The Best Value True "Retro" Emulation Handheld You Can Buy Today

The Best Value True "Retro" Emulation Handheld You Can Buy Today - Retroid Pocket 2S Review

Рет қаралды 18,514

Күн бұрын

I've been eagerly awaiting the release of the Retroid Pocket 2S as a true Retroid emulation device. Does this handheld live up to the hype? Should you grab this over the RP3 Plus? Let's take a look at the newly released 2S and see if it's a worthy successor to the 2 Plus or if you should stick to grabbing the 3 Plus.
Grab one below (Affiliate Link/Supports the channel):
Retroid Pocket 2S - www.goretroid.com/products/re...
Retroid Pocket 2S Case - www.goretroid.com/products/re...
Rather grab the flip?
www.goretroid.com/products/re...
Or stick to the classic Retroid Pocket 3 Plus?
www.goretroid.com/products/re...
My Favorite Micro SD Model (Affiliate Link/Supports the channel):
Amazon.ca (multiple sizes) - amzn.to/3QZCe8v
Amazon.com (multiple sizes) - amzn.to/3Pfi0WS
Grab one of the Retroid Pocket handhelds below (Non-Affiliate Link):
www.goretroid.com/en-ca/colle...
Installing Gulikit Joysticks for extra height into the 3 Plus:
• Which Hall Sticks Work...
Timestamps:
0:00 - Intro
1:15 - My Retroid Handheld History
2:10 - Enter... the Flip
3:30 - Thickness and Portability (RP3/Flip/2S)
3:43 - Retroid Pocket 2S - First Look
3:58 - Buttons and DPAD
4:21 - Face Button - Sound Test
4:28 - DPAD - Sound Test
4:44 - Button Placement
5:00 - New Joysticks
5:17 - Joystick Height Differences
6:06 - Joystick Range
6:32 - Device Layout
6:52 - Micro SD Card Issues?
7:06 - Recommended Micro SD
7:26 - Boot Speed Test (2S VS 3 Plus)
8:07 - New Case Review
9:38 - 2S Ergonomics
9:54 - Recommended Front End and Theme
10:18 - Performance Summary
10:40 - Game Test (Dreamcast)
10:59 - Text Scaling Issues
11:21 - Analog Triggers
11:41 - Analog Trigger Fix / Retroarch
11:52 - Analog Trigger Test
12:40 - Dreamcast Thoughts?
12:56 - Game Test (3DS)
13:16 - Game Test (Gameboy)
13:28 - Game Test (GBA)
13:50 - Game Test (GBC)
14:05 - Game Test (Gamecube)
14:41 - Game Test (Genesis)
14:58 - Game Test (DS)
15:23 - PS2?
15:28 - Let's talk about these Speakers!
15:46 - Speaker Test (50% Volume)
15:57 - Speaker Test (100% Volume)
16:07 - Speaker Summary
16:59 - Plastic Quality
18:13 - Android Gaming?
18:21 - What should you pick?
20:01 - Final Thoughts
▬▬ MY GEAR ▬▬
Camera: [POCO F3](www.po.co/global/poco-f3/)
Camera Mount: [Amazon Link](www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B085...)
Camera Arm: [Amazon Link](www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B06X...)
Mount Adapter (for the kit above): [Amazon Link](www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B07Z...)
Microphone: [Shure SM7B](www.amazon.ca/Shure-SM7B-Dyna...)
USB Audio Interface: [Focusrite Scarlett Solo](www.amazon.ca/Focusrite-SCARL...)
Microphone Boom Arm: [Amazon Link](www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B001...)
Lights: [Amazon Link](www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B08G...)
The intro theme song was created by the talented Jim Gray of Our Ghosts. Be sure to check out his amazing work [here](ourghosts.bandcamp.com/).
Please note that this video is intended for entertainment and educational purposes only.
#retrohandheld #retroid #retrogaming

Пікірлер: 99

@KeiRetroGaming 10 ай бұрын

The screen text scaling issue in Retroarch has been resolved! To fix it, simply open RetroArch and head to the settings tab > user interface > appearance > menu scale factor. I've personally set mine to 1.25X, and it fits the screen size perfectly now. I'm curious, how's your experience with the 2S? Planning to get one, content with your current console, or waiting to see what other devices launch down the road?

@XcaliburW 10 ай бұрын

I’ve just gotten into retro gaming handhelds and I’ve been amazed the the Retroid Pocket 2S

@KeiRetroGaming 10 ай бұрын

@@XcaliburW Welcome to the community! They're pretty awesome little devices for sure.

@hunam3876 10 ай бұрын

When showing off sound quality it's better to show it in comparison rather than on its own.

@yekimrelssek2929 10 ай бұрын

Great review Mr. Kei!

@mikem3431 10 ай бұрын

I love this!! The best option for me. Vibration for games like drill dozer work great!

@pyroflyx 10 ай бұрын

I'm still using my OG Retroid Pocket 2. I am waiting for the next RP3 iteration to upgrade, and I'm hoping they take some design elements like the menu/start/select face buttons and joysticks from the 2S, and the analog triggers.

@adinwalls 10 ай бұрын

Really great vid!

@MrScottyTay 9 ай бұрын

you can change the UI settings in retroarch in the User Interface section in the settings. There should be a scaling option, increasing that will increase the zoom levels on the menus

@hunam3876 10 ай бұрын

Hope ABXY metal domes return for the next iteration of RP3. And I want those concave joysticks in it too.

@cam-inf-4w5 7 ай бұрын

Great review.

@Niborino9409 10 ай бұрын

That's good to know. I was thinking GBA on the 2S would fill the screen completely but if it doesn't I don't really want it all that much anymore. Thinking to get the 3+ first.

@SYNDERMiNE 10 ай бұрын

Just ordered mines yesterday. I couldnt choose which color as they all look pretty cool so I let my lady pick one for me. Wont know what she picked till I get the dang thing in my hands lol im Anxious

@meowmixdelivery2501 10 ай бұрын

Great review! Gives me a view of what I can do with the device without really messing with it. I will definitely be tweaking it to hell and back to min-max everything tho 😅. Mine should be arriving soonish.

@KeiRetroGaming 10 ай бұрын

I tried to keep all the emulation stuff stock to see what it was capable of "out of the box". Figured that would be a fun way to look at this device since most optimize devices for reviews. Hope you like it when yours arrives! Have fun!

@AfaqDraw 10 ай бұрын

Great vid!

@valvomo1540 6 ай бұрын

How is the temperature if I play only Dreamcast and PSP? Any issues?

@POST_M0RTEM 10 ай бұрын

I ordered clear black, but that color looks gorgeous and classic.

@KeiRetroGaming 10 ай бұрын

I love the colour on it too. I nearly bought the transparent black but after seeing the 16-bit in person, I'm pretty happy with my decision. Transparent black still looks amazing though! I'm sure you'll love it when it arrives.

@kayzr3068 8 ай бұрын

settings for sonic adventure 2 battle? :)

@sceauhrhoades8113 8 ай бұрын

I used to have a retro pocket 2 plus myself until I lost the thing now I have a retro pocket 3 plus

@nanra491 10 ай бұрын

Do the joysticks rub along the edge? Or do they have clearance when rotating like NS style sticks?

@KeiRetroGaming 10 ай бұрын

If there's any clearance it's only 1-2mm as you can barely see it. I don't notice any friction between the joystick and the device itself though so I don't think it's hitting the joystick cap.

@prestoncram7507 6 ай бұрын

Nice review. Kei, do you know if the saturation adjustment script that works on the 3/3+ works on the 2S?

@KeiRetroGaming 6 ай бұрын

Yep, it'll work on any Retroid device.

@prestoncram7507 6 ай бұрын

Awesome, thank you!@@KeiRetroGaming

@LKeshaba 10 ай бұрын

Do retroid pocket 2s & flip support bypass charging? I owned RP3+ and was slightly disappointed that it doesn't support bypass charging. Compared to playing it on handheld mode, the battery drains so fast when I plug the HDMI into TV. So bypass charging is a thing for me when I want to play it on big screen sometimes. And sadly, I found no review talks about this, regarding the device support HDMI.

@KeiRetroGaming 10 ай бұрын

It doesn't support bypass charging. Have you disabled the device screen while connected to HDMI?

@darrylbrian 10 ай бұрын

So for GameCube emulation, how does the 2s compare with the 3+? I really like the small form factor of the 2s but i really want GC emulation so this would be the catalyst for my decision of which one to get.

@KeiRetroGaming 10 ай бұрын

If you're deciding between the two and if you want better GameCube emulation go for the 3+. It ran much smoother there from my experience with the games I tried.

@agamaz5650 Ай бұрын

Thermals?

@DowntheRabbitHole0 10 ай бұрын

Anyone know if the 2+ would fit in that 2S case? The d-pads are in different spots so I'm worried about my 2+ thumbstick bending.

@Senda688 10 ай бұрын

I just did the test for you and yes it fits perfectly. The buttons cuts are mostly there for the aesthetic.

@DowntheRabbitHole0 10 ай бұрын

@@Senda688 Awesome! Thank you very much! I'm going to buy one right now. Much appreciated.

@Senda688 10 ай бұрын

@@DowntheRabbitHole0 glad I could help 👍

@boygamer8645 10 ай бұрын

One Quest whats best SD Card for redroidpocket because o use sandisc gold 520 GB but the show me only 5 Games from 20

@KeiRetroGaming 10 ай бұрын

I left my recommended micro SD model in the description. A 128/256gb card is a good budget size I think for what the 2S is capable of playing.

@ChubbyChecker182 10 ай бұрын

Analogue Triggers is huge.

@spencerkogut107 10 ай бұрын

For a first timer and using it mostly for commutes, would you recommend the 2S?

@KeiRetroGaming 10 ай бұрын

Which systems are you hoping to play on it?

@TheRed02151 10 ай бұрын

curious what are your thoughts when comparing the retroid pocket 3+ versus the anbernic 405m (Ijust bought the ladder and it's nice, but now I'm not so sure, it's smaller in person.) For the price I feel like maybe I should be getting an odin or just wait and buy a steam deck alongside a smaller vertical handheld for the portability factor. Might return, might not, ANY ADVICE FROM ANYONE WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED!!! I love the feel of the anbernic, but again for the price the smaller size and power is a little bit concerning considering I wanted to play a few PS2 games on it. I fell in love with the premium yet retro look. So maybe get a cheaper vertical for the retro and a more expensive odin/steam deck?

@TheRed02151 10 ай бұрын

love the video btw!

@KeiRetroGaming 10 ай бұрын

If I were to slim down my collection to two devices I'd pick the ROG Ally and the RP3+. I've had Anbernic units before but I've always been disappointed by the vibrancy of the colors on the screen. The 405M also cost more than the 3+ which is why I never bought one. My friend who picked up one likes it but he had to tweak the screen with a saturation enhancement script to get the colors better. If you want more portability then grab the 2S over the 3+, if you don't mind losing out on PS2 emulation. I tried to sum up my thoughts on which device I'd recommend from Retroid at the end but in all honesty, each of them are decent devices. Whichever you pick I'm sure you'll be happy. I had the 351MP way back and I found it a bit heavy in my pocket so I never liked taking it with me on the go, also pretty thick especially compared to the RP3 I had at the time. I'd love to look at the 405M eventually but it's just too expensive for what it is and I can't justify buying it. I owned the Odin Lite a while back and I had some major wifi issues with streaming, I also had coil whine when connected to hdmi which got annoying and the panel was very disappointing. You can watch my thoughts on it here: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/hqp3jcx0qbKlooE.html Hope that helps! Let me know if you have any more questions.

@Cyko.. 9 ай бұрын

Maybe I missed it but can you tell me if the joysticks have L3 and R3 functionality?

@KeiRetroGaming 8 ай бұрын

Yep, you have full L3 and R3 functionality.

@Cyko.. 8 ай бұрын

@@KeiRetroGaming Excellent! Thank you for letting me know.

@DTUFINOPhotography 5 ай бұрын

Will Onion OS work with the retroid pocket?

@KeiRetroGaming 5 ай бұрын

No it's android exclusively.

@MeatPuppet7861 10 ай бұрын

Honestly, if Retroid could make 2 devices at once they would probably be king... I understand a lot of the hate for how they release their devices, but Anbernic has SOOO many it's hard to even say which one you have... Vertical, horizontal, metal.... The reason for 2 devices, there seems to be a lot of people torn between 2 things on every device... The dome switches vs. rubber membrane. And 4:3 vs 16:9. Imaging if they had some options when ordering, one device has 4:3 the other 16:9. But you get to choose the style of buttons... I know they've killed it on the RP2 S with how the sticks and R2/L2 are. It would be amazing to have those on the RP3+... I'm sure their next device would have analog triggers and i'd assume these sticks(cause they DO seem to be way better). I'm a fan of dome switches and having a 16:9 screen. Would be nice to see if they could find that medium and also make a device that could play PS2 without any hiccups.

@jvanacore09 6 ай бұрын

when setting up the 2s, did you needing to add extra BIOS files?

@KeiRetroGaming 6 ай бұрын

You need to provide your own games and bios files. Most systems won't need any though if you use the Retroarch cores.

@jvanacore09 6 ай бұрын

I have my bios files but do plan to use the retro arch cores. So you’re saying if I use retroarch, I won’t have to load additional bios?

@KeiRetroGaming 6 ай бұрын

You won't need them for a lot of cores as mentioned but I generally put all my bios files in the Retroarch system folder anyways.

@tonbomohm1 10 ай бұрын

HI, does it come with preloaded games?

@KeiRetroGaming 10 ай бұрын

No Retroid device I've tried has come with any luckily.

@therocketman0123 10 ай бұрын

This in indigo hits me in the nostalgia hard for my old GBA. But I think the screen size will keep me from picking one up.

@KeiRetroGaming 10 ай бұрын

I thought the screen size would bother me as well but it seems much better in person, especially now with the scaling on Retroarch fixed.

@elasmojones 10 ай бұрын

I'm too old...can't do the tiny screens anymore

@itsmanfred 10 ай бұрын

How long did it take for yours to arrive? Mine is still on the way

@KeiRetroGaming 10 ай бұрын

It took about a week and a half to arrive here in Canada once it shipped, I used 4PX. No import fees.

@itsmanfred 10 ай бұрын

@@KeiRetroGaming I also chose 4PX. hopefully it will get here by the end of the week.

@KeiRetroGaming 10 ай бұрын

They move pretty quick, it'll be there before ya know it.

@ks1ngh27 10 ай бұрын

How do you like this for dreamcast racing games? Is the joystick comfortable to use with the triggers?

@KeiRetroGaming 10 ай бұрын

Dreamcast racing games are good, triggers and joysticks are both excellent. Definitely the best in both those regards we've seen from Retroid.

@ks1ngh27 10 ай бұрын

@@KeiRetroGaming is it hard to reach the joystick and the triggers at the same time due to positioning?

@KeiRetroGaming 10 ай бұрын

I talked about it a bit in the review but I generally spread my hands out further and position them lower on the device itself, this gives me a good angle for games that use joysticks.

@ks1ngh27 10 ай бұрын

@@KeiRetroGaming I heard that in the video but did not look comfortable if you need to stretch. Would that be true?

@KeiRetroGaming 10 ай бұрын

I don't find it uncomfortable. For Dreamcast having the joysticks up top would be better but it hasn't bothered me at all. You can also buy the grip with it if you're interested in having better ergonomics, that should help immensely.

@ZioFrankekko 10 ай бұрын

i'll be waiting for rp4/rp4+ hoping it will just be a more powerfull 3/3+ with the 2s joystiks and triggers also a little bigger screen wouldn't be bad (current one is 4.7 probably from iphone se, a good one could be the one from the iphone 8+ wich is 5.5) put at least an snapdragon 870 in there and you've got an amazing little machine

@KeiRetroGaming 10 ай бұрын

Those specs sound perfect! RP4 should be interesting. 5.5" panel would be nice.

@ZioFrankekko 10 ай бұрын

@@KeiRetroGaming yeah and the screen would also be pretty easy for them to integrate since is basically the same tech as the old one and is probably made and sold by the same manufacturer who already supplies them with the screens for the rp3/3+

@Mr-bw7yq 10 ай бұрын

Is easy to play on TV? Can I connect a controller?

@KeiRetroGaming 10 ай бұрын

Yep it works great. Tested it with my 8bitdo SN30 Pro and I didn't have any issues pairing the controller or setting up controls for TV gaming.

@KyleRuggles 10 ай бұрын

This is pretty damn sweet! Kinda ish they went for a 4 inch screen instead, really pissed it has analog shoulder triggers when the rp3+ doesn't, just... we'd be more able to use it on a 16x9 screen than a 4x3. I hope they do this for future retro devices. At least they're able to do it unlike Anbernic which seems unable to do analog triggers. Great review! But not for me, got too many devices as it is lol.

@KeiRetroGaming 10 ай бұрын

Understandable, it's always nice to just play the devices you already own. I think that's awesome in itself. Glad you liked the review.

@STR82DVD 2 ай бұрын

Here's the problem, it's no longer for sale on the Retroid site and the resellers have overpriced this unit so it's definitely a pass in 2024. There are just way too many choices today lad. Thanks for the content.

@mauriciofreitas9439 8 ай бұрын

Rg405V said hello

@Neucher 10 ай бұрын

It's so good if only it had a 4 inch screen 😭

@KeiRetroGaming 10 ай бұрын

I do wish the screen was a tad larger as well... that being said it's not as bad as I thought while using it. Very portable thanks to its smaller size.

@TheBoneFather 9 ай бұрын

3 + or flip am looking for gc games

@KeiRetroGaming 9 ай бұрын

Both are the same performance wise. It's gonna come down to what form factor you prefer.

@ShadesGameSource 10 ай бұрын

Dude... SURVIVAL KIDS!?!?!? Insta-sub for life!!!

@jmlitwiller 10 ай бұрын

Does it have Bluetooth capability?

@KeiRetroGaming 10 ай бұрын

Yep 👍

@Agumon5 10 ай бұрын

So many of these retroid systems look and feel so similar, and can basically do mostly the same thing. I wish they would just focus on making one good hand held every year instead of releasing so many so quickly.

@DeathByHentai 10 ай бұрын

If they did that they would go bankrupt and there wouldn't be any more handheld makers. They make money on selling hardware and only hardware which means they need to sell a lot of different models to stay afloat. Also people are very particular about what they like and so fulfilling different people's wants and needs is a good thing

@Agumon5 10 ай бұрын

@@DeathByHentai Excellent point, I completely forgot that this is not the same as the console market.

@chocho2188 10 ай бұрын

Rp3+ crew! 😂

@daakrolb 8 ай бұрын

"Without further ado." That statement alone, causes delay. & you ripped off saying that from that Russ guy who is constantly reviewing these handhelds.