Hey Russ, I haven’t put any of my cd based games on the system yet, because I want to convert them all to chd. I can’t get the thing working though and was wondering why… it was in your written starter guide but now doesn’t seem to be in there anymore.
@@Sneakers8b Hi, here is the link, it's in my Android starter guide: retrogamecorps.com/2022/03/13/android-emulation-starter-guide/#CHD Also here is a great video that someone made that walks through the manual conversion process: ua-cam.com/video/tjNjbmOAdwQ/v-deo.html
Hey RGC, hope all is well and good holidays to all. My question for you is this...Because this particular device is ergonomically user friendly, the price is great, and because these devices seem to be the newest trend among the handheld gaming community, do you believe that they will ever turn these devices into Windows handhelds? I think these devices fit the handheld demographic perfectly but they all do the same thing... They should make a device with the RP3's same look but make it with the windows OS for steam gaming or pc gaming. What do you think? I would just like to know how the gaming community feels about it? Feel free to add to this comment because I'm really curious to know if this may be in the works....
Hello, I recently found your channel and got immediately hooked on the topic. So I got a question for you. Would you recommend buying this console over the Anbernic RG351P (leaving the price aside)? I'm asking, because in a video from May 2021 you said the Anbernic RG351P is your favourite device and I wanted to know if it is an outdated opinion of yours. I write this comment as an answer to your post in hopes you see it and are willing to answer it:) So thanks in advance!
I would love to get a 3+, but I spent all my money repairing my home after it flooded with my salty tears when this was announced 2 months after the RP3
I'm kinda bummed that they keep shitting out these marginally improved systems so quickly. I bought a Retroid Pocket 2, then a Retroid Pocket 2+, and now there's a Retroid Pocket 3+. It's like you can keep buying systems but at the end of the day there's a good chance a few months later a better version is out. Personally I'm over it as I found that I don't play games handheld that much anyway, so I won't be buying any more.
@@AizensPlan Maybe learn some self control and stop buying everything they pump out. The fact that you bought a pocket 2 when you have a 2+ boggles me.
@@AizensPlan I have a Retroid Pocket 2 and I hate it. My Powkiddy V-90 is currently under $50 and I been playing that for many years. Powkiddy's work straight out the box "plug n play". the RP2 requires skills in tinkering and patience IMO. I lack that. To each their own!
I am a bit of a noob, I can run Emulators on my pc for certain things but I just want something with everything already loaded onto it? do these devices come with that or do you need to do it your self/buy a pre loaded card? Cheers for your videos
I went the “gift the pocket 3 to a loved one” route and upgraded to the 3+! Looking forward to setting it up when it arrives. For whatever reason that’s my favorite part of these handhelds, setting them up just the way I like them 😅
I know, right? I have a RG351P and it does have a lot of little scripts that make the device the way I want, with a very curated game list. Customizing the look and feel and all that is so satisfying.
Agreed. Light tinkering and setting everything up is half the fun. My PocketGo died recently (FYI only $40 but i still say the build quality is poor). Poor thing donated its body to science and im about to learn surgery on its corpse. Wow thats dark.
That's the scary part for me. I'm close to new born baby status when it comes to pretty much anything cpu related. Very intimidating, but I guess I have plenty of time before summer gets here.
@@AJ16484 watch a couple tutorial vids on setting up retro consoles from SNES and prior. Hit eBay for old RG350s for like $30-$40. Everyone should own at least one of those. Anyway once u got SNES goin, thats 90% of what you need to know. You'll still want to figure out BIOS files, RetroArch, and maybe 5 min research for every console u ad. People LOVE to overcomplicate this stuff though, the 5 min of research may be overkill lol. It can't be hard 😃, cause I'm dumb. The "harder" stuff is usually voluntary and unnecessary anyway.
I know everybody must have said it before me but still i have to say it : thank you so much for your videos !! All this time spent for us for free, it is just AMAZING ! I hope you're getting something out of it, because it is sooooo well deserved 👏
This video made me buy my first retro handheld! Been watching your videos for a couple weeks, practically binging them, and this one made it clear to me that this is exactly the device that I want to start my collection with. Thank you for all the detail you include in all your videos!
@@Spectrik Nope! I just got the email that it's been shipped. I assume they were super backordered from being closed for so long to celebrate Chinese New Year, so I'm cutting them a little slack, but it's still disappointing that it took just under a month for the order to start shipping.
It seems like just yesterday that flagship phones were just starting to be able to kind of sort of play Gamecube games... now we're there on $150 Chinese handheld devices. I can't wait to see this scene progress even more in the coming years. Awesome review! Can't wait for mine to arrive.
@@skycloud4802 it'll be all over then. Everything coming out is garbage, all the good games are old. once you have vita/ps3 emulation on a sub 200 dollar device? lol..... why ever upgrade past that point in your life? so much stuff to play and only so many days to live
Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family, Russ! Thank you so much for all you do... all your tutorials and all your guides and all your reviews. You've certainly made my devices better with your O.S. flashing/installing walk-throughs, and I am certainly very thankful for it. Give Chicken a pat on the head for me!
Thank you so much for these reviews they are all so informative and helpful! I waited for your review of the RP3+ before ordering and literally ordered the moment I finished watching this vid. Can't wait for it to arrive.
Nice, thorough job on this. Now I'll wait for the comparison video between this and the RG505, but it looks like this is the winner with the stacked shoulder buttons and HDMI out.
@@RetroGameCorps I think the Go-Retroid Team are already at work for the next handheld. It won't be the RP4 due to Tetraphobia, but rather the RP5 in Mid-2024. And again they will keep the same software and chipset, but will alter the external. I'm hoping the new shell keeps the same screen, but improves the portability and the ergonomics. First major improvement would be to have a door for a User Removable Battery, which would greatly increase the device's longevity and lifecycle. For ergonomics, I would suggest they move the joysticks to the top, put Start-/+Select buttons adjacent, then the D-Pad/Action Buttons underneath, and then move the speakers back to the front. Then remove the side-buttons and have them on the top. As such: Back, Home, Power. I don't even need Volume Buttons as that can be done from the Notification Shade, like the Brightness. I don't even need the Stacked Shoulder Pads, I find the new in-line ones from the Anbernic RG 353m to be superb AND a lot more pocket friendly. But I am not against having Stacked Pads and Volume Rocker, these are just ones I needed to mention. While the RP5+ will come in Late-2023 with a faster chipset. I am hoping at a minimum it gets the MediaTek Dimensity D820 chipset with 6GB RAM, since that has 4x Big Cores, Modern Mali iGPU, and decent software support and maintains a USD $140 price. And at the maximum they should go with the QSD 870 with 8GB RAM, since that's a formidable ex-flagship processor with optimised driver support for emulation purposes, and hopefully it isn't more than USD $170. The former should mean perfect Wii Emulation, while the latter should be able to step up a little higher to Original Xbox, Windows Xp, and PS Vita emulation (if and when they're accessible). Neither will be suitable for NSwitch, we would have to wait for something like QC 8g3, Apple A16, or Apple M1 with a more advanced emulation software. Or the more appropriate response would be to use it on a Larger x86 device like the Valve SteamDeck, GPD Win-Max-2, or even faster devices.
It was killing me waiting for this video yesterday! Glad you put so much effort into each of your videos though, it can definitely be seen. Once again, you go in depth without getting boring or too technical. I will definitely be upgrading from the 2+ to the 3+ during the Black Friday sale to get that free case. I think I'll go with the 16 bit color. I like the colored buttons and tan shell. This vid gave me all the info I need to make my decision. Thanks Russ (and Chicken)!
I like how my order is still unfulfilled while our man's out here with a shiny new one, a week early, AND he's got a spare case lol Good for ya Russ, love the content and seeing this I'm definitely glad I ordered it. Edit: TWO! Two RP3+, an empty shell, internal upgrades, and two RP3. Dude has been bless lol
Bro... Literally the BEST video I've ever seen of a retro handheld device, you've answered EVERY question I had and then some! Hats off to you good sir
I'm still quite new to the party, I recently acquired RG351P for GBA mainly as well as a Miyoo Mini (for my kids), I am still looking for a stronger device to rule them all. Steam Deck looks like a no brainer but its size is killing it cause I am not in the market for a handheld PC.... RP3 looked cool, but then a release frenzy started: RG353V, M, RG505, now RP3+, Odin Lite is still out of stock and price difference of base or pro does not justify the purchase, plus shipping to Europe is over 70$ (with some accessories) and that's before taxes... I am hoping to see new Odin device next year or a revised Anbernic lineup up with a better Soc than the current one. Anyways, thanks for all of the reviews Ross, watching them is always a joy!
The evolution of retro devices in this price range is incredible, it's always what I wait for, because these devices iron out the kinks that there was in the earlier far more expensive hardware that jumped on this kind of performance as soon as possible. Heck I remember when I was impressed at being able to smoothly play PS1 games at this price range not that long ago.
I ordered my Retroid Pocket 3 a few weeks before this was announced, and actually received it within a day or two after this announcement. But honestly, I’m not one of the people who are mad about it. I’m loving my RP3, it does everything I want it to and from what I’ve seen so far I don’t think the RP3+ is enough better for me to upgrade. (I’m writing this while watching your intro about the case and buttons though so I haven’t seen your review of performance yet) For me, the RP3 plays everything up through PSP fantastically, and honestly I’ve been surprised by how great it is for Android gaming too, I’m having a ton of fun playing old games I bought before switching to iPhone that I haven’t played in years. For me, I think the cutoff for “Will this device be worth upgrading from my RP3?” Is going to be whether a device can emulate PS2 perfectly or not. Until there’s a device at this price point that can, my RP3 is perfect and I won’t feel the need to upgrade.
Same here, got my Retroid about a week before the announcement. The next time I buy a retro console, it will be when it can definitely run GameCube and PS2, and definitely if it can run Wii.
Almost the same for me. Waited nearly 2 month for rp3 then literally 5 days later, rp3+ was up for grabs 🤦🏿♂️ but I ♥ my rp3, one of the best investments I've ever made! Let's hope rp3+ can live up to that. I'm happy to have something to play while waiting.
@@Skellz Do you mean like where to get ROMs for retro games? Or do you mean how to get them onto the device once you have them? If the former, you can dump the files yourself from old game carts if you have the hardware to do so, or you can find them online. Downloading them might be considered piracy depending on what country you're from, since games are copyrighted, so if you do that it's at your own risk. A quick Google search will find what you're looking for, something like "best safe rom sites reddit" or something. Again, this might be illegal so I'm only saying this for educational purposes and I by no means recommend actually doing so. If you mean how do you get games onto the device once you have them, you can just load them onto a micro SD card which you then put into the device, or you can use a USB cable to connect it to your PC. It's just like transferring files to an Android phone or tablet. As for saves, yes they will all save just fine. You can save in-game just like you would if you were playing the game on original hardware, though depending on the emulator you're using the save file might be located in different folders so you might have to search a bit to figure out where the save file is if you ever want to transfer it to a different device. For example, a lot of emulators just put the save file in the same location as the ROM, but Retroarch has a dedicated "Saves" folder. Along with that there's a thing called "savestates" which just saves the game exactly as it is regardless of whether that's a valid save point in the game. This is useful if, for example, you're in between checkpoints and need to stop for some reason or maybe there's a really hard jump you're trying to make in a platformer or something. But don't rely too heavily on savestates, because they are unique to the emulator you're using, so if you ever have to transfer your files to another device you'll lose those savestates. So it's better to use in-game saves whenever you can, since they'll basically always work no matter which emulator you'll use. Hope that helps. And if you want more info, check out Retro Game Corps' RP3 Starter Guide here on UA-cam, it's really good and that's how I learned about a lot of this stuff.
Was waiting for this review. I’ve been on the fence for a good bit now on buying a retro handheld. I finally pulled the trigger on this and I’m glad I did. I can’t wait for it to come in the mail.
I have recently been interested in purchasing a switch or maybe even a steam deck, but neither seemed to suit what I was looking for. I hadn't even heard of the RP3+ before your video, but after watching it I went ahead and placed an order! I think the versatility and price are ideal. Much appreciated!
I got my order in on the 8th, and it still has not shipped yet. I’m very excited and was hoping that I was going to get it prior to the holiday weekend. Thanks for the video, it’s very well put together!
Thank you so much for the review! I pre-ordered one as a christmas gift for my wife since I am always fiddling around with my steamdeck. I think price to power it is a great handheld emulation device as well!
Despite having a RP3 already, I was very close to picking up a 3+. But if the rumored RP3S/RP3S+ is real and does have a Dimensity 900 chip it's going to blow the 3+ away in performance. I think it's worth waiting to see if that comes to fruition if you already have a RP3, because upgrading after two months and then upgrading again after only two more months is a bit much IMO.
Pretty sure the RP3S rumor was squashed as someone thinking an Odin Lite could be rebranded a Retroid product. That being said, for the retro emulation a lot of us want to play (GameCube/PS2) the Odin Pro is kind of minimum spec necessary with the current state of software/hardware possibilities.
At that point I'd rather just buy an Odin Lite which is readily available. Instead of waiting a year for a supposedly RP3S+ that we don't even know is real or not.
@@majicalpandatech For me personally the RP3+ doesn't quite do enough to warrant an upgrade. I would want something close to an Odin/Odin Lite but in a smaller form factor.
I just ordered one of these, I wanted to give my son my Retroid pocket 2 and upgrade for a better experience. Thanks for sharing your findings! I appreciate the thoroughness of your review. I can't wait to play more android games on this unit as well, the screen mapping seems to be a great addition!
I think we're reaching the point where next year we could have mid-high compatibility with sixth gen really soon. I still have my RG351V, but I think next year will be a great time for an upgrade if they continue this progression.
While this has more power than the Pocket 3 it seems to me like it is in that dead zone between PSP/N64/Dreamcast, etc and actual PS2/GameCube capability. I'm still on the RP2+ and think I'll patiently wait until we get a more robust PS2/GameCube device. I like the current screen, shell, buttons, etc and I imagine a couple more iterative processor upgrades would probably get us there. Hopefully next year!
I've got an RP3 and I'm thinking the same. I don't think I'll bother with an upgrade kit when *either way* the gist of it is "comfortable PSP, slow PS2".
100% in your camp. I'm just not seeing a compelling difference between this device and the RP2+, except perhaps for form-factor which makes several cramped-UI titles on PSP more playable. But the 2+ plays Dreamcast, PSP, and N64 beautifully in most cases and with almost no tweaking. I've gone completely through Skies of Arcadia on Dreamcast with no issues and Banjo Kazooie runs amazingly.
That 's right , buddy ! I support you 100%! I also have RP2+ and I didn't feel much real progress in speed and power in PS2/GameCube. Although there were high hopes that it would be the same as with RP2+ . Let 's hope that the next version will be better .
I'm kind on your side, but the fact that you can play upscaled PSP, Android Games and a GOOD support for cloud gaming, is a HUGE improvement over the RP2+. That's why I'm so inclined to get one in a near future.
Oh wow, it actually is possible to find a good, balanced and Frank long form review of this thing unlike... certain other channels 😂 It seems like a solid system, I'm not quite sure I want to update from my 2+ just because I love the form factor and screen aspect ratio so much for what I want to play, despite the clear increase in power. Great video, you earned a subscriber!
I finally order my first retroid ( 3 plus) can't lie I like the form factor of the 2 the best. But with the better chip and the bigger screen had to go 3plus. Bigger screen means more options I don't mind the black bars when playing the smaller screen ratios.
Thank you so so much for this New vidéo ! I followed all your tutorials on retroid pocket from the beginning! it helped me so much. I was waiting for my RP3+ now. Awww and chicken IS so cute, i was watchin' your vidéo on tv also with my cat on my knees🥰 this IS the first Time i see you in video and i didn't expect it ! I had to Say you re cute ! Nice room too
Absolutely worth the wait! Thanks Russ great assessment. I can't buy every handheld out there and since I need to be picky your reviews are invaluable to me in the decision making process. Thanks again, this one looks like the one to beat at it's price point.
Hey Ross! Really liked the new style of video presentation with you in front of the camera. Also the editing is top notch. Not gonna comment on the content itself because it's always of the highest level. Cheers from 🇧🇷!
Great review. Possible to include some basic wired headphone/earphone testing in your future reviews? Just to check for any crackling/hissing sound etc. Some has really poor/dirty output especially when wifi is enabled, this seems to be a recurring issue on Anbernic handhelds in particular.
Thank you for your great reviews! Handheld retro devices are out of my budget for now (yes, budget is that low) but I can engage in this hobby thanks to your content. Also, just got GBA running through Retroarch on my smartphone, that's how I'm getting into it. Looking forward to your Retroid Pocket 4 review next month!
Got mine yesterday and I have some quick things to say for anyone that cares. First is that despite what I'm about to say, overall it surpassed my expectations a ton, the screen is so good that I'll be using it for most of my retro gaming, even 4:3 content despite owning a 4:3 handheld. I did not expect it to be this good at all. But I have one big issue with it that wasn't touched on the video: the buttons are STIFF. It's not just the membrane face buttons (which membrane itself isn't an issue inherently, my Anbernic devices all are membrane and have much softer and more pleasant buttons), the triggers are stiff as hell too and require some actual force to press. So my issue isn't with the membrane buttons itself, it's how stiff they are for how far they have to travel. I find myself actually tiring my fingers playing fast paced action games on it. Maybe the rubber will ease in over time, maybe not, but I want people to be aware of the stiff/heavy feeling buttons.
Some other random stuff: -Battery life is god damn amazing and Android's standby mode is the best in the business. -Chipset is powerful enough to run run-ahead on Retroarch on every system that supports it (mainly 8 and 16 bit systems as well as GBA) while still maintaining 2-3x fast forward. Almost feels like real hardware in terms of response. -For PS1 on Retroarch, use the Swanstation core, instead of Rearmed or Beetle. Set Vulkan renderer and 2-3x resolution depending on game. -For N64 on Retroarch, use the Mupen64 GLES3 core. -For DS on Retroarch... don't, it kinda sucks unfortunately, Drastic is still king here which is very frustrating considering how dead the development of that emulator is -For automatic cloud saving (keep your emulator saves synced between devices), I recommend an app called DropSync, it's free and only requires a free Dropbox account -Don't buy this handheld for PS2 or Gamecube. Not worth the effort, even games that are green on compatibility sheets will have random stutters and slowdowns.
Very first ever retro handheld console I bought and I chose this all before the hype and the rg505 war. My choices in life are getting a little better 😂
I'm stoked to hear they will add the dome style boards to the diy section on their site. I had destroyed a r1 tactile button on my rp3 and altho they did respond to my email they didn't say they had a purchasable dome switch board. So for now I have the conductive rubber board installed to remedy my issue. I will be purchasing a board and few other accessories once it hits their diy section
Dude, I played with an inverted Y axis for decades (Since Star Wars Dark Forces). About a year or two I forced myself to switch to normal Y and while it was a rough couple weeks, it was really worth it in the end.
Thanks to you I got the retroid pocket 3+ today and I love it so far. I do wish the buttons were a bit bigger but other than that I'm very pleased with it. I got it to play mostly Sega, gba, psp, and some gamecube/PS2 games.
Man the only thing I wanted to see is if Game Streaming would read the inputs for Destiny 2 like my Xbox controller instead of the switch style buttons. Thank you so much man, my indigo unit needs to get here asap
I'm anxiously waiting for mine! I just think that Retroid missed on the opportunity of making a dock for the device, with video out it would be very nice. I plan on using it a lot, already ordered 8bitdo controllers
Thanks for going into detail about the button and d-pad dome types. Surprisingly hard to find this info on the 3+. I vastly prefer metal domes for the d-pad but I'm indifferent about the ABXY buttons.
I like my RP3 better than my Odin Pro because of the pocketability of it. To me, this is the best value by far for portable gaming right now. All this for just $150 bodes VERY well for the future of the market (for us consumers).
Thanks for another great video! I have steamdeck for harder emulations, like Gamecube and PS2. When I get my RP3+, I will use PSP, Dreamcast, N64, etc.
I spent months watching this channel and planning which device I would buy between the Retroid pocket and a couple of the Ambernic ones. Finally bought one of the Ambernics, played it for an hour or so, then went online trying to find how to load games on it. It was damn near impossible If you're not a computer expert. Came back and the ambernic would not turn on. Like at all. Researched it and the damn thing apparently completely dies if you let the battery die once. Immediately returned it and was so aggravated at myself for wasting time for months. These companies need to make these usable for an average person.
Great review Russ looking forward to the release of the more powerful ayn handhelds coming this year hopefully they can produce a true steam deck competitor... That and hopefully they can keep up with the demand of so many different devices. As a portable cheap gaming machine goes I think this one takes the crown in the under 200 dollars price range
I'll just enjoy my rg552 for now. The screen on it is excellent and and probably it's best feature, plus I've not long bought it. This isn't enough of an upgrade to me. Once there is something sub £200 that is good quality and can do the majority of GameCube etc then I would upgrade. This is powerful for what it is but still can't really do anymore than what existing handhelds could. With some tweaking and can play psp on the rg552. So it sits in a bit of a dead zone, it will do psp without any fuss but can't do anything more without some serious settings tweaking or cherry picking games.
I'm still super happy with RG552 as well. Although it's been out for a year now, the Jelos Linux recent updates have breathed new life into this handheld. Also on the Linux side it's much easier to play systems like Atari 800, Atari ST, C64 and Commodore Amiga as the configuration is all setup once you drop roms and bios in the correct locations.
I have the RP2+ right now and I’ll admit it’s tempting but with how quickly they are releasing new models, I am waiting for a bigger upgrade. Maybe full Gamecube compatibility or even PS2 if that’s possible without a big price hike.
Thanks for the review. I've been waiting for this to decide between the RG505 and the RP3+. I ordered a... Win600. I ultimately decided that either of these two would be "false economy", where I would spend the money for them and end up upgrading later. The WIn600 will play my entire Batocera image perfectly, and will possibly be my last handheld for quite a long time.
@@sunnygalli I have an Odin Pro actually. With TDP tweaking the Win600 should get somewhere between 2-3 hours, and also has 45 watt charging, so it should charge back up pretty fast as well. The Steam Deck is larger that I would like, and AFAIK doesn't work with Batocera. I also am not a Steam user.
@@harleyn3089 FYI Batocera does work with the steam deck. EmuDeck is also pretty amazing. Overall the $100 or less jump to the steam deck is better overall if you can tolerate it’s larger size.
Great videos Russ. You made me buy this and I'm not even mad. :D (I was planning to buy the RP3 when that one came out and waited until when I heard of the 3+)
Surprised with the multi-core geekbench results compared to other similar handhelds. By the way, which frontend offers the closest experience to emulationstation on android? With the ability to show both boxart and videos (shows screenshot/boxart for a second or 2 before playing the video) from screenscraper.
@@sunnygalli When I tried quite some time ago, Daijishou can't play videos. And it seems to be scraping from libretro DB (which does not have videos?) , not screenscraper. Things changed?
(Apologies it took me so long to reply to this, friend!) Mine did arrive a few days, on the 13th after I ordered it on the 2nd. I’ve used it extensively every single day I’ve had it so far and I couldn’t be happier!
Note that people have had a problem with that case where the case keeps waking the device because it's putting pressure on the power button. It can be fixed with some modification though.
This is a great handheld as it is, but when it is so close to perfectly emulating gamecube and ps2, one would wonder holding up a bit for technology to mature a little more in this form factor.
You should be in front of the camera more often, feels a lot more personal and you're really good at it! Thanks as always for the great in-depth reviews!
@@_Majoras I wasn't saying to start vlogging haha just that the intro to the camera felt way more personal than just a voiceover. Also it gives a glimpse of his retro collection which I'd also be keen to see
I will once again bring this to your attention: within the EU, the RP3+ cost me $169 total. The RG505 would have cost me $192 total. So for people living in the EU and ordering from the official websites, these devices are *not at all* the same price. The Retroid price is not significantly higher than advertised, but the Anbernic device is *$43 more.* Anbernic seems to be collecting taxes so I wonder what pushed them to do so. Either way, even if this is only valid for the EU, it's deeply bothersome and verging on false advertising. It is true that the EU does have absurdly high taxes and import fees, but this doesn't seem to affect any other manufacturer. It's not reasonable to advertise a price and then add almost a third of the cost on top. Even worse, EU prices almost always include taxes by default, and must put "before tax" if they deviate from that norm. The value proposition for the RP3+ doesn't change significantly, whereas the Anbernic price almost puts the devicd in another category entirely.
Forget about the links in the description for the RP3+, I need a link for that awesome Kirby tee!! haha Amazing video as always. Despite coming across plenty of good comments, I've been waiting for your review before buying. 10/10 as always, thanks man
I'd love to see how well this runs Dragon ball Budokai 3 and Tenkaichi 3 for the ps2. Since they're my favorite games on the system, i've been holding back my purchase but it looks like that if they don't run well, they should be close
@@kazuma3494 I can’t comment on the pro as I haven’t used it but the lite for me is running every ps2 game I play without any hitches whatsoever. It’s absolutely phenomenal. I haven’t tried the likes of 3DS as of yet as I’m not a huge fan of the games on it but I’ll give that a go someday.
Heeeee! I love Chicken Cat Breaks. Honestly I wanted so bad to pull the trigger on this, but I am still really enjoying my RP2+, I couldn't justify the additional $150 for this even though I really wanted to. Knowing Retroid I think if I can hold off till about March, I think I will rewarded for my patience.
Wow... Game streaming from PS5 and Xbox Series ON TOP of stable emulation up to Dreamcast and DS for $150 is something I would have never expected even two years ago.
It's just me or do other people watch all of Russ' videos with no intention of buying these devices? I mean, maybe I'll buy this one next year, but I'll watch all the other reviews just for his cheer enthusiasm.
what I love about Russ' videos vs ETA Prime is when he lists the specs, he explains them in relation to previous devices and what it all means. As someone who doesn't keep up with all the chipsets, ETA Prime shooting off the specs are meaningless to me.
Great review as always! At the end you said the price to performance can't be beat at this price but how about compared to the odin lite? Also I'm kind of curious how you would rank the devices you own in terms of emulators and aspect ratio. For example do you use a specific device just to play Gameboy advance games bc of the screen size being perfect at 3:2?
Hey Russ for 3DS games like Ocarina of time on these mali GPUs, it would be amazing if you could try them with the hardware shaders disabled in citra MMJ. This will fix the graphical glitches, but reduce performance. It's nice to know on a device like this, if it can run OoT 3DS with the hardware shader disabled at full speed. If it can, it's a great experience. Thanks!
Seeing the performance you're doing makes me believe that Retroid has been using Moonlight when showing off GameCube, PS2, & Wii emulation on their channel...they have most games on those consoles playing mostly full speed (New Super Mario Bros & God of War being 2 examples). I notice they don't show the game already loaded & not the full launching from the app
Quick question on the backlight, how dark can it get? The only major problem with my 2+ is that it's too bright at night, meaning i can't really use it at night which is when I use these things most. I know there's apps to help with that, but I'd like to avoid that if possible (no good reason here, just wanna run as close to basic as possible)
First of all - you are THE MAN of Retro Handhelds, keep it up, such a great review as always. And second: This should finally be the perfect device for upscaled emulation up to PSP/DC/Saturn/N64/DS. And above there is a clear barrier up to GC/Wii/PS2/3DS and upcoming Vita/Switch in the future. All devices above are not 100% capable of these systems and way more expensive, plus the RP3+ handels some of this "bonus contect" really well, and this for 150 bucks. I think this is finally the one we are waiting for since the Retro Handhels rise up, the perfect "Retro Handheld PSP" I would say. Amazing, take my money!
I have been considering upgrading to a new handheld as my current is a RG552. From what I can tell of this review, almost everything I have an issue with on the 552 (as well as anything that has me sticking to it) is pretty good here! Granted, I'd lose EmulationStation, but there's other frontends that'll be okay. My main reason to sticking to 552 was the Ports. I loved having Celeste for example on there, but seeing as this can run it pretty well in Skyline.. I see no reason not to upgrade to it (most of the other ports already have android ports, so its no issue either). Plus that price is a pretty damn good one in comparison!
And here I thought nobody would notice that I accidentally said "Retroid Prime"
Hey Russ, I haven’t put any of my cd based games on the system yet, because I want to convert them all to chd. I can’t get the thing working though and was wondering why… it was in your written starter guide but now doesn’t seem to be in there anymore.
And "more warm" not warmer. lol!
@@Sneakers8b Hi, here is the link, it's in my Android starter guide: retrogamecorps.com/2022/03/13/android-emulation-starter-guide/#CHD
Also here is a great video that someone made that walks through the manual conversion process: ua-cam.com/video/tjNjbmOAdwQ/v-deo.html
Hey RGC, hope all is well and good holidays to all.
My question for you is this...Because this particular device is ergonomically user friendly, the price is great, and because these devices seem to be the newest trend among the handheld gaming community, do you believe that they will ever turn these devices into Windows handhelds?
I think these devices fit the handheld demographic perfectly but they all do the same thing...
They should make a device with the RP3's same look but make it with the windows OS for steam gaming or pc gaming.
What do you think?
I would just like to know how the gaming community feels about it?
Feel free to add to this comment because I'm really curious to know if this may be in the works....
Hello,
I recently found your channel and got immediately hooked on the topic. So I got a question for you. Would you recommend buying this console over the Anbernic RG351P (leaving the price aside)? I'm asking, because in a video from May 2021 you said the Anbernic RG351P is your favourite device and I wanted to know if it is an outdated opinion of yours.
I write this comment as an answer to your post in hopes you see it and are willing to answer it:)
So thanks in advance!
I would love to get a 3+, but I spent all my money repairing my home after it flooded with my salty tears when this was announced 2 months after the RP3
Lmao
you got me in the first half.. not gonna lie
Shoulda got FOMO insurance
@@bigedwerd * FML insurance 😂
@@user-vd7bb4bo5hAnd your comment is saying you have no ability for nuance or understanding of what joking is.
this man is a legend, a pillar of retrogaming and handheald culture, thanks for all the great vids.
Came here to comment this!
I'm kinda bummed that they keep shitting out these marginally improved systems so quickly. I bought a Retroid Pocket 2, then a Retroid Pocket 2+, and now there's a Retroid Pocket 3+. It's like you can keep buying systems but at the end of the day there's a good chance a few months later a better version is out.
Personally I'm over it as I found that I don't play games handheld that much anyway, so I won't be buying any more.
@@AizensPlan Maybe learn some self control and stop buying everything they pump out. The fact that you bought a pocket 2 when you have a 2+ boggles me.
@@AizensPlan I have a Retroid Pocket 2 and I hate it. My Powkiddy V-90 is currently under $50 and I been playing that for many years. Powkiddy's work straight out the box "plug n play". the RP2 requires skills in tinkering and patience IMO. I lack that. To each their own!
I am a bit of a noob, I can run Emulators on my pc for certain things but I just want something with everything already loaded onto it? do these devices come with that or do you need to do it your self/buy a pre loaded card? Cheers for your videos
I went the “gift the pocket 3 to a loved one” route and upgraded to the 3+! Looking forward to setting it up when it arrives. For whatever reason that’s my favorite part of these handhelds, setting them up just the way I like them 😅
I know, right? I have a RG351P and it does have a lot of little scripts that make the device the way I want, with a very curated game list. Customizing the look and feel and all that is so satisfying.
Agreed. Light tinkering and setting everything up is half the fun. My PocketGo died recently (FYI only $40 but i still say the build quality is poor). Poor thing donated its body to science and im about to learn surgery on its corpse.
Wow thats dark.
That's the scary part for me. I'm close to new born baby status when it comes to pretty much anything cpu related. Very intimidating, but I guess I have plenty of time before summer gets here.
@@AJ16484 watch a couple tutorial vids on setting up retro consoles from SNES and prior. Hit eBay for old RG350s for like $30-$40. Everyone should own at least one of those.
Anyway once u got SNES goin, thats 90% of what you need to know. You'll still want to figure out BIOS files, RetroArch, and maybe 5 min research for every console u ad. People LOVE to overcomplicate this stuff though, the 5 min of research may be overkill lol.
It can't be hard 😃, cause I'm dumb. The "harder" stuff is usually voluntary and unnecessary anyway.
I know everybody must have said it before me but still i have to say it : thank you so much for your videos !! All this time spent for us for free, it is just AMAZING ! I hope you're getting something out of it, because it is sooooo well deserved 👏
This video made me buy my first retro handheld! Been watching your videos for a couple weeks, practically binging them, and this one made it clear to me that this is exactly the device that I want to start my collection with. Thank you for all the detail you include in all your videos!
Have you gotten yours yet?
@@Spectrik Nope! I just got the email that it's been shipped. I assume they were super backordered from being closed for so long to celebrate Chinese New Year, so I'm cutting them a little slack, but it's still disappointing that it took just under a month for the order to start shipping.
It seems like just yesterday that flagship phones were just starting to be able to kind of sort of play Gamecube games... now we're there on $150 Chinese handheld devices. I can't wait to see this scene progress even more in the coming years.
Awesome review! Can't wait for mine to arrive.
Imagine when we get to the point where we can emulate the Vita on one of these cheap chinese handhelds?
@@skycloud4802 Right? I can't wait bro
@@skycloud4802 it'll be all over then. Everything coming out is garbage, all the good games are old.
once you have vita/ps3 emulation on a sub 200 dollar device? lol..... why ever upgrade past that point in your life? so much stuff to play and only so many days to live
Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family, Russ! Thank you so much for all you do... all your tutorials and all your guides and all your reviews. You've certainly made my devices better with your O.S. flashing/installing walk-throughs, and I am certainly very thankful for it. Give Chicken a pat on the head for me!
Happy Thanksgiving to you as well, Benjamin!
Happy Thanksgiving from the future!
Thank you so much for these reviews they are all so informative and helpful! I waited for your review of the RP3+ before ordering and literally ordered the moment I finished watching this vid. Can't wait for it to arrive.
Nice, thorough job on this. Now I'll wait for the comparison video between this and the RG505, but it looks like this is the winner with the stacked shoulder buttons and HDMI out.
So glad this was the device I went with. I haven't bought a dedicated emulation handheld since the Odroid go advance and this is a huge upgrade
Yeah that's going to be a huge bump from the OGA!
@@RetroGameCorps I think the Go-Retroid Team are already at work for the next handheld. It won't be the RP4 due to Tetraphobia, but rather the RP5 in Mid-2024. And again they will keep the same software and chipset, but will alter the external.
I'm hoping the new shell keeps the same screen, but improves the portability and the ergonomics. First major improvement would be to have a door for a User Removable Battery, which would greatly increase the device's longevity and lifecycle. For ergonomics, I would suggest they move the joysticks to the top, put Start-/+Select buttons adjacent, then the D-Pad/Action Buttons underneath, and then move the speakers back to the front. Then remove the side-buttons and have them on the top. As such: Back, Home, Power. I don't even need Volume Buttons as that can be done from the Notification Shade, like the Brightness. I don't even need the Stacked Shoulder Pads, I find the new in-line ones from the Anbernic RG 353m to be superb AND a lot more pocket friendly. But I am not against having Stacked Pads and Volume Rocker, these are just ones I needed to mention.
While the RP5+ will come in Late-2023 with a faster chipset. I am hoping at a minimum it gets the MediaTek Dimensity D820 chipset with 6GB RAM, since that has 4x Big Cores, Modern Mali iGPU, and decent software support and maintains a USD $140 price. And at the maximum they should go with the QSD 870 with 8GB RAM, since that's a formidable ex-flagship processor with optimised driver support for emulation purposes, and hopefully it isn't more than USD $170. The former should mean perfect Wii Emulation, while the latter should be able to step up a little higher to Original Xbox, Windows Xp, and PS Vita emulation (if and when they're accessible).
Neither will be suitable for NSwitch, we would have to wait for something like QC 8g3, Apple A16, or Apple M1 with a more advanced emulation software. Or the more appropriate response would be to use it on a Larger x86 device like the Valve SteamDeck, GPD Win-Max-2, or even faster devices.
How did you buy one?? I can only seem to find pre-orders :(
Feels like we're so close to the mythical sub $200 GC and PS2 capable handheld!
Isn't that the Odin Lite? 🤔
@@RGGeek "sub $200" meaning in the $120-$180 range 👍
@@RGGeek odin is expensive!
@@Scitch-et4vkit’s sub 200
@@mixedreviews6090 no it's not, it's $229
YESSSSS the definitive review thank you Retro Game Corps always thoroughly enjoy your content! :)))🤩
Wow. 40 minutes! I can see why you needed more time to finalize this. I might be more excited about watching this video than actually getting a RP3+
The hdmi out/ Bluetooth controller option looks amazing.
Russ, thank you so much for showing how the RP3+ boots into Daijisho! I'm grateful man!
Just wanted to say I really appreciate the effort you put into all your videos and guides! (And the cat break of course) 😊👌
Thanks for watching!
I have been refreshing constantly and it has finally been released, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
It was killing me waiting for this video yesterday! Glad you put so much effort into each of your videos though, it can definitely be seen. Once again, you go in depth without getting boring or too technical. I will definitely be upgrading from the 2+ to the 3+ during the Black Friday sale to get that free case. I think I'll go with the 16 bit color. I like the colored buttons and tan shell. This vid gave me all the info I need to make my decision. Thanks Russ (and Chicken)!
I like how my order is still unfulfilled while our man's out here with a shiny new one, a week early, AND he's got a spare case lol
Good for ya Russ, love the content and seeing this I'm definitely glad I ordered it.
Edit: TWO! Two RP3+, an empty shell, internal upgrades, and two RP3. Dude has been bless lol
Did you get it yet?
Bro... Literally the BEST video I've ever seen of a retro handheld device, you've answered EVERY question I had and then some! Hats off to you good sir
Yay it's here! Well done Russ for getting this out so quickly after the rg505!
I'm still quite new to the party, I recently acquired RG351P for GBA mainly as well as a Miyoo Mini (for my kids), I am still looking for a stronger device to rule them all. Steam Deck looks like a no brainer but its size is killing it cause I am not in the market for a handheld PC.... RP3 looked cool, but then a release frenzy started: RG353V, M, RG505, now RP3+, Odin Lite is still out of stock and price difference of base or pro does not justify the purchase, plus shipping to Europe is over 70$ (with some accessories) and that's before taxes...
I am hoping to see new Odin device next year or a revised Anbernic lineup up with a better Soc than the current one. Anyways, thanks for all of the reviews Ross, watching them is always a joy!
The evolution of retro devices in this price range is incredible, it's always what I wait for, because these devices iron out the kinks that there was in the earlier far more expensive hardware that jumped on this kind of performance as soon as possible. Heck I remember when I was impressed at being able to smoothly play PS1 games at this price range not that long ago.
These devices are still ages away from mobile phones. You can get 2-3x the power and tech on a phone for the same price
@@tynao2029 It would be amazing to see another attempt at the erricson but by someone like Motorola. To pretty much be the pc for handhelds.
so i should wait for the pocket V4?
@@tynao2029 which $150 phones are 2-3x more powerful than this?
@@Aardvarked88 so many man. LG, Samsung, Google, TCL, so many Android phones from the last 4-5 years
Before I get a new handheld I always look to see if retrocorps has done a review thanks man
I ordered my Retroid Pocket 3 a few weeks before this was announced, and actually received it within a day or two after this announcement. But honestly, I’m not one of the people who are mad about it. I’m loving my RP3, it does everything I want it to and from what I’ve seen so far I don’t think the RP3+ is enough better for me to upgrade. (I’m writing this while watching your intro about the case and buttons though so I haven’t seen your review of performance yet) For me, the RP3 plays everything up through PSP fantastically, and honestly I’ve been surprised by how great it is for Android gaming too, I’m having a ton of fun playing old games I bought before switching to iPhone that I haven’t played in years. For me, I think the cutoff for “Will this device be worth upgrading from my RP3?” Is going to be whether a device can emulate PS2 perfectly or not. Until there’s a device at this price point that can, my RP3 is perfect and I won’t feel the need to upgrade.
Was thinking the same. I also just got an rp3. Not worth the upgrade.
Same here, got my Retroid about a week before the announcement. The next time I buy a retro console, it will be when it can definitely run GameCube and PS2, and definitely if it can run Wii.
Almost the same for me. Waited nearly 2 month for rp3 then literally 5 days later, rp3+ was up for grabs 🤦🏿♂️ but I ♥ my rp3, one of the best investments I've ever made! Let's hope rp3+ can live up to that. I'm happy to have something to play while waiting.
How do you get all the games on the RP3+??? And do they all save???
@@Skellz Do you mean like where to get ROMs for retro games? Or do you mean how to get them onto the device once you have them?
If the former, you can dump the files yourself from old game carts if you have the hardware to do so, or you can find them online. Downloading them might be considered piracy depending on what country you're from, since games are copyrighted, so if you do that it's at your own risk. A quick Google search will find what you're looking for, something like "best safe rom sites reddit" or something. Again, this might be illegal so I'm only saying this for educational purposes and I by no means recommend actually doing so.
If you mean how do you get games onto the device once you have them, you can just load them onto a micro SD card which you then put into the device, or you can use a USB cable to connect it to your PC. It's just like transferring files to an Android phone or tablet.
As for saves, yes they will all save just fine. You can save in-game just like you would if you were playing the game on original hardware, though depending on the emulator you're using the save file might be located in different folders so you might have to search a bit to figure out where the save file is if you ever want to transfer it to a different device. For example, a lot of emulators just put the save file in the same location as the ROM, but Retroarch has a dedicated "Saves" folder. Along with that there's a thing called "savestates" which just saves the game exactly as it is regardless of whether that's a valid save point in the game. This is useful if, for example, you're in between checkpoints and need to stop for some reason or maybe there's a really hard jump you're trying to make in a platformer or something. But don't rely too heavily on savestates, because they are unique to the emulator you're using, so if you ever have to transfer your files to another device you'll lose those savestates. So it's better to use in-game saves whenever you can, since they'll basically always work no matter which emulator you'll use.
Hope that helps. And if you want more info, check out Retro Game Corps' RP3 Starter Guide here on UA-cam, it's really good and that's how I learned about a lot of this stuff.
Was waiting for this review.
I’ve been on the fence for a good bit now on buying a retro handheld. I finally pulled the trigger on this and I’m glad I did. I can’t wait for it to come in the mail.
Same here. This is my first emulation handheld. This will be just fine for me until the steam deck 2 comes out.
I have recently been interested in purchasing a switch or maybe even a steam deck, but neither seemed to suit what I was looking for. I hadn't even heard of the RP3+ before your video, but after watching it I went ahead and placed an order! I think the versatility and price are ideal. Much appreciated!
I got my order in on the 8th, and it still has not shipped yet. I’m very excited and was hoping that I was going to get it prior to the holiday weekend. Thanks for the video, it’s very well put together!
That’s definitely the best handheld with that soc we got so far! Great ergonomics, slim, stacked shoulder buttons and full google service’s.
Anbernic's will ship with Play Services too. But the form factor, look and the fact that it has an hdmi output makes the RP3+ a no brainer
@@FilipeAguiarCarvalho Right now no google services on the rg505 and knowing Anbershit…they tend to not care
Thank you so much for the review! I pre-ordered one as a christmas gift for my wife since I am always fiddling around with my steamdeck. I think price to power it is a great handheld emulation device as well!
Despite having a RP3 already, I was very close to picking up a 3+. But if the rumored RP3S/RP3S+ is real and does have a Dimensity 900 chip it's going to blow the 3+ away in performance. I think it's worth waiting to see if that comes to fruition if you already have a RP3, because upgrading after two months and then upgrading again after only two more months is a bit much IMO.
Pretty sure the RP3S rumor was squashed as someone thinking an Odin Lite could be rebranded a Retroid product. That being said, for the retro emulation a lot of us want to play (GameCube/PS2) the Odin Pro is kind of minimum spec necessary with the current state of software/hardware possibilities.
It was made by a fan.
At that point I'd rather just buy an Odin Lite which is readily available. Instead of waiting a year for a supposedly RP3S+ that we don't even know is real or not.
Even if it was real if the rp3+ does what you want I don’t see why u should wait. There is always something better
@@majicalpandatech For me personally the RP3+ doesn't quite do enough to warrant an upgrade. I would want something close to an Odin/Odin Lite but in a smaller form factor.
That Kirby shirt goes HARD.
Fantastic review as always man. My RP3+ should be here in a couple days!
I just ordered one of these, I wanted to give my son my Retroid pocket 2 and upgrade for a better experience. Thanks for sharing your findings! I appreciate the thoroughness of your review. I can't wait to play more android games on this unit as well, the screen mapping seems to be a great addition!
Your reviews for retro handhelds are mesmerizing
Thanks for another great review. I preordered one the day preorders opened.
I think we're reaching the point where next year we could have mid-high compatibility with sixth gen really soon. I still have my RG351V, but I think next year will be a great time for an upgrade if they continue this progression.
I'm also still enjoying my RG351V, but eyeing the possibilities on the horizon.
you want console mid to high? Ayn has released his newest console, his name is Ayn Loki Mini Pro. just buy it. don't just comment here!
@@teknisiiphone7677 Or just get a Steam Deck.
@@chrismichaelgardner for 4x the price?! Are u kidding me?
@@chrismichaelgardner Some of us prefer something that's actually pocketable. As a Switch Lite owner I certainly wouldn't consider anything larger.
Nice. Excited for the 505 comparison video 👍👍
While this has more power than the Pocket 3 it seems to me like it is in that dead zone between PSP/N64/Dreamcast, etc and actual PS2/GameCube capability. I'm still on the RP2+ and think I'll patiently wait until we get a more robust PS2/GameCube device. I like the current screen, shell, buttons, etc and I imagine a couple more iterative processor upgrades would probably get us there. Hopefully next year!
I've got an RP3 and I'm thinking the same. I don't think I'll bother with an upgrade kit when *either way* the gist of it is "comfortable PSP, slow PS2".
100% in your camp. I'm just not seeing a compelling difference between this device and the RP2+, except perhaps for form-factor which makes several cramped-UI titles on PSP more playable. But the 2+ plays Dreamcast, PSP, and N64 beautifully in most cases and with almost no tweaking. I've gone completely through Skies of Arcadia on Dreamcast with no issues and Banjo Kazooie runs amazingly.
i wonder how powerful mid range chips will be next year.
That 's right , buddy ! I support you 100%! I also have RP2+ and I didn't feel much real progress in speed and power in PS2/GameCube. Although there were high hopes that it would be the same as with RP2+ . Let 's hope that the next version will be better .
I'm kind on your side, but the fact that you can play upscaled PSP, Android Games and a GOOD support for cloud gaming, is a HUGE improvement over the RP2+. That's why I'm so inclined to get one in a near future.
I ended up getting this device based on your review. So far it is as expected. Thanks for the great review.
Great review on the RP3+ and a cat break. Can’t get much better than that… except for a “yeah man I want to do it”
Thanks for the review & I really appreciate you showing off Timesplitters!!
Oh wow, it actually is possible to find a good, balanced and Frank long form review of this thing unlike... certain other channels 😂
It seems like a solid system, I'm not quite sure I want to update from my 2+ just because I love the form factor and screen aspect ratio so much for what I want to play, despite the clear increase in power.
Great video, you earned a subscriber!
Glad you enjoyed it!
I finally order my first retroid
( 3 plus) can't lie I like the form factor of the 2 the best. But with the better chip and the bigger screen had to go 3plus. Bigger screen means more options I don't mind the black bars when playing the smaller screen ratios.
Thank you so so much for this New vidéo ! I followed all your tutorials on retroid pocket from the beginning! it helped me so much. I was waiting for my RP3+ now. Awww and chicken IS so cute, i was watchin' your vidéo on tv also with my cat on my knees🥰 this IS the first Time i see you in video and i didn't expect it ! I had to Say you re cute ! Nice room too
Absolutely worth the wait! Thanks Russ great assessment. I can't buy every handheld out there and since I need to be picky your reviews are invaluable to me in the decision making process. Thanks again, this one looks like the one to beat at it's price point.
Hey Ross! Really liked the new style of video presentation with you in front of the camera. Also the editing is top notch.
Not gonna comment on the content itself because it's always of the highest level.
Cheers from 🇧🇷!
Hey, thanks!
inb4 Retroid releases Pocket 4 in 6 months
Six months? You think it'll be that long?
You’d have to be crazy to get a Pocket 4 with the 4+ just around the corner.
inb4 Apple releases a new iphone next year
Prolly called 5 cus of chinese 4 superstition.
im going to wait for the pocket 6+. i know its a pretty long wait, but 8 months from now it will be worth it
A very thorough and useful review. I still have this wishlisted.
Great review.
Possible to include some basic wired headphone/earphone testing in your future reviews? Just to check for any crackling/hissing sound etc.
Some has really poor/dirty output especially when wifi is enabled, this seems to be a recurring issue on Anbernic handhelds in particular.
i was just watching the RP3 review just as you uploaded this one lol. amazing review! Can't wait for my clear purple!
Thank you for your great reviews! Handheld retro devices are out of my budget for now (yes, budget is that low) but I can engage in this hobby thanks to your content.
Also, just got GBA running through Retroarch on my smartphone, that's how I'm getting into it.
Looking forward to your Retroid Pocket 4 review next month!
That's how started too. Just get a controller for your phone and you'll be set.
@@carlos2004 The 8Bitdo Pro 2 is on my Christmas list :)
Mine is on the way, ordered it just before the reviews came out, glad to know I didn't make a mistake.
Got mine yesterday and I have some quick things to say for anyone that cares.
First is that despite what I'm about to say, overall it surpassed my expectations a ton, the screen is so good that I'll be using it for most of my retro gaming, even 4:3 content despite owning a 4:3 handheld. I did not expect it to be this good at all.
But I have one big issue with it that wasn't touched on the video: the buttons are STIFF. It's not just the membrane face buttons (which membrane itself isn't an issue inherently, my Anbernic devices all are membrane and have much softer and more pleasant buttons), the triggers are stiff as hell too and require some actual force to press.
So my issue isn't with the membrane buttons itself, it's how stiff they are for how far they have to travel. I find myself actually tiring my fingers playing fast paced action games on it. Maybe the rubber will ease in over time, maybe not, but I want people to be aware of the stiff/heavy feeling buttons.
Some other random stuff:
-Battery life is god damn amazing and Android's standby mode is the best in the business.
-Chipset is powerful enough to run run-ahead on Retroarch on every system that supports it (mainly 8 and 16 bit systems as well as GBA) while still maintaining 2-3x fast forward. Almost feels like real hardware in terms of response.
-For PS1 on Retroarch, use the Swanstation core, instead of Rearmed or Beetle. Set Vulkan renderer and 2-3x resolution depending on game.
-For N64 on Retroarch, use the Mupen64 GLES3 core.
-For DS on Retroarch... don't, it kinda sucks unfortunately, Drastic is still king here which is very frustrating considering how dead the development of that emulator is
-For automatic cloud saving (keep your emulator saves synced between devices), I recommend an app called DropSync, it's free and only requires a free Dropbox account
-Don't buy this handheld for PS2 or Gamecube. Not worth the effort, even games that are green on compatibility sheets will have random stutters and slowdowns.
The audio on your video is great, the balance between narration and gaming noise is perfect !!
Very first ever retro handheld console I bought and I chose this all before the hype and the rg505 war. My choices in life are getting a little better 😂
I'm stoked to hear they will add the dome style boards to the diy section on their site. I had destroyed a r1 tactile button on my rp3 and altho they did respond to my email they didn't say they had a purchasable dome switch board. So for now I have the conductive rubber board installed to remedy my issue. I will be purchasing a board and few other accessories once it hits their diy section
Dude, I played with an inverted Y axis for decades (Since Star Wars Dark Forces). About a year or two I forced myself to switch to normal Y and while it was a rough couple weeks, it was really worth it in the end.
Thanks to you I got the retroid pocket 3+ today and I love it so far. I do wish the buttons were a bit bigger but other than that I'm very pleased with it. I got it to play mostly Sega, gba, psp, and some gamecube/PS2 games.
Man the only thing I wanted to see is if Game Streaming would read the inputs for Destiny 2 like my Xbox controller instead of the switch style buttons. Thank you so much man, my indigo unit needs to get here asap
I'm anxiously waiting for mine! I just think that Retroid missed on the opportunity of making a dock for the device, with video out it would be very nice. I plan on using it a lot, already ordered 8bitdo controllers
Thanks for going into detail about the button and d-pad dome types. Surprisingly hard to find this info on the 3+. I vastly prefer metal domes for the d-pad but I'm indifferent about the ABXY buttons.
I like my RP3 better than my Odin Pro because of the pocketability of it. To me, this is the best value by far for portable gaming right now. All this for just $150 bodes VERY well for the future of the market (for us consumers).
One of, if not the BEST UA-cam reviewer. Great video as always!
Thanks for another great video! I have steamdeck for harder emulations, like Gamecube and PS2. When I get my RP3+, I will use PSP, Dreamcast, N64, etc.
My RP3+ is inbound! So stoked for dreamcast on the go.
I spent months watching this channel and planning which device I would buy between the Retroid pocket and a couple of the Ambernic ones. Finally bought one of the Ambernics, played it for an hour or so, then went online trying to find how to load games on it. It was damn near impossible If you're not a computer expert. Came back and the ambernic would not turn on. Like at all. Researched it and the damn thing apparently completely dies if you let the battery die once. Immediately returned it and was so aggravated at myself for wasting time for months. These companies need to make these usable for an average person.
Thank you for helping me make my decision on which retro handheld to get that I can afford. I will most definitely be getting this when I get paid.
Did you ever get it? How's your experience been with it?
Great review Russ looking forward to the release of the more powerful ayn handhelds coming this year hopefully they can produce a true steam deck competitor... That and hopefully they can keep up with the demand of so many different devices. As a portable cheap gaming machine goes I think this one takes the crown in the under 200 dollars price range
I'll just enjoy my rg552 for now. The screen on it is excellent and and probably it's best feature, plus I've not long bought it. This isn't enough of an upgrade to me. Once there is something sub £200 that is good quality and can do the majority of GameCube etc then I would upgrade. This is powerful for what it is but still can't really do anymore than what existing handhelds could. With some tweaking and can play psp on the rg552. So it sits in a bit of a dead zone, it will do psp without any fuss but can't do anything more without some serious settings tweaking or cherry picking games.
I'm still super happy with RG552 as well. Although it's been out for a year now, the Jelos Linux recent updates have breathed new life into this handheld. Also on the Linux side it's much easier to play systems like Atari 800, Atari ST, C64 and Commodore Amiga as the configuration is all setup once you drop roms and bios in the correct locations.
Shoryukenable is getting added to my vocabulary for sure LOL. Thanks Russ
For the price this is quality , can’t wait to get mine.
I love the accidental naming in the GameCube section of that classic game, "Retroid Prime" :)
I have the RP2+ right now and I’ll admit it’s tempting but with how quickly they are releasing new models, I am waiting for a bigger upgrade. Maybe full Gamecube compatibility or even PS2 if that’s possible without a big price hike.
We just have to wait a couple more years. Those "almost perfect" models are meant to tease us into buy something sub-optimal
Just got my retroid 2+ yesterday. Of course they release a new one
Thanks for the review. I've been waiting for this to decide between the RG505 and the RP3+. I ordered a... Win600. I ultimately decided that either of these two would be "false economy", where I would spend the money for them and end up upgrading later. The WIn600 will play my entire Batocera image perfectly, and will possibly be my last handheld for quite a long time.
Oof man the battery life on the WIN600 is atrocious. In my mind it’s the Steam Deck>Odin Pro>RP3+
@@sunnygalli I have an Odin Pro actually. With TDP tweaking the Win600 should get somewhere between 2-3 hours, and also has 45 watt charging, so it should charge back up pretty fast as well.
The Steam Deck is larger that I would like, and AFAIK doesn't work with Batocera. I also am not a Steam user.
@@harleyn3089 FYI Batocera does work with the steam deck. EmuDeck is also pretty amazing. Overall the $100 or less jump to the steam deck is better overall if you can tolerate it’s larger size.
Great videos Russ. You made me buy this and I'm not even mad. :D
(I was planning to buy the RP3 when that one came out and waited until when I heard of the 3+)
Surprised with the multi-core geekbench results compared to other similar handhelds.
By the way, which frontend offers the closest experience to emulationstation on android? With the ability to show both boxart and videos (shows screenshot/boxart for a second or 2 before playing the video) from screenscraper.
Daijishou for sure.
@@sunnygalli When I tried quite some time ago, Daijishou can't play videos. And it seems to be scraping from libretro DB (which does not have videos?) , not screenscraper.
Things changed?
@@samhuang683 let me check but I’m almost certain it had videos. Only other one that might have videos is launch box, but it’s a paid app.
I recently watched the aforementioned comparison video and placed a pre-order for the RP3+, and I'm so excited for it to arrive!
Has yours arrived yet? I ordered mine 3 days ago and I’m extremely exited
(Apologies it took me so long to reply to this, friend!)
Mine did arrive a few days, on the 13th after I ordered it on the 2nd. I’ve used it extensively every single day I’ve had it so far and I couldn’t be happier!
Yup! I'm gonna get this! For anyone reading this, buy it on Black Friday, they're throwing in a free case only on that day.
Thanks Russ!
Note that people have had a problem with that case where the case keeps waking the device because it's putting pressure on the power button. It can be fixed with some modification though.
@@SeedyZ Ahh good to know, thanks bud.
Thank you Russ for yet another great and comprehensive video review. You rock 🤟
This is a great handheld as it is, but when it is so close to perfectly emulating gamecube and ps2, one would wonder holding up a bit for technology to mature a little more in this form factor.
You should be in front of the camera more often, feels a lot more personal and you're really good at it! Thanks as always for the great in-depth reviews!
nah these kind of channels don't need the unnecessary vlogging, no offence to retro dodo
@@_Majoras I wasn't saying to start vlogging haha just that the intro to the camera felt way more personal than just a voiceover. Also it gives a glimpse of his retro collection which I'd also be keen to see
I will once again bring this to your attention: within the EU, the RP3+ cost me $169 total. The RG505 would have cost me $192 total. So for people living in the EU and ordering from the official websites, these devices are *not at all* the same price. The Retroid price is not significantly higher than advertised, but the Anbernic device is *$43 more.* Anbernic seems to be collecting taxes so I wonder what pushed them to do so. Either way, even if this is only valid for the EU, it's deeply bothersome and verging on false advertising. It is true that the EU does have absurdly high taxes and import fees, but this doesn't seem to affect any other manufacturer. It's not reasonable to advertise a price and then add almost a third of the cost on top. Even worse, EU prices almost always include taxes by default, and must put "before tax" if they deviate from that norm. The value proposition for the RP3+ doesn't change significantly, whereas the Anbernic price almost puts the devicd in another category entirely.
Forget about the links in the description for the RP3+, I need a link for that awesome Kirby tee!! haha
Amazing video as always. Despite coming across plenty of good comments, I've been waiting for your review before buying. 10/10 as always, thanks man
Here you go! www.target.com/p/men-s-kirby-short-sleeve-graphic-t-shirt-light-blue/-/A-87465501?preselect=86434840#lnk=sametab
@@RetroGameCorps Thank you!
I'd love to see how well this runs Dragon ball Budokai 3 and Tenkaichi 3 for the ps2. Since they're my favorite games on the system, i've been holding back my purchase but it looks like that if they don't run well, they should be close
It runs in 3x resolution for Budokai 3 and 2.5x for Tenkaichi 3, just for 50 bucks more on Odin Lite.
I’ve got an odin lite and that game runs brilliantly. The odin lite is just a phenomenal handheld!!
@@Powney888 I heard it can't run PS2 and 3DS as well as the pro though.
@@kazuma3494 I can’t comment on the pro as I haven’t used it but the lite for me is running every ps2 game I play without any hitches whatsoever. It’s absolutely phenomenal. I haven’t tried the likes of 3DS as of yet as I’m not a huge fan of the games on it but I’ll give that a go someday.
Heeeee! I love Chicken Cat Breaks. Honestly I wanted so bad to pull the trigger on this, but I am still really enjoying my RP2+, I couldn't justify the additional $150 for this even though I really wanted to. Knowing Retroid I think if I can hold off till about March, I think I will rewarded for my patience.
Wow... Game streaming from PS5 and Xbox Series ON TOP of stable emulation up to Dreamcast and DS for $150 is something I would have never expected even two years ago.
It's just me or do other people watch all of Russ' videos with no intention of buying these devices? I mean, maybe I'll buy this one next year, but I'll watch all the other reviews just for his cheer enthusiasm.
what I love about Russ' videos vs ETA Prime is when he lists the specs, he explains them in relation to previous devices and what it all means. As someone who doesn't keep up with all the chipsets, ETA Prime shooting off the specs are meaningless to me.
Haven't even had this device for a week yet and it's already bootlooping.
Great review as always! At the end you said the price to performance can't be beat at this price but how about compared to the odin lite? Also I'm kind of curious how you would rank the devices you own in terms of emulators and aspect ratio. For example do you use a specific device just to play Gameboy advance games bc of the screen size being perfect at 3:2?
Perfect review for exactly what i was looking for! Watched 20 of your vids after this. They are STEAK SAUCE! ;)
Cat break made me subscribe!
It looks amazing in clear blue. I might buy one later this year.
Hey Russ for 3DS games like Ocarina of time on these mali GPUs, it would be amazing if you could try them with the hardware shaders disabled in citra MMJ. This will fix the graphical glitches, but reduce performance. It's nice to know on a device like this, if it can run OoT 3DS with the hardware shader disabled at full speed. If it can, it's a great experience. Thanks!
Yes, this setting will improve the glitching but unfortunately the game plays at about 58% speed with it toggled on.
@@RetroGameCorps thanks for testing. I think the Odin lite can handle it. Have a good one!
What a great review Russ, cant wait for my rp3+ purple 😁
Seeing the performance you're doing makes me believe that Retroid has been using Moonlight when showing off GameCube, PS2, & Wii emulation on their channel...they have most games on those consoles playing mostly full speed (New Super Mario Bros & God of War being 2 examples). I notice they don't show the game already loaded & not the full launching from the app
They are probably super optimising them to look better than they normally would look and after everything is cached or fully rendered.
great review russ, love the content
Quick question on the backlight, how dark can it get? The only major problem with my 2+ is that it's too bright at night, meaning i can't really use it at night which is when I use these things most. I know there's apps to help with that, but I'd like to avoid that if possible (no good reason here, just wanna run as close to basic as possible)
First of all - you are THE MAN of Retro Handhelds, keep it up, such a great review as always. And second: This should finally be the perfect device for upscaled emulation up to PSP/DC/Saturn/N64/DS. And above there is a clear barrier up to GC/Wii/PS2/3DS and upcoming Vita/Switch in the future. All devices above are not 100% capable of these systems and way more expensive, plus the RP3+ handels some of this "bonus contect" really well, and this for 150 bucks. I think this is finally the one we are waiting for since the Retro Handhels rise up, the perfect "Retro Handheld PSP" I would say. Amazing, take my money!
I have been considering upgrading to a new handheld as my current is a RG552. From what I can tell of this review, almost everything I have an issue with on the 552 (as well as anything that has me sticking to it) is pretty good here! Granted, I'd lose EmulationStation, but there's other frontends that'll be okay.
My main reason to sticking to 552 was the Ports. I loved having Celeste for example on there, but seeing as this can run it pretty well in Skyline.. I see no reason not to upgrade to it (most of the other ports already have android ports, so its no issue either). Plus that price is a pretty damn good one in comparison!