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Retroid Pocket 3: What is it, and Is It Right For You?

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Retroid Pocket 3: What is it, and Is It Right For You?

As a retro gamer fan, you may have heard of Go Retroid before. If you haven’t, they make some of the best retro handhelds on the market. The company is quite young and focuses on quality products and not mass production. Despite the small output, their consoles have always been competitively priced.

Retroid Pocket 3 is the third generation that Go Retroid has developed. Unfortunately, the company scaled down their console production due to the pandemic and biting chip shortages. But now that it is out, the retro community is all about it. And the price tag is amazingly affordable. Let’s explore the Retroid Pocket 3 and see it’s worth an investment.

Quick Facts

Release Date
15/08/2022
Original price
$119
Units Sold
N/A

Best Deals Today

Because of production issues, Retroid has been selling the Retroid Pocket 3 on their website. However, if they follow the pattern of their previous releases, you can expect to see the Pocket 3 on Amazon by November or December.

At the time of writing, Go Retroid has not announced any plans to make the Pocket 3 available on Amazon.

Retroid Pocket 3: Overview

Best Android
Retroid Pocket 3 Handheld Console
  • Supports Android and Retro Games
  • 4.7-inch touchscreen
  • Build-in game assistant APK
  • Improved controls for a better gaming
  • Lightweight and compact design
  • Up to 6 hours of battery life
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(Please note that as of July 17th, 2023, the Retroid Pocket 3 Retro Game Handheld Console, Retroid Pocket 3 Android Retro Game Console Multiple Emulators Console Handheld 4.7 Inch 16:9 Display 4000mAh Battery Classic Games (White, 2+32GB) is currently unavailable on Amazon. Please check back later.)

Release Date and Price

After much anticipation from the retro community, the Pocket 3 was announced on August 15th. Shipping started on August 20th. Following the incredible price points of their predecessors, people expected the Pocket 3 would cost $120-$150. However, Go Retroid settle sold the Pocket 3 base model for $119.

Compared to other Retro handheld consoles, you cannot beat the price of the Pocket 3 for its excellent performance.

Features

The Retroid Pocket 3 is an excellent fit for most retro gamers. Not only is handheld but includes micro-HDMI cable. You can hook it up to your TV and play retro games on your TV. However, its HDMI port only supports 720p. But for 16-bit games, you will not notice a big difference between 1080p and 720p.

Retroid has made the device easily repairable. In addition, the company has made a considerable effort to avail each replaceable component on their website. We are big fans of the right-to-repair movement, and you can buy just a pack of parts individually if you have a problem makes repairability a huge plus.

Specs

Switching to specs, the Pocket 3 is pretty much identical to the Pocket 2+. They both use the Unisoc T310 processor and come stock with 2GB of RAM, but you can upgrade the Pocket 3 to 3GB of RAM for an extra $10. We highly recommend going for this upgrade. The bump in power it offers is well worth it if you are looking for it. Below we listed the full specs for the Pocket 3.

Retroid Pocket 3
ProcessorQuad-core Unisoc T310 CPU
GPUPowerVR GE8300 @800Mhz
Display4.7″ Touch Screen Display (16:9 740 x 1334 @60fps)
Storage32GB Storage
RAM2GB/3GB RAM
Battery 4000MAH Battery Capacity
OSAndroid 11
HDMI OutputYes (Micro HDMI)

Retroid Pocket 3: Review

Person playing video games on high-resolution tv
Pocket 3 lets you play your favorite video games on a big screen TV using HDMI connectivity.

Anyone who’s gamed on the Retroid Pocket 3 will tell you it’s absolute joy to use. The minimal layout of the face buttons and controls is a welcome relief. Other retro handhelds seem to throw every button they can fit onto the face of the console.

Go Retroid includes extra domes for the buttons for more of a soft touch experience as well. You will have to open up the console to make the switch, but the preinstalled “clicky” buttons are also excellent.

In our opinion, the Pocket 3 is a perfect fit in most people’s hands. The 4.7inch screen might be a little small for some people but won’t get in the way of gaming. If you have large hands, the controls might feel a little cramped. With a portable device, that is hard to avoid.

Retroid Pocket 2 Plus Retro Game Handheld Console, Retroid Pocket 2+ Android Retro Game Console Multiple Emulators Console Handheld 3.5 Inch Display 4000mAh Battery Classic Games Retro Gaming (Black)
  • [Android Retro Game Console]: Retroid Pocket 2 Plus is an upgraded version game console of Retroid Pocket 2 which supports running Android and Retro Games. This retro gaming handheld features a Tiger...
  • [Upgraded Performance]: Adopt new processor, the performance of Retroid Pocket 2 Plus is 2-3 times higher than Retroid Pocket 2. Internally installed game launcher and emulator frontend. OTA support...
  • [Built-in 4000mAh Battery]: Retroid Pocket 2 Plus portable video retro game console built-in 4000mAh battery. The gaming time is more than 6 hrs after fully charged. the screen of this retro gaming...
  • [Micro HDMI & WIFI Function & Bluetooth]: Enjoy your retro handheld game console on a big screen by using the Micro HDMI cable (not included). You can download your favorite emulators and run your own...
  • [For Gamers on the go]: This retro console is compact, lightweight, and very easy to carry. You can jump into your favorite games wherever you happen to be. Download APK for Android and customize...
We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.

The 16:9 screen on the Pocket 3 makes emulation fun. Compared to the Pocket 2+ with a 4:3 screen, emulating PSP games or using airplay with modern consoles feels right. That said, if you want that 4:3 experience still, you can play in 4:3. The games will not fill the whole screen, and you might run into some cropping issues.

(Please note that as of July 18th, 2023, the Retroid Pocket 2 Plus Retro Game Handheld Console is currently unavailable on Amazon. Please check back later.)

Retroid Pocket 3: Pros and Cons

Pros

  • Extremely affordable
  • Pocketable size
  • Battery lasts up to 7 hours on one charge.

Cons

  • Only available on goretroid.com
  • Customs fee may apply for worldwide shipping
  • Soft buttons aren’t preinstalled.

Retroid Pocket 3: Is it a Buy?

Equipped with an official game launcher and emulator frontend, the Pocket 3 is a step up from its predecessor. Is this gaming console good for everyone?

Buy If…

There is very little actually wrong with the Pocket 3, and if you are looking to get into handheld emulation, we highly recommend checking it out. Even with the upgraded model at $129, you cannot beat the price to the performance it offers. This will easily become a new favorite for many retro gamers out there.

Don’t Buy If…

You want to get into handheld emulation. We wouldn’t recommend going for the Pocket 3 if you already have the Pocket 2+. They have similar in specs and features. So, an upgrade is not worth the Invesment unless you are absolutely dying for that 16:9 aspect ratio.

Not to leave it on a sour note, the Pocket 3 is easily one of our favorite handheld consoles, and again for the price, you cannot really beat what you are getting. Plus, you are supporting a small company that is a massive proponent for right-to-repair and retro gamers.

Up Next…

Frequently Asked Questions

Can retroid pocket 3 play ps2 games?

Yes, the Retroid Pocket 3 will play everything up to Dreamcast, PSP, Nintendo 64, Playstation 2, and Game Cube.

When was the Retroid Pocket 2 released?

The Retroid Pocket 2 was released in September 2020.

Can Retroid Pocket 2 play Dreamcast games?

The Pocket 2 has performed flawlessly with everything up to and including the Dreamcast, Nintendo 64, and PlayStation One/PSP

What can retroid pocket 2+ emulate?

Older consoles typically run better on the Pocket 2+. For example, Gameboy, Neo Geo, SNES, NES, and Game Gear

Will there be a retroid pocket 3?

There is a Retroid Pocket 3, which holds up the excellent reputation that previous Retroid consoles have built.

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