Retroid Pocket 5 vs AYN Odin 2 Mini: is $129 too much more?

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Retro Tech Dad Battery tests:

My PERSONAL GAMING DEVICES:

00:00 - Hello
01:04 - Specs
02:17 - Performance
04:16 - The screen
06:38 - Pricing and options
08:22 - Connectivity
09:20 - Controls
11:09 - Rocknix on the Retroid Pocket 5
12:39 - Battery life
13:42 - Hand feel
16:24 - Is it worth over $100 more?

[adinwalls]

I never spoke about aesthetics here. I know this will be a fairly contentious issue, but I think the Odin 2 mini is way better looking. What do you think?

[deliciouslunch]

Wow, you somehow made a video targeted at exactly my "dilemma". I can't tell you how nice it is to find a direct comparison between these two devices like this.

[Guitario]

I think the difference in price between the two is huge. $120 usd is $170 in my currency. This puts the mini in a totally different price range.

[solidust]

All of these reviewers might not realize it but these reviewers are collectively designing the next generation of Retroids. By this time next year we could see the perfect price/performance retro handheld.

[SiriusSdz]

Preordered the Odin 2 Mini Pro and it is my main Emulation Handheld for almost everything. Feels good to have so much power in such a small, comfortable device.

[Steve_McDweeb]

For that price difference I ordered Retroid Dock, extra buttons and carrying case. I also purchased usb c to hdmi cable and sd card. This is my first handheld retro emulation device and it checks everything I need. I'll also use it to stream my PC games on to my living room TV.

[Chenyuan]

Have been waiting for this comparison video for a while before Black Friday and it seems you are the first one to do it, thanks.

[sandplasma]

I preordered the RP5 and sold the RP4 Pro. Didnt even use the pro much. I need one device to keep and use so i can sell all others. The more you have the less you use them.

[PeekPerPeak]

I think that’s why I ultimately decided on the RP5 instead of the Odin 2 and Odin Portal. Between its handheld size, OLED screen, cheaper price, ability to still play some lightweight switch games, and comfortability. I already have a switch, so no need to emulate it

[NickBaysingar]

I think the main deciding factor is gonna be how important Switch emulation is for you. The Odin 2 Mini can handle quite a bit more than the Retroid Pocket 5 when it comes to Switch. That being said, the black RP5 in particular has a nice "bonus feature" thanks to the OLED screen and its bezel-less design. Letterboxes blend in seamlessly with the front of the device, which just looks really slick. We haven't really seen this on any other retro handheld until now and I think it's a great feature that I really want to see on more devices going forward. In fact, I think the black Odin 2 Portal will be this way since it shares many of the same design elements as the RP5.

If you don't really care about the bezel-less design though, then I still think the O2M's mini LED display is fantastic. The vignetting/gradient and bloom everyone likes to bring up is something I have never actually noticed while gaming. The only way I really notice it is if I crank the brightness up beyond necessary levels and go looking for it. Now...is it as good as OLED? No. But I would say it's like 85% of the way there from an IPS LCD, which is damn good in my books.

[RaduPNT]

Ok I understand, I need to wait for Retroid Pocket 6, thx for the video.

[sharktoothyt]

I was able to have the opportunity to test the two devices myself, and these are my overall thoughts regarding the screens in particular, and how to choose the right device to buy. I hope this can help anyone that is struggling to make the choice as I was also stuck between these two for weeks.

Personally, I did not find the screen leap that considerable, but the extra size does give sone favor to the RP5. You are looking at (RP5: 60Hz, 107% sRGB, 500Nits, 5.5Inches), and the Odin 2 Mini (60Hz, 155% sRGB, 1100Nits, 5Inches). The O2M has a higher sRGB, which means it is more vibrant, but more saturated and less accurate from 100% sRGB. Note that you can change this in the Display Settings too if you prefer more accurate colors by turning off screen enhancement on the Odin.

The MiniLed has a contrast ratio that holds so well, that you would not be able to tell the difference between a black image with the device on maximum brightness vs the device turned off, meaning the blacks are on par with the OLED. The things to look out for are Vignetting, which in my opinion, is a non-issue in real life, and it only looks considerable when it's filmed. Blooming on the other hand only affects me in scenarios of white text on an empty black screen with extra dim on. (Bright objects against a dark background are displayed less accurately.) Overall, it is really hard to compared the two devices unless you have them both in real life to make a choice. I thought the O2M's screen would be underwhelming according to reviews, but it was the completely opposite, and it blew me away as much as and alongside the RP5's size.

IMO, the RP5 and O2M are fairly different devices, and their prices reflect that. After all, under MooreChip, Retroid caters for the Mid-End, and AYN caters for the more premium end, where they occupy different parts of the market and is shown through their chipset choice. If you do not need the extra power and do not mind tweaking some settings on PS2 for example, the RP5 has very very good value for what it brings to the handhelds table.

Otherwise, against the O2M, the price and physical feel of the devices are completely different, and you definitely pay for what you get. To finish, ask yourself questions if you want stick top, better ergonomics, better performance, much better speakers, extra vibrancy, quieter buttons, brighter screen, in compromise of price, screen size, slightly less battery, no linux, and more ambient heat.

[LuisCassih]

RP5 screen looks really nice, I like the bezel-less design. But the PS Vita inspired design of the Odin 2 Mini is so attractive for me, I love the PS Vita.

[TheRealAlpha]

Beyond a certain price point Android stops being cost effective for emulation without a shake up in development. The RP5 is not quiet at that point and still fairly decent value for what it can do reliably. When you started getting into Odin pricing I start thinking "okay, a Steamdeck LCD is large but..." for portability and price the RP5 is winning for over in the value category, and I will always prefer Dpad on top, Period.

[pambarth]

Your videos are always so insightful. Thank you for your honesty.

[oOTheMastaOo]

The RP5 would've been an easy pick if it had the left stick on top. Such a major flaw imo

[jg]

3:15 this is very useful to see. Like you said, it’s probably better to just spend the extra money to ensure that the games run better upscaled. However the corners of the odin screen is kinda distracting.

[rfbthree]

Seems to me like the devices are almost equally good if they were both $220, problem is they're not even close to the same price.
Odin 2 Mini: Better Processor (affects few games), better joysticks
Retroid Pocket 5: Better Screen, Better OS options
Toss Up: Button & stick placement, Ergonomics, size, overall quality

[vinardo]

In my country RP5 is almost half the price of the Odin. While I wanted the Odin, I can't justify almost double the price

[jqweary]

That RP5 screen just gleaming in the lights 😂😎