever and a work of art (I have the game gear adapter and it’s actually my fav system to use on it) but it stays home and safe.
The cool thing about the OpenFPGA is that you don't actually need the cartridges at all now. You can use the cartridges or just upload roms on it. Couple months ago they also added to Pocket Sega Mega Drive/Genesis cores, it now can emulate Super Game Boy, Neo Geo, Master System, SNES, Amiga 500 and a bunch of older systems.
You're more concerned about keeping things nice then enjoying the console.. I am going to play my consoles and my original games because one day I will be gone and one day before I'm gone. A lot of these consoles and games will not work as we already can see a lot of them are dying... So enjoy your consoles and your games... Because keeping a game on the shelf is not going to prevent it from not working.... I have the first Mario game ever made for NES that was never opened. I sold it and asked the guy if he would open and he said yes and when we opened it it didn't work and it did not work... The box was never damaged. The game was never damaged so that tells you something right there... So enjoy your games
@@cd4playa1245it is a little bit more money but the more money it costs it's worth it in the end.. because this game boy plays a lot more systems thanks to the FPGA community. So yes it's worth the money... And all the systems it does play. It does better than a lot of those Chinese clones because it's FPGA... If you buy this from like Amazon or another website besides the actual company then you're going to pay twice as much.. I have one and I love it. My original game boy and my game boy SP sit on the shelf... But that does not mean they sit there and I don't play them... Why crazy people that collect video games? Want to have a console or a video game? Sit on the shelf and never touch is beyond me... The value of a video game is the value that someone's willing to pay... But does that mean you're actually going to get that? No.... I've seen video games worth like $5,000 and the seller says I can't sell it because most people want to play their games
31:33 When you were showing the side-by-side with Link's Awakening DX on the Miyoo and the Anbernic, that was the most impressive thing to me in this whole video. The picture on the Analogue blew the Miyoo out of the water, and while the Anbernic had a noticably better picture (imo) than the Miyoo, it still couldn't compete with the Analogue. I still probably won't be betting an Analogue Pocket, it's just too expensive for how few systems it supports, and the super limited and inconvenient sideloading capabilities, but man that screen is mindblowing to me.
Complicating things; the Miyoo V2 which is out now has an upgraded screen that makes this early one look like trash. Much more comparable and still $60
@@jeremy__hopkins hey thanks so much for the info. I have an original GBC with the ips V2 screen that also emulates the pixels. Have you seen that and is it similar? I’m wondering if it’s the same technology. The Analogue is almost perfect, but the fact that you can’t run an Everdrive is a deal breaker for me. Price seems fair for what you get, but there’s no way I’m hauling a pocket full of cartridges around. Maybe I’ll get my hands on one someday to see what all the hype is about.
I had a similar experience with the Mister FPGA versus the Raspberry Pi. I don’t know why emulation gets such a bad reputation if precisely today it works better than ever and nearly perfectly. With today’s tech, most people won’t notice the difference between an FPGA and an emulator, so by all means buy an FPGA if you prefer (I did) but when it comes to just enjoying the games, a Raspberry Pi or an Anbernic portable console do the job perfectly.
The Analogue Pocket is definitely a very niche product primarily for those collecting GB and GBC games, or obsessing over the cycle-exact nature of fpga-cores. I am a retro geek myself, but It has come to a point in which I value convenience over authenticity. I think the most important feature of a modern retro device is its ease of use and portability. Like many people I live a busy life. I have short burst of time over in-between stuff, but it's not enough for longer "sink into a couch" retro gaming sessions. Having something like the Miyoo Mini with Onion OS and the "Game Switcher" app, retro gaming becomes EXTREMELY pickup 'n play-friendly. I have completed both Phantasy Star IV, Wonderboy in Monster World and Tales of Destiny. A feat that I haven't been able to do the last 15 years... I really believe that the convenience of easily being able to load in- and out of save states and games + having a device that can come with you wherever you go is one of the key features to make retro gaming possible to many people. :)
@@thedeadpoolwhochuckles.6852 Definitely! The main benefit as I see the 2D-focus on the Miyoo Mini. It doesn't try to play EVERYTHING and because of this, you can reduce size, complexity, and get rid of awkwardly positioned analog sticks. The 480p screen is also a real treat. I haven't jumped onto retro handhelds before the Miyoo Mini. And I am glad I waited. This is basically everything I have been looking for. The only single thing that could've made this console better was if it had a GBA SP form factor. (I personal optnion) I think that would've improved comfort. reduced size further and also protected the screen when it is not in use. :)
@@Chaosghoul Definitely... I guess the OG gameboy however, is something even collectors agree isn't optimal to play their games on. That screen was horrendous even in the early 90's. :) So I guess that's where the real benefit of having the Analogue Pocket comes into play. Authentic pixel grid, with the added benefit of backlight and no ghosting :) But yeah, it's definitely a niche product. Most people will be happy just having a Miyoo Mini to play their OG Game Boy games on.
@@PixelShade thing is though that you can play your GB games on a GBC and a GBA as well, all of which (including the GB) have replacement screens now to get around the issue
Oh I can’t wait to see this video and add some commentary because man oh man, I really don’t see how you can take something like even the RG351V and the Analogue Pocket and really compare the two. Feels like you get way more value out of the RG351V. Thanks again Russ!
Honestly I'm still surprised there isn't more love for the Vita in these aspects. I got one nearly new in box for $70, it does all of the above, can stream Bloodborne, can natively play a lot of PS2 ports, looks incredible, and can take quite a beating. 351v looks incredible as a backup, but the Vita is such a gem of a system.
This is the first video I’ve watched of yours and I am very impressed. I rarely subscribe to a channel but it was so well done, you left me no choice. Great work my friend. Thank you.
The second fpga is meant to be for extra cores, so people can make snes, nes etc for this fpga, so i dont see this as a collector thing, i have one and i dont collect video games only consoles, but this one is amazing, we already have sms, GG, GB, GBA, NeoGeo AES, etc
@@roadrash2005 I have a bunch. I'm only planning on selling my Windicator 357. I can get about $300 for it. I wouldn't sell my Armalite Rifle for anything.
At first I wanted the Analogue because I really loved the design but after learning a bit about the device I knew it wasn't for me. So I decided to buy the Miyoo Mini thinking it wouldn't be really good but at the end of the day I spent a looot of time on that Miyoo and I love it. It's not perfect (shoulders button are really annoying, should be more clicky) but it's so nice to be able to bring it everywhere and it's just cute. I play game on it I never played before simply because it feels appropriate. Like I don't want to play DuckTales on a 48" TV but on the Miyoo it's perfect.
There's a Miyoo Mini Plus out these days. On top of being a bit bigger, they did improve the shoulder buttons. Although this Plus version is bigger, it's still smaller compared to the other competition and it's the smallest 3.5 inch screen handheld of its type. I think the only downside I read is that some people have a bit of an issue with the screen loosening... which I'm hoping is fixed after the first batch of them.
Excellent review as usual! Even though not relative to the Analogue Pocket, I thought the section in the video where you showed off your favorite Rom Hacks was awesome. Would love to see a video on your other favorite/recommended Rom Hacks for other consoles/handhelds as well
If you’re an electronics enthusiast, then having the open FPGA chip in the device is a pretty great thing to have on top of the gaming. Getting into FPGA experimentation is usually an expensive proposition, this lowers the barrier for entry. The only other device that can also do this is the MISTER console FPGA. This is just the price of FPGAs they’re still not common enough devices to get those mass production cost reductions but this is about as cheap as it gets when getting an FPGA device
I would love to see a “9 month later” follow up video to cover the new cores that have come out, and also how the device has physically fared in terms of condition. I’ve heard some people comment on the plastic scratching and damage around the USB-C port. Cheers!
The biggest problem with the Analogue pocket is that the device should be an XL take on the original hardware so it was a lot more comfortable and adjustable for more systems. If it had been a 5" screen and it was a more ergonomic design while keeping the squarish front. It would have been worth the price. Second biggest problem is Analogue pocket full potential will literally take 2-3 years for it to be realized. Third biggest problem is the price and availability. Which makes all analogue hardware a non-starter for most. Even if the price in the end is justified because the hardware is all ultra customized hardware that otherwise just would not exist. As FPGA-based hardware is just expensive by default.
Heeeee! I'm so glad to see Chicken again! I'm sorry that she hasn't been feeling well 🙁, but I hope she's enjoying her golden years and has a bunch of treats!
Just from the outset, I feel like I'd be better off buying an old GBC or GBA and getting a screen mod. Sure it'd be more work, but it'd be (slightly) cheaper and easier to get my hands on. Fun side effect would be being able to explore soldering and modding as a whole, which seems really interesting. That said, the hardware as a whole looks great. If it had the ability to support retro emulators along with original cartridges and/or was a little cheaper, I'd be all over it
Having both modded GBA and Analogue Pocket, IPS screen mods don't hold a candle against the screen in Pocket. A lot of games' pixel art just look wrong on IPS screen.
By the time you buy a GBC and a GBA and lightmod kits, you're not actually saving any money, and you're getting a worse experience, even with an upgraded screen, it's not going to look nearly as good as this. Also the fact you think you can pickup a solder gun for the first time and not ruin what you're working on... good luck, kiddo.
worth noting: pocket patches aren't PERFECT in all cases. I have run into bugs in them so if you are really into accuracy, still best to stick to original carts or flash carts.
My biggest gripe with these machines is that FPGA is touted as "not emulation" which I find to be a bold claim. This machine does not contain the same innards as the devices it replicates. Instead, it has to interpret the data it receives and output it based on functions "higher up in the chain" so to speak, because the components the cartridges normally access just aren't there. To me, that sounds suspicuously like emulation, only the place where it happens is different. With FPGA it assumedly happens on the chip, while run of the mill emulation does it in software. If devices using FPGA's are truly what they are puported to be, the situation at 13:30 wouldn't happen this easily.
Dude I can use a super Gameboy and a Sufami Turbo on my analogue SNES, and they work perfectly. I’m not super hung up on the details. Their products work well as advertised, whereas I’ve had a plethora of issues with my brother’s Retron 5 emulation device.
It is hardware emulation, not software emulation. Typically FPGA-based hardware emulation is more accurate than software emulators (and has almost no input lag), but that depends on the accuracy of the FPGA core being used.
I watch quite a lot of emulation and retro gaming stuff on youtube, and the analogue pocket almost never appears on my suggested videos list. I honestly forgot about its existence for a couple of months..
Just want to shout out Sakura Retro Modding as well: I've bought multiple items from them for my niche retro handheld devices and accessories, and they're excellent quality.
33:00 Because of math, the 3.5" 10:9 screen on the Analogue Pocket is bigger, not smaller than a 3.5" 4:3 screen. The Analogue Pocket screen is 6.09 square inches, while the Ambernic's screen is 5.88 square inches.
i'd invest in a small felt sticky pad to put in the cartridge slot to mitigate the looseness and to alleviate the scratches and rubs a lot of reviewers are reporting
For the cartridge's that don't work, I would just clean the contacts. There are videos on how to do this online, you can use an alcohol solution and cotton swab, not hard and will work. I bought the Genesis Analogue product they sell, and had to clean some of the games, but they all worked after cleaning. Analogue makes some very nice products and I have been so happy with both my Pocket and the Genesis console. They are a bit expensive but they are the best option for playing original (non-emulated) games.
Hi, it wasn’t in the voiceover, but I left a text message onscreen during that part that said that I had cleaned the cartridges ahead of time. Admittedly, some of those carts are very old and not in the best shape.
@@RetroGameCorps sorry about that, I was listening while I was working and missed that. I had a pretty poor condition cartridge for my Genesis (used on analogue’s other device) that I had to clean 3 times to get to work, so maybe a more rigorous cleaning might help? But haven’t had many gameboy games that are in bad condition to test on analogue pocket but so far so good on mine. Any way thanks for the impressions, started following you last year, I bought some anbernic devices for my little brothers for Christmas and your guides helped me set them up. They loved them! So thank you!
@@joshuacameron5333 yeah definitely another cleaning might help, I need to dedicate some time to just clean all my games. Happy to be of help setting up your Christmas gifts!
Ok! So I had a chance to watch the video and as usual, Russ is spot on. I think that it’s clear that the Analogue Pocket is for a market that isn’t compatible with the type of content Russ provides. I am honestly shocked at how some TH-cam content creators act like devices like Odin, Anbernic’s devices, and the Retroid Pocket 2+ (amongst others) don’t exist and are screaming the praises of the Analogue Pocket.
They really should make one on Game Gear GBA PSP Vita Switch form factor. This huge brick is terrible for handheld gaming. And the cartridge slot should be bigger at least of the size of a GBA cartridge to avoid "wobblying"
@@jeremy__hopkins Honestly, my main issue is its too expensive for what it offers. Nearly 300 dollars for that plus waiting months? They should've started simple with a gameboy and color only style machine for 100 to 150, that would be worth it and then buildup.
The original Game Boy and Game Boy Color didnt have a horizontal layout. Those were the main thing this was billed as being for. Making it horizontal just because that became the norm later would just make it seem like any old generic emulation handheld instead of a new slick version of the original Game Boy.
If people just want to emulate, then there are a lot of options that are easier to get, cheaper, and better built. If you have a lot of retro game cartridges, or a retro game collection, the Analogue Pocket is a great device to use them on - just because of the beautiful screen. Although, you can also get your beater GB/GBC/GBA/GBSP (not your collectible units) modded with a Q5 laminated screen to get a good, bright gaming experience too
@@Hdtk2024 unless we talk about particular SNES/DC games emulation, this "accuracy" fuzz to justify analogue's hefty price is invalid. even chaynese knockoffs can play most of retro games precisely. I myself play alot of SMB/SMB2 on some of those knockoffs, never experience any gameplay/lag problem since day 1, and it feels just the same as playing on NES/SNES back then.
I’ve been considering getting one, but at every new review I watch I get this one is not for me. I huge fan of the original GB and GBC, but since I haven’t had any of the original devices, cycle accuracy is not a thing I perceive while playing on software emulation. I’ll stick to my RG351V for now…
Imma keep it real I’m a rookie when it comes to roms and just computer nerd stuff in general I’m a consumer and collector but I like to play video games I just don’t understand the analogue pocket I was really excited to play all the classic game boy games etc but not having a save feature and just overall I’m just trynna figure out the system I did an unboxing video on my channel but still almost a week later and I’m still trynna figure it out
If you are curious about simulation accuracy, modern simulators on PC can be used as a comparison. To be honest, I think this is a marketing concept of the business. Because as the majority of consumers do not have to spend too much money on the so-called "accuracy", it reminds me of people who spend thousands of dollars on HiFi equipment just to actually not be able to perceive it, they spend thousands of dollars for "accuracy", but even They spend thousands of dollars for "accuracy" and can't even pass the ABX test. Of course, in the end, you decide how to spend your money.
@@grossglizzy the analog systems are like guys that fix up and make old classic cars look super nice, and put a new engine in it. Guys do that because they wanna remember the good ol days, but also somewhat assimilate the past with the present, such as when guys put a brand new engine in a classic old car. You seem very analytical and logical, like a Vulcan, who would look at the specs of a modern muscle car and wonder why vintage car guys would go through so much trouble to fix up an old Trans Am, when a new Mustang would smoke it in a drag race. Basically, this Analogue Pocket could never smoke the Switch or Steamdeck, but it’s simply cool as hell. That’s why people by analog stuff, because they’re cool. There’s nothing like using an original controller and seeing that scratched up sega or SNES game in a console in front of you.
I cancelled my pre-order for it. I already have an Ambernic RG351V, PiBoy DMG Pi4, and a clapped out modded GBC(screen mod/clean amp speaker mod/new speaker/power capacitor replaced). There is no need for me to buy this Analogue handheld. I own the Mega SG and the Super NT from Analogue. That's great the hardware is nice but, I can't justify pulling the trigger on this handheld especially if there are better options out there. Great video thanks
They can barely make versions of the stuff they list on their website now, and it’s been that way since before the chip shortage ….your grandkids might get a GBA version at the current rate
Would you do another update on this? I am still thinking about getting one because if they ever do a restock of those limited colors (I know it's limited) but I really liked the Blue or Green one but they just sell out so fast even if I do have the budget. I just been saving for a year but maybe in September or something I can get one.
It transmits less light which it means either dimmer devices or shorter battery life. It continues to break. I think while it's scratch resistant product it still breaks and our testing says that Gorilla Glass, about 2.5 times more pressure that it can take than Sapphire on.
I was very lucky to get on the first wave of the pocket, so I’ve had it for about seven months now. I totally agree that it’s very much a niche product. I have a great collection of physical games that I love playing on it because that battery life is so great. The screen is still such a big deal to me because it’s not just a bright screen but the colors looks so vivid. Also in regards to carrying it around, I have a little Levi’s sling bag that that I carry a few games and the pocket inside the hardcase in. For me that works, but I know for others they wanted that gameboy pocket style. Once again for me, I spent the money and haven’t not regretted it once but I know not everyone has the cash to burn on such a niche device. Good review!
All of the analogue systems are very niche, but my older brother and I love them so much. I’m excited to get my pocket next year. I’m sure I’ll enjoy it.
@@bobathywaffe7056 yeah but any competitor emulation console will play like dog sh*t. You get what you pay for. Sometimes it’s better to save up for the product that works as opposed to getting into the rut of always cheaping out on everything in life.
@@bobathywaffe7056 The Pocket has a 615ppi 1600x1440 display with multiple video modes, it will still blow it out of the water. Also, with the OpenFPGA, you can just use roms and emulate NES, SNES, Mega Drive/Genesis, Neo Geo, etc... Saying it's not worth the money because you can mod your GBA with an IPS screen it's like saying a Ferrari is not worth the money because you can just modify your car engine for less. Sure, you can. Still not a Ferrari. Now, saying that FOR YOU it's not worth spending that amount of money for a car, or, in this case, for a retro gaming device, that's another thing entirely, and an entirely personal opinion, which is fair. Saying objectively that it's not worth the money is questionable.
I wish I could support projects like this to reward companies’ efforts in terms of concept, design, research and build quality, even at the cost of practicality if compared to cheaper alternatives
I gotta say, I absolutely love mine. However, it is definitely overpriced, and I probably wouldn't recommend it to anyone who doesn't already have an addiction to buying retro handhelds (like me). It's definitely the most "pure" experience I've had with gb/gbc/Gba since playing my original SP as a kid, but the advantages over a simple emulation system aren't particularly noticeable for the average person. Still, once people inevitably do add further cores for other systems like NES and SNES, that price will feel a bit more worth it imo. FPGA is just a sight to behold.
I agree, it's amazing in what it does right now (particularly GB/GBC), but I'm not the target audience. If anything it's made me more interested in getting a modded GBC to use with a flashcart.
@@RetroGameCorps I'd be really interested in you getting a regular GBC and a GBA (I prersonally like the og one much more than the SP tbh) and put IPS screens with backlights in both + compare them to devices like this.
@@Chaosghoul I think thats a great conversation to have. Some people have tried the Original hardware, and others only emulators. Regardless of system. On paper most of us know which way to go, but Russ is great at explaining the "feel" difference.
All the IPS replacements for real hardware add at least two frames of lag compared to an OG system, one frame to rotate and another to scale. Pocket is probably the only way right now to experience OG latency on a modern handheld screen, and at much higher quality than the alternatives. Hoping that jailbreak knocks out the need for flashcart which would be a major value win compared to OG hardware.
@@FoxbatStargazer If you're going that much for an original feel that we're talking a frame or two of delay being a gamebreaker, I have no idea how you argue around the atrocious shoulder buttons and overall just different feel of the input device in general. OG hardware even with 2 frames of delay on your input will feel 10000% more like the og hardware than any remake hardware with correct frame timings
The Analogue Pocket is great for people who have their 90s GB/GBC games collection and want to play those games on a much better screen and a very new device instead of having a decades old motherboard that might fail at some point. I thought long and hard, personally, as I really, truly missed the old DMG I had in my youth. But then again, I'd actually miss the much bigger A/B buttons of the DMG. (I already find the ones on a modded GBP I have to be just too small for that real retro feeling.) And then there's what you talked about on price and convenience. The RG351V to me still is the main device for GB/GBC games (looking forward to the RG353V which might replace that in my arsenal) for when I've got the space. The Miyoo mini is what I take with me whenever I leave the house, since I can just put it in my jeans pocket to have it with me if I have to wait for something somewhere. Perfect for doctor's appointments, for example, where instead of getting annoyed by how long the doctor has you waiting, you start to hope that people's appointments take longer so you can get further in Tetris DX or beat SML DX twice! :)
the other great thing about the Miyoo Mini is you're not scared to take it with you since it won't cost half your rent to reorder one if you accidentally break or lose it.
@@lc1565 Very true, yes. Plus with OnionOS, it really works just so well to start, play 1-2 minutes and then turn it off and have it save state and shut down. It works like I wish the Powkiddy V90 would've in that aspect.
Nice video. I'm waiting for my pocket. It will come in early 2023 😶 is there no way to swap the L and R buttons to the Y and X Buttons on the front? It want be good for games like metroid or mario kart but for games like zelda and others it is a smoother gameplay than to use the shoulderbuttons on the back. 🙃
Ordered an Everdrive GBA mini and GB X7 recently. Won’t be getting an AP; using them with my standard GBA / GBC (both with IPS displays). AP is only really worth it if one has a massive cart library.
Well, either that or you don't have modded GBA and GBC consoles. If you add up the cost, the Pocket ends up being cheaper. Not to mention there's no issues that old hardware may have, and you have a rechargeable battery as well. Honestly I think the Pocket is too cheap for what it offers at $200, the only problem really is availability, because it's impossible to buy it for that price currently
@@seraph4581 I stand by what I said. AP is definitely worth it for those with old carts. It’s a lovely bit of hardware and can definitely see the appeal. Just think people may have different perspectives about it.
I would of bought one of the clear models but they were sold out before I even knew they were a thing and they stated they are never releasing them again so Im gonna go with the Odin 2 instead
This would seem like a good device had it not have been for the fact that I already own a modded GBA SP with EZ Flash Omega DE/Jr and even then, emulation devices like RP2+ seem more appealing on the price front
I sold my GBA and GBC just to buy this one, no regrets, its a million times better console, more confortable and the screen is amazing, im just waiting till we get the second fpa for more cores like snes, nes, mega drive, master system etc
analog pocket vs miyoo mini at the end really killed me, I love my mini and it's a hilariously great comparison. I wish analog had gone with rear buttons like the steamdeck. It's a brilliant device but a GBA or GBmicro with an everdrive is just a much better choice for anything with shoulder buttons.
Thanks for making this review, I was considering getting in on this when it launched and then subsequently when hit by FOMO. Good to see an honest breakdown. Id love to see you do like a quarterly review where you rank the top 10 (lets say) devices for retro emulation and then maybe a standout for spare no expense models vs budget and performance. I know you basically already do this with your content but it would be really great to keep track of everything in one concise video. Food for thought.
got it right. I have one and love it to death - but I have a big GB/C library. That's who it's for, full stop. Now if we ever get a snes core on this thing that may change, but it's definitely an enthusiast device, not a workhorse or daily driver for the general populace. That being said if you're a gameboy person it is a beautiful gameboy.
When I have 2 GBAs in my drawer it's hard to get excited by such a pricey alternative. Especially when software emulation is just fine in much cheaper devices.
The analog pocket seems cool, but very much for a specific use case. Not bad for those users, but it definitely means you should know what you are getting before purchase.
Okay, so first of all. I subscribed. Great video. I have a preorder for my analogue pocket, but after seeing this video, I kinda think I could do better with that cash. I'm gonna go look into some of these other systems you mentioned! Thank you!
I've had a Pocket for six months now and I've been waiting patiently for cores in a jailbreak. In the meantime I've been using a 351M and a jailbroken Super NT. I think Russ' video just convinced me to sell my Pocket.
Loved the wario on GBA in grey in the What I don't Like section. Reminded me of an infomercial situation "Is this you? Playing GBA on a square screen like an animal" NO MORE! hahaha great video Russ
A boutique item that’ll start conversation more than it’ll warrant actual play time. Exactly what I expected… Thanks for the in-depth and honest review.
like you i preordered mine as soon as it went up for preorder and i have recently spoken to analogue and thay told me thay plan on shipping out units between oct & dec 2022 so hopefully should get it buy xmas time
I had one of the first batches of the Pocket and I did enjoy it quite a bit because I still have a good number of physical carts. However, I found I played it a lot less than other emulation handhelds because it’s definitely limited in comparison. Also I didn’t want to travel with it because it would be expensive/hard to replace if I lost it and I’d also have to bring a bunch of carts with me. In the end I sold it and the dock and that sale paid for the steam deck. It’s a lovely system though but more for cart collectors.
Got a large cartridge collection so it was a nice treat! If you didn't have any cartridges it would most probably be a different decision . However I also own an Ambernic 35H and a PK 30 (maybe a trimui and retroid 2 later). I work hard for my money and enjoy spending it ;)
Hi Russ! Have you try in the RG552 to use only the Little cores in JELOS for 8 and 16 bit games? the RK3399 let you chose the BIG cores, the LITTLE cores or the ALL cores... I'm thinking that this could improve battery life if the processor don't use all its cores at once.. you can change that on JELOS in per system options.... I don't have my RG552 to try it. regards!
Hi Jose, that's a good question. I just tested it a bit in JELOS, I tried SNES with the overclocking off, fan profile set to quiet, and little cores only. Set the scaling to integer scaling and used no shaders, filters, rewind, or run-ahead. I was able to play Yoshi's Island with the Snes9x current core and it played 100% full speed with lots of headroom (turning on fast forward stabilized at 115fps). What this means to me is that those settings will likely be able to knock out all the retro games and potentially improve battery life. I played it for 15 minutes and the battery indicator went down only 1%. I'll test it more thoroughly!
@@RetroGameCorps nice!! As soon as I have mine, I'll try this too.. because I also think that the RG552 offers the best retro experience over all the other devices, even over the ayn Odin!
I was a supporter of the AP since the beginning, but when it finally came out, it is so unnecessarily big and looks nothing like the marketing materials pictures in terms of clean look and quality. They made it seem like it was going to be made of an alloy. I'm just going to go ahead and say it, it feels flimsy and the carts are so loose it's not funny. Ridiculous bezels in 2022 and the price of the accessories is laughable. Save your money and stick to the genuine hardware.
A bit old of a review. Now, with added cores and the ability to “jail break” the device, it makes for a compelling device. With extensibility with the dock, this could pair up with a monitor and keyboard to use as a retro Micro Computer or as a light-weight Mister device. It really is a very cool device. $200 is worth it for me.
Yes, but speaking as someone who owns a few modded Game Boy systems, the price of modding an old system with a new screen, USB-C charging and maybe some better speakers, ends up being not too far off the price of an AP, and the screens for the modded systems thus far all have quite bad lingering flicker effects. Don't get me wrong, I think modded Game Boy systems are great, but to me they still pale in comparison to what the AP offers.
@@Geonjaha I agree 100%... and also I noticed lag after modding the screen of a GBA... and nobody seems to be talking about but this guy: th-cam.com/video/KM0w4USono0/w-d-xo.html
I’ve just discovered the analogue pocket an hour ago and it was really appealing because of the modern hardware playing GB and GBA cartridges. I’ve been looking into getting back into those games but even a modded SP doesn’t seem like a good investment. I also just learned about handheld emulators but I’m discouraged by the latency aspect. Hmm.
I would definitely buy it for $220 but in my case I would have to pay 24% VAT and $60 postage on top of that! Because of that the final price tag turns out to be $333. With kind regard, an European
I guess it would be cool if your were rich and had a big physical game collection. For most people getting a Powkiddy V90 for $30 to $40 that plays everything minus N64 up to PSX seems like a way better and smarter decision.
35:35 RG552 Fun fact: If the L2 and R2 buttons are replaced with RG503's L2 and R2 buttons, then, it would be great because those on RG503 are taller and RG552 & RG503 has similar size. So, the buttons will easily fit on RG552, I guess. Love from Bangladesh ❤️
I'm in a couple of online communities for people making custom GB/GBC games and they all seem to love this thing. I still haven't decided to shell out the money for it.
I've been bouncing the idea of keeping my Analogue Pocket preorder for a little bit here and knew I had to come to Retro Game Corps and Russ to help my decision making. In the time that I preordered the Analogue to now, I have discovered the Retroid Pocket 2+ through your channel and it has been everything I've ever dreamt of having in a handheld. It's hard for me to continue jusitifying getting the Analogue Pocket if my primary usage was going to be with an Everdrive flashcart. For the few GBA games I want to enjoy on their official cartridge, I think I'll just use my GBASP with an IPS panel. I'm bummed because I had wanted the Analogue Pocket since it was announced several years ago, and as I'm 3 months away from getting mine I'm realizing it just won't find a place in my gaming time. Great video as always and thank you for all of your unbiased and detailed information!
I wouldn't call it a luxury price tag. To get a good condition Gameboy Advance Sp AGS-101 or an IPS screen, will run you just as much, if not more. This is a good bang for what it does.
I think AGS-101s are a luxury item themselves. Thanks to the corona-pandemic, prices have been exploding. Emulators seem to be the most reasonable way to play GBA games right now.
Another flash cart manufacturer is EZ-Flash. To my knowledge the GB/GBC cart EZFlash Jr works but I've seen posts on reddit that the GBA carts EZFlash Omega and Omega DE doesn't. Hopefully we get a firmware update soon to resolve the issue. Also don't most emulation handhelds have screen ratio issues with some consoles?
Think about it like this is legit hardware that runs physical games and not just one game but every type of gameboy game, game gear games, Atari Lynx games, and neo geo pocket games, if you were to buy each of those consoles it be nearly 2 or 3 times the price tag of the analogue pocket and not to mention is a FPGA based console, when compared to a mister 250 is way better than 500. So yah it’s actually the cheapest option if you already don’t have the four handhelds consoles. Lol don’t forget sense it’s a FPGA chip console it can perfectly mimic real hardware, lol and did I mention it can do more than just gameboy,game gear, Atari Lynx and neo geo pocket games. Lol it can do everything the mister can so basically a stupid Amount of value.
I was pretty excited for this but got soured pretty bad by the preorder shit on top of the outrageous price. My main issue nowdays is that original cart are starting to fail more and more... losing saves or being unplayable is not worth it. Not to mention all the "investor" and "collector" which only managed to ruin the retrogame market for people simply looking to play older games.
I bought one to play some old cartridges, my original Tetris is what I most play. I like the form factor since it reminds me of the original gameboy which I still have, that was the main draw. Side loaded some other games that I go into time to time..
I think you are mostly right about it. One thing that I would have liked to see and hear about (although it is understandable and it already costs a lot) is a review of the adapters for the cartridges for neo geo, game gear, lynx and TurboGrafx-16. As it does add a lot to to the functionality of the device. Good review thanks Still waiting for mine!
For the Gameboy Advance games, you ARE able to move and resize the image. You just have to set the display option to the Analogue setting, and not the GBA display options.
Pokémon Prism is an amazing rom hack? With HOURS of content, with emphasis, because I have well over 40hours on it, and still have plenty to do. There are a few things that unfortunately aren’t fully fleshed out (the Kanto and Jhoto regions) but that’s due to GBC hardware limitations. Regardless there’s so much to do that in the scheme of things it’s still cool that they even managed to make them fit in with all the other content in the first place. I highly recommend it.
Haven’t had a chance to watch yet, but the pocket is going to change a lot when the eventual jailbreak to play other fpga cores comes. I played a few gba carts on mine but have ultimately been waiting to that to happen to use it more.
It's interesting to see the difference in perspective from a hobbyist like Russ and a purist/enthusiast like Modern Vintage Gamer. Russ focuses more on the look/feel of a device and price to performance, whereas MVG focuses on the precise emulation quality, sound, and intense detail. Watching them both gives a good perspective of some usability/accessibility stuff that MVG misses, and some emulation detail that Russ misses.
It's the intentional lack of stock that bugs me most.
@@BGL19283 how is it intentional?
@@BGL19283 did you miss the COVID thing, the world wide chip shortage that is happening, the fact I preordered a Steamdeck literally over a year ago and I don't even have a ship date, the fact his beloved Odin Pro isn't in stock anywhere and they've raised the price on it like 4 times already... Shall I continue?
@@rodmunch69 how is that intentional
Imho MVG is the best retro channel on TH-cam.
It’s important to note that a 10x scale means times ten on BOTH the vertical and horizontal axis. So it’s 100 pixels for every single game boy pixel. For the display modes, this means a lot of room to replicate the original screen, using the pockets pixels like the original game boys subpixels
Pretty much exactly my experience. I found playing on the pocket for long periods of time was a bit uncomfortable and I don’t like taking my vintage cartridges with me when I travel. I ended up getting a RG552 which I use all the time instead. The pocket is def the best game boy ever and a work of art (I have the game gear adapter and it’s actually my fav system to use on it) but it stays home and safe.
I also noticed an Odin would cost about the same as an AP, so I got that and I’ve been sooo happy with that decision!
Yeah I would not walk around with this Pocket on the go. To me this is a luxury item that would stay docked mostly.
The cool thing about the OpenFPGA is that you don't actually need the cartridges at all now. You can use the cartridges or just upload roms on it.
Couple months ago they also added to Pocket Sega Mega Drive/Genesis cores, it now can emulate Super Game Boy, Neo Geo, Master System, SNES, Amiga 500 and a bunch of older systems.
You're more concerned about keeping things nice then enjoying the console.. I am going to play my consoles and my original games because one day I will be gone and one day before I'm gone. A lot of these consoles and games will not work as we already can see a lot of them are dying... So enjoy your consoles and your games... Because keeping a game on the shelf is not going to prevent it from not working.... I have the first Mario game ever made for NES that was never opened. I sold it and asked the guy if he would open and he said yes and when we opened it it didn't work and it did not work... The box was never damaged. The game was never damaged so that tells you something right there... So enjoy your games
@@cd4playa1245it is a little bit more money but the more money it costs it's worth it in the end.. because this game boy plays a lot more systems thanks to the FPGA community. So yes it's worth the money... And all the systems it does play. It does better than a lot of those Chinese clones because it's FPGA... If you buy this from like Amazon or another website besides the actual company then you're going to pay twice as much.. I have one and I love it. My original game boy and my game boy SP sit on the shelf... But that does not mean they sit there and I don't play them... Why crazy people that collect video games? Want to have a console or a video game? Sit on the shelf and never touch is beyond me... The value of a video game is the value that someone's willing to pay... But does that mean you're actually going to get that? No.... I've seen video games worth like $5,000 and the seller says I can't sell it because most people want to play their games
31:33 When you were showing the side-by-side with Link's Awakening DX on the Miyoo and the Anbernic, that was the most impressive thing to me in this whole video. The picture on the Analogue blew the Miyoo out of the water, and while the Anbernic had a noticably better picture (imo) than the Miyoo, it still couldn't compete with the Analogue. I still probably won't be betting an Analogue Pocket, it's just too expensive for how few systems it supports, and the super limited and inconvenient sideloading capabilities, but man that screen is mindblowing to me.
Complicating things; the Miyoo V2 which is out now has an upgraded screen that makes this early one look like trash. Much more comparable and still $60
@@KD-bk7gd The only ones I've seen on Amazon are 90 for the V2
@@jeremy__hopkins hey thanks so much for the info. I have an original GBC with the ips V2 screen that also emulates the pixels. Have you seen that and is it similar? I’m wondering if it’s the same technology.
The Analogue is almost perfect, but the fact that you can’t run an Everdrive is a deal breaker for me. Price seems fair for what you get, but there’s no way I’m hauling a pocket full of cartridges around.
Maybe I’ll get my hands on one someday to see what all the hype is about.
I had a similar experience with the Mister FPGA versus the Raspberry Pi. I don’t know why emulation gets such a bad reputation if precisely today it works better than ever and nearly perfectly. With today’s tech, most people won’t notice the difference between an FPGA and an emulator, so by all means buy an FPGA if you prefer (I did) but when it comes to just enjoying the games, a Raspberry Pi or an Anbernic portable console do the job perfectly.
The Analogue Pocket is definitely a very niche product primarily for those collecting GB and GBC games, or obsessing over the cycle-exact nature of fpga-cores. I am a retro geek myself, but It has come to a point in which I value convenience over authenticity. I think the most important feature of a modern retro device is its ease of use and portability. Like many people I live a busy life. I have short burst of time over in-between stuff, but it's not enough for longer "sink into a couch" retro gaming sessions. Having something like the Miyoo Mini with Onion OS and the "Game Switcher" app, retro gaming becomes EXTREMELY pickup 'n play-friendly. I have completed both Phantasy Star IV, Wonderboy in Monster World and Tales of Destiny. A feat that I haven't been able to do the last 15 years... I really believe that the convenience of easily being able to load in- and out of save states and games + having a device that can come with you wherever you go is one of the key features to make retro gaming possible to many people. :)
the Miyoo mini was a nice surprise.
Not to mention that if ypu're really gunning for the og feel, there's still og hardware
@@thedeadpoolwhochuckles.6852 Definitely!
The main benefit as I see the 2D-focus on the Miyoo Mini. It doesn't try to play EVERYTHING and because of this, you can reduce size, complexity, and get rid of awkwardly positioned analog sticks. The 480p screen is also a real treat. I haven't jumped onto retro handhelds before the Miyoo Mini. And I am glad I waited. This is basically everything I have been looking for.
The only single thing that could've made this console better was if it had a GBA SP form factor. (I personal optnion) I think that would've improved comfort. reduced size further and also protected the screen when it is not in use. :)
@@Chaosghoul Definitely... I guess the OG gameboy however, is something even collectors agree isn't optimal to play their games on. That screen was horrendous even in the early 90's. :) So I guess that's where the real benefit of having the Analogue Pocket comes into play. Authentic pixel grid, with the added benefit of backlight and no ghosting :)
But yeah, it's definitely a niche product. Most people will be happy just having a Miyoo Mini to play their OG Game Boy games on.
@@PixelShade thing is though that you can play your GB games on a GBC and a GBA as well, all of which (including the GB) have replacement screens now to get around the issue
I'll admit, I got mine in the first wave, and I haven't used it much at all since acquiring it 😅
Same here, it turns out I 1) dont actually want to play any GB/C games and 2) prefer to play GBA games on a TV (MiSTer)
Same here. I cant sync any controller long enough to play on tv
I appreciate you both telling the truth. I feel like we jump on items and end up not using as much. I would like an AP at some point.
Same boat. And I'm also still waiting on their promise of being able to load custom cores... Such a long wait...
@@MolotovMan1263 want to sell it lol?
Oh I can’t wait to see this video and add some commentary because man oh man, I really don’t see how you can take something like even the RG351V and the Analogue Pocket and really compare the two. Feels like you get way more value out of the RG351V. Thanks again Russ!
Agreed! I got the 351V wood and it's great! And I'm not limited to cartridges lol and so many more systems to play. And doesn't break the bank!
@@KyleRuggles plus the number of systems it can play somehow keeps growing
Honestly I'm still surprised there isn't more love for the Vita in these aspects. I got one nearly new in box for $70, it does all of the above, can stream Bloodborne, can natively play a lot of PS2 ports, looks incredible, and can take quite a beating. 351v looks incredible as a backup, but the Vita is such a gem of a system.
@@CoffeePotato I thought the Vita had a lot of love until you said that as it's a official non pirate system.
@@SudrianTales I would drop it in the "small, but passionate" pile.
This is the first video I’ve watched of yours and I am very impressed. I rarely subscribe to a channel but it was so well done, you left me no choice. Great work my friend. Thank you.
Yeah this definitely seems more like a collectors item than a convenient handheld for someone who wants all retro games in one system
Yeah I decided to just get a steam deck instead
The second fpga is meant to be for extra cores, so people can make snes, nes etc for this fpga, so i dont see this as a collector thing, i have one and i dont collect video games only consoles, but this one is amazing, we already have sms, GG, GB, GBA, NeoGeo AES, etc
@@roadrash2005
My adventure into handhelds also eventually led me to a steam deck as well. I'm about to sell one of my guns to get one.
@@lordkrythic6246 I wouldn’t sell a gun in today’s world
@@roadrash2005
I have a bunch. I'm only planning on selling my Windicator 357. I can get about $300 for it. I wouldn't sell my Armalite Rifle for anything.
It is pretty ironic that the main selling point (using real cartridges) makes the system less ergonomic
Well, that's normal and makes sense.
Using real cartridges is not what made the system less ergonomic. The design choice did that.
@@Shendue Does it? What is the benefit of using this compared to an emulator console for half the price with better ergonomics?
@@SumDumGy My point is the system, as is, is more ergonomic if you run roms on it.
@@BigmanDogs Thats irrelevant though since it’s not the cartridges that make it less ergonomic in the first place.
At first I wanted the Analogue because I really loved the design but after learning a bit about the device I knew it wasn't for me. So I decided to buy the Miyoo Mini thinking it wouldn't be really good but at the end of the day I spent a looot of time on that Miyoo and I love it. It's not perfect (shoulders button are really annoying, should be more clicky) but it's so nice to be able to bring it everywhere and it's just cute. I play game on it I never played before simply because it feels appropriate. Like I don't want to play DuckTales on a 48" TV but on the Miyoo it's perfect.
There's a Miyoo Mini Plus out these days. On top of being a bit bigger, they did improve the shoulder buttons. Although this Plus version is bigger, it's still smaller compared to the other competition and it's the smallest 3.5 inch screen handheld of its type. I think the only downside I read is that some people have a bit of an issue with the screen loosening... which I'm hoping is fixed after the first batch of them.
does it have a sleep function?
Excellent review as usual! Even though not relative to the Analogue Pocket, I thought the section in the video where you showed off your favorite Rom Hacks was awesome. Would love to see a video on your other favorite/recommended Rom Hacks for other consoles/handhelds as well
I can't wait to get mine. I pre-ordered but won't get it until "Group B" in Q4.
Same
If you’re an electronics enthusiast, then having the open FPGA chip in the device is a pretty great thing to have on top of the gaming. Getting into FPGA experimentation is usually an expensive proposition, this lowers the barrier for entry. The only other device that can also do this is the MISTER console FPGA. This is just the price of FPGAs they’re still not common enough devices to get those mass production cost reductions but this is about as cheap as it gets when getting an FPGA device
That is true what you said. Also this game boy and the mister can play more than an original game boy can..so it's worth it
I would love to see a “9 month later” follow up video to cover the new cores that have come out, and also how the device has physically fared in terms of condition. I’ve heard some people comment on the plastic scratching and damage around the USB-C port. Cheers!
Yeah that's what I was hoping to find. This review is basically when the device was brand new and he's judging it based on basically alpha software.
@@RHINO0187 If they don't want it judged by alpha software, they shouldn't release it with alpha software.
Thanks for honest opinion. I was pining for it but after your review I realize that it wouldn’t satisfy my retro craving
They should have made the screen wider and given full gba aspect ratio and black bars for gb/gbc
b-but nostalgia
The biggest problem with the Analogue pocket is that the device should be an XL take on the original hardware so it was a lot more comfortable and adjustable for more systems. If it had been a 5" screen and it was a more ergonomic design while keeping the squarish front. It would have been worth the price. Second biggest problem is Analogue pocket full potential will literally take 2-3 years for it to be realized. Third biggest problem is the price and availability. Which makes all analogue hardware a non-starter for most. Even if the price in the end is justified because the hardware is all ultra customized hardware that otherwise just would not exist. As FPGA-based hardware is just expensive by default.
Heeeee! I'm so glad to see Chicken again! I'm sorry that she hasn't been feeling well 🙁, but I hope she's enjoying her golden years and has a bunch of treats!
Group B here as well. It seems weird having to pay a year in advance for something. The Steam Deck preorders were just $5 down.
very thoughtful review, thanks !
Just from the outset, I feel like I'd be better off buying an old GBC or GBA and getting a screen mod. Sure it'd be more work, but it'd be (slightly) cheaper and easier to get my hands on. Fun side effect would be being able to explore soldering and modding as a whole, which seems really interesting.
That said, the hardware as a whole looks great. If it had the ability to support retro emulators along with original cartridges and/or was a little cheaper, I'd be all over it
Having both modded GBA and Analogue Pocket, IPS screen mods don't hold a candle against the screen in Pocket. A lot of games' pixel art just look wrong on IPS screen.
@@shen1han you can just do a shader or filter and it fixes that lmao remember what channel you are watching?
@@lc1565 yes i'm aware. and no it doesn't look the same in person.
Before modding, check that the screen mod doesn't add (several frames of) lag to your console. Unfortunately, few people seem to care.
By the time you buy a GBC and a GBA and lightmod kits, you're not actually saving any money, and you're getting a worse experience, even with an upgraded screen, it's not going to look nearly as good as this. Also the fact you think you can pickup a solder gun for the first time and not ruin what you're working on... good luck, kiddo.
worth noting: pocket patches aren't PERFECT in all cases. I have run into bugs in them so if you are really into accuracy, still best to stick to original carts or flash carts.
defeats the purpose of the whole "no emulation" fakery marketing
My biggest gripe with these machines is that FPGA is touted as "not emulation" which I find to be a bold claim. This machine does not contain the same innards as the devices it replicates. Instead, it has to interpret the data it receives and output it based on functions "higher up in the chain" so to speak, because the components the cartridges normally access just aren't there. To me, that sounds suspicuously like emulation, only the place where it happens is different. With FPGA it assumedly happens on the chip, while run of the mill emulation does it in software.
If devices using FPGA's are truly what they are puported to be, the situation at 13:30 wouldn't happen this easily.
Yeah its deceptive marketing. Shame on analogue
Dude I can use a super Gameboy and a Sufami Turbo on my analogue SNES, and they work perfectly. I’m not super hung up on the details. Their products work well as advertised, whereas I’ve had a plethora of issues with my brother’s Retron 5 emulation device.
@@cd4playa1245 but it’s still emulation
It is hardware emulation, not software emulation. Typically FPGA-based hardware emulation is more accurate than software emulators (and has almost no input lag), but that depends on the accuracy of the FPGA core being used.
I love you reviews, thanks a million!
✌🏼😁
Good honest review. I appreciate the alternatives as well!
I watch quite a lot of emulation and retro gaming stuff on youtube, and the analogue pocket almost never appears on my suggested videos list. I honestly forgot about its existence for a couple of months..
I mean... I'd take a retroid pocket 2+ over the analogue every time. I'm just not keyed into nostalgia like that.
Just want to shout out Sakura Retro Modding as well: I've bought multiple items from them for my niche retro handheld devices and accessories, and they're excellent quality.
I ordered mine the moment the order window opened last November or December in under 3 minutes and was placed in the second window of Q4 2022 as well.
33:00 Because of math, the 3.5" 10:9 screen on the Analogue Pocket is bigger, not smaller than a 3.5" 4:3 screen. The Analogue Pocket screen is 6.09 square inches, while the Ambernic's screen is 5.88 square inches.
i'd invest in a small felt sticky pad to put in the cartridge slot to mitigate the looseness and to alleviate the scratches and rubs a lot of reviewers are reporting
For the cartridge's that don't work, I would just clean the contacts. There are videos on how to do this online, you can use an alcohol solution and cotton swab, not hard and will work. I bought the Genesis Analogue product they sell, and had to clean some of the games, but they all worked after cleaning. Analogue makes some very nice products and I have been so happy with both my Pocket and the Genesis console. They are a bit expensive but they are the best option for playing original (non-emulated) games.
Hi, it wasn’t in the voiceover, but I left a text message onscreen during that part that said that I had cleaned the cartridges ahead of time. Admittedly, some of those carts are very old and not in the best shape.
@@RetroGameCorps sorry about that, I was listening while I was working and missed that. I had a pretty poor condition cartridge for my Genesis (used on analogue’s other device) that I had to clean 3 times to get to work, so maybe a more rigorous cleaning might help? But haven’t had many gameboy games that are in bad condition to test on analogue pocket but so far so good on mine. Any way thanks for the impressions, started following you last year, I bought some anbernic devices for my little brothers for Christmas and your guides helped me set them up. They loved them! So thank you!
@@joshuacameron5333 yeah definitely another cleaning might help, I need to dedicate some time to just clean all my games. Happy to be of help setting up your Christmas gifts!
i've told so many people to get an rg351v instead of the analog pocket and the ones thst listened are really happy with the rg351v
Thank you for your honest review, as always!
Ok! So I had a chance to watch the video and as usual, Russ is spot on. I think that it’s clear that the Analogue Pocket is for a market that isn’t compatible with the type of content Russ provides. I am honestly shocked at how some TH-cam content creators act like devices like Odin, Anbernic’s devices, and the Retroid Pocket 2+ (amongst others) don’t exist and are screaming the praises of the Analogue Pocket.
They really should make one on Game Gear GBA PSP Vita Switch form factor.
This huge brick is terrible for handheld gaming. And the cartridge slot should be bigger at least of the size of a GBA cartridge to avoid "wobblying"
Exactly. #TeamHorizontalLayout
As someone who grew up with the GBA, it's good to hear someone preach.
That's why I love my RG351MP.
@@jeremy__hopkins Honestly, my main issue is its too expensive for what it offers. Nearly 300 dollars for that plus waiting months?
They should've started simple with a gameboy and color only style machine for 100 to 150, that would be worth it and then buildup.
The original Game Boy and Game Boy Color didnt have a horizontal layout. Those were the main thing this was billed as being for. Making it horizontal just because that became the norm later would just make it seem like any old generic emulation handheld instead of a new slick version of the original Game Boy.
If people just want to emulate, then there are a lot of options that are easier to get, cheaper, and better built. If you have a lot of retro game cartridges, or a retro game collection, the Analogue Pocket is a great device to use them on - just because of the beautiful screen. Although, you can also get your beater GB/GBC/GBA/GBSP (not your collectible units) modded with a Q5 laminated screen to get a good, bright gaming experience too
I want an emulation device with this nice build quality.
@@Hdtk2024
unless we talk about particular SNES/DC games emulation, this "accuracy" fuzz to justify analogue's hefty price is invalid.
even chaynese knockoffs can play most of retro games precisely.
I myself play alot of SMB/SMB2 on some of those knockoffs, never experience any gameplay/lag problem since day 1, and it feels just the same as playing on NES/SNES back then.
I’ve been considering getting one, but at every new review I watch I get this one is not for me. I huge fan of the original GB and GBC, but since I haven’t had any of the original devices, cycle accuracy is not a thing I perceive while playing on software emulation. I’ll stick to my RG351V for now…
Does it run GB DBZ Games well
@@spoonsVSforks it runs flawlessly all GB GBC and GBA library, including the original GB DBZ games.
Imma keep it real I’m a rookie when it comes to roms and just computer nerd stuff in general I’m a consumer and collector but I like to play video games I just don’t understand the analogue pocket I was really excited to play all the classic game boy games etc but not having a save feature and just overall I’m just trynna figure out the system I did an unboxing video on my channel but still almost a week later and I’m still trynna figure it out
If you are curious about simulation accuracy, modern simulators on PC can be used as a comparison. To be honest, I think this is a marketing concept of the business. Because as the majority of consumers do not have to spend too much money on the so-called "accuracy", it reminds me of people who spend thousands of dollars on HiFi equipment just to actually not be able to perceive it, they spend thousands of dollars for "accuracy", but even They spend thousands of dollars for "accuracy" and can't even pass the ABX test.
Of course, in the end, you decide how to spend your money.
@@grossglizzy the analog systems are like guys that fix up and make old classic cars look super nice, and put a new engine in it. Guys do that because they wanna remember the good ol days, but also somewhat assimilate the past with the present, such as when guys put a brand new engine in a classic old car. You seem very analytical and logical, like a Vulcan, who would look at the specs of a modern muscle car and wonder why vintage car guys would go through so much trouble to fix up an old Trans Am, when a new Mustang would smoke it in a drag race. Basically, this Analogue Pocket could never smoke the Switch or Steamdeck, but it’s simply cool as hell. That’s why people by analog stuff, because they’re cool. There’s nothing like using an original controller and seeing that scratched up sega or SNES game in a console in front of you.
I cancelled my pre-order for it. I already have an Ambernic RG351V, PiBoy DMG Pi4, and a clapped out modded GBC(screen mod/clean amp speaker mod/new speaker/power capacitor replaced). There is no need for me to buy this Analogue handheld. I own the Mega SG and the Super NT from Analogue. That's great the hardware is nice but, I can't justify pulling the trigger on this handheld especially if there are better options out there. Great video thanks
I dont understand. The emulation handhelds wont replace the AP.
Rosy Restrospection is amazing. I play it at least once a week. Romhacks and homebrews are some of the best parts of having a retro handheld.
I'm kinda hoping they do an advance version with the GBA form factor
They can barely make versions of the stuff they list on their website now, and it’s been that way since before the chip shortage ….your grandkids might get a GBA version at the current rate
Great review! I wish the screen res was lower to squeeze out some more battery life. This is a totally unnecessary device; it's beautiful.
Would you do another update on this? I am still thinking about getting one because if they ever do a restock of those limited colors (I know it's limited) but I really liked the Blue or Green one but they just sell out so fast even if I do have the budget. I just been saving for a year but maybe in September or something I can get one.
He finally got one. The mad lad.
It transmits less light which it means either dimmer devices or shorter battery life. It continues to break. I think while it's scratch resistant product it still breaks and our testing says that Gorilla Glass, about 2.5 times more pressure that it can take than Sapphire on.
I was very lucky to get on the first wave of the pocket, so I’ve had it for about seven months now. I totally agree that it’s very much a niche product. I have a great collection of physical games that I love playing on it because that battery life is so great. The screen is still such a big deal to me because it’s not just a bright screen but the colors looks so vivid. Also in regards to carrying it around, I have a little Levi’s sling bag that that I carry a few games and the pocket inside the hardcase in. For me that works, but I know for others they wanted that gameboy pocket style. Once again for me, I spent the money and haven’t not regretted it once but I know not everyone has the cash to burn on such a niche device. Good review!
Yeah, it is quite overpriced for fgpa
All of the analogue systems are very niche, but my older brother and I love them so much. I’m excited to get my pocket next year. I’m sure I’ll enjoy it.
@@bobathywaffe7056 yeah but any competitor emulation console will play like dog sh*t. You get what you pay for. Sometimes it’s better to save up for the product that works as opposed to getting into the rut of always cheaping out on everything in life.
@@cd4playa1245 it’s not worth the money, I can just buy a gba ips screen for my gba.
@@bobathywaffe7056 The Pocket has a 615ppi 1600x1440 display with multiple video modes, it will still blow it out of the water.
Also, with the OpenFPGA, you can just use roms and emulate NES, SNES, Mega Drive/Genesis, Neo Geo, etc...
Saying it's not worth the money because you can mod your GBA with an IPS screen it's like saying a Ferrari is not worth the money because you can just modify your car engine for less. Sure, you can. Still not a Ferrari.
Now, saying that FOR YOU it's not worth spending that amount of money for a car, or, in this case, for a retro gaming device, that's another thing entirely, and an entirely personal opinion, which is fair. Saying objectively that it's not worth the money is questionable.
I wish I could support projects like this to reward companies’ efforts in terms of concept, design, research and build quality, even at the cost of practicality if compared to cheaper alternatives
I gotta say, I absolutely love mine. However, it is definitely overpriced, and I probably wouldn't recommend it to anyone who doesn't already have an addiction to buying retro handhelds (like me). It's definitely the most "pure" experience I've had with gb/gbc/Gba since playing my original SP as a kid, but the advantages over a simple emulation system aren't particularly noticeable for the average person. Still, once people inevitably do add further cores for other systems like NES and SNES, that price will feel a bit more worth it imo. FPGA is just a sight to behold.
I agree, it's amazing in what it does right now (particularly GB/GBC), but I'm not the target audience. If anything it's made me more interested in getting a modded GBC to use with a flashcart.
@@RetroGameCorps I'd be really interested in you getting a regular GBC and a GBA (I prersonally like the og one much more than the SP tbh) and put IPS screens with backlights in both + compare them to devices like this.
@@Chaosghoul I think thats a great conversation to have. Some people have tried the Original hardware, and others only emulators. Regardless of system. On paper most of us know which way to go, but Russ is great at explaining the "feel" difference.
All the IPS replacements for real hardware add at least two frames of lag compared to an OG system, one frame to rotate and another to scale. Pocket is probably the only way right now to experience OG latency on a modern handheld screen, and at much higher quality than the alternatives.
Hoping that jailbreak knocks out the need for flashcart which would be a major value win compared to OG hardware.
@@FoxbatStargazer If you're going that much for an original feel that we're talking a frame or two of delay being a gamebreaker, I have no idea how you argue around the atrocious shoulder buttons and overall just different feel of the input device in general. OG hardware even with 2 frames of delay on your input will feel 10000% more like the og hardware than any remake hardware with correct frame timings
Thank you by the honesty review, greetings from Brazil
I'm curious if you have issues with gba sp shoulder buttons? It seems like the analogue shoulder buttons are almost identically placed.
The Analogue Pocket is great for people who have their 90s GB/GBC games collection and want to play those games on a much better screen and a very new device instead of having a decades old motherboard that might fail at some point. I thought long and hard, personally, as I really, truly missed the old DMG I had in my youth. But then again, I'd actually miss the much bigger A/B buttons of the DMG. (I already find the ones on a modded GBP I have to be just too small for that real retro feeling.) And then there's what you talked about on price and convenience. The RG351V to me still is the main device for GB/GBC games (looking forward to the RG353V which might replace that in my arsenal) for when I've got the space. The Miyoo mini is what I take with me whenever I leave the house, since I can just put it in my jeans pocket to have it with me if I have to wait for something somewhere. Perfect for doctor's appointments, for example, where instead of getting annoyed by how long the doctor has you waiting, you start to hope that people's appointments take longer so you can get further in Tetris DX or beat SML DX twice! :)
the other great thing about the Miyoo Mini is you're not scared to take it with you since it won't cost half your rent to reorder one if you accidentally break or lose it.
@@lc1565 Very true, yes. Plus with OnionOS, it really works just so well to start, play 1-2 minutes and then turn it off and have it save state and shut down. It works like I wish the Powkiddy V90 would've in that aspect.
Nice video. I'm waiting for my pocket. It will come in early 2023 😶 is there no way to swap the L and R buttons to the Y and X Buttons on the front? It want be good for games like metroid or mario kart but for games like zelda and others it is a smoother gameplay than to use the shoulderbuttons on the back. 🙃
Ordered an Everdrive GBA mini and GB X7 recently. Won’t be getting an AP; using them with my standard GBA / GBC (both with IPS displays). AP is only really worth it if one has a massive cart library.
Well, either that or you don't have modded GBA and GBC consoles. If you add up the cost, the Pocket ends up being cheaper. Not to mention there's no issues that old hardware may have, and you have a rechargeable battery as well. Honestly I think the Pocket is too cheap for what it offers at $200, the only problem really is availability, because it's impossible to buy it for that price currently
@@seraph4581 I stand by what I said. AP is definitely worth it for those with old carts. It’s a lovely bit of hardware and can definitely see the appeal. Just think people may have different perspectives about it.
I would of bought one of the clear models but they were sold out before I even knew they were a thing and they stated they are never releasing them again so Im gonna go with the Odin 2 instead
This would seem like a good device had it not have been for the fact that I already own a modded GBA SP with EZ Flash Omega DE/Jr and even then, emulation devices like RP2+ seem more appealing on the price front
I sold my GBA and GBC just to buy this one, no regrets, its a million times better console, more confortable and the screen is amazing, im just waiting till we get the second fpa for more cores like snes, nes, mega drive, master system etc
@@sos.gamers idk, a GBA with IPS screen seems better tbh
analog pocket vs miyoo mini at the end really killed me, I love my mini and it's a hilariously great comparison.
I wish analog had gone with rear buttons like the steamdeck. It's a brilliant device but a GBA or GBmicro with an everdrive is just a much better choice for anything with shoulder buttons.
Thanks for making this review, I was considering getting in on this when it launched and then subsequently when hit by FOMO. Good to see an honest breakdown.
Id love to see you do like a quarterly review where you rank the top 10 (lets say) devices for retro emulation and then maybe a standout for spare no expense models vs budget and performance. I know you basically already do this with your content but it would be really great to keep track of everything in one concise video. Food for thought.
got it right. I have one and love it to death - but I have a big GB/C library. That's who it's for, full stop. Now if we ever get a snes core on this thing that may change, but it's definitely an enthusiast device, not a workhorse or daily driver for the general populace.
That being said if you're a gameboy person it is a beautiful gameboy.
When I have 2 GBAs in my drawer it's hard to get excited by such a pricey alternative. Especially when software emulation is just fine in much cheaper devices.
The analog pocket seems cool, but very much for a specific use case.
Not bad for those users, but it definitely means you should know what you are getting before purchase.
Okay, so first of all. I subscribed. Great video. I have a preorder for my analogue pocket, but after seeing this video, I kinda think I could do better with that cash. I'm gonna go look into some of these other systems you mentioned! Thank you!
I've had a Pocket for six months now and I've been waiting patiently for cores in a jailbreak. In the meantime I've been using a 351M and a jailbroken Super NT. I think Russ' video just convinced me to sell my Pocket.
I don't think they'll release a jailbreak until the 1.1 firmware. The design for that firmware seems to have the underlying intention of playing ROMs.
Loved the wario on GBA in grey in the What I don't Like section. Reminded me of an infomercial situation "Is this you? Playing GBA on a square screen like an animal" NO MORE! hahaha great video Russ
Oh and totally forgot to mention thank goodness for a cat break, missed that little Chicken, hope Chicken is feeling better!
Haha, yeah that was exactly what I was thinking :)
A boutique item that’ll start conversation more than it’ll warrant actual play time. Exactly what I expected… Thanks for the in-depth and honest review.
like you i preordered mine as soon as it went up for preorder and i have recently spoken to analogue and thay told me thay plan on shipping out units between oct & dec 2022 so hopefully should get it buy xmas time
I had one of the first batches of the Pocket and I did enjoy it quite a bit because I still have a good number of physical carts. However, I found I played it a lot less than other emulation handhelds because it’s definitely limited in comparison. Also I didn’t want to travel with it because it would be expensive/hard to replace if I lost it and I’d also have to bring a bunch of carts with me.
In the end I sold it and the dock and that sale paid for the steam deck. It’s a lovely system though but more for cart collectors.
Got a large cartridge collection so it was a nice treat! If you didn't have any cartridges it would most probably be a different decision . However I also own an Ambernic 35H and a PK 30 (maybe a trimui and retroid 2 later). I work hard for my money and enjoy spending it ;)
Hi Russ!
Have you try in the RG552 to use only the Little cores in JELOS for 8 and 16 bit games? the RK3399 let you chose the BIG cores, the LITTLE cores or the ALL cores... I'm thinking that this could improve battery life if the processor don't use all its cores at once.. you can change that on JELOS in per system options....
I don't have my RG552 to try it.
regards!
Hi Jose, that's a good question. I just tested it a bit in JELOS, I tried SNES with the overclocking off, fan profile set to quiet, and little cores only. Set the scaling to integer scaling and used no shaders, filters, rewind, or run-ahead. I was able to play Yoshi's Island with the Snes9x current core and it played 100% full speed with lots of headroom (turning on fast forward stabilized at 115fps). What this means to me is that those settings will likely be able to knock out all the retro games and potentially improve battery life. I played it for 15 minutes and the battery indicator went down only 1%. I'll test it more thoroughly!
@@RetroGameCorps nice!! As soon as I have mine, I'll try this too.. because I also think that the RG552 offers the best retro experience over all the other devices, even over the ayn Odin!
The only handheld I can I’ll be buying soon that plays cartridges is the Evercade EXP.
I was a supporter of the AP since the beginning, but when it finally came out, it is so unnecessarily big and looks nothing like the marketing materials pictures in terms of clean look and quality. They made it seem like it was going to be made of an alloy. I'm just going to go ahead and say it, it feels flimsy and the carts are so loose it's not funny. Ridiculous bezels in 2022 and the price of the accessories is laughable. Save your money and stick to the genuine hardware.
A bit old of a review. Now, with added cores and the ability to “jail break” the device, it makes for a compelling device. With extensibility with the dock, this could pair up with a monitor and keyboard to use as a retro Micro Computer or as a light-weight Mister device. It really is a very cool device. $200 is worth it for me.
In my opinion they should make an revision make it shaped like the gba and make gba games fit better on that version
If playing original carts is that important and for that amount of money, you can buy an older GB and refurb it with a new screen, battery, case, etc.
The benefit is that you also get a modern, modded equivalent for GBC, GBA, and the other handhelds is copies.
Yes, but speaking as someone who owns a few modded Game Boy systems, the price of modding an old system with a new screen, USB-C charging and maybe some better speakers, ends up being not too far off the price of an AP, and the screens for the modded systems thus far all have quite bad lingering flicker effects. Don't get me wrong, I think modded Game Boy systems are great, but to me they still pale in comparison to what the AP offers.
@championchap that's entirely opinion. I like the look of og game boy way more than this thing.
@@Geonjaha I agree 100%... and also I noticed lag after modding the screen of a GBA... and nobody seems to be talking about but this guy: th-cam.com/video/KM0w4USono0/w-d-xo.html
@championchap
I prefer the look of both a GBC and GBA, but I think we both know that the Pocket feeling better is a brazen lie.
great video. very concise and informative
I’ve just discovered the analogue pocket an hour ago and it was really appealing because of the modern hardware playing GB and GBA cartridges. I’ve been looking into getting back into those games but even a modded SP doesn’t seem like a good investment. I also just learned about handheld emulators but I’m discouraged by the latency aspect. Hmm.
I would definitely buy it for $220 but in my case I would have to pay 24% VAT and $60 postage on top of that! Because of that the final price tag turns out to be $333.
With kind regard,
an European
I guess it would be cool if your were rich and had a big physical game collection. For most people getting a Powkiddy V90 for $30 to $40 that plays everything minus N64 up to PSX seems like a way better and smarter decision.
I'm in Alaska and Analogue also wanted over $50 for shipping. I canceled my pre-order when I saw that.
35:35
RG552
Fun fact: If the L2 and R2 buttons are replaced with RG503's L2 and R2 buttons, then, it would be great because those on RG503 are taller and RG552 & RG503 has similar size. So, the buttons will easily fit on RG552, I guess.
Love from Bangladesh ❤️
I'm in a couple of online communities for people making custom GB/GBC games and they all seem to love this thing. I still haven't decided to shell out the money for it.
Nice, i am gonna buy a RG552 after seeing this
I've been bouncing the idea of keeping my Analogue Pocket preorder for a little bit here and knew I had to come to Retro Game Corps and Russ to help my decision making. In the time that I preordered the Analogue to now, I have discovered the Retroid Pocket 2+ through your channel and it has been everything I've ever dreamt of having in a handheld. It's hard for me to continue jusitifying getting the Analogue Pocket if my primary usage was going to be with an Everdrive flashcart. For the few GBA games I want to enjoy on their official cartridge, I think I'll just use my GBASP with an IPS panel. I'm bummed because I had wanted the Analogue Pocket since it was announced several years ago, and as I'm 3 months away from getting mine I'm realizing it just won't find a place in my gaming time.
Great video as always and thank you for all of your unbiased and detailed information!
25:45 I wonder if the EZ flash can play NES better. It runs fine on a real GB. It also has the ability to play Game Gear games.
Nope, because you are fitting a 256x240 game into a 240x160 screen: you are going to lose complete lines of pixels and have gfx artifacts.
I wouldn't call it a luxury price tag. To get a good condition Gameboy Advance Sp AGS-101 or an IPS screen, will run you just as much, if not more. This is a good bang for what it does.
I think AGS-101s are a luxury item themselves. Thanks to the corona-pandemic, prices have been exploding. Emulators seem to be the most reasonable way to play GBA games right now.
Would love to see one of these in an "advanced" form factor.
If u r collector of Gameboy and Gameboy Color Games and love physical side of collecting, it perfect for u. I collect Gameboy Games so it perfect.
Another flash cart manufacturer is EZ-Flash. To my knowledge the GB/GBC cart EZFlash Jr works but I've seen posts on reddit that the GBA carts EZFlash Omega and Omega DE doesn't. Hopefully we get a firmware update soon to resolve the issue.
Also don't most emulation handhelds have screen ratio issues with some consoles?
kudos to you for sharing the details of the price, tax and shipping!
Think about it like this is legit hardware that runs physical games and not just one game but every type of gameboy game, game gear games, Atari Lynx games, and neo geo pocket games, if you were to buy each of those consoles it be nearly 2 or 3 times the price tag of the analogue pocket and not to mention is a FPGA based console, when compared to a mister 250 is way better than 500. So yah it’s actually the cheapest option if you already don’t have the four handhelds consoles. Lol don’t forget sense it’s a FPGA chip console it can perfectly mimic real hardware, lol and did I mention it can do more than just gameboy,game gear, Atari Lynx and neo geo pocket games. Lol it can do everything the mister can so basically a stupid Amount of value.
Bro you gotta release that theme as an extended track. It's too good
Russ, what do you think about the Playdate console? I think it looks awesome and I’m pretty excited about it.
I was pretty excited for this but got soured pretty bad by the preorder shit on top of the outrageous price.
My main issue nowdays is that original cart are starting to fail more and more... losing saves or being unplayable is not worth it.
Not to mention all the "investor" and "collector" which only managed to ruin the retrogame market for people simply looking to play older games.
No kidding charging 200 dollars for a Pokémon ds game is wild
I bought one to play some old cartridges, my original Tetris is what I most play. I like the form factor since it reminds me of the original gameboy which I still have, that was the main draw. Side loaded some other games that I go into time to time..
I think you are mostly right about it. One thing that I would have liked to see and hear about (although it is understandable and it already costs a lot) is a review of the adapters for the cartridges for neo geo, game gear, lynx and TurboGrafx-16. As it does add a lot to to the functionality of the device.
Good review thanks
Still waiting for mine!
Also I am a musician! and the nanoloop function looks very cool :)
Great in depth and honest review.
For the Gameboy Advance games, you ARE able to move and resize the image. You just have to set the display option to the Analogue setting, and not the GBA display options.
Ah, thanks for the note!
Pokémon Prism is an amazing rom hack? With HOURS of content, with emphasis, because I have well over 40hours on it, and still have plenty to do. There are a few things that unfortunately aren’t fully fleshed out (the Kanto and Jhoto regions) but that’s due to GBC hardware limitations. Regardless there’s so much to do that in the scheme of things it’s still cool that they even managed to make them fit in with all the other content in the first place. I highly recommend it.
Haven’t had a chance to watch yet, but the pocket is going to change a lot when the eventual jailbreak to play other fpga cores comes. I played a few gba carts on mine but have ultimately been waiting to that to happen to use it more.
The EZ-Flash Omega flashcard has Savestate function itself. But I don't know if this flashcard works in the Analgue Pocket