Cases and screen protectors for retro handhelds: what makers state

Retroid, AYN and Anbernic sell official cases, grips and screen protectors, but the listings carry little beyond a model name and a price. Only Retroid's protectors state a size and material, and its cases and grips state neither. Fit therefore depends on matching the exact model, and any layout variant, rather than on any stated dimension of the accessory.

This guide sets out what each maker does and does not state, and which of a device's own stated dimensions are worth checking before you order. We cite maker pages only and have not handled any of these products.

What do makers sell for protection?

Three kinds of protection turn up across the maker stores. The first is a carrying case or pouch for travel. The second is a grip or TPU shell that wraps the device body. The third is a screen protector. Anbernic also sells fabric "protective bags", listed one per model.

Many of these were listed as sold out or backordered when we checked, so the listing does not guarantee you can buy one. Retroid's pages sometimes show both a "Sold out" label and an "Add to cart" button, so availability is unclear on those.

What do the product pages say about each item?

Not much, and what they say is specific enough to quote.

• Retroid Pocket 6 screen protector: described as a "5.5 inch tempered glass protector", with a model selector labelled "Stick-Top Dpad-Top". Hardness and pack size are not stated.
• Retroid Pocket 6 carrying case: no description beyond "Image is for reference only". No material or size is given.
• Retroid Duo and Duo Lite carrying case: "designed to be shared by both the Duo and Lite".
• Retroid Official Grip for RP6: colours listed as Black, Purple, Transparent and Orange, with a note that the device shown is sold separately.
• AYN Thor Carrying Case: offered with or without grip. The grip version is "designed to hold the device together with the grip attached", and the grip is sold separately.
• AYN Odin 3 TPU Grip: colours Black, Grey and Clear White. AYN notes that the final colour is subject to the actual product and that the white grip is translucent or clear, not solid white. Material is given only as "TPU" in the name.
• Anbernic RG556 protective bag: listed for the RG556 at "From $14.99", with no material or size stated.

The pattern is that compatibility is carried by the product name. No listing states external dimensions for the case, shell or protector. That leaves the device's own dimensions as the thing you can check.

Which device sizes should you check for fit?

Because the accessory page gives no measurements, compare the device dimensions the maker states and read the accessory's name closely. These are the figures in our catalogue.

Anbernic gives its sizes in centimetres and the others in millimetres, so convert before comparing. Where a size looks close between two models, rely on the model name in the accessory title, not on a guess from millimetres. Anbernic's own bag listings are one per model, including separate entries for the RG556, RG CubeXX, RG28XX and RG35XX H.

How much do the sizes differ between models?

Two handhelds that look alike can still differ by several millimetres, and the listing names are the only fit promise. A few comparisons from the maker-stated dimensions above, with Anbernic's centimetres converted to millimetres:

Weight shows the same pattern. The RG556 is listed at 331 g and the Pocket 5 at 280 g, so the Anbernic is 51 g heavier, about 18 percent more. A 6 mm gap in length is small, yet it is the kind of gap that leaves a snug case too tight or a loose one too slack, and no maker states a tolerance. That is the reason to buy by exact model name and not by "close enough". The Pocket 6 weight is not stated, so no weight comparison involving it can be made.

Which screen protector sizes can you reason about?

Retroid states a protector size and material on its listings, for example "5.5 inch tempered glass" for the Pocket 6 and for the Pocket 5, and the maker lists a 5.5 inch AMOLED for the Pocket 6. The Pocket 5 and Pocket Flip 2 also list 5.5 inch screens, and the RG556 lists 5.48 inch. A shared diagonal does not mean a shared fit, because the protector must also match the bezel, the stick or D-pad position and any cut-outs, none of which the listing describes. Retroid's page has a selector for "Stick-Top" or "Dpad-Top" and names the Pocket 6, so the reasonable reading is that it is made for that model only. No maker page says a protector fits any other device.

A short worked example

Suppose you own an AYN Thor and plan to add the AYN grip later. The maker lists the Thor at 150 x 94 x 25.6 mm. Its carrying case comes in two versions, one of which is "designed to hold the device together with the grip attached", and the grip is sold separately. The listing gives no dimensions for either version, so you cannot calculate the added depth. The sensible order is to decide first whether you will keep the grip on, then buy the matching case version once. Buying both versions "to be safe" would double the spend on a listing priced at $12.00, reduced from $15.00 (checked Oct 2026), for a gap that one reading of the page could settle.

What should you check when a grip changes the size?

A grip adds depth or width, and the maker does not give the resulting dimensions. AYN's Thor case page sells a version made to hold the device with the grip attached, which suggests a case for a bare device and a case for a gripped device are different products. Check which variant you are ordering. Retroid's RP6 protector asks you to choose between "Stick-Top" and "Dpad-Top", and the Pocket 6 is listed with D-pad top or stick top layout options, so the variant should match the layout of your unit.

Are screen protectors ever included?

Sometimes. Anbernic's RG DS page lists a screen protector in the box alongside a Type-C charging cable, a capacitive stylus, a user manual and a lanyard. Its RG556 page also names a tempered glass screen protector in the box. AYN's Odin 3 page offered a free TPU cover during the pre-order stage. Check the box contents on the maker page before buying a second protector, and read the guide to reading specs for other things a listing may omit.

What should you ask before ordering?

1. Does the product name match your exact model and, where relevant, layout variant?
2. Does the page state material, or only a name? A listing that says "TPU" or "tempered glass" gives you more than one that says nothing.
3. Is the item in stock, and is the currency stated?
4. Will you add a grip later? If so, look for a case that says it fits with the grip attached.
5. Does the page list the accessory in the box already? Anbernic lists a protector in the box for the RG DS and RG556, so a second one may be spare.
6. Is the colour final? AYN notes that the Odin 3 grip colour is subject to the actual product and that the white grip is translucent.

For other add-ons, see our best accessories list and the accessories hub. For storage, the microSD guide covers card slots and sizes. More explainers sit in guides, and our method is on how we research.