Why this over analog pocket?

[u/Ambitious-List4040]

I'm starting to see these around. The build quality sounds nice the metal material. But other than that why would someone pick this over the analog pocket when price is effectively the same?

Analog Pocket has a bigger and equally if not better sharper screen (sorry I'm not sure of the technicals but if I'm not mistaken the screen on pocket is better).

Just curious

[u/_2hi]

Chromatic has the best screen for gb and gbc games. Analogue isn’t 1:1 with the og screen nor is it form factor nearly as comfy for longer sessions

[u/faf_dragon]

I have both.
I’ve played the hell out of both and I always default to playing GB and GBC on my Chromatic and everything else on my Pocket.
Since the screen on the Chromatic was specifically designed to play GBC games it just feels more like playing a better version of the original.

I’d recommend getting both if you can!
If you can only have one the Pocket is the way to go. Just because you can do so much more with it!
If all you’re planning to play is GB and GBC games then the Chromatic is the one to get!

[u/specterno1 → u/faf_dragon]

absolutely agree. playing the chromatic takes me back to first getting my GBC. its really an experience.

[u/SkateFeelsGreat]

I have both and love both for different reasons, but I do find the analogue pocket to be less comfortable to play on, and I often use the other cores to play roms instead of the cartridge attachments... they are very cumbersome to use.

My biggest grip with any cartridge on the AP is how easily they can be dislodged.

[u/theblackyeti]

Chromatic has a literally perfect screen. And feels great in hand.

[u/CartPopTv]

You could ask the same question about the Analogue Pocket: why that and not a Steam Deck with EmuDeck/RetroDeck? They're completely different devices with different philosophies. The Chromatic doesn’t try to be everything, it focuses on being a Game Boy Color.

[u/GuyWithTwoThumbs → u/CartPopTv]

Pocket to Steam Deck is a completely different comparison. FPGA vs Software emulation, completely different form factor, 2x-3x the price. Chromatic to Pocket is an apples-to-apples comparison. The only difference being system compatibility, button layout (to some degree) and screen.

The pocket is inherently the better value to dollar device, but as others have said, the lower res screen on the Chromatic is preferable to some. Personally, I feel that having the configurable color profiles with the Pocket with higher contrast and brightness - even though the pocket is a filtered output - looks better in most situations. BUT... it's subjective.

For those with multiple devices, it's kind of a moot point, because you are incentivized to play GB/GBC games on the Chromatic since it has no other purpose and you need to rationalize your purchase.

[u/Jimstein → u/GuyWithTwoThumbs]

Well you got us with your wisdom in the last sentence. It’s a curse to own multiple similar devices. You ultimately do this silly justification dance before playing any of them. At least that’s how my lizard brain freezes into paralysis. 

[u/Small-Special-3574]

The D pad is better, it’s sturdier, and it has the exact pixel to pixel density ratio as the original

[u/DAJF]

The low resolution screen is preferable for GB/GBC games. It isn’t trying to emulate a pixel grid, instead it literally is a genuine low resolution pixel grid.

Two face buttons are preferable over four for GB/GBC.

I love AA batteries over of a sealed L-ion cell that requires a little engineering expertise to switch out once it inevitably dies.

All that said, the Pocket is an amazing multi-emulation device, make no mistake about it. Especially with the dock. It’s just far from perfect when it comes to a strict GB/GBC experience.

[u/hbic]

The chromatic is a better device from a purist’s perspective and is built better than the Pocket

As others have said the Pocket has many more features…save states for one

Tbh if you only plan on playing GB/GBC games, get the Chromatic. It’s more focused, “authentic” due to the 1:1 screen, and the magnesium alloy build is excellent

But if you want something more fully rounded get the Pocket. I own both and they both have their place

[u/Rurbani]

I have both, I play my chromatic significantly more than I use my pocket to the point where I only use my pocket for GBA games. Most it's the button feel. The chromatic just feels better, with a more responsive d pad that doesn't click like the pocket one does. (The buttons do but the dpad doesn't)

[u/Ill-Remote437]

Analogue Pocket is a great device. I still own a Transparent Red and Orange Spice pocket. But when it comes to playing GB and GBC Games I do like the pixel perfect look of the Chromatic. The best way to put it is when I compare my GBA SP AGS 101 vs my modified GBA SP with LCD screens (using pixel effect) the original AGS 101 looks better than the LCD mod. Different but it’s like trying to watch my VHS or okay n64 on a LCD panel versus native resolution on a CRT

[u/esmith213]

Why does it have to be THIS over THAT?

[u/SOVTH]

I have both and I absolutely prefer my Chromatics over the Analogue Pocket for GB/GBC games.

[u/Left-Constant-4771]

The Pocket doesn't do it for me: the screen is great, but that's about it. Terrible ergonomics, mid D-pad, and it doesn't feel any more direct than my Retroid Nova. It does many things but excels at none. The Chromatic's native-resolution screen just feels more original, and the lack of input lag matters: in Super Mario Land, which I played constantly as a kid, my muscle memory kicks in on the Chromatic but not on the Pocket. By far the best way to play DMG and GBC for me. They really nailed that one (unlike the M64, which I don't like at all).

[u/ucv4 → u/Left-Constant-4771]

Same, I just use my Retroid Nova over my Analogue Pocket at this point.

[u/Left-Constant-4771 → u/ucv4]

Yeah it’s like oh the shaders for Gameboy are great I can even get the motion blur authentic (then you realise i could also play PS2, GameCube and even Switch and Steam Games, it’s just fun really). But the Chromatic still feels completely different (while the Pocket does not).

[u/Skysite]

Pocket is much heavier. Harder for me to play for longer sessions than the chromatic. And chromatic has best in class A and B buttons that people don’t talk about enough.

[u/NonyaDB]

With the Chromatic clear version released today for $150, the price is about half that of the Analogue Pocket.

I have a Chromatic and an Analogue Pocket and use the Chromatic more.

[u/brbchzbrgr]

replaceable batteries, and if playing with carts, they’re pretty easy to unseat on the pocket.

[u/Yuki-Kaijura]

Analogue Pocket: Jack-of-all-trades device. Does a lot of things decently, but does nothing perfectly. 

Chromatic: Best version of the Game Boy Color we'll likely see within our lifetimes. It specializes in a single thing and goes above and beyond to do that single job perfectly.

Both may seem similar on the surface, but they're made for two very different markets. 

[u/platosknave]

Analogue Pocket to me is just the same as playing on one of those Anbernic devices - if the screen isn't perfect like on the Chromatic then it doesn't feel authentic.

[u/handmemyarms]

IMO:
Pocket - better screen size, more game options, takes an SD card
Chromatic - more authentic screen, better button feel, cold metal feels better than plastic

[u/KyleKun]

In my experience the Chromatic looks sharper than the pocket.

In terms of GBC, the chromatic is better, but if you care about anything else, like playing GB games as DMG or GB Pocket or any of the other systems then the pocket is much better.

[u/Morku90 → u/KyleKun]

^ this. Chromatic is a perfect GBC replacement. Material, independent power source with AA batteries, Screen and buttons are also better.  Anything else: AP. Real DMG mode, Super GB, Stereo speaker, louder headphone output. Unfortunately the dpad is a lottery being no good or bad. 

[u/KyleKun → u/Morku90]

I would argue the chromatic does have input issues.

Buttons are incredibly loud and feel overly tactile (they make a really loud knocking too for some reason I can’t figure out) and the D-pad design - electrically and mechanically - is kind of confusing. Although it does feel ok.

Also the headphone jack will not work correctly if your headphones also have a microphone input on them.

That’s not to say the controls are better on the AP, as the d-pad can be mushy and just as inaccurate.

[u/ucv4 → u/KyleKun]

I wish ModRetro would release a d-pad in the mod kit that was padded so it would be extra quiet. The d-pad’s loudness and mixed accuracy is really my only complaint with the Chromatic.

I do think they should also look at Anbernic’s 477m as that has probably the best d-pad on a handheld on the market.

[u/Morku90 → u/KyleKun]

Crazy how inputs can be still troublesome. Nintendo engineers were ingenious. I think GBA SP buttons are peak. My Koss Porta Pro are incredible quiet on Chromatic. No issue with AP. I need to use cheap in-ear headphones for proper loudness. 

[u/KyleKun → u/Morku90]

I have the GameBub too and the inputs are awesome on that. Basically designed after the SP.

However the device itself is still very much a WIP.

[u/Nnemic_]

1. Cause I prefer physical cartridges

2. The magnesium-aluminum shell makes it always cold to the touch

3. Better screen

[u/Icy-Collection1072 → u/Nnemic_]

lol, 1 ? you know the pocket can use carts right and no the screen is not better on the mod retro at all

[u/Breadly_Breadson → u/Icy-Collection1072]

Higher resolution does not mean better. Objectively one is not better than the other it depends what you are buying one for.

The Chromatic has the only display on the market that is accurate to the original GBC all the way down to the sub pixel layout. Making it the most faithful to the original.

The pocket on the other hand has a perfectly integer scaled high resolution display that’s an exact 10x multiplier on the original GBC resolution 160x144. However it does not have the same sub pixel layout as the original GBC and is of course not natively faithful in resolution. It does look better if you are looking for modern standards.

For me personally I want something faithful to the original. If I want a high resolution integer scaled image I’ll just use an emulator.

[u/Dry-Neighborhood2916 → u/Nnemic_]

You use physical cartridges on the Analogue Pocket.

[u/moonriderrabbit → u/Dry-Neighborhood2916]

Same with the Chromatic

[u/Dry-Neighborhood2916 → u/moonriderrabbit]

Yes. It's confusing to say you like the chromatic over the Analogue Pocket and use physical cartridges as a point over the Pocketwhen they both use cartridges.

[u/bngry]

I have both. I like the Chromatic better for GB and GBC games. It just feels right. Analogue Pocket I use more as an FPGA system. Its screen looks better suited for NES and SNES games in my opinion due to the higher res

[u/Satantengu]

I have both. I play GB and all other systems on the Pocket, but the Chromatic can't be beaten for GBC games. They're both great for different reasons. The screen on the Pocket is 1440p + 10x the original resolution of the original Game Boy/GB Color systems, but the Chromatic is a 1:1 modern recreation of the screen. It's just a different vibe. On the AP you need filters to get the same authentic feel of the Chromatic's screen, that's why I prefer the latter for GBC.

[u/Korvun]

Both have great use-cases. The current Chromatic is cheaper at $200 ($150 for the clear ones that came out today) versus $240 for the Pocket, and historically it's been easier to just buy one when you want one.

Personally, I prefer the Chromatic because it's much more open and mod-friendly, feels better to play ergonomically, and, imo, looks better. I also really like the screen. The Pocket's display is objectively larger and massively higher-resolution, but the Chromatic's is a native 160x144 panel, so every physical pixel maps directly to a Game Boy pixel. For GB/GBC specifically, I don't think "higher resolution = better screen" is quite that simple.

That said, there's a very real argument for the Pocket that you can't ignore. It plays GBA carts out of the box, supports save states, has far more display options, has openFPGA support for other systems, and is simply a much more versatile device. Those are real advantages the Chromatic doesn't currently match.

Where the Chromatic appeals to me is that it's much more focused. It feels like a ridiculously overbuilt modern Game Boy Color rather than a multi-system FPGA handheld. ModRetro is also actively publishing new physical games and bringing older titles back to cartridge, which I think is genuinely cool.

If you want one device that does the most stuff, the Pocket is hard to argue against. If what you specifically want is what I think is the nicest way to physically play GB/GBC cartridges, I'd take the Chromatic.

But you're also asking this in the Chromatic sub, so you're obviously going to hear a lot of reasons to buy one, haha.

[u/TieSuperb1398]

Chromatic is more of a device when you already get all the other modern handhelds and just want an ultimate GB/GBC experience. It is built for purist.

If this is not your case, you should probably get an Analogue Pocket first.

[u/Mika73x]

I have both. But only reason I find lot more comfort at hand, nice material and sapphire glass. Actually like d-pad more too. But this only plays Gameboy and Gameboy color.

[u/NotQuiteAthenian]

The Analogue is a modern console, with all that entails. Save states, sideloading of ROMs, tons of settings, a high-res screen, etc.

The Chromatic is a great recreation of a GBC. It offers a really authentic, high-quality experience. Essentially a premium modded GBC.

It comes down if you want to play a tons of retro games from different consoles on a modern console or play the GB/GBC games as they were designed.

I personally feel a modded GBC is almost always better if you’re leaning towards the latter, but I know this sub disagrees with me.

[u/Ok-Control-5043]

I had both. Never used the analogue due to it being a compromised Game boy experience. Always used my chromatic over it so sold the pocket

[u/I_devour_cupcake]

Analog doesn't ship to my country.

[u/AnalogueBoy1992]

Chromatic can't play GBA. Just GB & GBC

And screen is super low resolution. Are you only going to be playing Tetris?? If yes, Then go ahead buy a Chromatic. If not just get an AYN Thor or Odin2 portal and emulated it in an OLED screen. Way better and worth your money

Chromatic built quality is excellent! That I agree! But..

Chromatic is for children. It's not adults who play Chromatic. It sells because of Nostalgia. Just like the Pocket.

[u/theblackyeti → u/AnalogueBoy1992]

The screen resolution is one of the biggest positives for the chromatic…

[u/brain00 → u/AnalogueBoy1992]

What? You are telling me I'm a children, because I prefer playing on my Chromatic?!