It’s been a tumultuous year so far for Retroid, specifically with the display fiasco with the Pocket Mini. Thankfully, it seems that we can finally put that behind us, and put the focus on the other devices that Retroid has released, starting with the Retroid Pocket Flip 2.

I joined the hobby after sometime after the original Pocket Flip was released, and by that point, I couldn’t get one without going through eBay or the RH Market. In hindsight, I wish I had picked one up, just so I would have something to compare the Pocket Flip 2 to. That being said, as soon as Retroid announced its latest clamshell, I was all-in, no matter what. So was that the right decision, or should I have sat this one out?

Retroid Pocket Flip 2: It’s a Big Clam

Before the Pocket Flip 2 was announced, I was a proud owner of the Retroid Pocket 5, and I didn’t think that it would get much better than that. At the time, my only hesitation with the Flip 2 was the size, as it was even larger than the Pocket 5, albeit still smaller than something like the Odin 2 Portal or Pocket EVO.

Retroid Pocket Flip 2 Setup Guide

I watched in horror with many others as Stubbs flapped the Pocket Flip 2 around like it was a fish out of water, only for him to confirm that everything was still A-OK. I’m not sure that we would be able to say the same about the Miyoo Flip, but I digress.

It’s beautiful

The clamshell form factor is intriguing as it removes the need for a screen protector — the lid is the protector. With the exception of needing to wipe away some dust every now and then, the screen on the Flip 2 looks just as good today as it did when I first took it out of the box.

The last thing that I want to mention regarding the design is that I think this is even better than the Pocket 5. I opted for the GC color because apparently, 2025 is the year of Purple for me. Maybe it’s just the RH in my veins, but I digress.

Even after having the Pocket Flip 2 for the better part of a month, I’m still blown away by just how good it looks. I doubt I would feel the same if it shipped with plain buttons and joysticks, as seen with the Odin 2 Portal. Thankfully, I don’t have to worry about that, and soon, SakuraRetroModding will bring my Odin 2 Portal up to snuff.

Minor Hinge Complaints

And as for the hinge? While I don’t go walking around holding onto the top half or violently thrashing it about, I think that Retroid nailed it here. There isn’t any creaking, squeaking, cracking, or anything else that has left me feeling even remotely worried that it’s going to break. Of course, only time will tell whether the hinge and surrounding plastic will last, but I have a pretty good feeling that it will.

If there was anything that I would complain about with the hinge, it’s that there are effectively only two stop points. The first is the most obvious one, stops at 150 degrees, and is what I presume many of us stick to the majority of the time. The other is 180 degrees, with the screen lying flat, and I’ll admit that I’ve occasionally used it like this.

It’s not often that I tilt the screen all the way back, but it’s usually when I need to change my eye level or something. I do wish that there were at least one more angle where the hinge would stop. Split the difference between the two existing angles, and give me one more at about 165 degrees.

Depending on where I am at the moment, I’ve found the first stopping point to be uncomfortable, while the other is just overkill. In these instances, I mostly just end up snapping the lid shut and just waiting until a different opportunity arises so I can enjoy playing games more comfortably.

Retroid Pocket Flip 2: Unsurprisingly Familiar

This section is going to be fairly brief, so let’s speed run it. Ultimately, the Pocket Flip 2 is identical to the Pocket 5 in every way except the design. Nothing has changed performance-wise, so we still have the same Snapdragon 865 with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, with a microSD card slot.

The 5.5-inch AMOLED display also makes a return, which is still just absolutely gorgeous to look at. Even when staring at the screen, attempting to force yourself to play one of the worst games of all time, Patapon. Seriously, that game is so bad, but the Flip 2’s screen makes it at least temporarily palatable, as long as you increase the resolution.

All of the buttons and controls feel the same across both, with the only exception being that it feels like my triggers are kind of sticky. I’m not sure if Zu sabotaged mine when he put it together, but it hasn’t affected anything just yet.

Retroid Pocket Flip 2: Clam on Steroids

Thanks to Retroid not making any changes to the internals between the Flip 2 and the Pocket 5, this means that you could just pop out the microSD card from one and put it in the other. Which is what many of us did, especially those who had already set up ROCKNIX for the Pocket 5. The only downside was, at the time, that ROCKNIX wouldn’t put the Flip 2 to sleep when you closed the lid.

Not only have those problems been solved, but ROCKNIX for the Pocket Flip 2 (and a few other handhelds) is no longer in beta. The stable version was released at the beginning of the month, bringing with it support for the clamshell. And this is where I spend the majority of my time, only really switching over to Android when I want to mess around with Winlator or try and work through the Switch version of Link’s Awakening for GOTM.

To some, this might be a curious decision, considering that this wasn’t the intended use for the Pocket Flip 2, or the Pocket 5, for that matter. However, when you have as many Android handhelds, phones, and tablets as me, it’s refreshing to have a device that offers a different experience.

Links Awakening DX HD in Winlator

At the same time, I know the limitations of the Snapdragon 865, so if I want to really push the limits for PS3 or Switch, I’ll just grab something like the Pocket EVO or Odin 2 Portal. And if those don’t work, there’s no shortage of Windows/Bazzite handhelds within the confines of my home office.

I haven’t even been trying to play Xbox or PS3 games on the Flip 2 via ROCKNIX or Android. Instead, it’s basically become my big-screen PortMaster handheld, as there aren’t hardly any limitations on that front. And again, if something doesn’t work right, I have ROCKNIX available on either the Odin 2 or Odin 2 Portal, so I’m always covered.

Retroid Pocket Flip 2: Should You Buy It?

As is the case with most things, it’s impossible for me to sit here and tell you whether you should spend your hard-earned duckets on a clam. Not everyone has a bunch of handhelds strewn about, which is a headache in its own right.

• Buy the Retroid Pocket Flip 2 if you:
  • Want the best sub-$250 Android handheld.
  • Want the ability to mess around with ROCKNIX.
  • Are looking for a “middle-ground” handheld, between something like a Miyoo Mini or TrimUI Brick and an x86 handheld.
  • Want an Android handheld with an OLED display that doesn’t break the bank.
• Don’t buy the Retroid Pocket Flip 2 if you:
  • Already have the Pocket 5.
  • Don’t see the point in a clamshell
  • Want something more powerful

Leading up to the release of the Pocket Flip 2, my Pocket 5 had been relegated to being a dust collector. Part of that is just because I’ve been far too busy to really sit and play games. But the other part is related to the plethora of other Android devices that I can play games on. There’s nothing really special about the Pocket 5, especially with the Flip 2 now available.

At the same time, I’m trying to find excuses to use “The Clam” whenever time allows. Needless to say, about a week after the Flip 2 landed on my doorstep, the Pocket 5 was packed up and shipped off to someone who appreciates it more (Team Retrogue).

Buy the Retroid Pocket Flip 2

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