TL;DR
- The Retroid Pocket Flip 2 and Pocket Classic will go up for pre-order on March 17 at 9:30PM EST.
- The Flip 2 starts at $199 for the D1100 version, and the classic starts at $119 for the 4GB+64GB version.
- Both devices have small pre-order discounts, with a larger discount when pre-ordering both devices.
- Retroid has not announced when the devices will ship, nor which chipset the Classic is using.
We also finally have pricing for the full range of devices, which starts at $199 for the Dimensity 1100 version of the Flip 2 and $119 for the 4+64GB version of the Classic. However, there are some quirks in the pricing scheme and small pre-order discounts, so here’s a full list of prices:
- Pocket Flip 2 (Snapdragon 865): $229 retail, $219 pre-order
- Pocket Flip 2 (Dimensity 1100): $199 retail, $189 pre-order
- Pocket Classic (4+64GB, Classic 6 and Retro colorways only): $119 retail, $114 pre-order
- Pocket Classic (6+128GB, all colorways): $129 retail, $124 pre-order
- Flip 2 and Classic bundle (SD865 and 6+128GB): $358 retail, $328 pre-order
In short, you can save $10 by pre-ordering either model of the Flip 2, and $5 by pre-ordering any model of the Classic. You can save $30 by pre-ordering both, but you can only get the top-specced models of each. Presumably, you can choose from any of the four colorways of the Flip 2 and any of the seven colorways of the Classic.
Pricing is more or less in line with what fans expected. The Pocket Flip 2 retails for $10 higher than the Retroid Pocket 5 model with the same chipset and screen. The Dimensity 1100 model is priced $14 higher than the Retroid Pocket 4 Pro with the same chipset, but the Flip 2 has a much nicer OLED panel and, of course, a clamshell form factor.
The Pocket Classic is more difficult to assess, Retroid still hasn’t officially announced which chipset it will ship with. We’ve speculated that it will have the Snapdragon 4s Gen 2, a relatively new 4nm midrange chipset that’s never been used in a gaming handheld. That would make sense given the price, although further testing is required to see whether or not it can handle Sega Saturn games, which the Classic 6 model is designed to replicate.
Retroid still hasn’t announced the chipset for the Pocket Classic.
However, the Pocket Classic does fit into a nice niche between budget handhelds like the TrimUI Brick and premium handhelds like the AYANEO Pocket DMG. The former retails around $80, and the latter starts at $419. It’s worth noting that the Pocket Classic shares the same 3.92-inch AMOLED screen as the Pocket DMG, which is largely considered the best in its class.
Although the devices will go up for pre-order next week, Retroid hasn’t announced when they will ship. The company also ran into unexpected troubles with the recent Pocket Mini, later offering extended returns to unhappy customers. Retroid remains one of the most reliable brands in the retro handheld world, but early adopters should be aware that issues can arise. For instance, the first Pocket Flip was plagued by broken hinges when it launched in 2023.
