There seems to be more retro focused handhelds to shake a stick at in this day and age but when it comes to dual screen variants, itโs something that always gets me excited.
Obviously, the go-to for many has been the AYN Thor, but it seems Retroid has thrown a challenger into the mix thanks to the Retroid Pocket Duo.
The Retroid Pocket Duo revealed
After teasing what many thought was going to be a dual screen device, Retroid has now officially shown the masses the Pocket Duo, and from first look, thereโs something to get excited about.
As youโd expect from the name, the Pocket Duo features two displays housed within a clamshell design, making it an obvious option for those wanting to emulate the likes of the Nintendo DS and 3DS without having to awkwardly swap between screens.
Both of these are 120Hz OLED panels too, with Retroid opting for a 16:9 display up top and a 4:3 screen underneath.
This is a really solid choice as it should give the Duo a little more versatility outside of just DS and 3DS emulation, with the top screen lending itself nicely to widescreen games, while that 4:3 panel should feel perfect for a plethora of older systems if you want to just use that.
Looking at the device itself, Retroid appears to be sticking with a fairly familiar control layout, with the D-pad and face buttons sitting above two recessed analogue sticks.
Itโs certainly a different approach to the AYN Thor, though, and while weโll have to actually get our hands on one before declaring which layout is best, Iโm actually a fan of having the D-pad up top as I can keep my hands in the same elevated position.
Unfortunately, Retroid is still keeping plenty of details close to its chest. We donโt yet know what processor is powering the Pocket Duo, how much RAM itโll have, what battery is inside, or, what might be most important to you, how much itโll cost.
With the AYN Thor already proving thereโs a huge appetite for premium dual screen Android handhelds though, Retroid could have a real winner on its hands if it manages to get the price right.
Now, about those specs, Retroidโฆ
