New Retroid Flip 2 variant swaps in Dimensity 1100 for US$30 less, Retro Game Corps finds smooth PSP and GameCube emulation, with some trade-offs

Retroid has released a new version of its Pocket Flip 2 handheld, this time using MediaTek’s Dimensity 1100 chip. It comes in at US$200, making it US$30 less than the Snapdragon 865 model, while keeping the same clamshell form factor, 5.5-inch 1080p AMOLED display, and Android 13 OS.

In a recent hands-on, Retro Game Corps’ Russ put the Dimensity 1100 model through its paces across a range of retro emulators. Russ reported that it handled systems like Game Boy Advance, PSP, and Dreamcast without issue, and ran most GameCube and Wii titles smoothly at 2x resolution.

In their testing, Russ also ran the 3DMark Wild Life Stress Test, a 20-minute looped GPU benchmark, and reported minimal differences between the two chips. Both the Dimensity 1100 and Snapdragon 865 maintained 99.5% stability, stayed under 30 °C, and saw just 10% and 9% battery drain, respectively. Thermal performance and sustained load handling were nearly identical in this test.

That said, the Snapdragon model still seems to have the upper hand when it comes to emulation flexibility. According to Russ from Retro Game Corps, the Dimensity 1100 variant lacks support for custom GPU drivers and can’t dual boot into Linux, which limits its compatibility with more demanding platforms like PS2 and Switch. In gameplay tests, Russ observed frame drops and visual glitches in titles like God of War II and Wind Waker HD, issues that the Snapdragon version handled more cleanly.

Streaming and Android gaming worked well on both Flip 2 variants, according to Russ. While gameplay was generally smooth, they noted that the Dimensity model showed slightly higher video decoding latency, around 8 to 10 ms versus 2 to 4 ms on the Snapdragon.

Docked mode is still supported on the Flip 2 via USB-C, and based on Retro Game Corps’ testing, the experience holds up well. Russ found it worked with both third-party adapters and Retroid’s official dock, which allows for charging while playing. With the lid closed and a Bluetooth controller connected, they said it effectively turns the handheld into a compact Android console.

For retro and sixth-gen gaming, the Dimensity 1100 Flip 2 still seems like a solid pick. Russ describes it as responsive and capable, with the added bonus of USB-C video out for playing on a bigger screen. Battery life varies widely based on use: they report up to 16 hours for lighter workloads like GBA or SNES, around 6 to 8 hours for more demanding systems like GameCube and PS2, and just over 3 hours when pushing the device with GPU benchmarks. Specs-wise, it still packs 8GB of RAM, 128GB of storage, and comes in four colors.

For a closer look at how the Dimensity variant handles real-world emulation and gameplay, Retro Game Corps’ full video is worth checking out. It’s a thorough breakdown that covers the strengths, limitations, and everything in between.