The Retroid Pocket 3+ is a handheld game console with a 4.7 inch display, built-in game controllers and software based on Android 11. In other words, it looks an awful lot like the Retroid Pocket 3 that  launched this summer.

But the new model earns the plus in its name in a few ways. It has a faster CPU and GPU, more memory and storage, and a bigger battery. Priced at $149, it also costs a little more.

The Retroid Pocket 3+ went up for pre-order last week, and it’s set to begin shipping to customers on Friday, November 18th.

The new model ships standard with 4GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, has a Unisoc T618 octa-core processor with ARM Mali-G52 MC2 graphics, and sports a 4,500 mAh battery.

It will be available in eight different color options, and customers who already own a Retroid Pocket 3 can save $25 by using the coupon RP3OWNER at checkout… if you want to upgrade just a few months after buying a very similar device.

Here’s a comparison of key specs for the two different models:

Retroid Pocket 3+Retroid Pocket 3
Display4.7 inches
1334 x 750 px
450 nits
Touchscreen
ProcessorUnisoc T618
2 x ARM Cortex-A75 @ 2 GHz
6 x ARM Cortex-A55 @ 2 GHz		Unisoc T310
1 x ARM Cortex-A75 @ 2 GHz
3 x ARM Cortex-A55 @ 1.8 GHz
GraphicsMali-G52 MC2 @ 850 MHzPowerVR GE8300 @ 800 MHz
Memory4GB
LPDDR4x-1866		2GB or 3GB
LPDDR4x
Storage128GB eMMC 5.1
microSD card reader		32GB eMMC
microSD card reader
Ports1 x USB Type-C
1 x micro HDMI
1 x 3.5mm audio
1 x microSD card reader
WirelessWiFi 5
Bluetooth 5.0
Battery4,500 mAh4,000 mAh
SoftwareAndroid 11
Dimensions184.65 x 81.38 x 24.23mm
Weight235 grams
Price$149$119 and up

Both models also feature stereo 2W speakers, support for 720p video output over HDMI, and fanless designs.

Two specs that I’m a little suspicious of though, are the size and weight. Considering the larger battery in the new model, it seems like the Retroid Pocket 3+ should be a little larger and/or heavier. But the specs listed on the Retroid website suggest that it’s not.

via Retrokezins

This article was first published November 7, 2022 and most recently updated November 16, 2022. 

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15 replies on “Retroid Pocket 3+ is a $149 handheld game console with a Unisoc T618 processor”

  1. Anyone know if these can run game streaming services (GeForce Now and/or Xbox Game Pass)? I know that the article said that they’re running Android 11, but sadly that’s no guarantee. This price is a lot more palatable than Logitech’s offering.

    1. Yes, and it runs it well.
      You just need to make sure you have a Stable and Fast connection to the Internet through Wifi 5Ghz.

      Source: tested it on the older/weaker RP2+ and it worked well.

  4. Re: size and weight

    I can totally believe that it’s an identical size – I’m pretty sure they’re re-using the exact same shell as the RP3. There was probably enough empty space in there to add a slightly larger battery.

    As far as the weight, yeah, they probably just didn’t bother re-weighing it.

    Also, a higher quality battery could conceivably pack a bit more capacity into the same size and/or weight.

  5. Unfortunately the screen resolution is an objection for me. 1334×750 isn’t ideal for console emulation. 750 vertical pixels is a number that doesn’t divide evenly for any consoles that I’m familiar with.

    For something older like SNES (256×224), it’s not going to be a big deal. But something like Dreamcast (640×480) is going to be rough. It’s going to be either very jagged looking, or very blurry looking (depending on how the given software handles interpolation).

      1. Even at 1.5 I think that it wouldn’t match any common resolution used in old consoles. That screen resolution and 4.7in size scream iPhone 6 or something similar, to be honest.

    2. How does that resolution compare with previous models? I’ve been happy with my Odroid Go Advance, but it struggles with a few Dreamcast and N64 titles. I wanted to explore the Retroid Pocket, but now I’m a little hesitant.

      1. you can check videos with the x18s that mounted exactly taht chipset. Quite a horsepower, but the dpad was awful in the x18s

        1. Not really.
          The PowKiddy X18S is not very optimised, and the videos for that are almost a year old.

          In those months, we’ve seen a bit of improvement to GameCube, more for Wii, decent improvement to 3DS, and massive improvement to PS2 Emulation.

          So those old videos will show the X18S hitting around 34% PS2 level, 25% 3DS level, 67% GameCube level, and 50% Wii level.

          From my estimates the RP3+ should be doing closer to 50% PS2 level, 40% 3DS level, 80% GameCube level, and 66% Wii level.

          What that translates into, for instance, the RP3+ should be able to hit a locked-60fps on the bottom 80% of GameCube games, with the Top 20% of games falling from those figures ranging from stutters, to annoying, to becoming unplayable. You can squeeze extra performance by going to a smooth-50fps level, using a x1 frameskip, playing with the Emulator Settings, and switching to the Beta Version like MMJR2.

          Overall, this is getting pretty close. They finally got the RAM and Storage right. But it needs a slightly bigger iGPU and it needs a decently faster CPU (Eg/ 3x 2.3Ghz-Cortex A76 + 5x 1.9Ghz-Cortex A55)

          I think something like the Samsung Xcover6 Pro might make for a potent Handheld Console since it has a User Removable Battery!!

    1. Those were just rumours.
      It’s more likely that Retroid will retire all their consoles now, and focus just on the RP3+ for a long time.

      Their next console will probably be the RP4, and going off their pattern it should have the same specifications. What they will change is everything else, like better stick positioning, hall sensors, buttons, smaller device size, louder front speaker, better rumble vibrations, larger battery, brighter screen, etc etc.

      The RP4 would be a massive upgrade from the RP2+ but a mild one from the RP3. They’ll announce the RP4+ shortly after that in the same year, and merely upgrading the processor. At this point we don’t know which SoC they’ll go for. Likely candidates are the:
      RockChip RK3588
      Unisoc Tiger T710, T740, T760, T770
      MediaTek Dimensity 800, 820, 1000, 1100, 1200, 1300,
      Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, 860, 778, 780, 865, 870

      I feel like the MediaTek D820 should be the lowest offering to justify the performance uplift. But still in the “same class” would be the QSD 870 but it’s faster and much more refined. If they can source them affordably (which is possible) that should make it a potent machine, just barely out of reach of the luxury flagship performance.

      1. I would not expect a 7nm CPU… any time soon at such a low price point.

        The reason they can make these so cheap is its 12nm… which has abundant supply. Anything after 7nm is a premium product because it requires EUV which is demand constrained.

        T760 and T770 could make sense for an upgrade from the T618 (The lower two have low end Imagination Vivante GPUs that are best avoided).
        Dimensity 800 lineup looks good similar to the T760 and above.

        I wonder if they get culls of chips that have bad LTE units or something…

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