So many reviewers are afraid of being critical so they use veiled words to allude to the problems and we have to read between the lines. Just say what sucks. That's what we're here to find out.
I literally said to myself “here I go clicking on another add” right before this video. I’m not too familiar with his content. I’m glad I was wrong. I would have probably bought the mini if I never heard of that resolution issue. That sounds exactly like a thing that would drive me crazy. And it’s one of those things I see many reviewers overlook
@@alexandrucreata6342 probably refering to retro game corps who got tweo strikes from nintendo on his channel just by showing their games on an emulator device
I think what he could do is show gameplay of Mario on the thing but make it obvious that it's playing a UA-cam video, kinda like how people say "in Minecraft" after a sentence
Always impressed and jealous with the level of quality you put into your filming and making everything look so nice… different level of cinematography from Bob compared to others.
Man, the mini is just so close to my dream retro device with that 4:3 OLED and chipset. They should have made it smaller, though. It's not the worst thing ever, but is too big for the panel they chose. Either way, Retroid has seriously stepped up their game here.
The big weakness of the Retroid Pocket Mini is that you don't need all that processing power to emulate systems that run on 4:3 displays. It's hardware is "mismatched" for its use case.
@@kent1146 That is not true lol. PS2 and Gamecube take a ton of power and those are both 4:3. Some games had official widescreen modes and some have emulator hacks to force them widescreen but mostly they are 4:3.
@@superscatman4236 They reaaally don't take "a ton of power". The D900 runs both perfectly. Hell the Unisoc T860 in the RG 406/Cube lines run them perfectly too... The SD865 is just bad. It's stronger but offers nothing new, and it's a battery sucking heater.
@@mr.number9279 Dunno about yours, but my RP5 battery life is AMAZING. It's my first emulation handheld (outside of Steam Deck) and jfc, I'm honestly impressed by how much it lasts.
I like how this guy reviews it. Talks about what you get negatively before buying it coz all you see on most reviews are praises without even thinking about the downside/issues that you can possibly encounter. In short, this guy's review is not scripted or not biased. It is based on how he sees it and what possible problems he/consumers may encounter. Keep it up dude! Stay cool! 👌
I don't know if I'll ever get to tell you in person but you need to know the influence you have on people through following your passion honestly and with integrity. For a long time I have had this peripheral interest in tech but nothing I thought to look into for myself, thinking "I'm 35 and too old to switch careers". Working manual labor and customer centric jobs in insurance/ banks/ plant health care/ machine/ forge shop, and excelling and moving up in positions but miserably unhappy. I purchased an Anbernic rg35xx plus on your recommendation for a starter retro game handheld and decided to fix it up with ROMS and a different OS for my children. I never would have thought I would be considering a career in software development or computer science if not for channels like WULFF DEN or Retro Game Corp or even Tech Dweeb. I thank you all for this new found passion of mine from the bottom of my heart. But specifically you Bob Wulff, the one that sparked my interest. Thank You.
I guess I'm a freak of nature cuz i 1) love the look of the mini (have the SFC colorway personally) 2) have 0 issues with screen size, even playing widescreen PSP/android games (which surprised me cuz I was prepared to only like PS2/GC titles) and 3) just love the pocketability of the mini and that it is always on me in my pocket. I'm glad everyone's having fun with their 5 but I love the mini.
@@u1tipeople have been clamoring for a top end portable 3:4 handheld And the mini is that, even with OLED screen Bob sometimes has no idea of what he talks about
His last couple of videos on Xbox and PS3 emulation on the RP5 have been click bait nothing burgers. Wastes of time. I unsubscribed after those disappointing videos.
@@dtape I'm sorry you feel that way. I had many requests for those systems even though they are too challenging for the RP5. There are many other great channels you can enjoy in this space :)
I bought one after watching this review, seems like a great value for the price, a step above everything else power-wise in the pricepoint and with a great screen. Most of the issues seem to be minor software issues that can be rectified by just doing a full setup once after buying it, and I was never planning to do stock launcher anyway. Thanks for the thorough review with nitpicks!
@@suhtangwong It's by far the best power/price value, and his critiques were nearly all things that can be fixed with a minuscule amount of effort in initial system setup.
Kind of insane how much bad luck bad has been having with Retroid's Devices. I've gotten almost all the same ones he has and have never experienced an issue like he has, it's crazy.
Don't adopt into the day 1 first gen…or they could be F'ing with him. Either way this video just echoes the same issues he had with the retroid pocket 4 pro.
Yeah, I only have a Retroid Pocket 3+, but I couldn't relate to his video on it at all. I still think it's an excellent device that I use every day, and it does very well at playing GameCube and PS2 games, which he declared were effectively unplayable on it. And he tends to act like having to do some setup and emulator tweaking is unreasonable, but I think anyone deep enough into the hobby to understand the basics of emulation and have their own collection of roms would be prepared to deal with that sort of thing. He just seems to be the most negative reviewer of Retroid handhelds I've seen; the issues that make him uncomfortable recommending the devices at all either get described by others as minor quibbles or they just don't experience them.
@@army103I mean mine died after like a month of not turning on and I only had it for like 4 months. Compared to my 3ds I’ve had since I was 5 which was probably 2013 which still works and yet I hardly use it. Yes I know both are different screens and so on most likely but it was near the same price at the time. Especially with the price cut I had during the time. Rp3+ I don’t like how it just died or the battery did after not being used for a month so yeah I expected a lot more. And yes I do take care of my devices. (I still have a Xbox 360 I’ve had since i was four that works.) And the 3ds has no cracks in either screen and compared to my Rpocket 3+ they didn’t have its battery just die randomly, I don’t play with them charged so yeah either a small issue or not. Sorry for the paragraph btw but if your rp3 still works for you then good for you, not for me.
I appreciate a critical and honest review as much as anybody and I'm sorry you had so many issues with your devices but my experience was quite the opposite. Besides taking two weeks to ship my device I've had a great experience with my pocket 5. No jank, no bugs and no buried configuration issues that are time consuming to solve. I'm 100% new to android and coming from an RGB30 and I really couldnt be happier. Emulation station is great as you said. Game streaming works flawlessly, plenty of horsepower from the SD865 (and it looks to be quite overclockable) and you can dual boot rocknix. The screen is the nicest one in my whole house. Battery life is phenomenal if you keep it in battery saver to limit background processes. Winlator support is good. So for me having the RGB30 for 4:3 and the RP5 for 16:9, it feels like a pretty ideal situation. My one real complaint is the 128gb of internal storage. A lot of things don't play nice with the SD card and it would be great to have at least 256gb. If the RP5 doesn't have the power to pull something off, I have a laptop and a desktop that do. Plenty of people have a different use case than I do, so obviously YMMV, but if a steamdeck or similar feels like overkill but you want a more powerful device than something with a rockchip, I would absolutely consider the RP5. I completely agree the mini is dumb and is trying to cram itself into a niche that doesn't exist imo. Edit: one gripe I forgot to add, at the lowest brightness setting the screen and especially shadows get really smeary. So playing in bed at night I need to keep it brighter than I'd like. This is my first oled, so this may be typical, but its my one real annoyance with the hardware.
@prescottmajette5290 heh yea... I remember discovering it with my oneplus 6 which had it fairly bad according to how it is now. It's gotten better but ig it's just a part of the tech
@sinisamajdandzic1362 You can emulate pretty much everything better with a steam deck because of it's power, but I prefer the RP5 over the steamdeck for its portability, comfort, and ease of use. SD is too bulky that I don't feel like I want to even pick it up most of the time. I have slightly longer hands than average, so the size shouldn't be an issue, but it is. Plus I have a PC that the RP5 can stream from like a champ, so I basically can do anything with the RP that I can with the SD.
I have 3 Retroid handhelds now. 3+. 4pro and now the 5. I haven't had any issues with any of them. There are always going to be some people with defective or problematic units, that just happens with a mass produced product. Overall these things are pretty good for the price point. If you want a more premium product expect to spend a few hundred dollars more but the performance difference isn't really that big.
I had a similar but also different experience with my Retro Pocket 5. The Retroid Launcher works for me, but it was pretty bare bones initially. After they updated it a few times over the past couple months (can be updated inside the app) it started to work quite well. And I like how the thumb stick backlights change color with the Retroid Launcher interface if enabled. Also, I got the black model which I think is the best option for anyone wanting to get the best experience with the OLED display.
I've had a ton of handhelds these last few years and for me, the RP5 is amazing. I had zero problems with it and use it often. I purchased the black version and 4:3 looks amazing on it. the black of the screen mixes almost perfect with the black glass front panel. Performance has been super for me. Just like in your review, SW rebel squadron runs not so well but everything else i've thrown at it (I don't play switch) works perfect with not much tweaking. I'm very happy with this handheld and it really hits the spot for me this time.
So i love my RP5, does everything I expected and more with secret console and even a little Wii U now. Really happy with my purchase, and would highly recommend
I appreciate your honesty but my opinion is different. I just received an RP Mini and I love it! I have about a dozen other handhelds, including Odin 2 and RP4 so I can compare to these. The Mini is the perfect 4:3 device. First, it’s small and it’s powerful enough to run every 3D 4:3 content at a decent upscale. PS2 and GC games are a perfect fit for the beautiful and vibrant screen. My only complaint is that the screen is a little too saturated at times, like the RP4 Pro but you can correct that. Secondly, the screen is incredible! Many old retro games that have a black background seem to float over the screen if you play in a dimly lit room. Asteroids for example is so sharp that, for the first time since I played the original, I was really impressed by the screen. The OLED panel makes this venerable game (and many others) shine. The size, contrast, saturation and pixel density of the screen makes older games visually much more appealing. Third, I like the overall size and shape. Very portable and comfortable. It’s a form factor that makes sense if you already have a bigger 16:9 LCD device, like the RP4 Pro. The joysticks are great, the pad is precise and the buttons are a little loud but don’t feel cheap. The screen is a little bigger than your regular pocketable at 3.7 vs 3.5 and, at 4.0, it would have been perfect (my only regret). Finally, the price is good! It’s seems to be at a disadvantage if you compare it to the RP5 which is only 20$ more but if you want a small, powerful 4:3 device with an OLED screen, there’s no competition.
You know, I wouldn't mind the Mini if the bezels weren't so huge. They really should have pushed it back and released the 5 first before the mini. I'd take a screen with smaller bezels and the proper pixel res they say it's supposed to have.
I think it is definitely the most worth reccomending the 5 is a phenomenal device. Also no, retroid does not release a new device every month like anbernic. It was slightly less than a year between rp4 and rp5 launch so it's really not a concern that the rp6 will be announced in a month
lol, I'd just focus on certain brands at this point. Anbernic shit out a device every month is honestly the main culprit for over saturating the market. (But I love their cubexx so hey) For Retroid Pocket (where pocket 5 and mini came from), they seem to release every year around september it seems. Ayn, are the big stronk bois of these retro handhelds. And honestly, if they release an iteration of odin 2 mini with oled I'm sold. Ayaneo is expensive as hell. Yep, that's the only thing I know about them. There's also powkiddy, which seems like the weird experimental small brother. I also don't know a lot about them. My main focus is really, anbernic for weaker cooler devices, retroid pocket and ayn for stronger device. (PC handhelds aside)
Retroid doesn't 💩 out devices like some of that other Chinese companies. I bought the RP5 and I'll be honest it's great. I had the 3+ a few years ago and since it wouldn't play AAA PS2 very well it caught my nightstand drawer and stayed. This one is different. My only complaint is I don't like the stick placement. Hopefully they move the left stick to the top in the future. I ordered a set of grips from Etsy to see if it helps the ergonomics but it hasn't delivered yet. But I've been playing tons of PS2, Wii, GC and 64 games plus game pass and it runs great with a very good battery.
I got an RP5 for one of my kids for Christmas and he loves it. I have played with it a little bit and I think it is great. Definitely a nice little machine.
I've mine for a month now and I really like it. The only problems I have was setting the controllers for the dolphin's emulator. Aside of that it's been great, way better than I though. I honestly follows Ryan's videos since I got it and that may helped it to make it easier.
I pre-ordered my RP5 on day 1 and I've had zero issues with my RP5. It's safe to recommend the RP5 with regards to quality control. My only gripe is that the back bumps aren't quite big enough to make the device comfortable, especially when using the sticks. I have some Etsy 3D printed grips from NLD Design on the way to hopefully fix the ergonomics.
So I've had my RP Mini since launch. Love the device but I honestly barely used it since then. Fast forward a few weeks ago and I received an official OTA update for the device. So, I happily update the device, then guess what. THE UPDATE BRICKED MY DEVICE. I tried disconnecting the battery and reconnecting it. It simply gives me an error and it won't take a charge. Ended up emailing Retroid and they told me to do exactly what I already tried doing with the battery. Now they asked me to mail the device back to them at my own expense and I honestly just don't have the time or energy to deal with any of this.
I have both and I found I play the mini more than the 5 even though I like the 5 better (only slightly). I dropped my mini early on and cracked the screen. Retroid’s customer support was awesome and got me a replacement (at my expense) quickly and at a good price.
Is a goof thing tho means everyonr will get something that they want. U have the companies that make a bunch and companies that have like 5 handhelds total.
I have always appreciated your viewpoint on handhelds like this! I've always been weary to buy them due to the barrier of entry - and ive been running emulators on android phones since 2013. i finally pulled the trigger on the rp5 late last year and followed retro game corps's setup guide perfectly. this made my experience perfect. the ONLY issue ive had is switch emulation crashing with certain games/emulator combinations (which i expected due to the state of emulation right now.). ive fallen in love with the form factor and usability here. the only other device "like a retroid" that i have is an analogue pocket because its just so plug and play that thing just works no tinkering required. but today, for whatever reason if you want a handheld device for something like gamecube and wii games, tinkering is simply a requirement! i love my rp5 and have had a great experience with it. but i would not buy one for a kid or my mom, you have to be willing to do some research and have mild tech savvyness in order to have a good experience with this device.
I've been hearing that everyone had to wait forever to get their RP5. I think I got lucky. I ordered mine the day after Christmas and had it right before new years.
I love the way we can depend on your honesty and bluntness. I know when I watch a Wulff Den video I'm gonna get the real skinny. Many other reviewers are too afraid of saying anything negative, especially against the big names in the industry (Anbernic, Retroid Pocket, etc.). So THANK YOU for giving us your real opinion. I personally have no issues with my RP5... well, that's not true. I'm disappointed that they advertised it as being dual boot with Android and Linux, but to boot into Linux you have to boot into Android first and then reboot, which is annoying. I think setting up android devices is a HUGELY painful experience compared to the incredible work we get from devs like the Rocknix authors. Why would I want to do all that work when I can just use Rocknix?!? The other issue I have with my RP5 is the caps on the joycon sticks coming off. I almost permanently lost one cap! I lucked out and found it a few days later. It popped off when I put it in my coat pocket. I'm not hard on devices. I take good care of them and I wasn't hard on my RP5. The cap just popped off so easily I didn't even notice. Luckily it was waiting for my on my office floor when I went back to work on Monday. Strangely, if you go on Retroid Pocket's site you can't even buy new stick caps! What if I had lost mine? Does that mean I'm stuck buying some "custom" B.S. from Etsy at some exorbitant "custom" price?!? That's nuts. To further add insult to injury, the stick has a threaded hole in it for a screw to hold caps on, but there's no hole in the cap to put a screw in - which would have kept the cap from springing off. Why isn't there a hole and a screw? I know, it's better to lose a cap than destroy a joycon, but what use is a joycon without a cap? No use at all if I can't get a replacement cap. Anyway, I'm mostly, like 89% happy with my RP5. I just wish it would boot directly into Rocknix and that I could get spare joycon caps that matched what's already on there. I know they're going to come off again. (I'm tempted to glue them on)
My caps are difficult to remove. To replace missing cap, you would order the sticks from retroids site, then just remove the cap from the new sticks. No disassembly required!
I stick mines in my pockets daily, the caps never came off. Either you have terrible luck or too rough with them. If you hate the device, you have many other options, anbernic, ayneo, SD, legion go, msi claw, etc. No device is perfect 🤷♂️
Also android base devices are not for every newbies, you gotta have some skillset to set it up. If you don't want to waste time, just get a powkiddy or anbernic xx series.
Sonic 3 AIR is playable on Android, does widescreen without any issues, and has a robust modding community! I’ve been playing it on my RP5 and loving it 😁
I also have several handhelds and recently got the RP5. I mostly play PS2 games, with a bit of GC, Wii, 3DS, and PSP. It's been amazing so far, and it compliments my Steam Deck really well. Great power, amazing screen, good battery, and not as big as my other devices.
Its crazy for Wulff to be like. Just wait for Rp6 to come out. Bro you are just straight up lying. Anbernic released like 6 device with the same chip in 1 year. Retroid released 2.
Gave my son my old RP3+ and got my RP5 before Christmas, overall I've had no issues with these handhelds from Retroid. My RP5 has emulation from Gameboy up to Wii U and Hoyoverse Android games launching from the ES-DE frontend. Very happy with mine and play it a lot. No doubt I'll probably get a new one in a few generations time that are maybe running SD 8gen3 or something.
I purchased a retroid 5 in December as a Christmas gift for myself. I have enjoyed it since. A few hitches with button config and such but I have those same issues with PC emulators and PC controllers as well. If you can afford the Odyn go for it but if not the Retroid 5 is a great product for the price.
100% worth the money. The "issues" are either so minor they can't even be considering issues, more just part of emulating anything or they were a one off. For the record I had none of the ones mentioned. You cannot beat the value for the power you get with this. Playing locally or streaming via Game Pass, Steam Link, etc all work well beyond the price point.
I got the pocket mini because I wanted the smaller size and a one and done device for everything between PS2 and GBA. It’s easy to find a 16:9 screen to connect to but it was hard to get this almost perfect scaling plus upscaling for that era.
Bought my RP5 in November, got it mid December, and have been loving it since. The only issue I have with it is when I try to dock it to my TV it feels like 30FPS navigating through Android as opposed to the 60FPS when not docked. I tried to look up a fix but I think it has something to do with my TV because if I dock it to my monitor it's totally fine. Weirdly, my RP4P was fine docked to my TV as well, and I haven't changed anything about how I docked either. Despite that, I'm happy with it and most likely won't be upgrading to anything else till the Steam Deck 2 comes out.
I had a few issues with my RP5, but mainly related to docking. It has insane lag when docked to a 4K screen - a new cable and 3rd party dock fixed that for me. And Retro Controls seem to have less latency than the Xbox layout? But for me, build quality has been pretty good. Much better than my anbernic devices to be honest - no cardinal snapping and actually being dockable in 16:9 for some. They also have been okay with OTA updates - in that they actually update their android devices sometimes.
I got the mini because even if it's just a little smaller, it's enough of a difference that it's easier for me to keep in my pocket. It's become my daily driver pocket device.
I got the pocket mini, and it's my endgame device for now 😊 ps2 on such a small form factor, without having to worry about settings, is fantastic 😊 I don't care that much about gaming above ps2, so I'm good
Although synthetic benchmarks vary wildly, I think we are currently reaching the limits of what the emulation software itself (+hardware drivers and how they interact) can offer in its current form... that's why I went for the RP5 instead of say, the Odin 2, which is honestly a beast. IMO the software is just not there yet. It was all about the screen, form factor and... the buttons. The clicky, long-travel buttons. Uh.
I'm definitely getting the pocket 5, it just seems like a great device and although I appreciate your being critical the problems just seem like they come with every device (meaning every device comes with software issues IMO). Especially android. I stopped using my odin 1 cause of it's problems and haven't gotten an android device since and this one seems amazing from Retro Games Corps videos as well. EDIT: Btw I had the same issues with the triggers on Odin 1.
The best support for these is on discord usually respond same day there…they are in china but I just sent my pocket 3+ in to get it fixed for free (about 1 year after purchase). I just bought the 5 and I love it. Build quality is so much better.
Glad to hear your thoughts. I did not run into any issues with mine though I did follow the Retro Game Corps setup guide for most of the config and I did know about the Turnip drivers... Mine just works great with the ES-DE frontend and all the emulators. Edit: Forgot to mention, I'm not a fan of the ergo on it as my hands get really sore after 30 to 45 minutes. If it was taller, it wouldn't look as good but it would feel a whole lot better playing on it.
I have to say you're lucky to have yours in your hands: Mine got lost in transit 4 weeks ago and I'm trying to get a reliable statement from their support since then if I'm eligible for a free replacement or not - without success yet.
I have a pocket 2s and I'm very happy with it despite it's issues. I got it for $99 and I wanted something that small in 4:3 for that price. It perfectly fits that niche where you want a small device, powerful enough for up to GameCube and ps2, and that still runs Android. There are other 4:3 options at the price, but none with Android
Please continue to be as critical as you are on these consuls. Your reviews give an extremely honest, and every day user-based experience, and I enjoyed that.
Honest review. The Retroids are a great value. One big Caution is also, as a noob, having to configure and install all the stuff. Maybe not great for beginners or those not wanting to spend days or weeks configuring stuff. Great devices though.
The only reason I have the mini is because there was a crazy $60 discount code on a well known foreign market. I'm really disappointed in the Android 10 not being updated at all yet, but any game I want to play in 16:9 I just throw it on the TV as a mini console, which they did fix in an update.
As the name suggests, the smaller size is the only consideration to have for the RP Mini. But if that's not a big concern, then the RP5 is just the better option in every way, even if you intend to play systems that are primarily in 4:3. Yeah, you'll end up with letter boxes on the RP5, but the actual view port will be right around the same size as games running at native resolution on the RP Mini's 4:3 display. Plus, if you hate letter boxes, then you can just get the black RP5 and the letter boxes will blend right in since it's an OLED screen and the front of the device is glass.
So I have the mini, and yes, I have had the same issue with their new launcher as well...which is a shame. And just like you I went with Daijisho (not willing to look up the spelling right now). Otherwise, yes, I do feel you're being too hard on it. Firstly, 20 bucks difference in my eyes made that much of a difference in how easy it is to put it in my pocket, and that matters a lot to me. I can always get the bigger Retroid pocket 5 later if I feel I need it...that feeling has not hit me yet being as I have a G Cloud, Ps Portal, and a ROG Ally, I'm more than covered in handheld gaming (oh, and a Switch Lite as well). Ugly? I don't know, I got the SFC version and think it looks pretty damn sleek. I can't speak for customer support issues, as this is my first time buying a Retroid device, and I didn't go for the orange version myself (although can I be honest, that Orange/Gray combo should be an option as well) but I will admit I hear a creek from the device if I press down hard on the left side. Now, I never press as hard as I did to find this flaw while gaming, even when pressing the analog stick down, so I honestly don't expect this to ever give me an issue. And Android 10 is definitely an unfortunate choice, but as long as my emulators work. Maybe it'll get upgraded in the future via software? 🤞🤞🤞 But still, with all the games I have to catch up on, this has no right taking up as much of my time as it has playing PS2 favorite. This has easily become my favorite console that I can slip into a small drawstring bag and throw it in my pocket. The Retroid pocket, I'm sure, is great, but I'm absolutely in love with the mini. It has exceeded my expectations by far.
I'm quite comfy with my Steam Deck and Ayaneo Pocket Micro. But man, the Pocket 5 with the GC colour looks stunning and I can get the 5 with accessories for a very tidy sum all things considered
Glad Wulff always puts his own experience front and center, its important to the diversity of views for sure. Having said that, the hardware issues he has is comical. They don't exist for other reviewers and have never existed for me. I feel like someone there hates him or something.
Sonic 3 A.I.R is actually runs natively on Android! It's a bit of a process to set up but it's easily the best way to play Sonic 3 in widescreen on something like this!
Another banger Mr Wulff! I have both as well and I agree the mini is great for anything up until PS2. I love being able to throw it in my pocket on the go. I the RP5 is just a really good looking/performing handheld for me. It's essentially replaced my original Ayn Odin which has been broken due to bad hall effect sensors. I really wish these companies would just launch these things with ES-DE already. It's such a great front end. I didn't have the same issues as you Bob but some systems didn't populate with the built in game launcher. They def need to work on that cause it really is a missed opportunity and kinda deducts points for me as well.
Absolutely love my RP5, and thankfully didn't really have any of the problems you had, unless you include needing to do initial gamepad setups in some emulators
Hello Mr Wulff, I love my pocket 5, I use it mainly for local game streaming PS5 / PC. My rumble does not work when using it with chiaki, apart from that it has been a great device and I'm enjoying it. For the review units - people literally just emailed retroid and requested them to send them their order early, the only reason they delayed it initially was to Update the Android version from 10 to 13, since the Snapdragon 865 does not officially support it, retroid had to contact Qualcomm (allegedly) to allow them to run Android 13
![Which GBA clone console should you get? [Miyoo Flip vs 34XX vs 35XXSP]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/mCVOetPvhXQ/mqdefault.jpg)
Never quit being critical please. We need critical reviews of retro game products. Thank you for spending your money on this!
moist
agreed
So many reviewers are afraid of being critical so they use veiled words to allude to the problems and we have to read between the lines. Just say what sucks. That's what we're here to find out.
@@oracalchrome5149 Moist
I literally said to myself “here I go clicking on another add” right before this video. I’m not too familiar with his content. I’m glad I was wrong. I would have probably bought the mini if I never heard of that resolution issue. That sounds exactly like a thing that would drive me crazy. And it’s one of those things I see many reviewers overlook
I love the new intro animation, felt like I was about to watch a sci-fi film
But you watched ad for AliExpress junk, wow!
Same it’s crispy 👌🏼
I skipped it. Not here for intros
@@ThootenTootinTabootin damn hope you did something super productive with that extra 5 seconds
@Toasted5Head I did. Hit my ecig.
Showing Mario? Bold, sir.
He didn't show a lot of the nintendo switch so he slided the mario odysey in so he could show the performance
@@alexandrucreata6342 probably refering to retro game corps who got tweo strikes from nintendo on his channel just by showing their games on an emulator device
@@Ghreak exactly right
I think what he could do is show gameplay of Mario on the thing but make it obvious that it's playing a UA-cam video, kinda like how people say "in Minecraft" after a sentence
Always impressed and jealous with the level of quality you put into your filming and making everything look so nice… different level of cinematography from Bob compared to others.
It’s been a continuous climb, and I’m here for it.
Amazing to get a shoutout from one of my idols in this space - Thank you!
To be fair, you deserve it because, you've been putting out the best content on this device.
@@chilly6470thank you so much
@@RyanRetro1You've just earned my sub. 👍
Man, the mini is just so close to my dream retro device with that 4:3 OLED and chipset. They should have made it smaller, though. It's not the worst thing ever, but is too big for the panel they chose. Either way, Retroid has seriously stepped up their game here.
The big weakness of the Retroid Pocket Mini is that you don't need all that processing power to emulate systems that run on 4:3 displays.
It's hardware is "mismatched" for its use case.
@@kent1146 That is not true lol. PS2 and Gamecube take a ton of power and those are both 4:3. Some games had official widescreen modes and some have emulator hacks to force them widescreen but mostly they are 4:3.
@@kent1146you DO need that power if you want to play almost all of the GameCube and PS2 libraries which are 4:3.
@@superscatman4236 They reaaally don't take "a ton of power". The D900 runs both perfectly. Hell the Unisoc T860 in the RG 406/Cube lines run them perfectly too...
The SD865 is just bad. It's stronger but offers nothing new, and it's a battery sucking heater.
@@mr.number9279 Dunno about yours, but my RP5 battery life is AMAZING. It's my first emulation handheld (outside of Steam Deck) and jfc, I'm honestly impressed by how much it lasts.
I like how this guy reviews it. Talks about what you get negatively before buying it coz all you see on most reviews are praises without even thinking about the downside/issues that you can possibly encounter. In short, this guy's review is not scripted or not biased. It is based on how he sees it and what possible problems he/consumers may encounter. Keep it up dude! Stay cool! 👌
Of you're only looking for negative reviews, there's many out there.
I don't know if I'll ever get to tell you in person but you need to know the influence you have on people through following your passion honestly and with integrity. For a long time I have had this peripheral interest in tech but nothing I thought to look into for myself, thinking "I'm 35 and too old to switch careers". Working manual labor and customer centric jobs in insurance/ banks/ plant health care/ machine/ forge shop, and excelling and moving up in positions but miserably unhappy. I purchased an Anbernic rg35xx plus on your recommendation for a starter retro game handheld and decided to fix it up with ROMS and a different OS for my children. I never would have thought I would be considering a career in software development or computer science if not for channels like WULFF DEN or Retro Game Corp or even Tech Dweeb. I thank you all for this new found passion of mine from the bottom of my heart. But specifically you Bob Wulff, the one that sparked my interest. Thank You.
You're welcome!
I guess I'm a freak of nature cuz i 1) love the look of the mini (have the SFC colorway personally) 2) have 0 issues with screen size, even playing widescreen PSP/android games (which surprised me cuz I was prepared to only like PS2/GC titles) and 3) just love the pocketability of the mini and that it is always on me in my pocket. I'm glad everyone's having fun with their 5 but I love the mini.
I like how he was confused why it exists. The RP5 is too big for most pockets, that’s literally it.
Does it run F zero Gx good?
I love the mini too. Let your freak flag fly.
Same I'm happy with my rp mini
@@u1tipeople have been clamoring for a top end portable 3:4 handheld
And the mini is that, even with OLED screen
Bob sometimes has no idea of what he talks about
YO that intro animation was awesome!
Holy glaze batman!
Glad Ryan Retro got a shoutout. No stone unturned with his RP5 videos.
His last couple of videos on Xbox and PS3 emulation on the RP5 have been click bait nothing burgers. Wastes of time. I unsubscribed after those disappointing videos.
@@dtape I'm sorry you feel that way. I had many requests for those systems even though they are too challenging for the RP5. There are many other great channels you can enjoy in this space :)
@@dtapeaww, now you're missing out on Ryan's fun "iconic games from each decade" series :(
I bought one after watching this review, seems like a great value for the price, a step above everything else power-wise in the pricepoint and with a great screen. Most of the issues seem to be minor software issues that can be rectified by just doing a full setup once after buying it, and I was never planning to do stock launcher anyway. Thanks for the thorough review with nitpicks!
Really? He bashed on the device and you ended up buying one? A lot of people hate it, but I think it's great.
@@suhtangwong It's by far the best power/price value, and his critiques were nearly all things that can be fixed with a minuscule amount of effort in initial system setup.
Kind of insane how much bad luck bad has been having with Retroid's Devices. I've gotten almost all the same ones he has and have never experienced an issue like he has, it's crazy.
Maybe when he buys one from them, they know and they give him one with some issues on purpose, but that's just a silly guess from me.
Don't adopt into the day 1 first gen…or they could be F'ing with him. Either way this video just echoes the same issues he had with the retroid pocket 4 pro.
Yeah, I only have a Retroid Pocket 3+, but I couldn't relate to his video on it at all. I still think it's an excellent device that I use every day, and it does very well at playing GameCube and PS2 games, which he declared were effectively unplayable on it. And he tends to act like having to do some setup and emulator tweaking is unreasonable, but I think anyone deep enough into the hobby to understand the basics of emulation and have their own collection of roms would be prepared to deal with that sort of thing. He just seems to be the most negative reviewer of Retroid handhelds I've seen; the issues that make him uncomfortable recommending the devices at all either get described by others as minor quibbles or they just don't experience them.
@@army103I mean mine died after like a month of not turning on and I only had it for like 4 months. Compared to my 3ds I’ve had since I was 5 which was probably 2013 which still works and yet I hardly use it.
Yes I know both are different screens and so on most likely but it was near the same price at the time. Especially with the price cut I had during the time. Rp3+ I don’t like how it just died or the battery did after not being used for a month so yeah I expected a lot more. And yes I do take care of my devices.
(I still have a Xbox 360 I’ve had since i was four that works.) And the 3ds has no cracks in either screen and compared to my Rpocket 3+ they didn’t have its battery just die randomly, I don’t play with them charged so yeah either a small issue or not.
Sorry for the paragraph btw but if your rp3 still works for you then good for you, not for me.
I had an RP3+ wuth lines in the screen. Im always tempted but customer service + history = im scared and the Aus conversation rate screws me too
I appreciate a critical and honest review as much as anybody and I'm sorry you had so many issues with your devices but my experience was quite the opposite. Besides taking two weeks to ship my device I've had a great experience with my pocket 5. No jank, no bugs and no buried configuration issues that are time consuming to solve. I'm 100% new to android and coming from an RGB30 and I really couldnt be happier. Emulation station is great as you said. Game streaming works flawlessly, plenty of horsepower from the SD865 (and it looks to be quite overclockable) and you can dual boot rocknix. The screen is the nicest one in my whole house. Battery life is phenomenal if you keep it in battery saver to limit background processes. Winlator support is good. So for me having the RGB30 for 4:3 and the RP5 for 16:9, it feels like a pretty ideal situation. My one real complaint is the 128gb of internal storage. A lot of things don't play nice with the SD card and it would be great to have at least 256gb. If the RP5 doesn't have the power to pull something off, I have a laptop and a desktop that do. Plenty of people have a different use case than I do, so obviously YMMV, but if a steamdeck or similar feels like overkill but you want a more powerful device than something with a rockchip, I would absolutely consider the RP5. I completely agree the mini is dumb and is trying to cram itself into a niche that doesn't exist imo.
Edit: one gripe I forgot to add, at the lowest brightness setting the screen and especially shadows get really smeary. So playing in bed at night I need to keep it brighter than I'd like. This is my first oled, so this may be typical, but its my one real annoyance with the hardware.
The smeary shadows on low brightness is definitely an oled issue
@ I did some reading after I posted this comment and you’re 100% correct.
@prescottmajette5290 heh yea... I remember discovering it with my oneplus 6 which had it fairly bad according to how it is now. It's gotten better but ig it's just a part of the tech
I don't even plan on buying a retro emulation handheld anytime soon, but I still love to watch these videos
Loving my RP5. I feel it was a way better purchase than my steam deck. Played it so much more already.
Can you use all these emulators on steam deck as on rp5?
@sinisamajdandzic1362 You can emulate pretty much everything better with a steam deck because of it's power, but I prefer the RP5 over the steamdeck for its portability, comfort, and ease of use. SD is too bulky that I don't feel like I want to even pick it up most of the time. I have slightly longer hands than average, so the size shouldn't be an issue, but it is. Plus I have a PC that the RP5 can stream from like a champ, so I basically can do anything with the RP that I can with the SD.
Same! The sd is nice but the rp5 is more convenient.
I have 3 Retroid handhelds now. 3+. 4pro and now the 5. I haven't had any issues with any of them. There are always going to be some people with defective or problematic units, that just happens with a mass produced product. Overall these things are pretty good for the price point. If you want a more premium product expect to spend a few hundred dollars more but the performance difference isn't really that big.
I have the rp2, rp3, (2 months later) rp3+, rp4 pro. I would get the rp5 pro if I didn't have the Odin 2 already.
New Xemu update for OG Xbox emulation now includes Vulkan render API, which has a MASSIVE performance improvement for a ton of titles.
I had a similar but also different experience with my Retro Pocket 5.
The Retroid Launcher works for me, but it was pretty bare bones initially.
After they updated it a few times over the past couple months (can be updated inside the app) it started to work quite well.
And I like how the thumb stick backlights change color with the Retroid Launcher interface if enabled.
Also, I got the black model which I think is the best option for anyone wanting to get the best experience with the OLED display.
Always a good day when you post
I've had a ton of handhelds these last few years and for me, the RP5 is amazing. I had zero problems with it and use it often. I purchased the black version and 4:3 looks amazing on it. the black of the screen mixes almost perfect with the black glass front panel. Performance has been super for me. Just like in your review, SW rebel squadron runs not so well but everything else i've thrown at it (I don't play switch) works perfect with not much tweaking. I'm very happy with this handheld and it really hits the spot for me this time.
That intro was very reminiscent of the Alien films - love it!
So i love my RP5, does everything I expected and more with secret console and even a little Wii U now. Really happy with my purchase, and would highly recommend
RYAN RETRO SHOUTOUT!! LETS GOOOOO!!!
I appreciate your honesty but my opinion is different. I just received an RP Mini and I love it! I have about a dozen other handhelds, including Odin 2 and RP4 so I can compare to these.
The Mini is the perfect 4:3 device. First, it’s small and it’s powerful enough to run every 3D 4:3 content at a decent upscale. PS2 and GC games are a perfect fit for the beautiful and vibrant screen. My only complaint is that the screen is a little too saturated at times, like the RP4 Pro but you can correct that.
Secondly, the screen is incredible! Many old retro games that have a black background seem to float over the screen if you play in a dimly lit room. Asteroids for example is so sharp that, for the first time since I played the original, I was really impressed by the screen. The OLED panel makes this venerable game (and many others) shine. The size, contrast, saturation and pixel density of the screen makes older games visually much more appealing.
Third, I like the overall size and shape. Very portable and comfortable. It’s a form factor that makes sense if you already have a bigger 16:9 LCD device, like the RP4 Pro. The joysticks are great, the pad is precise and the buttons are a little loud but don’t feel cheap. The screen is a little bigger than your regular pocketable at 3.7 vs 3.5 and, at 4.0, it would have been perfect (my only regret).
Finally, the price is good! It’s seems to be at a disadvantage if you compare it to the RP5 which is only 20$ more but if you want a small, powerful 4:3 device with an OLED screen, there’s no competition.
You know, I wouldn't mind the Mini if the bezels weren't so huge. They really should have pushed it back and released the 5 first before the mini. I'd take a screen with smaller bezels and the proper pixel res they say it's supposed to have.
0:13 Ok, this is new…
Yeah, it's called the rp5
I think it is definitely the most worth reccomending the 5 is a phenomenal device. Also no, retroid does not release a new device every month like anbernic. It was slightly less than a year between rp4 and rp5 launch so it's really not a concern that the rp6 will be announced in a month
Maybe I'm alone here, but these handheld devices come out so frequently and seem so similar I can't even tell them apart anymore
This one is special. Worth every penny, fr
i thought aya and ayn were the same brand for too long
You're not alone, I just look at specs though
lol, I'd just focus on certain brands at this point.
Anbernic shit out a device every month is honestly the main culprit for over saturating the market. (But I love their cubexx so hey)
For Retroid Pocket (where pocket 5 and mini came from), they seem to release every year around september it seems.
Ayn, are the big stronk bois of these retro handhelds. And honestly, if they release an iteration of odin 2 mini with oled I'm sold.
Ayaneo is expensive as hell. Yep, that's the only thing I know about them.
There's also powkiddy, which seems like the weird experimental small brother. I also don't know a lot about them. My main focus is really, anbernic for weaker cooler devices, retroid pocket and ayn for stronger device. (PC handhelds aside)
Retroid doesn't 💩 out devices like some of that other Chinese companies. I bought the RP5 and I'll be honest it's great. I had the 3+ a few years ago and since it wouldn't play AAA PS2 very well it caught my nightstand drawer and stayed. This one is different. My only complaint is I don't like the stick placement. Hopefully they move the left stick to the top in the future. I ordered a set of grips from Etsy to see if it helps the ergonomics but it hasn't delivered yet. But I've been playing tons of PS2, Wii, GC and 64 games plus game pass and it runs great with a very good battery.
HOLY- that intro animation sequence was SICK!
I got an RP5 for one of my kids for Christmas and he loves it. I have played with it a little bit and I think it is great. Definitely a nice little machine.
You're a great dad. ❤
I've mine for a month now and I really like it. The only problems I have was setting the controllers for the dolphin's emulator. Aside of that it's been great, way better than I though. I honestly follows Ryan's videos since I got it and that may helped it to make it easier.
That's the app's issue and not the device, also user error for the most part?
I will always appreciate how you keep getting better with your videography. Thanks for the review! 👍
I pre-ordered my RP5 on day 1 and I've had zero issues with my RP5. It's safe to recommend the RP5 with regards to quality control.
My only gripe is that the back bumps aren't quite big enough to make the device comfortable, especially when using the sticks. I have some Etsy 3D printed grips from NLD Design on the way to hopefully fix the ergonomics.
Yeah I don't understand all the negative hate 🤷♂️
So I've had my RP Mini since launch. Love the device but I honestly barely used it since then. Fast forward a few weeks ago and I received an official OTA update for the device. So, I happily update the device, then guess what. THE UPDATE BRICKED MY DEVICE.
I tried disconnecting the battery and reconnecting it. It simply gives me an error and it won't take a charge. Ended up emailing Retroid and they told me to do exactly what I already tried doing with the battery. Now they asked me to mail the device back to them at my own expense and I honestly just don't have the time or energy to deal with any of this.
I have both and I found I play the mini more than the 5 even though I like the 5 better (only slightly). I dropped my mini early on and cracked the screen. Retroid’s customer support was awesome and got me a replacement (at my expense) quickly and at a good price.
Ok how many new handheld consoles have been here in the past 2 years? The competition is so diverse it is insane.
Is a goof thing tho means everyonr will get something that they want. U have the companies that make a bunch and companies that have like 5 handhelds total.
There has been 2. Rp4 and rp4 pro. You're welcome.
I have always appreciated your viewpoint on handhelds like this! I've always been weary to buy them due to the barrier of entry - and ive been running emulators on android phones since 2013. i finally pulled the trigger on the rp5 late last year and followed retro game corps's setup guide perfectly. this made my experience perfect. the ONLY issue ive had is switch emulation crashing with certain games/emulator combinations (which i expected due to the state of emulation right now.). ive fallen in love with the form factor and usability here. the only other device "like a retroid" that i have is an analogue pocket because its just so plug and play that thing just works no tinkering required. but today, for whatever reason if you want a handheld device for something like gamecube and wii games, tinkering is simply a requirement! i love my rp5 and have had a great experience with it. but i would not buy one for a kid or my mom, you have to be willing to do some research and have mild tech savvyness in order to have a good experience with this device.
I've been hearing that everyone had to wait forever to get their RP5. I think I got lucky. I ordered mine the day after Christmas and had it right before new years.
I love the way we can depend on your honesty and bluntness. I know when I watch a Wulff Den video I'm gonna get the real skinny. Many other reviewers are too afraid of saying anything negative, especially against the big names in the industry (Anbernic, Retroid Pocket, etc.). So THANK YOU for giving us your real opinion. I personally have no issues with my RP5... well, that's not true. I'm disappointed that they advertised it as being dual boot with Android and Linux, but to boot into Linux you have to boot into Android first and then reboot, which is annoying. I think setting up android devices is a HUGELY painful experience compared to the incredible work we get from devs like the Rocknix authors. Why would I want to do all that work when I can just use Rocknix?!? The other issue I have with my RP5 is the caps on the joycon sticks coming off. I almost permanently lost one cap! I lucked out and found it a few days later. It popped off when I put it in my coat pocket. I'm not hard on devices. I take good care of them and I wasn't hard on my RP5. The cap just popped off so easily I didn't even notice. Luckily it was waiting for my on my office floor when I went back to work on Monday. Strangely, if you go on Retroid Pocket's site you can't even buy new stick caps! What if I had lost mine? Does that mean I'm stuck buying some "custom" B.S. from Etsy at some exorbitant "custom" price?!? That's nuts. To further add insult to injury, the stick has a threaded hole in it for a screw to hold caps on, but there's no hole in the cap to put a screw in - which would have kept the cap from springing off. Why isn't there a hole and a screw? I know, it's better to lose a cap than destroy a joycon, but what use is a joycon without a cap? No use at all if I can't get a replacement cap. Anyway, I'm mostly, like 89% happy with my RP5. I just wish it would boot directly into Rocknix and that I could get spare joycon caps that matched what's already on there. I know they're going to come off again. (I'm tempted to glue them on)
The caps on joysticks on my RP5 are hard to remove, very different from yours.
My caps are difficult to remove. To replace missing cap, you would order the sticks from retroids site, then just remove the cap from the new sticks. No disassembly required!
I stick mines in my pockets daily, the caps never came off. Either you have terrible luck or too rough with them. If you hate the device, you have many other options, anbernic, ayneo, SD, legion go, msi claw, etc. No device is perfect 🤷♂️
Also android base devices are not for every newbies, you gotta have some skillset to set it up. If you don't want to waste time, just get a powkiddy or anbernic xx series.
Sonic 3 AIR is playable on Android, does widescreen without any issues, and has a robust modding community! I’ve been playing it on my RP5 and loving it 😁
OK, that new intro is SICK! A+
I got 3d printed grips on Etsy for the RP5 and boy is it comfortable for stick gaming. Highly recommend if you're not satisfied with the comfort
I also have several handhelds and recently got the RP5. I mostly play PS2 games, with a bit of GC, Wii, 3DS, and PSP. It's been amazing so far, and it compliments my Steam Deck really well. Great power, amazing screen, good battery, and not as big as my other devices.
15:35 most are happy with it.
How do you know that?
@nicwelch haven't you seen reviews? And people saying it's great. He is literally the only person I have seen saying anything negative about it.
@@LuisPerez-5yeah hate doesn't like retroid it seems like. Maybe anbernic fan?
@suhtangwong who?
Its crazy for Wulff to be like. Just wait for Rp6 to come out. Bro you are just straight up lying. Anbernic released like 6 device with the same chip in 1 year. Retroid released 2.
Gave my son my old RP3+ and got my RP5 before Christmas, overall I've had no issues with these handhelds from Retroid. My RP5 has emulation from Gameboy up to Wii U and Hoyoverse Android games launching from the ES-DE frontend. Very happy with mine and play it a lot. No doubt I'll probably get a new one in a few generations time that are maybe running SD 8gen3 or something.
I purchased a retroid 5 in December as a Christmas gift for myself. I have enjoyed it since. A few hitches with button config and such but I have those same issues with PC emulators and PC controllers as well. If you can afford the Odyn go for it but if not the Retroid 5 is a great product for the price.
Id love a review of the miyoo flip in the coming months. Also your videos are great! I appreciate what you do!
100% worth the money. The "issues" are either so minor they can't even be considering issues, more just part of emulating anything or they were a one off. For the record I had none of the ones mentioned. You cannot beat the value for the power you get with this. Playing locally or streaming via Game Pass, Steam Link, etc all work well beyond the price point.
Never had an issue with my 4. Eye-rolling every time bob takes a chance to crap on retroid by now honestly.
I already ordered one, and half of the fun for me is tinkering to make it work how i like, so i hope i have fun with it
Love the new intro animation and banner!!! Also like the desk mat a lot!
I got the pocket mini because I wanted the smaller size and a one and done device for everything between PS2 and GBA. It’s easy to find a 16:9 screen to connect to but it was hard to get this almost perfect scaling plus upscaling for that era.
Love the new intro. Gave me Black Mirror vibes
Whoa, hey there new intro animation. Lookin' fancy!
I don't know about the RP5, but my 4pro used just as much as my Steam Deck. Its a good system for sure!
Bought my RP5 in November, got it mid December, and have been loving it since. The only issue I have with it is when I try to dock it to my TV it feels like 30FPS navigating through Android as opposed to the 60FPS when not docked. I tried to look up a fix but I think it has something to do with my TV because if I dock it to my monitor it's totally fine. Weirdly, my RP4P was fine docked to my TV as well, and I haven't changed anything about how I docked either. Despite that, I'm happy with it and most likely won't be upgrading to anything else till the Steam Deck 2 comes out.
When you dock to the TV does it also charge while in use?
I had a few issues with my RP5, but mainly related to docking. It has insane lag when docked to a 4K screen - a new cable and 3rd party dock fixed that for me. And Retro Controls seem to have less latency than the Xbox layout? But for me, build quality has been pretty good. Much better than my anbernic devices to be honest - no cardinal snapping and actually being dockable in 16:9 for some. They also have been okay with OTA updates - in that they actually update their android devices sometimes.
Retroid’s new launcher worked straight out the box for me. Works great and don’t need to waste time setting up another launcher
I got the mini because even if it's just a little smaller, it's enough of a difference that it's easier for me to keep in my pocket. It's become my daily driver pocket device.
How’s the screen for PS2 and GC?
@remzsauntie9471 great. A little small for some text but pretty great. Honestly anything that's not 4 by 3 I just stretch to fill the screen.
I got the pocket mini, and it's my endgame device for now 😊 ps2 on such a small form factor, without having to worry about settings, is fantastic 😊 I don't care that much about gaming above ps2, so I'm good
Although synthetic benchmarks vary wildly, I think we are currently reaching the limits of what the emulation software itself (+hardware drivers and how they interact) can offer in its current form... that's why I went for the RP5 instead of say, the Odin 2, which is honestly a beast. IMO the software is just not there yet.
It was all about the screen, form factor and... the buttons. The clicky, long-travel buttons. Uh.
stay critical
3:00 - 1000 more mAh - rather than 100, right? :)
I really like this new intro! Hope you have a great 2025, Wulf!
I'm definitely getting the pocket 5, it just seems like a great device and although I appreciate your being critical the problems just seem like they come with every device (meaning every device comes with software issues IMO). Especially android. I stopped using my odin 1 cause of it's problems and haven't gotten an android device since and this one seems amazing from Retro Games Corps videos as well.
EDIT: Btw I had the same issues with the triggers on Odin 1.
I'm waiting here to buy them. 😅, Thanks for your update.
I like the look of the Mini it has the 90's grey.
The best support for these is on discord usually respond same day there…they are in china but I just sent my pocket 3+ in to get it fixed for free (about 1 year after purchase). I just bought the 5 and I love it. Build quality is so much better.
The desk mat is really nice, and the shirt is extra soft and comfortable.
Glad to hear your thoughts. I did not run into any issues with mine though I did follow the Retro Game Corps setup guide for most of the config and I did know about the Turnip drivers... Mine just works great with the ES-DE frontend and all the emulators.
Edit: Forgot to mention, I'm not a fan of the ergo on it as my hands get really sore after 30 to 45 minutes. If it was taller, it wouldn't look as good but it would feel a whole lot better playing on it.
I just noticed that you are, probably, the only one that reviewed the White model of the pocket 5.
I have to say you're lucky to have yours in your hands: Mine got lost in transit 4 weeks ago and I'm trying to get a reliable statement from their support since then if I'm eligible for a free replacement or not - without success yet.
That sucks, dude...i hope you'll get answers/money/replacement, soon! Or all together.
I got my Retroid Pocket 5 a few days ago and I love it.
I have a pocket 2s and I'm very happy with it despite it's issues. I got it for $99 and I wanted something that small in 4:3 for that price. It perfectly fits that niche where you want a small device, powerful enough for up to GameCube and ps2, and that still runs Android. There are other 4:3 options at the price, but none with Android
High quality, and always a honest review. Love this haired guy
Great review! Praying really hard for a RP Flip 2. It'd be awesome with the RP5s processor - my old RP Flip goes like a snail compared to these two.
1:23: (lol) once again Bob, congratulations!
Tbh i feel the Playstation layout is the best layout for portable consoles like these. Great review
Please continue to be as critical as you are on these consuls. Your reviews give an extremely honest, and every day user-based experience, and I enjoyed that.
Honest review. The Retroids are a great value. One big Caution is also, as a noob, having to configure and install all the stuff. Maybe not great for beginners or those not wanting to spend days or weeks configuring stuff. Great devices though.
The only reason I have the mini is because there was a crazy $60 discount code on a well known foreign market. I'm really disappointed in the Android 10 not being updated at all yet, but any game I want to play in 16:9 I just throw it on the TV as a mini console, which they did fix in an update.
I have the retroid pocket 4 pro, same issues with setting it up but now im so happy with it, great device
Thanks for the critical review. Makes me feel a little bit better, and relieves the FOMO on this unit. I will keep waiting, I guess.
As the name suggests, the smaller size is the only consideration to have for the RP Mini. But if that's not a big concern, then the RP5 is just the better option in every way, even if you intend to play systems that are primarily in 4:3. Yeah, you'll end up with letter boxes on the RP5, but the actual view port will be right around the same size as games running at native resolution on the RP Mini's 4:3 display. Plus, if you hate letter boxes, then you can just get the black RP5 and the letter boxes will blend right in since it's an OLED screen and the front of the device is glass.
the screen on the mini is crisp for me. are you playing everything at 2.5 or 3x resolution?
I got rid of my Mini, when I got the Pocket 5, but there is an unofficial version of Yuzu for Android 10, that I was using on my Retroid Pocket Mini.
So I have the mini, and yes, I have had the same issue with their new launcher as well...which is a shame. And just like you I went with Daijisho (not willing to look up the spelling right now).
Otherwise, yes, I do feel you're being too hard on it. Firstly, 20 bucks difference in my eyes made that much of a difference in how easy it is to put it in my pocket, and that matters a lot to me. I can always get the bigger Retroid pocket 5 later if I feel I need it...that feeling has not hit me yet being as I have a G Cloud, Ps Portal, and a ROG Ally, I'm more than covered in handheld gaming (oh, and a Switch Lite as well).
Ugly? I don't know, I got the SFC version and think it looks pretty damn sleek.
I can't speak for customer support issues, as this is my first time buying a Retroid device, and I didn't go for the orange version myself (although can I be honest, that Orange/Gray combo should be an option as well) but I will admit I hear a creek from the device if I press down hard on the left side. Now, I never press as hard as I did to find this flaw while gaming, even when pressing the analog stick down, so I honestly don't expect this to ever give me an issue. And Android 10 is definitely an unfortunate choice, but as long as my emulators work. Maybe it'll get upgraded in the future via software? 🤞🤞🤞
But still, with all the games I have to catch up on, this has no right taking up as much of my time as it has playing PS2 favorite. This has easily become my favorite console that I can slip into a small drawstring bag and throw it in my pocket.
The Retroid pocket, I'm sure, is great, but I'm absolutely in love with the mini. It has exceeded my expectations by far.
This is why bob is the best . GOAT reviews that we watch and listen too 🐺
I'm quite comfy with my Steam Deck and Ayaneo Pocket Micro. But man, the Pocket 5 with the GC colour looks stunning and I can get the 5 with accessories for a very tidy sum all things considered
Glad Wulff always puts his own experience front and center, its important to the diversity of views for sure. Having said that, the hardware issues he has is comical. They don't exist for other reviewers and have never existed for me. I feel like someone there hates him or something.
Sonic 3 A.I.R is actually runs natively on Android! It's a bit of a process to set up but it's easily the best way to play Sonic 3 in widescreen on something like this!
Another banger Mr Wulff! I have both as well and I agree the mini is great for anything up until PS2. I love being able to throw it in my pocket on the go. I the RP5 is just a really good looking/performing handheld for me. It's essentially replaced my original Ayn Odin which has been broken due to bad hall effect sensors. I really wish these companies would just launch these things with ES-DE already. It's such a great front end. I didn't have the same issues as you Bob but some systems didn't populate with the built in game launcher. They def need to work on that cause it really is a missed opportunity and kinda deducts points for me as well.
New year new intro! Feels like classic pokemon's intro
Slightly eerie intro. I like it. 😂
Absolutely love my RP5, and thankfully didn't really have any of the problems you had, unless you include needing to do initial gamepad setups in some emulators
Love your desk matt 😹
Hello Mr Wulff, I love my pocket 5, I use it mainly for local game streaming PS5 / PC. My rumble does not work when using it with chiaki, apart from that it has been a great device and I'm enjoying it. For the review units - people literally just emailed retroid and requested them to send them their order early, the only reason they delayed it initially was to Update the Android version from 10 to 13, since the Snapdragon 865 does not officially support it, retroid had to contact Qualcomm (allegedly) to allow them to run Android 13
RP5 User here. Setup was a pretty standard Android setup.
Wait. So its a bad device or what? Like every review I watched of yours always seems all retro device is bad. So which is the one to buy?