Best Android retro handhelds: all 14 compared on stated specs

Fifteen catalogue devices list Android, priced from $94.99 to $579 on the makers' own pages (checked Oct 2026, currency mostly not named, never converted). The AYN Odin 3 lists the newest version, Android 15. We have not tested any of them, and UK prices are not checked yet.

This guide goes through every one of the fifteen, grouped by how much hardware the makers list, using only the makers' stated figures.

What does Android on a handheld mean for a buyer? It means the maker has put a version of the Android operating system on the device and lists that version number. The version is a fact on the page; what it means for a particular game or app is not something any of the makers state, so we do not claim it.

The Android devices in one table

Flagship and large-screen designs

1. AYN Odin 3: the newest Android version listed

AYN lists Android 15, a Qualcomm Dragonwing Q8 chip and a 6 inch Full HD AMOLED touch screen at 120Hz. The battery is 8000 mAh, the weight 390g, and the sticks are hall sticks. Memory options run from 8GB with 128GB (UFS 3.1) up to 24GB with 1TB. The maker's spec image gives Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6.0, a TF card slot and a size of 224.8 x 87.5 x 16.6 mm, and an Adreno 830 GPU. It is a pre-order page that says no games are preinstalled. The base price is $369, with Pro $469, Max $529 and Ultra $569 listed (checked Oct 2026). Odin 3 page.

2. AYN Odin2 Portal: the largest single screen

AYN lists a 7 inch OLED at 1080p and 120Hz, a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 with an Adreno 740 GPU, an 8000 mAh battery with 27W charging, active cooling, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.3 and Android 13. The spec images give 430g and 257 x 98.6 x 17.2 mm, a TF card slot and DisplayPort output at 4Kp60. The page text itself gives only the price and variants, so nearly every figure comes from images. The Base (8GB plus 128GB) is $259 against a $329 regular price, Pro (12GB plus 512GB) $369 and Max (16GB plus 1TB) $449 (checked Oct 2026). The Base in black showed as backordered. Odin2 Portal page.

3. Retroid Pocket 6: Wi-Fi 7 and 120Hz in a single-screen body

The Pocket 6 lists Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.3 alongside a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, a 120Hz 5.5 inch AMOLED and a 6000 mAh battery. Android 13. Retroid states a size of 205.5 x 80.5 x 17.2 mm but no weight. The 8GB models show $244 and the 12GB model $279 (checked Oct 2026). Pocket 6 page.

4. AYN Thor: Android on two screens

Android 13 across a 6 inch AMOLED and a 3.92 inch AMOLED touch display, with the Lite on an SD865 and the other versions on a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. The battery is 6000 mAh. The maker's spec image gives 380g, 150 x 94 x 25.6 mm, a TF card slot, Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.3 on the Base, Pro and Max (Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.1 on the Lite), and it is a pre-order page. Prices run from $259 (Lite) to $579 (1TB Max), checked Oct 2026. Thor page.

5. AYANEO Pocket DS: the largest Android screen pair

AYANEO lists a 7 inch 1920 x 1080 OLED with refresh rates up to 165Hz and a 5 inch 1024 x 768 secondary LCD, a Snapdragon G3x Gen 2, an 8000 mAh battery, Bluetooth 5.3 and a turbo fan with a copper heat sink. The Android version is not stated and neither are weight or size, and several variants showed as sold out. The base configuration (8GB plus 128GB) is $579 and 12GB plus 256GB is $619 (checked Oct 2026). Pocket DS page.

6. AYANEO Pocket S: the sharpest panel listed, with no price yet

A 6 inch IPS at 2560 x 1440 (490 ppi), 6000 mAh, LPDDR5X memory, "VC plus active air cooling" (the maker's wording), a USB 3.2 Gen 2 port with DisplayPort 1.4 and up to 40W charging. It weighs 350g and measures 213.9 x 85 x 14 mm. AYANEO also lists a 1920 x 1080 variant, labels the page Coming Soon and gives no price, and the charger is not included. Pocket S page.

The Retroid and Anbernic middle

7. Retroid Pocket 5: a Snapdragon 865 with a RAM conflict

A Snapdragon 865 (named on the maker's spec image) with an Adreno 650 GPU, a 5.5 inch 1080p AMOLED at 60Hz and a 5000 mAh battery with Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.1. The maker states 280g and 199.2 x 78.5 x 15.6 mm. Its page text lists 12GB of RAM but its spec image lists 8GB, so we use the lower figure. Its store showed the white colour sold out. $179 (a $209 regular price is also shown), checked Oct 2026. Pocket 5 page.

8. Retroid Pocket Flip 2: two chip choices, one page

Retroid sells an SD865 version and a D1100 version, and its spec list covers only the SD865 one: a 5.5 inch AMOLED at 1080p and 60Hz, active cooling and 5000 mAh. The maker's spec image gives 306g and 140.5 x 89.5 x 24.4 mm; its page text lists 12GB of RAM but the spec image says 8GB, so we use 8GB. The SD865 version shows $189 and the D1100 $149, and the D1100 version showed as sold out (checked Oct 2026). Make sure you order the one you read about. Flip 2 page or Flip 2 against Thor.

9. Anbernic RG556: the cooling is a fan and heat pipe

Unisoc T820, 8GB of LPDDR4X, a 5.48 inch AMOLED at 1080 x 1920, 5500 mAh and a USB-C port with 1080p DisplayPort output. The maker states 331g, 223 x 90 x 15 mm, Wi-Fi 802.11ac and Bluetooth 5.0. Anbernic says "30+ emulators" and does not say whether it ships to the UK. $179.99, with a $184.99 regular price (checked Oct 2026). RG556 page and the RG556 against Pocket 5 data page.

10. Retroid Pocket 4 Pro: the smallest Retroid screen but one

Retroid's spec image gives 261g and 184.8 x 82.6 x 15.8 mm, one figure for the Pocket 4 and 4 Pro together rather than the Pro alone, alongside a 4.7 inch touchscreen at 750 x 1334, 500 nits, an MTK D1100 chip and 8GB. Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.2, 5000 mAh. $159, with a $199 comparison price (checked Oct 2026). Pocket 4 Pro page.

Lower maker prices

11. Anbernic RG405M: the aluminium body

A 4 inch IPS touch screen at 640 x 480, a Unisoc Tiger T618, 4GB of LPDDR4X and 128GB eMMC, 4500 mAh (7 hours stated), Android 12, and a body the maker describes as aluminium alloy. It is listed at 260g and 16.3 x 7.6 x 1.59 cm. Anbernic warns that installing a third-party operating system cannot be reversed and voids the warranty. $119.99, regular $177.99 (checked Oct 2026). RG405M page.

12. Mangmi Air X: full HD at about the $100 mark

The Air X lists a Snapdragon 662, 4GB of LPDDR4X, a 5.5 inch 1920 x 1080 IPS screen at 60Hz and 400 nits, Android 14 and a 5000 mAh battery with 15W charging. It is 286g, with Wi-Fi 5 and Bluetooth 5.0 and a microSD slot of up to 2TB (FAT32). Maker's 8-hour claim carries an asterisk with no stated conditions. $99.99 (regular $105.99, checked Oct 2026). Air X page.

13. Retroid Pocket Classic: the cheapest AMOLED in this guide

3.92 inch AMOLED at 1240 x 1080, 60Hz, a chip the maker calls G1 Gen2 and does not describe further, 6GB of LPDDR4x, Android 14, 27W charging, active cooling and a 5000 mAh battery. The maker lists 223g, 138 x 89.8 x 26 mm, Wi-Fi 5 and Bluetooth 5.1, and it has the smallest screen of the five Retroid models in the catalogue. $99 for the 6GB plus 128GB version, with a $149 comparison price (checked Oct 2026). Pocket Classic page.

14. Anbernic RG353V: the dual-boot oddity

The RG353V runs Android 11 and Linux as a dual boot, with an RK3566, 2GB of LPDDR4 and 32GB of eMMC plus a 16GB card, and a 3.5 inch 640 x 480 multi-touch screen. 3200 mAh, 6 hours stated. The maker lists 180g and 12.6 x 8.3 x 2.1 cm. The same page covers the RG353VS, which has less RAM, no touch and Linux only, so check which one you are ordering. $97.99, regular $120.99 (checked Oct 2026). RG353V page.

15. Anbernic RG DS: two screens and Android 14 or Linux

The RG DS lists an RK3568 at up to 2.0GHz, 3GB of RAM (the maker's spec line reads "3+32GB" without labelling which figure is RAM) and two 4 inch 640 x 480 IPS touch screens with stylus support. The battery is 4000 mAh (6 hours stated), it weighs 321g and measures 16 x 9.1 x 2.15 cm, and it lists 802.11ac Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.2 and a TF slot of up to 2TB. The maker writes "Android 14/Linux 64-bit" without saying how the two are chosen. $94.99 against $99.99 regular (checked Oct 2026). RG DS page.

What to check before you buy

• The exact configuration. Thor, Odin 3, Odin2 Portal, Pocket 6, Flip 2 and Pocket DS each list several chip, RAM or storage versions under one headline price.
• Stock and pre-order status. The white Pocket 5 and the D1100 Flip 2 showed sold out; Thor, Odin 3 and Pocket DS are pre-order pages; Pocket S is Coming Soon.
• Unstated figures. Pocket DS and Pocket S do not name a Wi-Fi version, Pocket 6 and Pocket DS state no weight, and Pocket DS states no Android version.
• UK delivery. We have no verified UK prices or shipping terms.

How to pick one

Choose the screen first, because it is the part you cannot change. The roughly 5.5 inch and larger panels (Pocket 6, Pocket 5, Flip 2, RG556, Air X, Thor, Odin 3, Odin2 Portal, Pocket S, Pocket DS) are the biggest here, while the 3.5 to 4.7 inch panels (Classic, 4 Pro, RG405M, RG353V, and the RG DS with its two 4 inch screens) are the smallest. Then set your budget. For a wider spread that includes Linux consoles, see our main buying guide, and see the PS2 and GameCube guide for the higher-spec devices. Our Android against Linux explainer covers the operating-system choice itself.

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