The Retroid Pocket Duo Looks Perfect for DS and 3DS Emulation
It’s no secret that handheld gaming is in a bit of a renaissance right now. Ushered in by the Nintendo Switch and carried forward by the Steam Deck and more powerful handheld PCs like the MSI Claw 8 EX AI+, there’s never been more options for playing games on the small screen, whether that’s away from home or just around the house without being tied to a console.
Alongside these mainstream offerings are another class of handhelds aimed more at the past than the future. In particular, Android-powered dual-screen handhelds like the AYN Thor look to offer hardware designed for emulating the Nintendo DS and 3DS. This week, Retroid entered the fray teasing out its upcoming Pocket Duo, and today we now know how much it will cost.
The Retroid Pocket Duo will cost $270 for the flagship model, which comes with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, though there’s a coupon to knock $20 off when pre-ordering. There’s also a cheaper Pocket Duo Lite model with half as much RAM and storage, which will cost $150. Both models come in a variety of colors, including ones reminiscent of GameCube purple, Game Boy greyish-white, and clear blue and atomic purple. Pre-orders are currently sold out.
The Pocket Duo offers a 5.5-inch 1080p AMOLED primary screen, while the second screen is 4.5 inches at 960p. It’s powered by a Qualcomm Dragonwing Q-7790 processor and runs Android 16, which offers a plethora of games via the Play Store, as well as multiple options for DS, 3DS and other retro system emulation. If going this route, games should be obtained legally, such as by dumping your own game cartridges – IGN does not condone piracy under any circumstances.
There’s no word yet when the Pocket Duo and Duo Lite will launch, but these prices make it an excellent alternative to the AYN Thor, which offers a less-powerful Snapdragon 865 in its $259 Lite model, while the Thor’s “Base” model moves up to the more powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for $329. Pre-orders are currently sold out, but these handhelds tend to come available in waves, so keep an eye out for future drops if you’re interested in buying one. In the meantime, we’ll be looking to go hands-on with the Pocket Duo, so stay tuned for our review as we get closer to launch.