2026-03-16

[March 2026 Update] Retroid Pocket 6 partial production end and price hike, Anbernic "RG Vita Pro" specs revealed, and more

In mid-March 2026, the retro gaming and portable PC market is facing a wave of price revisions due to severe memory shortages. On the positive side, news has emerged regarding the specifications of Anbernic's new "RG Vita Pro" and improvements to the handheld-friendly UI for the PS3 emulator "RPCS3." Here is a summary of the key topics from the last 10 days.

Memory shortage hits hard: Retroid Pocket 6 price hike and discontinuation of high-end model

On March 1, 2026, Retroid announced the discontinuation of the 12GB RAM model of its flagship Android gaming handheld, the "Retroid Pocket 6." Additionally, the price of the 8GB RAM model was increased by $15 starting March 2, bringing the new price to $245.

This is driven by a global shortage of RAM and storage components, exacerbated by the rapid surge in AI demand. Competitor AYN also announced price increases for its own lineup, including the "Odin 3" and "Thor," during the same period, indicating that the entire portable gaming market is facing a difficult wave of component procurement challenges.

Key features of the Retroid Pocket 6 include:

SoC: Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
Display: 5.5-inch 120Hz AMOLED
Controls: Swappable D-pad and analog stick layout

While the old price will be honored for users who have already placed orders, the increased barrier to entry for new purchases is a setback for the market.

Specialized for PS Vita emulation? Anbernic "RG Vita Pro" specs revealed

Detailed specifications for Anbernic's upcoming new device, the "RG Vita Pro," have been revealed through official YouTube videos and other channels.

Key specifications identified are as follows:

SoC: Rockchip RK3576 (Mali-G52 MC3 GPU)
Memory: 4GB RAM
Display: 1080p resolution
Battery: 5,000mAh
Other: Hall effect sensor joysticks

According to reports from well-known reviewer The Phawx, the entry-level "RG Vita" model is confirmed to be equipped with the older generation Unisoc Tiger T618. While the base model was criticized for lacking the power to run PS Vita titles effectively, the Pro model is expected to overcome these issues with higher processing power, targeting comfortable gameplay at native resolution. While a specific release date and price are yet to be determined, it looks to be a strong option for those wishing to play the Vita library on the go.

Good news for handheld PC gamers: PS3 emulator "RPCS3" to undergo major UI overhaul for handhelds

Following the widespread adoption of the Steam Deck and Windows-based portable PCs, the development team for the popular PS3 emulator "RPCS3" announced on March 9 that they are working on improving the user interface (UI) for handheld devices.

This update focuses purely on "usability" rather than game compatibility, with the following features planned:

Redesigned in-game home menu
Quick settings that can be changed without restarting the game
Improved home button mapping
Functionality to add (export) games directly to Steam from within RPCS3

Previously, playing PS3 titles on devices like SteamOS required cumbersome steps, such as switching to desktop mode and using external tools. Once this native integration is realized, it is expected to create a seamless environment that can be navigated entirely with controller inputs, making the retro gaming experience on handhelds significantly more comfortable.