this post was submitted on 06 Sep 2025
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No, not really. Pretty much the cheapest of it's kind imo. Anything x86 is going to be at least double, if not triple or more. Switch 2 is double the price. Anything cheaper is making significant compromises and imo isn't comparable.
edit: just going to keep talking because I've been very interested in these devices lately. I'd say the closest comparison devices would be like the odin 2 which has a more powerful chip but is $300, or the Thor which starts at $250 for the same chip as the Retroid pocket 5 (handheld OP has). Anbernic recently put out an all metal handheld for $280, worse processor and smaller screen though. Those are probably the three its most comparable to it. RP5 is a really good value for what's currently on the market.
FWIW I own an ungodly amount of these stupid little handheld consoles. Anbernic stuff is the best IMO but the retroid is also pretty neat.
Main beef with the retroid is just that it runs android. The devices with minimal Linux systems are way cooler IMO.
The pocket 5 runs rocknix as well, as does the Odin 2. Linux definitely has some good things going for it but I'm coming around on android a bit, the sleep is much better.
I have an Anbernic xx device and love it, its just a different beast then the RP5. snes/gba is where I feel like my xx shines, not gamecube/wii/ps2/light switch.
I've personally never had sleep issues with my Linux handhelds but as a daily Linux desktop user I'm painfully aware that it's not on par with android.
All the android bloat just drives me nuts. I just don't really love having the playstore and email and all that on my gaming device.
The simplicity of the Linux devices and the way they just do one thing really appeals to me.
FWIW I don't actually care much to play any games past PS1/N64 on handheld. Anything later just feels better suited for a desktop or steam deck (totally different class of device IMO).