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The Retroid Pocket Classic is a 3.92 inch 31:27 Android handheld that plays everything up to Wii well. It came out in April 2025 at $120. Inside is the Qualcomm Snapdragon G1 Gen 2 with 4 GB of RAM.
Who it's for
Buy it if
- You want to play everything up to Wii, plus some PS2.
- You want a 3.92 inch screen and carry it in a bag or a jacket.
Skip it if
- You want PS2 games: it scores 76 out of 100, so many games struggle.
- You only play up to PS1: handhelds under $60 do that.
Retroid Pocket Classic videos
What it plays
Plays up to: Wii. Chip: Qualcomm Snapdragon G1 Gen 2.
Scores out of 100. 100 means the system runs at full speed with no known issues on this device. 80 or more plays well (green), 50 to 79 plays partly (yellow).
What owners say
โI love my Retroid Pocket Classic but the screen ratio just isn't good for widescreen gamesโ
โBeen loving my Retroid Pocket Classic, the Saturn color is awesome.โ
โI got a Retroid Pocket Classic SG recently and I'm loving it.โ
What the specs mean
Sharpest fit: Game Boy
At 7x, Game Boy fills 84% of the screen with even pixels. Filling the rest means stretching, which some people smooth with a filter.
Based on: Display math: largest whole-number scale that fits the screen
Same chip as 1 other handheld
The Qualcomm Snapdragon G1 Gen 2 also powers the Anbernic RG-55G1. The same chip means similar speed, though memory and cooling can differ.
Based on: Our handheld database (chip field)
4 GB of memory rules out Switch
The Switch has 4 GB of memory of its own. An emulator has to hold all of it and Android on top, which does not fit here.
Based on: Hardware fact: the Switch has 4 GB of RAM
Digital triggers
The GameCube's triggers were pressure sensitive, and a few games use a light press, such as spraying while you walk in Super Mario Sunshine. Here the triggers are on or off.
Based on: Hardware fact: GameCube controller triggers are analog; this device is not listed with analog triggers
Shoulder buttons in a row
L1 and L2 sit side by side along the top edge instead of stacked. PS2 games that need L1 and L2 together mean sliding one finger between them.
Based on: Layout data (shoulder button layout)
No analog sticks
N64 games and later PS1 games were made for a stick. Here they run on the d-pad, which works for some and ruins others.
Based on: Layout data; N64 and PS1 DualShock games use analog control
DS on one screen
DS games show both screens shrunk side by side, or one big screen you swap. The touch screen stands in for the stylus.
Based on: Layout data: single screen with touch
Android 14
Besides emulators it runs Android games and game streaming apps, from your PC or the cloud.
Based on: Operating system data
Rating
How we score: what it plays 30%, how many players own and recommend it 20%, screen 15%, price compared with handhelds that play as much 10%, controls 10%, size and weight 10%, battery size for its chip 5%.
Good
- Plays everything up to Wii well
- AMOLED screen with deep blacks
- Big 5,000 mAh battery
Not so good
- No analog sticks
- No video out
Screen fit
Screen: 3.92 inch, AMOLED, 31:27, 1240 x 1080.
| System | Original | Sharpest scale | Screen filled |
|---|---|---|---|
| Game Boy | 160 x 144 | 7x (1120 x 1008) | 84% |
| GBA | 240 x 160 | 5x (1200 x 800) | 72% |
| NES and SNES | 256 x 224 | 4x (1024 x 896) | 69% |
| Genesis | 320 x 224 | 3x (960 x 672) | 48% |
| PS1 and N64 | 320 x 240 | 3x (960 x 720) | 52% |
| DS, one screen | 256 x 192 | 4x (1024 x 768) | 59% |
| PSP | 480 x 272 | 2x (960 x 544) | 39% |
Whole-number scales keep every pixel the same size. Screen 1240 x 1080.
Size
89.9 x 138 x 26 mm, 223 g. Too big for a jeans pocket
- Retroid Pocket Classic (89.9 x 138 mm)
- iPhone 15 (71.6 x 147.6 mm)
True scale, front view. Jeans pocket = front no bigger than an iPhone 15 Pro Max in a case (160 x 82 mm).
Specs
| Performance | |
|---|---|
| Chip | Qualcomm Snapdragon G1 Gen 2 |
| CPU | Cortex-A78 |
| Cores | 8 |
| Clock speed | 1.96 GHz - 2.40 GHz |
| GPU | Qualcomm Adreno A12 |
| RAM | 4 GB LPDDR4X |
| Cooling | Yes |
| Screen | |
| Size | 3.92" |
| Type | AMOLED |
| Resolution | 1240 x 1080 |
| Refresh rate | 60 Hz |
| Pixel density | 419 ppi |
| Aspect ratio | 31:27 |
| Touch screen | Yes |
| Dual screen | No |
| Controls | |
| D-pad | Cross, Upper placement |
| Analog sticks | No |
| Stick layout | No Thumbsticks |
| Shoulder buttons | Side By Side |
| Rumble | Yes |
| Connectivity | |
| Storage | 64 GB |
| SD card | Yes |
| Wi-Fi | Yes (5) |
| Bluetooth | Yes (5.0) |
| USB-C | Yes |
| Video out | No |
| Headphone jack | Yes |
| Build | |
| Form factor | Vertical |
| Dimensions | 89.9 x 138 x 26 mm |
| Weight | 223 g |
| Battery | 5000 mAh |
| Shell | Plastic |
| Speakers | Front |
| Software | |
| Operating system | Android |
| Android version | 14 |
| Custom firmware | GammaOSNext |
Questions
Can the Retroid Pocket Classic play PS2 games?
Some. PS2 scores 76 out of 100, so it depends on the game.
Is the Retroid Pocket Classic good for GBA?
GBA runs at full speed. At 5x it fills 72% of the screen with even pixels.
Does it have a headphone jack?
Yes.
How big is the battery?
5,000 mAh. The middle Android handheld in our database has 5,000 mAh.
Can it connect to a TV?
No, it has no video out.
How much does the Retroid Pocket Classic cost?
It launched at about $120 in Apr 2025. Prices on the used market change, so check current listings.
Price and newer models
$120 at launch $120 to $250
Newer in the same line: the Retroid Pocket 6 (Jan 2026). Compare before you buy this one new.
Compared with
Similar handhelds
Specs and emulation scores from the retrocatalog.com handheld database. The score out of 10 is our own.