The main difference between the Retroid Pocket 4 and the RG-556 is power.
The RG-556 scores 74 for PS2 against 76 on the Retroid Pocket 4, and 40 against 10 for Switch.
Other differences
- The RG-556 has an AMOLED screen with true blacks; the Retroid Pocket 4 uses an IPS panel.
- The Retroid Pocket 4 runs on the MediaTek Dimensity 900, the RG-556 on the UNISOC Tiger T820.
Which is better
Which fits in a pocket better?
Retroid Pocket 4The Retroid Pocket 4 (184.8 x 82.6 x 15.8 mm, 261 g). The RG-556 is 223 x 90 x 15-25 mm, 331 g. Neither fits a jeans pocket; think jacket pocket or bag.
Which is better for PS2 games, the Retroid Pocket 4 or the RG-556?
TieAbout the same: 76 and 74 out of 100.
Which costs less?
Retroid Pocket 4The Retroid Pocket 4, at about $149 at launch against $175. Prices today vary by store and the used market.
Which is better for GBA games?
RG-556The RG-556. GBA games fill 67% of the RG-556's screen at 6x with even pixels, against 61% of the Retroid Pocket 4's screen at 4x.
Which has the bigger battery?
TieAbout the same: 5,000 and 5,500 mAh.
Side by side
| Retroid Pocket 4 | RG-556 | |
|---|---|---|
| Launch price | $149 | $175 |
| Released | Jan 2024 | Mar 2024 |
| Plays well up to | Wii | Wii |
| Shape | Horizontal | Horizontal |
| Software | Android | Android |
| Chip | MediaTek Dimensity 900 | UNISOC Tiger T820 |
| Memory | 4 GB | 8 GB |
| Screen | 4.7 inch IPS 16:9 | 5.48 inch AMOLED 16:9 |
| Resolution | 1334 x 750 | 1920 x 1080 |
| Battery | 5,000 mAh | 5,500 mAh |
| Weight | 261 g | 331 g |
| Size | 184.8 x 82.6 x 15.8 mm | 223 x 90 x 15-25 mm |
| Analog sticks | Double, symmetrical | Double, asymmetrical |
| Hall effect sticks | Yes | Yes |
| L2 and R2 | Yes, stacked | Yes, stacked |
| Analog triggers | Yes | Yes |
| Wi-Fi | Yes | Yes |
| Video out | Yes | Yes |
| Headphone jack | Yes | Yes |
Green marks the better value where one is clearly better. Prices are launch prices.
Emulation
- Retroid Pocket 4RG-556
- Game Boy
- NES
- Genesis
- GBA
- SNES
- PS1
- DS
- N64
- Dreamcast
- PSP
- Saturn
- GameCube
- 3DS
- Wii
- PS2
- Switch
100 means the system runs at full speed with no known issues.
Full details
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More comparisons
Why this pair: buyers weigh these two against each other. 54 comments by 28 different people compare them in community discussions, and 4 post titles name both. Specs, emulation scores and launch prices from the retrocatalog.com handheld database.