Retroid
Retroid Pocket Nova
- Price
- $252
- OS
- Android 13
- Released
- Jul 2026
- Up to
- Switch
- Screen
- 4.5 inch AMOLED
- Weight
- 255 grams
No reviews yet
1 collector
Device comparison
Retroid Pocket Nova vs. Anbernic RG557
Compare specs, emulation support, community reviews, ownership, and play history.
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Shown to scale from each device’s real-world dimensions.
Quick verdict
- Best value
- RG557
- Better screen
- Retroid Pocket Nova
- More portable
- Retroid Pocket Nova
- Newer model
- Retroid Pocket Nova
Main differences
- Retroid Pocket Nova has similar emulation coverage to Anbernic RG557.
- Anbernic RG557 is about $3 cheaper based on catalog pricing.
- Retroid Pocket Nova is roughly 28% smaller and 27% lighter.
- Retroid Pocket Nova has a 120 Hz AMOLED screen, versus 60 Hz AMOLED on Anbernic RG557.
- Retroid Pocket Nova runs Android 13; Anbernic RG557 runs Android 14.
- Retroid Pocket Nova is highlighted for PS2, GameCube, Dreamcast, Saturn, N64, PS1; Anbernic RG557 is highlighted for PS2, Wii, GameCube, PSP.
Details
Anbernic
RG557
- Price
- $249
- OS
- Android 14
- Released
- Apr 2025
- Up to
- Switch
- Screen
- 5.48 inch AMOLED
- Weight
- 347 grams
No reviews yet
0 collectors
Specs
BetterWorse
| Spec | Retroid Pocket Nova | RG557 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $252 | $249 |
| OS | Android 13 | Android 14 |
| Screen | 4.5 inch | 5.48 inch |
| Aspect ratio | 4:3 | 16:9 |
| Resolution | 1280 x 960 | 1920 x 1080 |
| Refresh rate | 120 Hz | 60 Hz |
| Panel | AMOLED | AMOLED |
| Chipset | Qualcomm QCS8550 (Dragonwing, Snapdragon 8 Gen 2-class) | MediaTek Dimensity 8300 |
| CPU | Cortex-X3 / Cortex-A715 / Cortex-A710 / Cortex-A510 | Cortex-A715 / Cortex-A510 |
| GPU | Qualcomm Adreno 740 | Mali-G615 MC6 |
| RAM | 8 GB / 12 GB LPDDR5X | 8 GB / 12 GB LPDDR5X |
| Storage | Internal 128 GB UFS 3.1, External MicroSD | Internal 128 GB / 256 GB UFS 4.0, External MicroSD |
| Battery | 5000 mAh | 5500 mAh |
| Weight | 255 grams | 347 grams |
| Dimensions | 169.9 mm x 84.1 mm x 15.6 - 26.3 mm | 223 mm x 89 mm x 15-25 mm |
| Video out | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Hall effect sticks | Yes | No |
| Analog triggers | Yes | Yes |
| Touch screen | Yes | Yes |
Emulation
Excellent › Good › Playable › Limited › Unsupported
| System | Retroid Pocket Nova | RG557 |
|---|---|---|
| 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
- Retroid Pocket Nova DS: Nintendo DS: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
- RG557 DS: Nintendo DS: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip This device does not have a touchscreen, so you won't be able to play DS games that rely heavily on the touchscreen
- Retroid Pocket Nova 3DS: Nintendo 3DS: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
- RG557 3DS: Nintendo 3DS: 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
- RG557 GBA: Nintendo Game Boy Advance: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
- Retroid Pocket Nova N64: Nintendo 64: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
- RG557 N64: Nintendo 64: 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
- RG557 NES: Nintendo Entertainment System: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
- Retroid Pocket Nova PS1: Sony Playstation: All games playable at full speed without frameskip
- RG557 PS1: Sony Playstation: All games playable at full speed without frameskip
- Retroid Pocket Nova PS2: Sony Playstation 2: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
- RG557 PS2: Sony Playstation 2: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
- Retroid Pocket Nova PS3: Sony Playstation 3: Most games playable but mostly with frameskip, struggles with harder to emulate games
- RG557 PS3: Sony Playstation 3: Only the easiest to emulate games are barely playable
- Retroid Pocket Nova PSP: Sony Playstation Portable: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
- RG557 PSP: Sony Playstation Portable: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
- Retroid Pocket Nova Wii: Nintendo Wii: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
- RG557 Wii: Nintendo Wii: 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
- RG557 SNES: Super Nintendo Entertainment System: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
- Retroid Pocket Nova Wii U: Nintendo Wii U: Most games playable but mostly with frameskip, struggles with harder to emulate games
- RG557 Wii U: Nintendo Wii U: Only the easiest to emulate games are barely playable Extreme rendering problems due to Mali GPU
- Retroid Pocket Nova Saturn: Sega Saturn: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
- RG557 Saturn: Sega Saturn: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
- Retroid Pocket Nova Switch: Nintendo Switch: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
- RG557 Switch: Nintendo Switch: Most games playable but mostly with frameskip, struggles with harder to emulate games
- Retroid Pocket Nova Genesis: Sega Genesis / Mega Drive: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
- RG557 Genesis: Sega Genesis / Mega Drive: 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
- RG557 Game Boy: Game Boy / Game Boy Color: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
- Retroid Pocket Nova GameCube: Nintendo GameCube: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
- RG557 GameCube: Nintendo GameCube: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
- Retroid Pocket Nova Dreamcast: Sega Dreamcast: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
- RG557 Dreamcast: Sega Dreamcast: Almost all games playable at full speed without frameskip
Frequently asked
- What's the difference between the Retroid Pocket Nova and the Anbernic RG557?
- Retroid Pocket Nova has similar emulation coverage to Anbernic RG557. Anbernic RG557 is about $3 cheaper based on catalog pricing. Retroid Pocket Nova is roughly 28% smaller and 27% lighter. Retroid Pocket Nova has a 120 Hz AMOLED screen, versus 60 Hz AMOLED on Anbernic RG557. Retroid Pocket Nova runs Android 13; Anbernic RG557 runs Android 14. Retroid Pocket Nova is highlighted for PS2, GameCube, Dreamcast, Saturn, N64, PS1; Anbernic RG557 is highlighted for PS2, Wii, GameCube, PSP.
- Which is cheaper, the Retroid Pocket Nova or the Anbernic RG557?
- The Anbernic RG557 is the cheaper of the two at around $249, roughly $3 less than the Retroid Pocket Nova based on catalog pricing.
- Which is newer, the Retroid Pocket Nova or the Anbernic RG557?
- The Retroid Pocket Nova is the newer model, released in 2026.
- Which is more popular on retroshelf, the Retroid Pocket Nova or the Anbernic RG557?
- The Retroid Pocket Nova is in more collections on retroshelf right now, with 1 collector tracking it.
