Retroid just gave its Pocket Duo handheld a proper reveal, and the 3DS handheld is accompanied by a "Lite" sibling. While the full-fat version will start at $269 and pairs dual OLED displays with a Dragonwing Q-7790 chipset, its budget-friendly counterpart will step into the same ring as the Anbernic RG DS with a $149 price tag.
Before revealing the new Lite model, the Retroid Pocket Duo took to the stage in a gameplay demo. The four-minute clip puts the retro handheld to work running everything from Mario Kart 7 to Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D (timely, I know), all running at 4x resolution on the 3DS emulator Azahar. Pretty impressive considering this clamshell is just 23.2mm thick, almost matching an actual 3DS XL.
Yes, the Pocket Duo packs a portable dual-screen punch that should make even the mighty Ayn Thor sweat. But shortly after showing off its take on the 3DS, Retroid also shared a trailer featuring the additional Pocket Duo Lite, and it's very much gunning for the same DS throne as the Anbernic RG DS Plus (and existing contenders like the $98 non-Plus original model.)
Since the RG DS is expected to arrive for under $100, you will potentially be paying $50 more for the Retroid Pocket Lite. However, the extra expense is invested in a beefier Qualcomm Dragonwing QCS6125 chipset that can dabble with lighter 3DS games. In fact, you can already see Mario Kart 7 running on its top 5.5-inch IPS display in an additional demo at x2 resolution, and that should mean it'll cover more of Nintendo's library.
If you're wondering how Retroid managed to create a $149 version of the Pocket Duo, know that its 5.5-inch and 4.5-inch IPS displays and lower-spec chipset come with other tweaks. Notably, you're getting in-line digital triggers instead of the double-stacked bumpers and triggers of the full-fat model, and other specs like Wi-Fi and RAM speed won't be as swanky, tying back to the QCS6125 SoC.
Retroid hasn't graced us with a Pocket Duo release date yet, so it'll be a while before I can take it for a dual-screen test drive. If one thing's certain, it's absolutely a great time to get into dedicated handhelds for 3DS and DS emulation, as not so long ago, one of the only options out there was a very pricey (and chonky) Ayaneo Flip DS, and Windows 11 weirdness meant its emulators were restricted to just OG DS romps.
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