Retrotink 4K is coming in a cheaper CE version, as announced by Mike Chi via Bluesky. The new retro upscaler will be available for $475 (before tax) instead of $750. The Retrotink 4K CE is thus the entry model of the upscaler family, while the older model remains in the program as the Pro model. It was sometimes so popular that it sold out very quickly. Meanwhile, the situation has now eased.
The biggest difference is the use of a smaller FPGA chip with fewer logic elements. According to Chi, this is the main reason for the lower price. The Retrotink 4K only contains an A5 Cyclone V, which has access to less memory. According to the blog entry, however, this should not have any disadvantages for the core functions.
As for downgrades, the CE model lacks rotation support or support for IIR Blur, for example. Extended support for S-Video signals is also lacking, and there is only the SDP decoder. There is still some hope that Chi will manage to free up a few more logic elements through optimization and implement individual functions later. However, Chi emphasizes that only the current range of functions is guaranteed.
In the future, this may also mean that new functions will be reserved for the Retrotink 4K Pro. Thanks to the shared platform, updates and bug fixes will be rolled out on both systems. In terms of connectivity options, the new box is very well equipped, just like the old one. Hardly any changes have been made here. However, the upscaler in the white housing does lack a slot for SD cards. The remote control is also different, and the heat sink for the FPGA chip is also smaller.
So far, Retrotink 4K CE has only been announced. The actual sales launch is expected to follow soon.