The Retroid Pocket Mini screen may not be the 1280 x 960 as advertised, and now, it appears that the Retroid Pocket Classic will use the same display. But there’s a bit of a twist.
Despite being advertised as a 1280 x 960 screen with a 4:3 aspect ratio, YveltalGriffin over on BitBuilt went into the device to confirm that it’s actually using the same screen as the secondary screen on the LG Wing mobile phablet.
The LG Wing’s secondary screen is the same one found in the AYANEO Pocket DMG and the upcoming Retroid Pocket Classic. Its screen has a 31:27 aspect ratio, which works out to 10⅓:9. It’s nearly a perfect match to the Game Boy and Game Boy Color’s 10:9 ratio.
UPDATES
This story has been updated since it was originally published. However, as this saga continues to evolve day by day, we’ll keep a consistent log of events here, which can be found below.
UPDATE 1:
Retroid has announced that they will now be sending any inquiring Retroid Pocket Mini owners a DIY kit that will replace the Mini’s screen with the same panel that is found on the upcoming Pocket Classic. This new kit will have the screen and front panel pre-assembled to allow for easier installation, and the combination provides a 10⅓:9 ratio.
Retroid Pocket Mini DIY Screen Replacements
This would make the Retroid Pocket Mini and the upcoming Classic feature the same screen, albeit one device is horizontal while the other is vertical. When compared to each other, the Mini will easily surpass the Classic, although the Classic is purposefully not meant to be as powerful as other Retroid offerings.
Some users have claimed that this solution is where the company should have started, saying that the screen size and resolution do lean close to perfect GB and GBC emulation. However, others still maintain that giving customers months-long false reports, and causing confusion otherwise is enough for them to swear off future products.
Customers looking to receive a free screen replacement can email Retroid at sales@goretroid.com. The replacement will be free to any customers who have previously purchased a Retroid Pocket Mini. The color options are, however, limited to only black. Customers have until April 17th to request their free replacement screen kit.
The Plot Thickens
YveltalGriffin was initially trying to source the panel used in the Mini out of curiosity but realized there were no known panels or screens that fit the description Retroid was offering for the RP Mini.
Kernel patch for the RP Mini
By utilizing Batocera, they were able to see the controller being used for the screen. Research showed a multitude of panels that were intended for the LG Wing’s secondary screen. As such, the Wing’s second screen is a 3.92-inch 1240 x 1080 panel.
To verify this, they opened the device and confirmed that the screen being used in the Retroid Pocket Mini was the same screen found in the LG Wing.
Taking the full width, 1240, and using that to create a 4:3 ratio gives the Mini a “native” resolution of 1240 x 930 — close to the 928p initially reported when this whole ordeal kicked off. The device then reportedly uses that same area and scales the resolution up to report as being 1280 x 960.
Measurements verifying the RP Mini screen findings.
In the end, that’s likely the reason the Retroid Pocket Mini screen cannot be fixed. The screen found in the device was never able to achieve 960p in the first place. The hardware was simply never capable of doing so.
Retroid Is in a Pickle
This news comes after a tumultuous past few weeks for the company. As we initially reported, the screen was said to not be fixable on the Retroid Discord early last week. Days later, Retroid refused returns recanting reports related to issues found in the Pocket Mini’s screen. After fan outrage, Retroid then announced that it would offer $10 off the Flip 2 and Classic to any Mini buyers and also offered returns, but those were limited to just 200 Pocket Mini owners.
Unhappy fans quickly began voicing their concerns, resulting in Retroid announcing that they would be fronting an immediate $1 million initiative towards a custom-made screen without any issues. The company said that its CEO had to mortgage his own property in order to get a bank loan for the initiative.
This news comes after Retroid had gained some grace with the previous announcement detailed above. How this will affect the company moving forward remains to be seen.
Retroid’s announcement on new screen being manufactured.
A small selection of users have used this situation to justify attacking, berating, or harassing the Retroid team themselves. The company should be held responsible for these various issues, which is most certainly true, but it does not mean it’s okay to target the team and their families with malicious attacks.
The company, surely, will respond in time, and as consumers, we should make the decision then whether we will continue to support them and their business any further.
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They should’ve just reported the screen’s actual resolution. Sure, it’s not 4:3, but 1240 x 1080 is nothing to laugh at.
Agree with another poster that they should have been upfront about the display. Nothing wrong with it as the LG Wing (which I still have) is an excellent retro gaming device in itself). Everyone with a lick of sense knows that they outsource for materials. Speaking of sense, unfortunately, we have generations of entitled POS that have none and can safely harass/threaten behind anonymity while living in their parents basement.
While I think the company should rectify the store and apologize with the buyers, this is not a big deal for most owners, including me.
This issue affects likely less than 1% of the buyers who get a weird screen issue tries to run shaders expecting a different resolution.
When playing emulators or Android games, I don’t experience anything noticeable or concerning, as long your games use a 4:3 format because scaling will do affect.
Many haters, who likely don’t even own the console, are trying to cancel the company, doxx their workers, and make the console get discontinued about an unfixable problem very difficult to reproduce under normal usage, but important for advanced retro gamers.
I remember far more offending cases like Sony offering Linux to PS3, or remote play when less than 20% games really supported it, or Apple offering a case for iPhones with a signal problem due hw design. This really affects people under normal use.