Remember the Retroid Pocket 3 that launched a little while back? It’s about to be replaced by a newer, more powerful model.
The Retroid Pocket 3S and Retroid Pocket 3S Plus look set to be a more powerful version of the Retroid Pocket 3 that could provide the first meaningful threat to the AYN Odin.
What Is the Retroid Pocket 3S?
The latest leak comes via the Chinese forum GScores, and according to RetroDodo, users have been sharing the lowdown on what’s coming.
The big news is that there are going to be two separate consoles – the Retroid Pocket 3S and the Retroid Pocket 3S Plus. Both versions of the 3S will, in a shock to no one, be more powerful than the bog standard 3S. We all know how Retroid works by now.
What’s got everyone so interested in this machine is that it’s rumored to use the MediaTek Dimensity 900 chipset. If that name rings a bell, that’s because it’s the same chipset used in the AYN Odin Lite (the Odin Pro uses the Qualcomm Snapdragon SD845).
For those who haven’t checked out the Odin yet, both versions are beasts in their own right. If you’re after a retro handheld that’ll play GameCube games, or PS2 for that matter, the Odin is still one of the best value handhelds out there thanks to its sub-$200 price tag.
RetroDodo also notes the Retroid Pokcet 3S could be getting a RAM boost, from 2/3GB to a more sense-making 4GB.
4GB would put it on par with the Odin Lite, and to be honest, Android really needs at least 4GB to get the most out of it.
What Is the Retroid Pocket 3S Plus?
Going back to GScores, the Retroid Pocket 3S Plus, it’s claimed, is going to feature the same tech on the inside. Where things differ will be in the screen size and clarity.
The Retroid Pokcet 3S Plus will apparently make use of a 5.5-inch screen that’s capable of 1080p. Nice!
Shall we do the Odin comparison one last time? Okay. The Odin utilizes a 5.98-inch IPS LCD dragonglass touchscreen. While it’s hard to see the 3S Plus going as far as dragonglass, the size of the screen isn’t that far off the Odin (.48). That means in terms of overall console size, the 3S Plus should be around the same as the Odin at 224 by 95 by 15.
Retroid Pocket 3S and 3S Plus Release Date
At the time of writing, no release date or window was mentioned. Given how long Retroid was sitting on the Retroid Pocket 3, though, production could feasibly be further along than most expect.
Retroid Pokcet 3S and 3S Plus Price
The Retroid Pocket 3 currently rocks a $160 price tag. That’s higher than the Retroid Pocket 2, but still offers greater value than what Anbernic is putting out.
If we were to make an educated guess, $199.99 would be the safe bet. AYN is still struggling to keep up with demand, so offering the Retroid Pokcet 3S Plus at the same price while also making it widely available would offer up a solution to those who don’t want to wait months for a new toy.
In the meantime, be sure to follow RetroResolve on Twitter and we’ll let you know as soon as we have more info.
Images via GScores
