Device comparison

Pimax Portal vs. Retroid Pocket Nova

Compare specs, emulation support, community reviews, ownership, and play history.

Compare

With

Pimax Portal
Retroid Pocket Nova

Not shown to scale. Real-world dimensions are missing for one or both devices.

Quick verdict

Best value
Retroid Pocket Nova
Better screen
Pimax Portal
Newer model
Retroid Pocket Nova

Main differences

  • Retroid Pocket Nova has similar emulation coverage to Pimax Portal.
  • Retroid Pocket Nova is about $47 cheaper based on catalog pricing.
  • Retroid Pocket Nova has a 120 Hz AMOLED screen, versus 144 Hz LCD Touchscreen on Pimax Portal.
  • Retroid Pocket Nova runs Android 13; Pimax Portal runs Android 12.
  • Retroid Pocket Nova is highlighted for PS2, GameCube, Dreamcast, Saturn, N64, PS1; Pimax Portal is highlighted for 3DS, Wii, GameCube, Saturn.

Pimax

Pimax Portal

Details
Price
$299
OS
Android 12
Released
May 2023
Up to
3DS
Screen
5.5 inch LCD Touchscreen
Weight
Unknown

No reviews yet

0 collectors

Retroid

Retroid Pocket Nova

Details
Price
$252
OS
Android 13
Released
Jul 2026
Up to
Switch
Screen
4.5 inch AMOLED
Weight
255 grams

No reviews yet

1 collector

Specs

BetterWorse

SpecPimax PortalRetroid Pocket Nova
Price$299$252
OSAndroid 12Android 13
Screen5.5 inch4.5 inch
Aspect ratio16:94:3
Resolution3840 x 21601280 x 960
Refresh rate144 Hz120 Hz
PanelLCD TouchscreenAMOLED
ChipsetQualcomm Snapdragon XR2Qualcomm QCS8550 (Dragonwing, Snapdragon 8 Gen 2-class)
CPUKryo 585 Prime (Cortex-A77) / Kryo 585 Gold (Cortex-A77) / Kryo 585 Silver (Cortex-A55)Cortex-X3 / Cortex-A715 / Cortex-A710 / Cortex-A510
GPUQualcomm Adreno 650Qualcomm Adreno 740
RAM8 GB8 GB / 12 GB LPDDR5X
StorageInternal 128 GB / 256 GB,Internal 128 GB UFS 3.1, External MicroSD
Battery4000 mAh5000 mAh
WeightUnknown255 grams
Dimensions?169.9 mm x 84.1 mm x 15.6 - 26.3 mm
Hall effect sticksNoYes

Emulation

Excellent › Good › Playable › Limited › Unsupported

SystemPimax PortalRetroid Pocket Nova
Classic systems
Game Boy
NES
Genesis
GBA
SNES
PS1
Mid-generation systems
DS
N64
Dreamcast
PSP
Saturn
Sixth-generation systems
GameCube
Wii
PS2
Modern systems
3DS
Switch
Wii U
PS3

Emulation source notes

  • Pimax Portal DS: Nintendo DS: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
  • Retroid Pocket Nova DS: Nintendo DS: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
  • Pimax Portal 3DS: Nintendo 3DS: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
  • Retroid Pocket Nova 3DS: Nintendo 3DS: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
  • Pimax Portal GBA: Nintendo Game Boy Advance: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
  • Retroid Pocket Nova GBA: Nintendo Game Boy Advance: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
  • Pimax Portal N64: Nintendo 64: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
  • Retroid Pocket Nova N64: Nintendo 64: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
  • Pimax Portal NES: Nintendo Entertainment System: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
  • Retroid Pocket Nova NES: Nintendo Entertainment System: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
  • Pimax Portal PS1: Sony Playstation: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
  • Retroid Pocket Nova PS1: Sony Playstation: All games playable at full speed without frameskip
  • Pimax Portal PS2: Sony Playstation 2: Most games playable at full speed, a few games have lower frame rates but still mostly playable with frameskip
  • Retroid Pocket Nova PS2: Sony Playstation 2: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
  • Pimax Portal PS3: Sony Playstation 3: RPCS3 was recently ported to ARM (2024/12/9), so please leave a comment if you know how well this device can handle PS3
  • Retroid Pocket Nova PS3: Sony Playstation 3: Most games playable but mostly with frameskip, struggles with harder to emulate games
  • Pimax Portal PSP: Sony Playstation Portable: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
  • Retroid Pocket Nova PSP: Sony Playstation Portable: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
  • Pimax Portal Wii: Nintendo Wii: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
  • Retroid Pocket Nova Wii: Nintendo Wii: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
  • Pimax Portal SNES: Super Nintendo Entertainment System: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
  • Retroid Pocket Nova SNES: Super Nintendo Entertainment System: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
  • Pimax Portal Wii U: Nintendo Wii U: Only the easiest to emulate games are barely playable
  • Retroid Pocket Nova Wii U: Nintendo Wii U: Most games playable but mostly with frameskip, struggles with harder to emulate games
  • Pimax Portal Saturn: Sega Saturn: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
  • Retroid Pocket Nova Saturn: Sega Saturn: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
  • Pimax Portal Switch: Nintendo Switch: Most games playable but mostly with frameskip, struggles with harder to emulate games
  • Retroid Pocket Nova Switch: Nintendo Switch: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
  • Pimax Portal Genesis: Sega Genesis / Mega Drive: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
  • Retroid Pocket Nova Genesis: Sega Genesis / Mega Drive: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
  • Pimax Portal Game Boy: Game Boy / Game Boy Color: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
  • Retroid Pocket Nova Game Boy: Game Boy / Game Boy Color: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
  • Pimax Portal GameCube: Nintendo GameCube: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
  • Retroid Pocket Nova GameCube: Nintendo GameCube: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
  • Pimax Portal Dreamcast: Sega Dreamcast: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
  • Retroid Pocket Nova Dreamcast: Sega Dreamcast: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip

Frequently asked

What's the difference between the Pimax Portal and the Retroid Pocket Nova?
Retroid Pocket Nova has similar emulation coverage to Pimax Portal. Retroid Pocket Nova is about $47 cheaper based on catalog pricing. Retroid Pocket Nova has a 120 Hz AMOLED screen, versus 144 Hz LCD Touchscreen on Pimax Portal. Retroid Pocket Nova runs Android 13; Pimax Portal runs Android 12. Retroid Pocket Nova is highlighted for PS2, GameCube, Dreamcast, Saturn, N64, PS1; Pimax Portal is highlighted for 3DS, Wii, GameCube, Saturn.
Which is cheaper, the Pimax Portal or the Retroid Pocket Nova?
The Retroid Pocket Nova is the cheaper of the two at around $252, roughly $47 less than the Pimax Portal based on catalog pricing.
Which is newer, the Pimax Portal or the Retroid Pocket Nova?
The Retroid Pocket Nova is the newer model, released in 2026.
Which is more popular on retroshelf, the Pimax Portal or the Retroid Pocket Nova?
The Retroid Pocket Nova is in more collections on retroshelf right now, with 1 collector tracking it.

Compare Pimax Portal with