I’ve Waited Most of My Life for This - RG353 Review

The RG353 is the latest device from Anbernic, and it is a model that I have been waiting to get for a very long time. In this in-depth review, we examine the RG353’s features, build quality, buttons, emulation performance, and software to see if it is worth the asking price.
Available Here: bit.ly/3n6M1cM
(^Cheapest pricing available)
Camera: amzn.to/3REWpcj
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RG353 Specs
CPU: RK3566
GPU: Mali-G52 MP2
RAM: 2GB LPDDR4
Storage: 32GB eMMC
Battery: 3,500 mAh
Display: 3.5" IPS 640x480
Network: Wi-Fi 5
Bluetooth: 4.2
OS: Linux / Android 11
Disclaimer: This review includes affiliate links. Anything you purchase from those links helps support the channel.

[@TakiUdon]

I apologize for the few strange audio issues in this. The audio out from the headphone jack was fighting with my camera. *With the help of a MIPI analyzer, the refresh rate of the screen was verified to actually be 124hz......*

[@EverythingbrothersYT]

It’s ok

[@goldetstuffs1372]

No biggie

[@BallingNotTryn]

It’s all good big dawg, it’s not even that bad

[@Pridetoons]

When buying Anbernic Handhelds it's best to think of them less like a finished product and more like an SBC. That's why I never recommend buying these Handhelds as soon as they come out.

[@Derian_De_Grey]

🥱Still not a review of the x86 handheld. We are still waiting for the Celeron 7305, Pentium 8505 and i3-1215u 8-15w.😪

[@joshuascholar3220]

I'm really impressed at the level of detail in your reviews. You're making yourself my go-to reviewer for hand helds.

[@KNIBAL93]

Clear explanation, and amazing video quality overall , you got yourself another subscriber my guy ! Keep up the good job 👏🏻

[@KC-bg1th]

It's impressive because it's using relatively new hardware. I'm so sick of most 'emulation devices' literally just being recycled smartphone flagships from like 4 years ago with a new screen and built-in controller only to be sold off for 150-300% of its value and marketed as a retro device. Any time there's a device that is actually designed for its purpose, it automatically gets respect.

[@tylersmith9868]

Yeah we know

[@cloudshad0ws]

I got the Retroid Pocket 2+ for under $100... Not sure what you mean by "sold off for 150%-300% of it's value." That's simply not true. Also, not sure I'm a fan of the 4:3 screen on this...

[@Hightower2804TP]

​@@cloudshad0ws Retroid is an obvious exception

[@iamjimb]

@@cloudshad0ws really?? I always feel 4:3 is the best size, which do you prefer?

[@cloudshad0ws]

@@iamjimb depends on what kinds of games you play on it I guess... I prefer the widescreen format (what, 16:9 or 16:10? One of those) because you can still play consoles/games that only came in 4:3. If you set it up so it centers the window rather than stretching it, it'll look the same as if you played it on a 4:3 screen (black bars on the sides to make the widescreen more narrow). That said, if you want to play games/consoles the support widescreen, then you have that option too. Just seems like a no brainer... A wider screen gives the option for 16:9/10 as well as 4:3. Whereas, with 4:3 screen, you can only play 4:3.

[@CHONKERBOT]

I have never seen a review so detailed but not boring if we are talking about the emulator consoles. GREAT job! Thank you for giving me a chance to look at it before decided to buy it. And I will get one because it's exactly what was looking for!

[@AlteredCarbons]

Taki , JELOS just came out for this device as well and boosted the performance of the handheld. Russ from retro game corps just did a review of it, check it out as well

[@bareq99]

God.. Damn!! Taki been going more and more on his strong opinions!! I love it :)

[@edwardcampbell442]

This is the device I would have given anything for when i was growing up. Just ordered it thanks Taki.

[@runratchetrun]

Think I've finally landed on a new handheld after following you for a year. Thanks so much for your work for this community Taki!

[@jonathonearl482]

I got the Transparent Black one, the RG353P is such an awesome handheld! It's actually exceeded my expectations. I love the logo, KODI media player, booming stereo speakers, long battery life. I've installed a 1TB micro sd card into mine and finished loading it with TV shows and music tracks. I also purchased a PS-Vita carrying case for mine, but it does not fit properly so I suggest you get the ANBERNIC RG353P case that comes with it. I'll eventually purchase the cold gray 353P later, both color schemes look rather nice.

[@argonianfear7906]

Does it come preloaded with the games? I'm new to devices like this

[@jonathonearl482]

@@argonianfear7906 Hundreds of games, if you add a few extra dollars for the bonus micro sd card! On Ali you have to select the bundle. On Amazon from the seller I used, the bonus micro sd card was already included.

[@LoBoHoBo09]

can i use any 1TB SD card on these handhelds or just the regular SD card u can order from ebay ?

[@LoBoHoBo09]

@@jonathonearl482 can i use any 1TB SD card on these handhelds or just the regular SD card u can order from ebay ?

[@jonathonearl482]

@@LoBoHoBo09 Any 1TB micro sd card would work but I'd stay away from the cheap off-brand micro sd cards. The cheap ones can be super slow to the point that transferring files can take forever. Then some of the cheap ones are fake. I highly suggest the Sandisk 1TB micro sd card from Amazon. It costs but it's totally worth it!

[@jimmerseiber]

Thank you. Because of you I got from your link and I'm in love with this device. Appreciate you.

[@Venison_0904]

Just ordered one of these. Can not WAIT!

[@halcyon64]

Your reviews of these devices are always so in-depth and thorough. As a retro enthusiast, it makes it very easy to decide if a new device is worth purchasing. Thank you!

[@morid0]

Design is awesome, that alone is really making me want to buy it, if it only had a bit more power to play DC and PSP correctly it would be a no brainer

[@stigonutube]

owner of a rg350 for a few years now and this one will be on my next wish list late 2022/23..thank's for the review..

[@Cyko..]

Looks like another device I'll have to get. They did a great job with this.

[@Retro_Royal]

I like the idea of using it as dedicated SNES device a lot!

[@AndikaThe2000]

Could agree more. If there was the dedicated PS1 or PS2 device with better performance to play Gamecube, Wii, PS2 and 3DS by Anbernic, fans even me would love it to had.

[@snoozeflu]

Same here. Sometimes I get overwhelmed with having 15+ retro consoles on one device. This idea narrows it down and makes it simple.

[@AndikaThe2000]

@Make You Seethe I mean, that wouldn't matter if people will buy or not for people's need.

[@pla6ue]

@Make You Seethe Yeah, cause you're the one who decides if its a "waste" for random strangers right? Go to Twitter or somewhere where others will pretend your opinion carries more weight.

[@Mike--Oxmall]

@@AndikaThe2000 Sir the device you are describing is a phone with a controller case.

[@mrCetus]

It would be kinda cool if they made themed devices that capture the feeling of different systems. I guess it wouldn't be economical, but having this for SNES, a Genesis/Mega Drive one, and whatever else they could pull off would be kinda neat.... (I'm sure a big hit would be the Atari Jaguar themed device complete with like 30 buttons :p )

[@robertcrystals]

Just give the option of PAL SNES coloured buttons

[@chemicalspore]

Great review, does it come with roms show on the vid?

[@Rotkreuz]

Oh damn! That guy’s rockin’ the new Anbernic!

[@tomoprime217]

Damn Taki how many lives do you have? You seem to have waited many life times over in all the videos you have posted 🤣👍🏻

[@TakiUdon]

sigh... there are still many other cool things that I am waiting to release.

[@tomoprime217]

@@TakiUdon it’s sure a great time for new portable tech at least. Hope we see more next gen APU’s following the SteamDeck. Obviously the budget portables has more to come as well. I really wish they could push the tiny screen size up though. Looks great otherwise.

[@seanscanlan4821]

@@TakiUdon You're like the guy on Big Bang Theory who just saves all your money because most of the things you want aren't invented yet aren't you?

[@JimmyZeng]

You know you can wait for multiple things simultaneously right?

[@buttonslam]

Now this is how you do a good review. Great indepth information, especially liked the info on the refresh rate and buzzing noise. I have the 503 and that buzzing bugs me.

[@TakiUdon]

I agree about the buzzing. I had filmed an entire video going over that issue that I didn't publish because people were starting to spread disinfo that only the devices I was reviewing had the problems I would show. Even though they knew that wasn't the case.

[@ekinteko]

@@TakiUdon Hey Taki, can you do a "Special Video" where you showcase ALL your consoles, and do a pocketability test and score them? Just use regular jeans with standard front/back pocket. This is something I've wanted reviewers to address for so long, because there is a massive difference with the utility of an outdoors/"pocketable" device, contrast to an indoors/"portable" device. Besides a huge disadvantage in cooling (passive vs active), smaller battery capacity, smaller size also makes sacrifices in ergonomics.... but it works everywhere. Think of it like an iPhone 13 Max versus an iPad Mini, one you can take out everywhere, the other you will need to put into your backpack or purse. Even though everyone would call an iPad Mini as thin, light, and portable since it is comfortable when lounging around your house, and not too cumbersome like a thick/heavy Gaming Laptop.

[@ekinteko]

Here's an overview of some device sizes and scale: (order from smallest to largest, according to mm^3 dimensions) (158x74x 8mm, 200g) - Samsung S10+ (Very Comfy Pocketability) (220x80x 10mm, 310g) - Samsung S10+, Case, 2x JungleCat (136x61x18mm, 200g) - Anbernic RG280M (152x69x18mm, 190g) - Anbernic RG 351P (153x80x17mm, 195g) - Retroid Pocket 2+ (133x74x21mm, 220g) - Modded Nintendo DS Lite (169x71x19mm, 190g) - Modded PSP 3000 (141x80x21mm, 200g) - Nintendo Game Boy Advance (142x81x22mm, 250g) - Modded Nintendo new3DS (184x85x15mm, 220g) - Modded PS Vita 2000 (185x78x17mm, 215g) - PowKiddy RGB10 max1 (Barely Pocketable) 180mm x 80mm x 18mm = 250,000 mm^3, 230 grams = (Average Max Limit) (192x76x18mm, 225g) - PowKiddy RGB10 Max2 (Not Quiet Pocketable) (208x91x14mm, 280g) - Nintendo Switch Lite (224x96x15mm, 360g) - AYN Odin Pro (155x89x24mm, 300g) - GPD XD+ (190x84x21mm, 210g) - Anbernic RG353p (190x84x21mm, 235g) - Anbernic RG 503 (200x85x20mm, 350g) - Anbernic RG 552 (239x102x14mm, 398g) - Nintendo Switch v1 Modded (233x83x18mm, 370g) - GPD XP+ (210x120x35mm, 310g) - Powkiddy X18S (Far from being Pocketable) PS: the comments in the (brackets) are my opinion, they may vary if you wear Skinny Jeans or Baggy Jeans or Other Apparel. However, the dimensions and weight stated are true. And they can help inform you of their physical size, and what fits for you. edit: added dimensions for PSP-3000 and DS Lite, as a comparison.

[@Pridetoons]

That's why I'm subscribed to Taki. He does a great job when it comes to his technical run down of these devices.

[@listajones8042]

@@ekinteko Amazing list. Thanks a lot.

[@cloeducationtv]

Cool Review! Solid Hand Held!

[@telios13]

Best review for the system RG353 , well done mate

[@TakiUdon]

Much appreciated!

[@sunnygalli]

I am subscribed to most of the big channels that cover these devices. Taki, RGC, RDD, ETA P. Its been interesting to hear each opinions on this, as they all had a very different take. You seem to like this one the most of the group.

[@samh5886]

It's a decent well made product to me but just not well priced, it's priced the usual anbernic way, at least since the rg351p. But for this they may be banking on the nostalgia factor which seems to be one of the reason taki likes it that much. As someone from Asia, unfortunately this don't have any value for me :D

[@sunnygalli]

@@samh5886 I feel like price is reasonable as direct competition to the RP2+ at $100 + $30 shipping with a similar feature set. Although they had come out swinging with a $85 -100 price tag they could have made waves IMO. I personally just feel the RP2+ with the retroid launcher and slightly more performance is a better deal, unless you are wanting to use Linux. I do have to wonder though if the RG503 is in direct competition with the RG353P in terms of price and value at that point though.

[@samh5886]

@@sunnygalli oh, the rp2 shipping would have been 15 USD for me. But yeah even at 130 in total the rp2+ would be a better overall deal unless you are playing systems where l3/r3 is a must ( can't really think of any for the older systems that it is capable of playing though) or the right analog get used alot. But seeing how anbernic still don't bother to drop the the rg552 price (which only trade blows with rp2+ performance wise), they seems to be making pricing decision strictly just based on their own systems and ignoring their competitors. Not sure if it's done on purpose (to have different variants with the same chip with some missing/imperfect areas in each model), but the rg503 is a different form factor with a better screen but yet missing touch screen and 1 less gb ram, so there is some forced product differentiation there..

[@hawshimagical]

what channel is "RDD"? thats the only name of those 4 that ive never heard of

[@sunnygalli]

@@hawshimagical retro dodo

[@deluxedoorman]

Damn it, this thing is built for me. I already have an 8bitdo sn30 pro plus ocntroller but I'm not as up to date with the retro handheld devices like this. $140 seems like a steal.

[@EmblemParade]

Superb review, all of my questions are answered. Taki rules. :)

[@wyattalexander4041]

What a great review one of the best I’ve seen…. 🙏🙏🙏 Btw do you have a video on remapping controls nobody really has A dedicated video for one and you making one would help a lot of new device owners including myself !

[@ChristianCastle]

I hope they make a version 2 of this handheld a bit more powerful and I'm buying it.

[@bland9876]

make it wider 16:9 and at least as powerful as the OG Nvidia shield from 2013 and you got me almost buying one. (I'd have a steam deck by then so I would not be able to justify this)

[@raskolnikov6443]

@@bland9876 I prefer 4:3

[@bland9876]

@CtrlALlTerrorS ff7? Lol I'd be shoked if that gme could run on here. This thing can't even run PSP very well and you expect it to run a PS4 era game?

[@Not_Astrocat]

@@bland9876 Maybe he is talking about FF7 released for the PS1?

[@bland9876]

@@Not_Astrocat must be the pixel demakes

[@FormOfKorn]

I won't lie, I almost want this exclusively for the SNES aesthetic.

[@itsdeonlol]

Thanks for this Taki!!!

[@MeMyselfandY]

You are the only reviewer that I have seen mention Aurora and this is my first introduction to the software. The lack of play store was the only thing keeping me debating between the RP2+ and the RG353p but with the big sale coming up tomorrow I don’t see any reason why I shouldn’t get the Anbernic

[@donotenter4842]

You’re the best, Taki. Always covering all bases on your reviews. I wish Anbernic would stop adding their logo on the screen.

[@SumTr011]

Unpopular opinion, I don't mind it at all. Reminds me of the GBC/A/SP line up of handhelds doing the same thing with their plastic/glass lens. I feel it would look strangely empty without it.

[@johndeer5123]

Just by that i qont buy it

[@thecadlab6461]

Good news, they might be starting! The new rg353v doesn't have a logo. No idea if it's something they'll keep doing, though.

[@MikeLaRock88]

I bought a 8bitdo SNES controller like 6 years ago and I still love the nostalgia playing with it. The design is spot on and feels good. One of my pet peevs with SNES designs like this one is they dont have the 2 concave buttons

[@armyofninjas9055]

Personally I think 8bitdo is overrated af. I have an sn30pro and it's mediocre.

[@eamesBot]

Top notch review and details as usual. I really like this form and it look really great. One big problem here for me is I'm not really a fan of that big Anbernic name under the screen it's very distracting!

[@marstav4640]

Taki delivering, as always!

[@AngelCopout]

It's kind of insane really. I have a ton of emulation devices but every time a new one comes out like this one, I just gotta have it.

[@500superrich]

After buying the Retroid Pocket 2 only months after a prior retro handheld, I've promised myself to be patient until there's affordable wii/gc. We're so, so close

[@ryantan85]

has anyone ever used a device like this to connect to the switch as a controller? That would be a real cool feature as a pros of this! Thanks for the review, love this one!

[@djaydjay]

Thank you...😮you're the best for testing this RG 353. Un abonnement de plus(I'm french)😊.

[@retrogotti1422]

am I crazy or did you do a video a few days ago on the 353? I really appreciated your stance and honesty in that review.

[@JebesNikove]

This looks much more comfortable for longer plays, if the price is right it's going to be a solid buy :)

[@MidNightBuoy]

Around $139

[@BoneCK15]

Just having a portable Dreamcast that looks that good is almost worth the price of admission alone.

[@CapFlipGaming]

That's what I'm saying! N64 and Dreamcast? That's amazing.

[@BoneCK15]

@@CapFlipGaming especially with how crazy the retro market has been.

[@ThatGuy-du3sq]

I just purchased one. That Goldeneye had me sold

[@HectorSF]

Great review, I’m a newbie so just missing the last part. So once you get it, you’d download an emulator app for android and store ROMs in the internal storage? I’d like to see a how-to on that. And I assume there’s no slot for additional storage. Thanks!

[@sieyiewen]

thing that ive noticed was how the good sound coming out of the speaker. its high quality and sounds very pleasing to my ears.

[@sieyiewen]

and its weird to said 120hz screen🤣🤣🤣 but its detected 120hz🤣

[@vidman5000]

I would say it is a solid alternative to the 351P. Honestly, I'm still waiting for the upgrade to it, myself. I guess I'm still waiting.

[@glennshoemake4200]

I couldn't wait for Anbernic anymore for an upgraded RG351P and got an Onexplayer 8.4 inch, 2tb storage and AMD 5800u. This is the perfect emulation experience as I'm using Bigbox as a frontend and a full Mame 0.244 romset. I'm just hoping the Xbox emulators get optimized a bit more, but everything through PS2 is fully playable upscaled.

[@pcmacro]

"Ohhhh DAMN THAT DUDE IS ROCKING THE NEW ANBERNIC!"

[@heuheuheh]

Thank you mr. Taki!

[@matthewdeepblue]

I love it. I want a Retroid Pocket 2 in this color

[@WelchDigital]

That's a funny looking Mario Kart Super Circuit ;) For the price I wish the quality of the device (plastics rubbers etc) was a bit better, but overall seems like a good device to move to from RG350M. I like the form factor better than the RP2+ as well.

[@harrowingabyss4518]

I was waiting for the Miyoo P60 but end up caving and bought this instead as my first retcho handheld. Just looks more comfortable than the rectangular handhelds and I'm mainly going to play the less demanding stuff. To me the stuff this struggles with I wouldnt want to play on a small screen anyway. And while this has HDMI out I will using 99% handheld.

[@GohanSSJII]

This device vs rp3 ? What do you think ?

[@ixac_]

My brain somehow expected a jump scare from that sudden quiet few seconds around 21 mins in lolol. Thanks for the great review video, as usual

[@TakiUdon]

If you turn up the volume, you will hear the audio interference from the Wi-Fi.

[@ixac_]

@@TakiUdon ohhhh OK

[@DanielBrown-nb9zz]

Rounded designs pocket better than square ones with my own experiences, so I'll forgive the extra size as I normally have a case for my mobile stuff anyhow. I love the aesthetic of USA snes controllers and consoles. This is on my bucket list this year!

[@nunosilva3832]

ty for the saturn bit

[@TakiUdon]

No problem!

[@xellios]

That original SNES color scheme is awesome, but I'm really gravitating towards that transparent black. Both versions of the device are absolutely gorgeous. I think I'm going to have to pick this up.

[@gfuentes8449]

thanks for letting us know

[@jonathonearl482]

You'll be glad you did! Awesome handheld.

[@askickergaming4618]

literally just the little mega man sound intro got you a sub from me

[@matematicaemvinteminutos448]

Hello Taki, you are the Best! Do you think it is dangerous the processor been so close to the battery on this device?

[@MisterDozer]

I’ve ordered one. For me it should be a great device. I’m looking to emulate 16-bit and older 99% of the time with a sprinkle of PS1. Do I wish this had the specs of the RP2+, sure why not? Do I need those specs for what I want to do, no. More important to me are comfort, build quality, and controls. I really appreciate this detailed review. I’ve watched all of the English reviews released so far and yours is the best. This is the first I’ve heard of the Wi-Fi noise over the speaker. Great catch. I plan to have Wi-Fi off most of the time, except when I want to install updates, in order to preserve battery and reduce overhead. I would assume the noise is eliminated with Wi-Fi disabled? One thing I’m wondering about is RetroArch performance in Linux vs Android. The sense I’m getting is it’s faster booted into Android?

[@PanPsimcur]

Do you hear this sound with the wi-fi off when you put your ear to the screen? Mine squeaks all the time and I want to return it.

[@thatzaliasguy]

I wish Select/Start buttons were slanted like SNES. That would also have telegraphed better the differentiation from the F and Power buttons.

[@change_profile_n8755]

this is what i cal a sunday-haze video i need!

[@itsallsobothersome4537]

>RG353 Review in title Thank you Taki, very cool.

[@retroman--]

This looks great. It has some of the things I really want. SNES US style, HDMI out, a more powerful chip but its not enough to play PSP Tomb Raider: Anniversary. I wish the screen was bigger. 3.5" is a bit small. I already have a 3.5" device...but I do want the SNES style and HDMI out I don't want android, so I'm fine with removing that touch screen for a price reduction.

[@WTFA54]

Big fan of the tech jargon "a bunch of crazy shit going on with this screen" 😂

[@TakiUdon]

I like to keep things very high-level. 😂😂

[@veendam82]

well i think im gonna dip my toes and order the 353p. it looks fun. thanks for the detailed breakdown.

[@TakiUdon]

Thanks for the support.

[@nathalyberko1139]

Great vid! I have a question. Ergonomics with using L/R buttons in games: Powerkiddy RGB10 MAX 2 or RG353. Which handheld feels better? (I play a lot of fighting games like Mortal kombat with using alot of L/R buttons and I play action/adventure with analogic stick & L/R buttons.

[@darrellgardner4561]

I own one of the RG350s, its a fun little console, especially if you want to play SNES games, never had any problems. It really craps the bed when you get into N64 or most 3d games. I always like the idea of these consoles more than actually playing them, but thats just on me not really getting into gaming anymore. This one looks good, especially if it can play "newer" games. The form factor is a lot better on this one as well, the RG350 works, but can be kind of uncomfortable. It also wasn't the easiest thing to get running, from what i remember, not as simple as just throwing in an SD card. While it wouldn't be SNES controller sized, I do wish one of these came with a bigger screen.

[@similaritiesendhere]

No processor will make muddy N64 textures look good on a small screen. The PS1 library runs fine and dwarfs the N64 library. Point is, you can have more games than you'll ever have the time to play on a device that fits in your pocket. Besides, processing power is not really issue. Systems like N64 and Saturn are hard to emulate because they were complicated to program games for from the start. At certain price points, you have to curb your expectations.

[@similaritiesendhere]

We're basically at a bottleneck in emulation history. N64, Saturn, PS2, PS3 are more trouble than they're worth to emulate. The brute force a system requires to push those games would be better spent optimizing for Android and classic Windows games. Modern consoles are closer to PC's and will be much easier to emulate when their time comes around. That's what I mean by bottleneck. No point waiting for perfect N64 emulation when you can just buy a 2/3ds and wait for these systems to just bypass the days of difficult to emulate systems. It won't matter if a system can't play Goldeneye when it can play better FPS games more efficiently.

[@greenman360]

Every time I see videos like this, I think "oh man, so cool, I want one." Then I remember I have a CFW Switch that can do all this and I literally never use it.

[@AvoidingHumanSociety]

SAME, lol... but systems dedicated to stuff like this I seem to use more for some reason. For example I have a Polymega and I play the hell out of that thing... probably the best Saturn emulation I have ever experienced

[@davidcomito505]

If you are looking for handheld emulation that can do it all, right now it's the Steam Deck.

[@100toeface]

CFW switch is huge and not a portable system. It is apples and oranges. Also it doesn't have a dpad. It is actually quite crap for fighting games.

[@hawrify2148]

@@davidcomito505 steam deck is way too big and bulky, looks like a 20 year old device. rather have something light

[@davidcomito505]

@@hawrify2148 That's what I thought but it feels way different in the hand. You end up really appreciating where they chose to go what appears be a little spacious.

[@GL4SS_20]

All of those games come pre loaded on the system right? Never had one of these but this looks awesome! Do they have No Mercy or WCW vs NWO for the n64 playlist?

[@TheCrispyChip]

I feel these memories dude. Almost bought a Supaboy so many different times. Happy I didn't get one and instead got a Retroid Pocket 2 this year and I LOVE IT, STILL waiting for my steam deck to fill in the gaps too :p

[@TakiUdon]

Supaboy!

[@edwardwong8102]

I love the detailed review! I can really tell you’ve got a true passion for emulation and helping spread quality content for your viewers. Can I ask for a recommendation? I’m looking for a emulator handheld that I can primarily use to play Xbox cloud gaming but in the affordable price point like the RG353P. Do you have a device you’d recommend?

[@TakiUdon]

If the Odin Lite is out of your price range (the screen is quiet big and it has great Wi-Fi), I'd hold out for something like the RP3. Odin has the better control scheme for Xbox though.

[@edwardwong8102]

Thanks for the quick reply! I’ll look into the Odin Lite. I’m hoping to find a sub-in device before I get the “OK” for a Steam deck. I’ll shop around and probably get the Odin Lite.

[@JordiLA]

I beloved my SNES era too, but now with all the RG351 working perfectly with the system and more pocketable I find that one a bit expensive and big.. I don't like the small buttons and dpad too.. The dual system is great but.. too much devices with this screen now I find redundant. I want to pay 50€ more and take the hated RG552 because if not pocketable too but amazing big screen and scalling options for the snes era.

[@Pridetoons]

The RG552 is pretty good if you like Android and Linux games. A lot of great ports are running on RK3326, RK3566, and RK3399 devices.

[@raskolnikov6443]

Screen and button, sticks and form look great

[@Hunterbw93]

Man I did the same thing as a kid with my gameboy. I remember the attachment lights you had to buy.

[@Rikky2000]

@Taki - you do know there is CFW out already for this: JELOS. Much improvement over stock.

[@TakiUdon]

Doesn't seem to be any different from what I showed here with the stock firmware...

[@LordShockwave9]

Answer on the screen: it's a 120Hz screen where they can't calibrate the crystal to sync the frequency to display the frames coming out to the display quite right. So they use software/firmware to lock it in at the frequency they wish to display it at. In other words, they found some cheap ass screens on discount and used those in this product. The synch crystal they used to lock the display frequency has too wide of a tolerance for it to be considered for a normal 120Hz display, so they got rid of them. I could be wrong though. I'm just guessing here.

[@Allyouknow5820]

Don't know if you're right but that's an interesting theory! Thanks for your comment!

[@FabioSpelta]

Hello, thanks for the review. In which systems is the run-ahead anty-latency retroarch feature works good? Many thanks!

[@CardfightVanja]

Keen on this one as I'm still in search of the perfect portable Sin & Punishment machine. My rg351p really struggles with the game even on the fast n64 cores. My phone and my previous phone have both been able to play at 4x res with great performance but the fact I have to carry a stand and controller or grip kinda sucks. These analog sticks seem a bit easier to use as well compared to the rg351p given the wider dimension of the body. Might have to pick one of these up. Curious if you've tested S&P on it as it seems to be a pain point for emulators even without needing the memory upgrade

[@TeamDaemon1980]

Too underpowered for my needs when my old Pixel 3 can play Dreamcast and PSP perfectly. But what's going for it is it looks comfortable like the Vita slim. I prefer rounded sides. SNES had my favorite controller. That's why I use SN30 Pro.

[@Vulpas]

Such a device has to play Dreamcast perfectly to be considered as far as I'm concerned, everything from the 90's except Saturn and N64 should be simple for even devices under $100 by now.

[@williss1192]

Anbernic shells always look nice but insides rarely change. Other better handhelds will come out this year and the next

[@raskolnikov6443]

Yes though Screen and button, sticks and form look great

[@jonniefast]

why put analog sticks on a device that emulates systems that never had them?!

[@CLOYO]

@@jonniefast You have never used a PlayStation 1?? Also: Ports of pc games run easier that way (you should know this).

[@B3nG420]

Great device still happy that I got it :))

[@japanesemickeymouse6694]

I cant wait for mine to come :)

[@PixelisedPaul]

Cue 1000 people saying that they have smart phones that can emulate games better. Well done everyone. You say this like it isn’t an obvious alternative to handhelds and that somehow nobody else has considered it.

[@TechToyTinkerCompany]

Are you feeling ok? You made a nice review about Anbernic and I just about fell outta my chair hah. Cheers!

[@ToTheEntropy]

Approximatly 2 month after your review and a few new challenger of the RG353P out, is your opinion of it changed since?

[@thenicflynn]

Wow this is actually pretty nice :o I love my Retroid Pocket 2 plus too much and have put too much work into it to grab a new device but imo if I was in the market this would be a pretty cool option!

[@nickgonzales4674]

Once I get the money, I'm grabbing one as my first handheld emulator system. Does anyone know roughly how long it will take to be delivered?

[@davidlewis1787]

Seven hundred and three years, roughly

[@nickgonzales4674]

@@davidlewis1787 funny enough, it actually came in the mail today.

[@ibnfu]

@@nickgonzales4674 how long did it take?

[@nickgonzales4674]

@@ibnfu roughly 3 weeks. Really wasn't as long as it felt.

[@jonathonearl482]

Actually, I wouldn't mind purchasing a cheaper version of this RG353P as a Linux only handheld. A cheaper version of the RG353P in which the analog sticks is replaced with stereo speakers and capable of flawless SNES, GBA, PSX and below emulation.

[@tylerdurden783]

oooh, that's a great idea! I hate the down-firing speakers that everyone (except Retroid) seems to be doing these days in the Chinese market!

[@jonathonearl482]

@@tylerdurden783 You and I both!

[@TheBladus]

Miyoo mini got you covered for fiddy bucks :P onionos makes all those systems run flawless

[@razorbackroar]

@@tylerdurden783 ya bro sick of that lazy speaker placement.

[@jonathonearl482]

@@TheBladus Well, I already have the Miyoo Mini as well as the Powkiddy A66. Both are awesome consoles for what they can do. But there are times when I want a larger screen.

[@SicketMog]

I like the rounded profile and stacked buttons. Likely nicer to use. Hope they learn from this. I kind of want to see another 351V but with better processor and stacked shoulderbuttons. That and a horizontally aligned handheld but with the same TATE ability as the official Egret 2 mini (probably won't happen but how awesome would that be?).

[@PlusTres]

22:17 “which is a bit ghetto on a product of this price” 😂😂

[@NotHeresrsly]

I wish this came with a higher processor/ram at this point (to better play the PSP library, etc) - I really like Anbernic products! But the RP2+ really does make this feel a Little 'too late' I know refreshes can be annoying to the original consumers, but I selfishly hope they can do one sooner than later (with processor/ram upgrades)

[@tranquility6789]

"Is it a 90hz screen? Is it a 60hz screen? Or is it just bad software?" Honestly I can definitely say it's a screen

[@TakiUdon]

haha

[@zainmushtaq4347]

The DKC Trilogy is also one of the hallmarks of my childhood. Glad to know someone else shares the same passion for those OG games -- I haven't particularly been a fan of the "new" DKC games, but they're good DK/platformer games, just not good DK Country games (except David Wise) ;)

[@Widderic]

I'm with you. DK1 2 and 3 were and still are huge for me. I thoroughly enjoyed DK64 as an adventure, collectible game as well... but everything since then has not been able to hold a candle even close.

[@zainmushtaq4347]

@@Widderic Hey fellow DKC fan :D! While I never got to play DK64, I agree that nothing has come as close as the original trilogy. The atmosphere, the ambience, the complementing soundtrack, the tight controls, the creativity and all the worlds and enemies, it's just phenomenal! DKC:TF had poor controls imho. I was fighting more with them instead of being able to enjoy the well-designed platformer levels. In DKC Trilogy, even DK is fun to control :) And the other area DKC:R and TF lack in is the atmosphere and the art style. The "new" games felt a bit more cartoon-y and "dumb funny" and had generic enemies that made the game lack that deep ambience and atmosphere of the original trilogy. There are some really well-designed levels in those games with great visuals and gameplay (like Sawmill Thrill), but I really missed the amazingly well-crafted combination of level atmosphere and environment, soundtrack, enemies blending well in with the surroundings, and how well the gameplay flowed with the tight controls :) There are rumors the next DK game is a 3D adventure, so that might be something to look forward to ;)

[@Widderic]

@@zainmushtaq4347 definitely tight controls. Nothing will ever come close to using Diddy to roll through multiple enemies and off an edge to do a late jump. But yes, David Weiss, the man behind the soundtrack of the original trilogy, with the exception of most tracks on DK3, was instrumental in the cohesiveness of the atmosphere. Thanks for nerding out with me, and excited for that rumor to be true!

[@zainmushtaq4347]

@@Widderic That Diddy Kong roll that gets extended while hitting multiple enemies mid-air and while off-edge was just soo ahead of its time and super fun and rewarding to use and master :) Likewise, the pleasure is mine 😇⭐ Not sure if you've heard of the DKC4 project, but there are some talented DKC fans who've tried recreating the original feel of the original DKC trilogy, and some of the levels are available to try out as demos. I tried a few of them, they simply nailed the atmosphere, the soundtrack, and the feel 💯

[@Widderic]

@@zainmushtaq4347 where can I try these demos?

[@Lamonier_]

Thanks for the video. How does it compare with the RG351P?

[@JohnSmith-sk7cg]

The reason they likely didn't ship with Google Play Services is that Google's contract for it requires that the manufacturer only ship devices with Google Play services installed. So they'd have to switch their entire line-up over.

[@LordmonkeyTRM]

Using the battery as a heat shield...Seems safe.

[@HerreraAlonso]

Is like a snes in your hands thats amazing imagine having this when you used to play snes

[@jonathonearl482]

I don't blame anyone for ordering this RG353P! The price is not bad for what you are getting and it has some awesome features including the stereo speakers, the 4:3 aspect ratio display, the ANBERNIC logo and the 2 color schemes (some hate the logo but I think it makes the console look so much better). In all honesty, I would prefer purchasing this RG353P over the RG552, the RG503 and the RP2. The only reason I haven't ordered one yet is because I just not too long ago purchased a Mint Green Metallic RG351MP and much earlier I purchased the Wood Grain RG351V. I just may still get an RG353P later, even though I would have preferred a 5-7 inch screen display with the 4:3 aspect ratio.

[@aaron1182]

I've yet to make up my mind on which to buy, Im very tempted to get the RG351V because it is vertical.

[@jonathonearl482]

@@aaron1182 I have the RG351V, the RG351MP and the RG300X and they are all awesome handhelds as well! Those three along with this RG353P are probably the best handhelds from Anbernic at the moment.

[@Normalguy7100]

imagine the rp2+ with this form factor, not gonna lie i almost want to buy it simply because of how iconic it looks with that classic snes controller design from my childhood

[@nach0x]

if this console had the Retroid Pocket 2+ power (CPU/GPU) and the same firmware dedication it would be the perfect console. too bad is underpower compared to RP2+, but is nice to see them going in a good direction

[@tynao2029]

the games these handhelds (including the RP2+) won't play well, are the games you wouldn't want to be playing on a handheld anyway, seeing as you can get $300 mini-PCs now that will run AAA PC games at 4K, in addition to PS2, PS3, DC, GC, etc emulators

[@alexandrebelair4360]

@@tynao2029 There's no mini pc that can run AAA games in 4k. Also, there's a shit ton of games that this thing won't play that would be great for handhelds.

[@bbftb8791]

@@alexandrebelair4360 And if there was... It sure as hell wouldn't be priced at $300. Not sure what this guy has been smoking

[@Videogametourist]

HEY! Nice Heli Attack 3 avatar. ;)

[@satnav1980]

Looks good. I don't own a PC or a laptop. Do you need one of these items to make the most out of this device, or does it work well straight out thr box?

[@supercat2087]

You need a PC or laptop to actually get the games on it.

[@Movie_Games]

Supports RetroArch and has WiFi. So RetroAchievements work, right?

[@Movie_Games]

@@steel5897 Thanks. I know what I want for Christmas.

[@TeamDaemon1980]

Maybe Anbernic makes a V2 of this? Make the buttons bigger. Make the display a little nicer. Drop the price to $99. If that happens, I'll consider it. If I hacked my Vita, I could do pretty much all things this device can do + PS2 ports.

[@jwill7998]

If they increase the button size and improve the processor, no price drop will be necessary.

[@jonathonearl482]

Also, make the display a little larger.

[@Pridetoons]

$99 is way too low. An SBC with the same chipset goes for $89 + Tax + Shipping and Handling.