Retroid Announced Linux Support for Pocket 6, Nova, and Duo Handheld Consoles

Gamers will surely be pleased to know that the main Linux branch for Retroid Pocket devices is now available - namely Linux Kernel 7.3. The kernel will work with handheld consoles such as Pocket 6, Pocket Nova, and Pocket Duo.

Retroid is known for creating portable retro consoles. Typically, these devices use Android as their operating system, and for good reason.

Android opens up a lot of customization options, provides excellent performance in emulators, and allows you to run your favorite Android games with graphics settings cranked to the max.

Nevertheless, Linux fans have been asking for OS support on the company's devices for many years, but until now, Retroid had shown no real signs that this would be possible.

Now it has become known that the main Linux branch for Retroid Pocket devices is already available — namely Linux Kernel 7.3, which (for now) will work with the following consoles: Retroid Pocket 6 (QCS8550), Retroid Pocket Nova (QCS8550), and Retroid Pocket Duo (Eliza). Currently working:

Touchscreen and gamepad (RSInput), RGB stick backlighting (RP6 / Nova), graphics processing unit (GPU), video decoding and encoding;

Audio: speakers, headphones, built-in microphones, headset microphone, audio via DisplayPort (RP6 / Nova);

Wi-Fi and Bluetooth (WCN7850 on RP6 / Nova, WCN7750 on Duo);

USB-C with DisplayPort Alt Mode support, UFS storage and microSD; PWM fan with thermal control.

Users will need some technical knowledge to install this on their device, but Retroid has shared all download links via GitHub: for example, for the kernel (retroidpocket/v7.3 branch), audio topology (retroidpocket/v1.0.5 branch), and UCM configuration (retroidpocket/v1.2.16 branch). Retroid stated that both topology and UCM configuration must be installed for audio to work.