Retroid Pocket Mini

The Verdict

The Pocket Mini is Retroid's wild experiment: Snapdragon 865 power in a device small enough to fit in your jeans coin pocket. It's absurdly portable and shockingly capable for its size, but the 3.7" screen and 4GB of RAM are real compromises. This is for people who prioritize portability above all else. If you want PS2 in your pocket and don't mind squinting, this is perfect. For everyone else, get a Pocket 4 Pro.

First Thing to Do

1. **Update firmware** — Retroid optimizes for this device constantly

2. **Install a lightweight frontend** — Daijishō works, but Reset Collection is snappier

3. **Set up NetherSX2** — PS2 works, but manage expectations with 4GB RAM

4. **Download PPSSPP** — PSP is perfect here

5. **RetroArch for classics** — 16-bit and below are flawless

The Loadout

→**PSP:** PPSSPP (2x resolution, locked 60fps)

→**PS2:** NetherSX2 (native resolution, some games need tweaking)

→**GameCube:** Dolphin MMJR2 (native res, many games run well)

→**Wii:** Dolphin MMJR2 (many titles playable at native)

→**3DS:** Azahar or Citra MMJ (native res, avoid demanding titles)

→**Dreamcast:** Flycast (perfect)

→**N64:** M64Plus FZ (flawless)

→**PS1:** Duckstation (enhanced resolution)

→**Switch:** Eden or Citron (very light titles only)

→**GBA/SNES/Genesis:** RetroArch cores

What It Crushes

→**PSP** — Every game runs beautifully despite the small screen

→**Dreamcast** — Perfect performance

→**GBA** — The 3.7" screen is actually ideal for GBA games

→**16-bit era** — SNES, Genesis, all perfect

→**GameCube/Wii** — Surprisingly capable for its size

What It Struggles With

→**PS2 demanding games** — 4GB RAM limits what runs well (FFX is fine, God of War 2 struggles)

→**GameCube heavy titles** — F-Zero GX has issues

→**Switch** — Lighter titles only, very limited

Skip These

→**PS3** — No Android emulator

→**Xbox 360** — No Android emulator

→**3DS for long sessions** — The screen is just too small

Pro Tips

1. **This is the ultimate pocket device** — Fits literally anywhere. Jacket, jeans, bag pocket.

2. **GBA games are perfect on this** — The 3.7" screen is the sweet spot for GBA

3. **4GB RAM is the bottleneck** — Close background apps for best emulation performance

4. **Battery life is decent for the size** — 3-4 hours on demanding games, 5+ on GBA/SNES

Worth It?

Only if portability is your #1 priority. At $149, it's a great value for the chipset, but the 4GB RAM and tiny screen are real limitations. If you want something to carry everywhere and don't mind the compromises, this is perfect. But if you want a better all-around device, spend $50 more on the Pocket 4 Pro. This is a specialty device for portability obsessives.