Retroid Cancels Dual Screen Add-On Support for Pocket 4 Pro Due to Hardware Compatibility Issues

Retroid Withdraws Dual Screen Support for Pocket 4 Pro Citing Hardware-Level Issue Retroid, well-known for producing budget-friendly handheld gaming consoles, has officially withdrawn support for its recently launched Dual Screen accessory on the Retroid Pocket 4 Pro.

This decision comes after the discovery of a significant hardware-level compatibility problem that prevents the add-on from functioning as intended with the Pocket 4 Pro model. The Retroid Dual Screen, introduced in June 2024, was designed as an affordable expansion, offering players a secondary 5.5" AMOLED display compatible with several Retroid handhelds—including the Retroid Pocket Mini, Retroid Pocket 4 Pro, and Retroid Pocket 5.

The accessory quickly gained attention as a cost-effective solution for dual-screen gameplay, a feature often sought by retro gaming enthusiasts and emulation fans. However, Retroid recently confirmed on its official social media channels that internal testing revealed a previously undetected incompatibility between the Dual Screen add-on and the Pocket 4 Pro.

The issue centers around the Mediatek (MTK) chip used in the Pocket 4 Pro.

According to the company, this chipset exhibits an 'output clock jitter' that cannot properly synchronize with the Dual Screen's display receiver chip.

This mismatch results in persistent PCR errors, rendering the accessory unusable on the Pocket 4 Pro.

In accordance with this finding, Retroid has started issuing full refunds to customers who purchased the Dual Screen add-on for the Pocket 4 Pro, unless they also purchased a compatible device like the Retroid Pocket 5 or Retroid Pocket Mini. Addressing the setback, Retroid has stated it is actively developing a new solution—a version of the Dual Screen equipped with an updated Display Port video receiver chip capable of achieving compatibility with Mediatek-based platforms.

The company expects this revised hardware to be available within the next four to five months, and assures customers that updates will follow as development progresses. This is not the first complication encountered by Retroid’s new Dual Screen accessory.

Earlier in the product’s launch window, third-party reviewers such as RetroGameCorps and TechDweeb highlighted a pronounced latency issue between the main and secondary displays.

Following community feedback and initial concerns that this might be unresolvable, Retroid responded by announcing a firmware update on August 19, 2024.

The update, the company claimed, effectively reduced the screen latency to almost negligible levels, leading to a brief shipping delay to ensure all units shipped benefited from the improvement. While the recall and compatibility setback marks a significant challenge, Retroid’s communication and swift refund policy have been met positively by the community.

The company’s continued efforts to resolve the hardware difference underline the complexities of supporting evolving technology in the handheld gaming market, especially across diverse chipsets such as Mediatek’s MTK series.

As of now, gamers eager for dual-screen experiences can still utilize the add-on with the Retroid Pocket Mini and Retroid Pocket 5, pending the development of the updated solution for the Pocket 4 Pro. For further updates on Retroid’s Dual Screen accessory and other developments in the handheld gaming industry, stay tuned to our ongoing coverage.

Retroid Retroid Pocket 4 Pro Retroid Dual Screen Mediatek Retroid Pocket Mini Retroid Pocket 5 Display Port RetroGameCorps TechDweeb