Retroid Pocket 2S: The Ultimate Starter Handheld
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 27 พ.ค. 2024
- Thanks to its powerful chipset, excellent controls, and competitive price (starting at $99), the new Retroid Pocket 2S takes the crown as the best retro Android-based handheld for newcomers, or those looking to make an upgrade without breaking the bank. In this video we'll take a look at its hardware and performance to see if it's a good fit for you.
Buy one here: bit.ly/Retroid2S
Retroid starter guide: retrogamecorps.com/2022/01/16...
Android starter guide: retrogamecorps.com/2022/03/13...
RetroArch starter guide: retrogamecorps.com/2022/02/28...
This was a review unit sent to me by the manufacturer. All opinions are my own, they did not see this review ahead of time, and no money was exchanged in any way.
Timestamps:
00:00 introduction
01:01 tech specs and pricing
03:25 unboxing and impressions
06:32 controls and teardown
11:24 HDMI out and I/O
13:39 ergonomics and screen
17:06 audio quality
18:14 size comparisons
19:26 software experience
21:48 handheld and retro emulation
24:20 benchmarking
25:15 PSX, Saturn, N64, Dreamcast, PSP
27:57 GameCube, PS2, Switch
30:59 Android games and streaming
32:26 summary (likes and dislikes)
34:49 comparison with other handhelds
39:39 conclusion
If you want to support the channel, please consider Patreon: / retrogamecorps
Find me on Discord! / discord
Theme song written by Jim Gray of Our Ghosts:
ourghosts.bandcamp.com/track/...
More music here: / posts
Note that this description may contain affiliate links. By clicking on an affiliate link and buying something, I may earn a small commission of the sale at no extra cost to you. You can read more about that here: retrogamecorps.com/about/
This video is for entertainment and educational purposes only.
#Retroid #emulation #retrohandheld #retrogaming - เกม
![THIS is How I Set Up Android Handhelds! [RP2s Setup Guide]](/img/n.gif)
I'm not even interested in a lot of the products you review, but your work is so informative and interesting, I end up watching pretty much everything you put out. Keep up the awesome work!
same 😂 I just dream owning a handheld 😢
I guess it's kind of like how car enthusiasts enjoy watching car reviews of cars they know they'll never own.
Completely, though we're on the cusp of full library ps3 and gamecube emulation in a low power device, and it'll be hard to resist that.
@@BoxdHoundprobably not PS3 but Odin 2 looks like it will be right there.
@@BoxdHound a while yet for ps3. Even PS2 is currently difficult or impossible on a low end devices. Some can do it sure, but not well. Much of that library is unplayable or has severe slowdown unless you are using the Odin 2.
I didn’t understand why people kept saying you were the best retro handheld reviewer until I had to wait a week for this video, and wow the quality and effort you put into your work is really top notch! Thanks for all your work on these, I think this will make a great Christmas gift for my little brother (:
I hope your little brother doesn't see these comments 🤣
Watched an LTT review when Russ hadn’t covered the Win Max 2 yet, and anyone forcing someone else to watch an LTT review would probably be breaking the Geneva convention
As good as this is if u want a real budget game system then I’d go for the sf2000 it looks like the Super Nintendo pad plays thousands of games an can be bought of eBay for £ 25 I’ve played mine most days for two months now it’s soooooo cheap that I don’t mind so much if it got damaged or lost u won’t look back trust me 💖💖💖
Thanks so much for watching!
@@Sweetie-zf3ss Review of the SF2000 mentions screen tearing and that even SNES emulation is hit or miss. Yeah it's $25-30 but it can't even properly emulate the system it's mimicking. Sorry that's just a fail.
Just picked up the transparent green one. I can't get enough of these retro handhelds and your videos are always at the top of my mind when coming to check them out before buying. Keep up the awesome channel mate! Much love from the UK :-)
I think I loved the end of the review so much!!! Seeing all the different devices and comparisons was such a neat way to wrap it up and assist with usage case.
I got this as my first retro handheld on your recommendation and couldn't be happier with it.
The 4:3 screen is a big POSITIVE for me. Im in it for the 4:3 games arcade classics, n64, ps1, snes, sega genesis/saturn and the GBA with 3:2 aspect. This is not for the 16:9 games even though it can handle some of that stuff in a pinch. I wish the Game Cube stuff was better but I really only want to play Luigi's Mansion on that front anyway. Looking forward to getting this delivered next week. Thank you for the review!
Agreed, I love 4:3 devices for retro gaming! It just gets weird when a device is capable of playing something like PSP but isn't a great fit for that screen. But for everything else it is a stellar experience :)
I'm currently playing Luigi's Mansion on the RP2+ and it's pretty smooth so it will be a pleasure on the 2s
how much was the shipping@@Senda688
Found this video after your 2023 round up. Your videos seem to be the most informational withiut cramming 5 different "must haves" in my face. Now to choose between this and the RGB30
So, handheld community. Can we talk? Because I didn't buy the 3+ based on what people were saying at the time. That it just didn't play enough Gamecube and PS2 to justify the price hike. So I never bothered even looking at the community Compatibility sheet. But now coming back to the Pocket 2, I wanted to see what it could play and...I have to ask what people actually want out of these devices. on the RP3+ Spreadsheet, 45 games are considered "Great" to play, 36 are considered "Perfect", while 15 are at least considered "Playable". THAT'S 100 GAMES. And these games aren't shovelware either. They're the games people constantly talk about when they mention the Gamecube. Resident Evil, Melee, Tales of Symphonia, WWE Day of Reckoning, Skies of Arcadia, metroid Prime. I feel gaslit, this is stacked. I'm sorry Call of Duty 2 isn't playable. Clearly that's the game changer here. A pre Modern Warfare/Black Ops Call of Duty.
The Wii games are kinda in a similar vein, but lesser. 23 "Great", 23 "Perfect", and 15 "Playable". Most of this looks like games people talk about when they mention the Wii. It's not like "Oh, Kidz Sports: International Soccer is considered Perfect" like actual games people care about are here. PROJECT M is considered "Great" on this cheap handheld. That's insane to me.
PS2 has 140 "Great", about 120 "Perfect", and like 80 "Playable". I get the PS2 library is one of the largest ever and not every playable game is exactly from the Platinum Hits, but come on. if just 40 of them were the goty material, that's an achievement. Most people buying this are probably using a 256GB SD card anyway. Many people would run out of storage trying to fit what's playable on there.
Even as jank as Citra can be, 3DS still has 26 "Great", 30 "Perfect", and 6 "Playable". Those 6 being Captain Toad, Pokemon Sun, Smash, Rhythm Heaven, Dragon Quest 8, and DOA Dimensions. So even "Playable" is some of the 3DS's most cherished games.
Can it play everything? No. But channels had me thinking this handheld chip was barely a step up from the 2 Plus. Had me waiting for the 4 to come out while the 3 was doing a lot more than the 2 Plus ever did. I might actually buy the 2S now. It's the 3 but cheaper with almost no need to upscale. There's no contest here. On top of everything named, the 2S can also do basically the entire library of Game Boy, Game Boy Color, Game Boy Advance, NES, SNES, Nintendo 64, DS, Game Gear, Master System, Genesis, Saturn, Dreamcast, PS1, PSP, NEO GEO, 3DO, Wonderswan, and most Arcade. That's not even naming the less popular systems.
Looking at all this, thousands of classic games on top of least a couple hundred 3D games, I don't get the need to pretend this is meh. This is only gonna get better in the years to come, even with other handheld companies. I'm kind of content here.
I think this is a good conclusion, two points I’d like to add:
- The RP3+ got a big mid-lifecycle performance boost which increased its playability for PS2/GC significantly (I did an update video on it!). So that might be why you’re seeing a difference compared to initial reviews (including my own).
- The community spreadsheet is a little optimistic, there are some very enthusiastic contributors; replicating their “perfect” results can sometimes be frustrating. I tend to skew on the conservative side when making assessments, I would rather someone be pleasantly surprised by better-than-expected performance than disappointed when they are oversold on performance.
But yeah it sounds like the 2S might be a good fit for your needs!
I setup two RP3+ as gifts for pre-teens requiring a console-like experience. This is particularly difficult to accomplish with Android, even with Retroid+Diajisho (the best combo available). And don't get me started on the lack of 'seamless' support for wireless multiplayer with Dolphin (GameCube) specifically on Android; tinkering is required each time. And Diajisho currently breaks 'load' state access with MMJR specifically; 'save' states and built-in saves do work. Also in my experience, Diajisho won't launch Dolphin-for-Handheld at all. In any case, I relied heavily on those community spreadsheets for GC and even PSP in the early stages. I didn't have the time or sufficient storage to include PS2. And I didn't include any Mature titles based on the target audience; admittedly the most intensive to emulate. I did include 50 top GC games running at or near full speed complete with widescreen hacks/cheats/patched roms. That optimization took several days alone due to testing across 3 Dolphin emulators (Official, MMJR and MMJR2). I was forced to deviate in many cases from the RP3+ community spreadsheet for GC, but it's a great start until you get a feel for the process. It's more of an art than science in some cases.
@@RetroGameCorps You're very good at not over-selling or under-selling a product. Even the PlayStation Portal, which I think is a colossal waste of money, you give a fair and unbiased viewpoint that appeals to both sides of the market.
There *are* people who are going to want a product that, to people like me, looks like a disaster and they may even have good reasons for it (having a lot of extra money to blow being one of them). It's good not to forget that and make sure everyone gets a good take on what a system (or streaming device or whatever) offers and let them form their own opinions.
"Leaning on the conservative side" is smart. I'm assuming in that video you also mentioned the possibility of better performance with tweaking, too, as you usually seem to have your bases covered, so no criticisms here on that part.
For me, though, I do personally like to know what a system can push with a bit of effort. I'm a tinkerer. I will keep looking up ways to optimize games I want to play, so knowing that my efforts could be rewarded if I'm persistent enough would be a good thing to mention in future reviews/overviews. Just a thought.
Although I'm more on the budget side, so I'm more of the desperate variety of viewer. Anything I can get, I'll take. lol
As a pocket 3+ metal owner, I would say to not wait for the metal version. They're probably not going to be a major upgrade, and I and other metal 3+ owners have noted they seemed to have a lot more manufacturing inconsistencies than the standard RP3+. Since they included the hall effect sticks on day one, honestly the budget 99$ model might be the best value. I got the RP3M as my first retro handheld and I love it. Still play it almost every day.
This will probably be a great, and correctly priced, entry to retro gaming. I think buyers will be very happy with the range of games they can play and the quality of the device.
Exactly. 2S looks amazing as long as your expectations are correct. What's the point spending 2x as much right now, since that still won't get you great gamecube and PS2 emulation on all games, and new better stuff is always coming out.
@@patsk8872 At some point, if you want a retro handheld, you need to jump in. I think both the Pocket 3+ and the Pocket 2S have their reasons to exist, but I don't know if I'd buy either if I already had a device that was capable of good PS1/N64 emulation for that reason of inconsistent GCN/PS2 performance. My Pocket 3+ handles the GC games I want just fine, but I know there have been some hiccups here and there......but I didn't have any handheld at all so I'm sitting pretty right now with what I have and what I want it to do. But if I already had a similar enough performance model, I'd probably be disappointed in the lack of widespread compatibility and upscaling and wish I'd waited another year or two for the next wave to come out.
I ordered one as a late christmas present for myself, based on this review. Thanks man, I'm looking forward to trying it myself.
That sound comparison montage was great!
This was the device I was hoping would happen, tbh. I loved the 2 and 2+, the form factor was really what decided it. But I badly wanted a proper right stick, and didn't like the triggers. This resolves that. And that it comes with a hardware upgrade is great. No idea when mine will get to me (I did a 4gb retro model), but I'm excited to get my hands on it. Thank you for the video!
Yours come in yet? Just ordered mine!
Yesterday! I'm super happy with it. The sticks are so much nicer, and performance is noticeably better than the 2+. A lot more of my ps2 library became playable, which is just awesome. I was already happy with what the 2+ could do and this just...does more, and is more comfortable, a win all around lol@@wornouttrends
@eatsandwichesonthursdays420 what sticks did you get?
I just got an RP Flip on Amazon for 190 and honestly, I couldn't be happier with the device. It works so well, and the shipping only took 2 days. If I were going for something more affordable though, this thing would definitely do the trick I'd reckon, but the size looks so similar that I'd rather have a bigger screen. Plus, the Flip is it's own case and I love that. Now I just gotta see how long the hinge lasts lol
What a awesome review! Definitely setting a standard for reviews in general!
Awesome review as always! Side by side with the 405m just confirms how much nicer a 4” screen looks for 4:3 content though.
I would be very happy if Anbernic made an RG405P with the exact same design as the RG405M but plastic -- and maybe with the d-pad up top :)
@@RetroGameCorpsand stacked triggers
@@RetroGameCorps but possibly without screen issues... A HDMI port would be nice, maybe a better position of start and select buttons, and L2 and R2 triggers instead of in-line buttons. In this scenario, wouldn't just a more powerful RP2S with a 4" display better than a RG405P? I would really love something like this but with a 3:2 display :)
@@RetroGameCorps That's what I said months ago, for an Anbernic RG 405p.
But for now we still have the Anbernic RG 353m which makes for an excellent emulation device that is very easy to take anywhere with your phone. Especially for focusing on playing the older systems while acting as a companion device for something larger like a Valve SteamDeck or ASUS ROG Ally or GPD Win-Max-3.
The Stacked Shoulder Pads are a must have for PORTABLE devices, but from a practicality point it is preferable to have In-Line Shoulder Buttons for POCKETABLE devices.
PS: Thanks for the video Russ, and thanks for taking my ideas onboard with the test for pocket comfort, and the screen dimming test.
@@RetroGameCorps And hdmi out!
An entertaining and informative review as always.
Unless you particularly want a gb-style vertical device, it seems like this one is now the obvious choice in the budget market, that combination of so many good hardware elements (sticks, triggers and strong chipset) combined with Retroid's good software is such a strong offering.
I have an rg353ps to fit that price and form factor which I am happy with so I can't see myself buying one, but outside of somebody wanting a bigger screen it seems like the rp2s is an easy one to recommend. If they had managed to squeeze in a 4" display then I think I would have been in the queue to get one, the triggers would easily tip the balance over the slightly stronger chipset and the metal casing of the rg405m.
17:06 Those are some amazing sounding speakers for a handheld.
Really blew away the competition.
Was waiting for this. I've been on the lookout for a pocketable console that is easy to set up arcade romsets and up to psone. You've been a great help and also accessory to my collection addiction of these😂. You cover aspects like size,power,OS and build in ways I can understand
The journey has been fun I hope one day you'll come accross what I'm looking for exactly. For bow the RK2023 has the sofware requirements but no the hardware. Wish miyoo would release that flip prototype.
Maan, i'm ad the middle of the video and had to say, damnnnn this is incredible review! it's so complete and profesional. covering so much about this long waited handheld makes me want to get one. congrats, now i will continue watching :D
Thank you for your well explained example of the D-pad which is my main issue with these retro handhelds. No other reviewer goes in depth like you. Take care
Great in-deph appreciate it. Mine its on the way cant wait to try it out.
Hello, first time to this channel but just wanted to say I really appreciated this review. It was thorough, neutral, analyitical and elaborate. I partuclarly appreciated your contra/SF3 tests to describe the feel/control of the d-pad and the comparison to similar devices at the end. Much kudos!
Your my go to guy! For retro emulation handheld reviews! Good stuff! Keep it up bro 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Great review as always Russ. I have the Pocket 2+ and while i don't know if i should upgrade or not, this review at least did a lot of the ground work for me and i got the answers i was looking for. Thank you.
Thanks for the review! I just got my translucent black 2S in and can't wait to play with it. It seems as though the start and select buttons are more raised on this model similar to the home and back buttons at the bottom of the device.
Really like the awesome new sticks and the transparent jungle green is the perfect one for me but that tiny 3.5 inch screen is such a deal breaker. I hope retroid takes the new sticks to next bigger handheld with a nice screen and they will have me make the switch.
This video convinced me to like, subscribe, and buy a Retroid Pocket 2S. My buddy gave me his old Anbernic RG350 awhile back and I fell down a rabbit hole at around 4:30 this morning. This is where I ended up. Thank you!
Great review! After a lot of thought I went with this as my first handheld retro device. I wanted something d-pad dominant with a 4:3 display that could run Saturn. This checks those boxes and the value is even better now thanks to the recent price drop (now $99 for the 4gb model).
Thanks for the great review. I can't wait for mine to arrive.
Provided it was reasonably priced, i think a Pocket 3S would be just what I'm looking for - with these new analogue sticks, clear speakers, and analogue triggers but with a bigger, higher resolution screen... Maybe in a few months it'll exist!
I'm so close to getting a 3+ and the price difference here in the uk if you get them from aliexpress isn't huge once you opt in for the 4gb. I might just hang on for yet another year and see how the prices change and what else becomes available. I've waited this long to play old games, another 12 months doesn't seem long at all to wait! Great video as always man! Thank you!!
Have a RP2+ and Love it. I'm glad that this is an improvement. Only thing I wish was was they made the screen a bit bigger like the rg405m.
Agreed, a 4" screen (in this same shell!) would have made it a KNOCKOUT in design and 4:3 gaming experience.
Yeah, the screen size is what's holding me back for now. I have an RG353PS and with the same screen they feel way too similar to justify the new investment. I really wish they went with 4" so I could justify it better lol
@@batmabel would you recommend the 353ps over the Miyoo+ and 35xx? I want to have comfy long play sessions but at the same time I'd be sacrificing the awesome custom themes available on Onion and Garlic OS.
@@lucykaede5863 That's a good question. The RG35XX was my first one, I got the RG353PS afterwards because I wanted to play other consoles and loved the form factor. I think I'd recommend it over the 35XX if you prefer the portrait form factor (I do for most things), want wi-fi (but the Miyoo+ does that too) or if you want to play consoles beyond the PS1, otherwise get the 35XX because Garlic OS is a lot, and I mean A LOT better than ArkOS in my opinion - that's my biggest complain about the 353PS. Supposedly, Garlic will be released on other platforms too so if we get it on the 353PS I think it'll get much better than it is today.
@@batmabel Yea I prefer the 353ps in terms of form factor. Hopefully when Garlic OS does get released on it, the custom themes and stuff will be carried over. Just kinda sucks that some awesome themes on Onion OS isn't available on Garlic OS. Hopefully in the future the themes between the two systems can be used interchangeably since they're pretty similar.
You have help me decide which device I’m going to buy for my five year old nephew, and I think this is it small enough for his hands and capable enough for him to learn about all the retro games.
Russ, you *can* mod the ABXY to dome style just by sticking 3DS ABXY dome stickers on the conductive pads, I tried it in the 3+ when they discontinued that board.
It’s a bit of a metal on metal CLACK, so I’m waiting on some aliexpress fabric conductive tape to stick inside the domes and sheet silicone to stick on the backs of the buttons. It should be a very cheap and easy mod.
If it feels nice I’ll likely sell it as a simple upgrade kit, and I’d be happy to send you some!
Did you end up putting together that upgrade kit? I'm getting one soon and would love dome ABXY buttons
I am at a point where I cannot wait for the next review to drop. These reviews are so fun to watch!
And I don’t even own a handheld😂
This product is exactly what I've been waiting for!!
Great video. Possibly gonna pick this one up
i really love that these retroids always have micro HDMI, makes it really convenient for recording or streaming it to friends on twitch or in discord
But 720p isn't good.
it may not be but it's serviceable for what I like to do
I have one issue regarding to emulator live streaming:
Legality
@@GungKrisna12technically not illegal if you own the actual game, and got your ROM from your copy.
So, even if you did get ROM from online, as long as you don’t bring it up, should be fine
Wait how do you stream?
First time watching a review of yours on something I purchased. Really enjoyed this review. Thanks
You are amazing man. Really, thanj you for your awesome work!
I ordered to upgrade from something I already own-- a pocket 2+
I plan to bring the 2S around with me and have the 2+ stationed as a console. PS4 controllers work awesome, lag free and the TouchPad brings up the cursor
The 2+ had a microphone which was useful for search functions instead of typing on that tiny screen. Also the 2+ had a power LED which helps me know when the battery is low even after I dismiss the notification from android
Hdmi to rca s-video adapters work great to bring this 4:3 image to an older standard definition CRT TV
Seahawk stadium employee : " who ordered the retroid pocket?!"
For the triggers not being picked up by Daijisho, it's often because they are in "analog mode". Try to find if possible in the android settings if you can change the triggers behaviour to analog and digital.
@@The_TylerDurden_Narrator went in android settings, changed triggers behaviour to digital/analog instead of just analog
Just bought one. Thanks Russ!
Hi, Russ, glad to see your videos after some times.
Would love to see the full performance comparison between the 3GB vs 4GB.
Performance is not RAM limited in anything but intensive Android games and possibly Switch, and there are HD texture packs for some games that would make use of it. To my knowledge, everything else (that the device can run) should be fine with 3GB.
I hope you put out a starter guide for this, but honestly I don't think a lot has changed from the 2+ one you put out, maybe how to setup Dajisho with this. Good stuff Russ! I hope Chicken is doing good in her old age!
He has a Daijisho guide. It got new features since, but the setup process is pretty much the same.
I can’t wait for your review on the 405v
Awaiting my one! So excited👾
What color did you order?
@@reeseoreilly576816 Bit/4GB, 8 days ago
@@reeseoreilly5768 didn't have any confirm of shipping yet in my inbox
Hi Russ! Thanks for your work and videos, always a must for purchasing a handheld!😅Any chance of a review of the 2S metal edition! Cheers!
personally I really prefer the 4:3 aspect ratio of the 2s. I just can't stand looking at the big black bars most retro games will have with 16:9 screens. Glad they made a new iteration of this one.
I'm definitely getting old because the bigger screen on the Pocket 3 Plus, even though it's only an extra 0.3 inches, is really appealing. I'm waiting for Anbernic to release a theoretical RG405P in plastic and at a lower cost, and then I think that's what I'd like for 4:3 games. Still, it's really nice to see some progress; for a $120 (plus shipping) handheld, this is really powerful.
Seriously impressed by those joystick modules, having replaced my joycon sticks 4+ times!
Gulikit has hall sensor joyconsticks though
@@CLOYO yeah and I installed those after having replaced my sticks 4 times in the last 5 years.
Just finally got mine a couple days ago and I've never setup a retroid before and for my first time it wasn't so bad. At first you will be confused cause they don't really tell you what to do. I would recommend watching a tutorial for the rp3+ since im pretty sure its the same process for the 2s. Now it didn't take me long to begin with since it was kinda like setting up an android phone. It was mainly just getting the retroid launcher itself to work.
Nice review and comparison!
Been waiting for this!!
i would love to see a guide on using this as a home console, with a wireless controller working in all the emulators
I can see these hall sticks, buttons, and analog triggers naturally making their way over to a RP3 “Pro” or similar, even without a spec bump. It would be a nice refining touch to the already great 3+
It does look like a solid pick for the price, and especially nice that they included analog triggers in this price range. I already have the various t618 devices you mentioned so i will likely be skipping this one, but i would keep this in mind as a potential gift idea.
Yeah it's a hard sell for anyone with a T618 device, but still impressive what you can get for the price!
When I first learned about retro emulation handhelds, it was the 2+ I really wanted and liked. At the time I was super into the niche design. But I waited, because I wanted GC. I find that this particular design doesn't grab me anymore, and I'm more into the look of the KT-R1/the Ambernic offering in this video. I have a Steam Deck now though so it's very hard to justify buying another handheld, but for $100, it's sure tempting here. The Analog triggers and hall effect joysticks really make it seem like this is the one.
You have great reviews!
Great review. I got one of these to play my GB/GBC/GBA collection on. I have a Steam Deck, but its cumbersome size grates on me after awhile. Hopefully mine ships soon!
I ended up ordering this lol. I already have the rp3+, but this one is just so cute. I can’t resist those retro aesthetics.
I have the Retroid 2+, and the triggers fit really nice in a cell phone case, I got a case for 10 bucks on amazon that goes on my belt, the triggers slick in the fold at the top nicely. That metal varient of this sounds pretty tempting.
I just got the 3+ and the setup literally took me an entire day. That experience alone made me really appreciate having systems that comes with games and controls set. I put waaaaaay too much time into trying to configure settings and change controls. I'm in NO rush to experience another retroid setup even though I love the transparent shells and analog triggers
That's just Android setup full stop, not specific to Retroid really. I hated it at first but now I've done a few it's ok. Far prefer Linux Custom Firmware though!
Agreed. Lots of tinkering but worth it. My RG350M was worse though.
Cheers Russ, great review as usual. What surprised me as I was watching was how much I like the look, particularly in this colour scheme. At first glance it's just a typical oblong but the more I looked the more I liked the slightly chunky retro vibe, considered colours used and the general layout. Makes the 2+ look rather bland despite their similarities. They may not get everything right but Retroid are doing some great work.
This checks so many boxes for me, except my poor eyes. Great review as always.
thank you so much for your video again !
The PS2's performance is perfect for me. I don't plan to play any of the demanding PS2 games on the 2S, just RPG's and survival horror games.
I’ve only encountered 2 games that are difficult to emulate as far as RPGs. Champions of Norrath and Xenosaga. I’m curious retro handheld would run those.
I think for good performance of ps2 you have to get into ayn Odin territory, Aya new android device will probably run it too.
@lightningfarronxp8899 I’m with you on that, games like ICO, Odin sphere, and kingdom hearts run great on a device like this.
@@evildeadfan420ifyrare to see somebody mention Champions! What a great series.
Not quite a retro handheld, but I’ve been going through Return to Arms on my Steam Deck.
Would be great to be able to emulate it on something smaller / cheaper, but figured I’d mention it just in case.
Great review! Can’t wait to get my hands on mine, although I have a feeling I’m still gonna use my Flip more 😅
Btw, the trigger issue with Daijisho is a known issue with the current firmware, you gotta go in and set the triggers to be both analog and digital, then it should work as normal. I had to do that with my Flip too, so hope that helps! :)
Awesome! Thank you for the tip!
Can confirm, but just to clarify if anyone is reading this that hasn’t figured it out yet - go to android system settings > Handheld Settings > Input > L2/R2 mode and then select Both
Holy sh.... Thanks, to both you and dv. Awesome to have it :)
Retroid Pocket 2+ is one of the coziest electronics I have ever owned. This looks to continue the trend.
A few months later, it seems like the RG35XX-H may be a more practical starter handheld. It's definitely a cheaper device, but at less than half the price, it seems to fit that "starter" category really well.
I was going to buy this for myself, but I haven't even gotten my Miyo Mini Plus in from China yet, so I think this might be a good gift for my sister for Christmas.
I can't wait for mine to ship. Apparently my Clear Black version will take a while.
Dang, so close to my ideal device. Love the D-pad placement, shoulder button placement/analog movement, and 4:3 ratio. Bummed on the GC/PS2 performance and the screen size, hopefully improvements on a later rev?? Not sure how many more 4:3 retro devices there will be going forward, or if theres some madlad making 4:3 OLED screen for these? To quote Toy Story - "Hey, I can dream, can't I?" :-)
I just bought the Miyoo mini+, as it's one of the best budget options. I was really interested in the Retroid pocket 3+, but I think I will wait for a sale to get the Odin Lite instead. It's about 50$ USD difference, but the power and quality seem to be worth it.
Was waiting for this review! I am now stuck between this and the anbernic rg353v! I love the vertical form factor of the rg353v but this one has even more performance and is still on the smaller portable size.
I love my 353V because it reminds me of my old Gameboy but if I only got one device I would go with the 2S for the triggers and performance.
Wait for the rg405v?
@@Kiahona what’s that?
great review! an idea: maybe you could make a 2-axis price:power graph. There are so many devices now could help keep track of them!
The 2+ fits nice in a lot of jacket pockets. I usually keep mine in the inside chest pocket of my jackets.
Bought a MM+ but upgrading to this as my first real device after this review
A nice little upgrade over the 2+ - not enough to buy it as a 2+ owner, but it would be a great first device. The 2+ is mostly a GB, GBC, GBA and NDS for me and the only improvement in that role that I can see is the better control layout. But I'm sure it would be excellent in that role as well.
Dude great review on the Retroid Pocket, Russ! This seems like a neat upgrade from the RP2+ in my opinion. As a FGC enthusiast I’d bet more PS2 2-d fighting games and 3-d Fighters would work much better on the RP2S. I’ve tested several pal ps2 2-D fighters on the 2+ and many were working ok but not quite there.. I’m really hoping the RP2S would fix the slowdowns. Promising upgrade.
Also the RP2S’s psvita-like d-pad I believe is great for fighters as well.
Man overall looks like a great handheld system used for fighting games, FPS, RPGs, platformers, beat’em ups, shoot’em ups, and etc all around. ✌️
I'm still playing on my RP2. I think I will wait for a "RP 3S" to come out. Would love that form factor with some of the upgrades from the 2S - like the larger face buttons, start and select on the front, analog triggers, different analog sticks.
I want to update about the R2+L2 not working in Daijisho. I got them to work by going into settings/Handheld settings > Input > L2/R2 Mode and set it to Both.
Really excited about this HH, I 💗 my RP2+, but I wish the d-pad was placed like the 2s, the joysticks the left one is decent and the right one is more of a slider and blows, I want to play 2k on Dreamcast so the performance jump is welcomed.
wow i am sold on the tumb sticks and vita d pad!
Insane value here. It supports thousands of games on launch day.
I have already pre-ordered this device. I'm waiting for to come in and I am so excited to play twilight princess on the go.
Thanks for the great review and making my decision even tougher. 😅 Do I stick with my RG353VS, pretty happy with it but a few items I would like with an upgrade (but want it still fully jacket pocketable). The RP2S, it's $50 CAD less than the RG405M and has just enough power to make me happy (Saturn limitations would be manageable). And I do love racing games so for it'd be awesome with all the DC racing titles I'd love to fully enjoy on the go. But RG405M's screen at 4", when at 16:9 is 97% the size of a PSP Go, so that could make PSP games more enjoyable (as I do find it too small on a 3.5" display)... but 50/50 about offset thumb sticks on a retro device, and lack of analog triggers (let alone stacked triggers).
Excellent job breaking down real price of the device. After all is said and done this is definitely a solid device in the $150 range, but no way is this a sub $100 device. Sub $100 would be competing with Miyoo mini + and 35XX, this is definitely in a different category.
For me, it's definitely a buy on Black Friday sale. It would be a day 1 buy if it had a better back grip, slightly less protruding triggers, and a removable battery.
Thank you very much for this review.
I've already have the RP2+ and was thinking of upgrading it BUT since watching this I've come to a decision to hold off on buying an upgrade with the ones you recommended. I'm assuming on how Retroid came back to the RP2± after the clam shell design, they will most likely also upgrade the RP3+ to an RP3S. I'll wait for that release probably, I love my RP2+ currently but Retroid is notoriously releasing upgraded version of previously recent release handhelds.
You're the best man thanks for this
So interesting how much has changed so fast. The Retroid Pocket 2 was so widely considered the best or one of the best retro handhelds when it released.
this is why i continue to hold out for the rp3+ successor. I feel like the next gen is going to be incredible.
even getting those replaceable hal joysticks and front start and select would be a bonus, but a spec bump would allow better ps2 gaming
Then you get people like Wulf Den talking about "tHeYr'E dOiNg tHe 2 aGaIn fOr sOmE rEaSoN" like yeah. Retroid decided to upgrade what was considered their best received handheld (with the least amount of controversy behind it mind you) to appeal to a lower price point, but now with all the benefits of the 3+. If this is supposed to be indicitive of Retroid messing up again, their successes are going to be unfathomable.
Then again, I get the feeling Wulf is gonna review this product like "Aren't you tired of all of these Retroids?" and just strawman the whole thing.
I loved the form factor of the 2, but the software was beyond awful. I always wanted to get the 2+ upgrade but hilariously they didn’t sell it in China… My 2 became a dust gatherer after getting better handhelds, but it was an amazing thing to just throw in a bag and not worry about.
Thanks for a great review, Russ. I’m deciding on my first handheld device and N64 is one of my favourite systems otherwise I would grab something like an RG35XX. I’m now deciding between this and the RG353PS. I know the CPU is better in the 2S but it does satisfy my requirements. I also love the Linux based handhelds so running android would be a different experience. I don’t know if this is a disadvantage either. Cheers! 😊
As a 353ps owner I can say the N64 performance is pretty good, but not perfect. The extra oomph for only a tiny amount of extra $ make the 2s a no-brainer IMO. Plus that clear green shell is gorgeous, would likely buy one of these if I didn’t already have the 353ps.
@@joepage5000 the 2S is 40% more. It’s a significant jump in price which is why I’m torn between the two.
Sounds like this is the perfect device for retro 4:3 emulation so i'm definitely sold.
I love my retried pocket 2+ I use it almost every day! It's a shame this can't do game cube and PS2 full speed. Looks like the wait continues LOL
If they put a slightly larger screen on this, I think that would havce been a buy for me. The 4" screen from the RG405M would be really nice in this form factor and with this chipset.
Or maybe a 4" device from Anbernic, with this chipset and a plastic case... Like a budget RG405.
I hope mine arrives soon
Love the thumbstiks, hope they use them in the rp4
Never been so quick on a RGC video.
I have a pocket 2+ and hated the dpad position, so with the pocket 2S with proper dpad placement for 4:3 gaming, it's tempting. Wish the screen was a bit bigger though. Maybe I'll wait for a "2S+" lol.
I noticed that you mentioned in your earlier tweet about the real world performance of the 2S being near identical to the 3+, but in your showcase here of GameCube, I noticed worse performance than that what I've seen run on the 3+.
In particular, I've seen that area in windwaker run at full speed with the latest updates on the 3+ yet here on the 2S, it doesn't seem to hit full speed much at all.
I think many people have the presumption that this device has a like for like performance output to the 3+ when it comes to GameCube and PS2 due to the smaller resolution screen, but I'm seeing that it's not the case.
Would love to see a detailed performance comparison of this device for some of those not so easy to run systems in comparison to something like 405m or the 3+.
As always though, the video you provided today was top notch and very informative.
Hi, great points. I agree that the presumption that a 480p screen has fewer pixels and therefore will perform on par with a better chipset isn't very realistic. I'm not sure what started that rumor but I've seen it all over discord and reddit, but never experienced it myself.
I tested the same ROM, app version, and settings between that stage of Wind Waker and saw an average 3 FPS difference between the two, favoring the RP3+, but that's only after I went back and studied the gameplay footage -- when actually playing the game, the "feel" is very similar since I'm using VBI skip to prevent audio crackling. Also bear in mind the clip I shared in this video was deliberately chosen because it had a large amount of slowdown, to temper expectations for those who are hoping for pitch-perfect Wind Waker gameplay. But it's still definitely an enjoyable experience (for me!) -- this is what prompted my assessment that the difference between the two is nearly intangible, and that tracks with the slight difference in Geekbench scores that we saw in this video.
I think that if someone watches the FPS they'll definitely see a difference in the numbers, but that's not really the point I was making -- it's that largely the Gen 6 performance is pretty decent and not far off from what to expect on a T618 device thanks to the fact that CPU performance is close. There's no question that the T618 chip will be more capable in my book, but I was mostly just surprised at how close they came in the end!
Like Russ, I think those assumptions about par performance were misguided with respect to GC and PS2. At least in an apples-to-apples comparison at 1x internal res (480p). There's an undeniable 38%/17%/10% GPU/DRAM/CPU clock speed difference between the T618 and T610. So when running GC and PS2 at 1x internal res, you should see marginally better performance with a T618, regardless of device screen resolution. That's because 'internal resolution' generated by the emulator is much more compute-intensive than simply 'upscaling' the emulator output. So it ALSO follows that emulating PSP with a T610 at 2x internal res (544p) for 480p screen will close the performance gap on a T618 running 3x res (816p) for 750p screen.