Almost five years after the RetroTINK 5x first arrived, creator Mike Chi has released firmware v4.0, another major rework for the popular retro gaming scaler. For now, this update is being described as a branch of the v3.x firmware, aimed mainly at users who care about CRT mask emulation and want to explore the newest image-processing work.
That distinction matters because this is not presented as a simple everyday update for every setup. The focus is narrower and more experimental: better CRT-style effects, newer processing ideas, and a chance for RetroTINK 5x owners to try features that connect the 5x more closely with the direction of the RetroTINK 4K.
Hardware Notes To Check First
- RetroTINK 5x units sold before mid-2022, known as Rev. B, have degraded shadow mask quality with this firmware branch.
- Launch units, known as Rev. A, may not remain stable above 1080p until the Gen Lock code is reworked.
- Units sold after mid-2022 are Rev. C models. These have no stated limitations for this release and can use the new branch as intended.
The headline improvement is that a large part of the RT4K processing pipeline has been brought back to the RetroTINK 5x. The 5x pipeline now uses the same 12bpc RGB 4:4:4 Linear Light pipeline as the RetroTINK 4K. It also adds real Rec. 2020 HDR10 support, meant to create CRT effects that are bright, color-correct, and visibly improved compared with older results.
In-person testing made the difference noticeable right away, though showing it accurately is not simple. Proper HDR captures and exact 3840×960 screenshots were not available in the test setup, so quick phone photos were used instead. The menu also gives the impression that there is more to explore than a short changelog can fully capture. The experimental firmware page is available at https://retrotink-llc.github.io/firmware/5x-experimental.html, and RetroTINK product information is listed at https://www.retrorgb.com/retrotink.html.
Z-retro’s view: this looks like a useful and exciting update for RetroTINK 5x owners who enjoy fine-tuning CRT-style presentation, especially on Rev. C hardware. For everyone else, it is worth reading the hardware notes first and treating v4.0 as a focused branch rather than a routine one-click upgrade.
