This might just be a prefect gift for my son. I can load it with games that are appropriate, it's small size will work fine in his hands, and I'm pretty sure it'll be cheap enough.
@@ZanpaaToo much of a jump up in price. (Plus, personally, I'm not crazy about android) Something around the price of the RG arc S. With either that same chip, or the H700 chip from the RG35xx H. With a form factor like the Rg405m or a scaled up Rg35xx H. WiFi+ Bluetooth. That would be ideal IMO.
The 35xx plus was the limit for small for me but if I were still in my early teens and this had released back then I would have got one without question.
Definitely agree. I got the RG35XX H last month and it was on the small side for me already. An even smaller device like this just wouldn't be appreciated by my old eyes 😆
I'm 43yrs old. I like big screens and own the legion go. However after several times of adding the rg28xx to my cart on Amazon and then deleting it several times. I finally decided to buy it, and I am surprised by how it feels in hand. Also, how crisp the screen looks. I really enjoy pulling it out of my pocket and just playing a quick game. I got it for 59.99 on Amazon and got it delivered the next day. Order it and try it out. Return it if it's not for you.
@@shoelacedonkey I have both and honestly the smaller RG28XX looks better (GBA, PS1...) due to higher pixel density. It kinda makes the games modern again.
Any chance you could start giving the headphone jack a test when you are reviewing handhelds? I've had bad luck with noisy headphone jacks with some anbernic devices.
2nd this, having solid wired audio connectivity is essential when I'm playing in places where I don't want to disturb people around me. Also essential for a good experience with the stock firmware's player (that was _shown in this video!_ )
@elixxur I also have tolhe rgb30 and I love that little guy too but I love being able to pocket the miyoo mini so easily. I'm hoping a horizontal version will be just right.
@@UnitNo.2 I like the RGB30 over the MM since it can play DS Games. I ordered the RGB28XX since I like the size. Hopefully this can play DS games too. The pocketability with the RGB28XX is key. One thing I liked about the MM is the cheats that the stock cards came with. That was a fun thing to add with games.
Nice review! Wow those buttons are small. I like that the color schemes, the orange in particular, are very "plastic toy"-like. To me it goes well with the fact that this is meant to be thrown in a pocket and not something you worry about. It seems that this year is going to be the comeback of the micro handhelds, with this and the Miyoo A30. I'm even more excited for the clamshells that should finally be coming out!
Great review, thanks! I'm excited for this to release. I love the orange one and I've been wanting a really small device to carry around with me that's not intrusive. I think this is the perfect size. I'm a little disappointed about the screen quality when playing outdoors but not enough to deter me from buying it.
Great choice to keep the 480p resolution even with a smaller screen, too many devices go the cheap route and use a 240p screen resulting in poor scaling with no way to fix it.
After getting the 35xxH i got my eye on this one, and here I thought I don't want a smaller form factor but the pocketability aspect was something that surprised me. I want a smaller one now
What a huge oversight not putting WiFi/BT on this thing. I could have been the perfect pocket rig, but not having Retro Achievements is a deal breaker for me.
idk it's a pocket device, not something I'd want to use around the house so you'd probably be off wifi for retroachievements most of the time you use it anyway
Awesome video as always! I'll definitely be making a grip/case for this one for the shop. It also looks like I may have found my replacement for the TrimUI Smart.
The RG28XX is a day one purchase for me. I've been wanting a horizontal smaller device for a long time, that can do GBA and SNES easily full speed. And without sticks. The RG300X was the closest, but still didn't do SNES perfectly, same for the TrimUI Smart. The upcoming Miyoo A30 not only has a stick, making it less pocketable for me, but is much weaker than the RG28XX. Also, how have I never connected Anbernics RG28/RG35 handhelds with 2.8 and 3.5 inch displays?
this ‚you‘ll have it with you more so you will play it more‘ is so true. a couple of years ago i owned a psp, a n3ds and a game boy micro and the micro paired with a flash card got the most play time for sure. but since i have adhd and tend to completely zone out when i‘m focusing on something, this led to many missed busses and trains, because i didn’t notice my train arriving and leaving again and i often missed my station and rode way too far. so i had to ditch the gaming on the go. and then i sold the micro and got much more money than i paid for it a few years before that. still love this little thing, the screen was tiny but it looked sooo good. ❤
@@1Pandemooniumone usb c port is a problem for me. I don't want to rely on the speaker for when I want quality or play without sound. They packing BT? which would work when needing to use ANC, but I do despise BT ewaste. It won't work when I don't want to wear over ear sweat boxes, during the nearly here way too hot May-September (115F+ highs).
@@1Pandemooniumthe A30 is currently highly discounted on AliExpress. Got it on my cart for only $42 with a coupon. After thinking a lot I removed it and gave up on it. The 10 year old cpu on it really kills it for me. It has problems running even SNES which is insane, and heats up a lot and uses up all of the battery very quickly. And no headphone jack? The A30 is a dead product to me
I read today that scientists are ditching the atomic clock. It turns out that Anbernic's release schedule is a far more accurate way to measure time! This isn't one for me. Too small... I am hoping that at some point Anbernic do an iteration of the ARC. That's a great device, but I wish it had a slightly more punchy CPU and if they could be added sensibly, a couple on analogue sticks would be great. I also wish Anbernic would spend more time and effort on their software.
I was looking forward to this review, time to watch with my morning coffee. I still think I'm waiting for the Miyoo Mini A30. Any idea when that is getting a review?
It’s amazing how all the similar devices end up releasing near each other. I bet it’s Anbernic who is like, yo competition releasing this style device, we have to beat them to market, chop chop, make a similar device, you have 2 months start to finish.
Would love to see thinner devices overall. I know the lack of availability of affordable, thin batteries holds us back. But man, I'd love something like the 28XX or 35XXH to be half as thin as they are now.
This looks like a nice upgrade to my trim UI. Slightly bigger screen, more power, and just as pocketable. I love having a device like this that I can throw in my pocket without even noticing it's there. It's great when I'm in a waiting room at the car dealership getting my car worked on or the doctor's office or anything like that where I have a little bit of time to kill.
...Huh. I wasn't sold on the controls from an initial look at them, but I actually quite liked the feel of my SMB Game & Watch, and the size looks like just what I've been looking for. For such a budget price, maybe this could actually be a handheld I'd enjoy. Been a while since I've picked one up.
In the future I would really like size comparisons to official Nintendo products like the DS, or in this case a Gameboy Micro. Give viewers an idea who don't own other emulator devices, but did/do own official products a better idea on size.
Finally a handheld I have been waiting for! I have been collecting these handhelds since 2019 and the last one was the RG353M which turned out to be a powerful handheld but too big for my taste. My fav is my RG280v bc of its size but now this one looks even better. I prefer a non-touchscreen with a mono speaker. I also prefer digital only D-pad. This also has very good battery life which is a major plus
Will you do a Knulli follow up? For me it was a game changer, especially being able to run Pico 8 natively. I love this console for Pico on the go, I think the bite size nature of a lot of those games lend themselves really well to this form factor.
I really like this device. It has that perfect amount of pocketablility. The only real thing that puts me off is the incompatibility with other rg35xx devices. I really wish I could just take my minui card, stick it in there, and be good to go
37:52 Anbernic, please listen closely to this point. Simply put please allow developers to have as much access as they need, to develop custom firmware for your devices. Cut some sort of deal, they're doing it FOR FREE, and you'll end up profiting, the whole community (your customer base) benefits. If you don't, as soon as the MMP-H device launches, this (and the RG35XX-H) may be virtually obsolete for new customers, at least to a large chunk of the customer base.
I wish somebody would make a 5 or 6 inch 4:3 handheld...that aspect ratio is what matters in retro gaming for ps1 and under 🥺 and maybe with a dpad like arc s/d 🙂
I feel like for a device of this size, the best form factor would be a flip device. That would allow you more room for larger buttons and a larger screen, while keeping the controls and screen protected when not in use. You could also use the extra real estate to add an analog stick or two.
If the price ends up being right, then this is kind of compelling as a gift. A friend of mine doesn't game much, not wanting to spend her money on it, but she will get enraptured from time to time with stuff like Mario or Sonic classic games. I feel like this is something cheap enough (hopefully) that she could accept this guilt-free and have a fun little toy that'll easily fit a purse.
Really great video, I can see you are a man of culture due to the fact you decided to test "arcade games" with Third strike, the CPS3 is pretty picky on how is emulated. This handheld is really tempting me
I love the look, and I love the color options. For such a tiny device, I wouldn't really expect it to be console-able with bluetooth or HDMI (though the HDMI inclusion is a cool bonus), but the lack of wifi really robs it of some good functionality - retroachievements, as you mentioned, as well as online updating, scraping, net play, etc. Bummer, cause this is super cute!
I'm here for support! Were you able to scrape the game images so that they appear in the menus? I usually use Skraper, But this time there is no way to see the images. Did you succeed?
I'm glad they finally brought back the 280 line, as its a great size, not too small as to strain my eyes, and not so big that its cumbersome to travel with,...just think they missed the boat by not making it a 286m instead, so it could play GameCube.
Ive been so picky about my retro handhelds because i baby them so much to prevent damaging them. Now that i see this thing i feel i can throw it in my pocket, no case, no worries. Easy buy
The RG35XX H has my heart for a small(ish) horizontal handheld that plays a good amount with analog sticks. Slightly Higher end favorite would be Retroid Pocket 4Pro.
I wish they would release these form factors with much more powerful hardware. If only it had Bluetooth. Would be amazing for hooking up to TV. They could also in a future revision move the start and select buttons to the top right and add an Analog stick to the bottom left.
Depending on the price, this could be a good gift option and a nice standalone MP3/FLAC player which can do more. Interesting ideas and I agree and that the idea of a 640x480 2.8 panel should look nice. Really need an option today to test out these devices in person. Russ would you consider a RGC Hawaii convention? I love Hawaii and need more reasons to visit.
I have a Miyoo Mini, Miyoo Mini Plus and Retroid Pocket 2s. I definitely don’t need this… but something that can play N64 that’s about the same of a GameBoy micro is so appealing to me😅
I almost pulled the trigger on a 35XX-H. My RP4pro needs a pocketable alternative if I'm just gaming through something classic. This is PERFECT. No release date yet tho...
Nobody makes small color oled screens, except for smartwatches, and those are too small. High volume(at least a few million) devices dictate what components are developed and available for smaller volume devices.
I really enjoy your content, but wouldn't really say I'm ever in the market for these devices. I bought my kids some old Nintendo DSi's on our last trip to Japan, and those have been great for their needs (maybe too good - Twilight Menu plus great battery life). And I recently picked up a used Steam Deck which has basically replaced my desktop PC for gaming. ...but I still don't take the Steam Deck with me on my usual runs out in town, including 'car rider line' when I pick up the kids from school. But this device may just be the first handheld I get from one of your reviews. Although I'll still likely wait until the official model releases and you cover any changes/updates. And maybe for your review of its Miyo competition. Either way, thanks for the great content. Cheers!
Thank you for your helpful videos, I found them helpful for looking for a smaller retro handheld. I think I will pick up the RG35XX H since it seems that it would fit me the best. The RX28XX is definitely an interesting device and it appears to be more playable than a Gameboy Micro.
I actually think this is the perfect form factor - about the same size as the old game and watches (as long as there is no text). I guess I'm adding to my collection.
i got my RG28XX a few days ago. i have a couple of questions: 1. for the games that has vertical orientation, can we adjust it to horizontal orientation? (because personally, its more comfort for me) 2. is there any way for this device to play JAVA games? (old mobile phones games like Nokia Ngage) 3. Can we add more OPENBOR games? if we can, where we can find it? Thank you
I am glad to see Anbernic making updates to their firmware it's not much but it's something. I think if they would just take a brake on the devices and focus on their firmware for a bit it would be huge
Hopefully they release something closer to the 35XX H without the analog sticks. The 35XX and the Miyoos sold great probably because many people, like me, are just looking for something simple to play mainly 2D games.
Was interested to hear the battery on your RG280v died. Is that a "deep discharge" problem, like it won't hold a charge anymore? Do you have any tips on longterm storage for these devices? Could that be prevented by occassionally charging them up every couple months for example? I have a drawer full of these things now and don't use many of them with any regularity but I'm keeping them around as backups or for when my kids are a little older. (Or did you just mean the battery was dead in the basic sense that it needed to be charged up?)
Hi Russ. I'm thinking about getting one of these and i wanna use the same SD card as in my rg35xxsp. Is swapping the sd cards between these devices working by now?
I acctually like the colours they have with these Beige white and Orange is nice. Nice smooth edges. And rather than take out my 280m and scratch it, I rather take this one out 😅. Naomi is going to be fun on this. I dont blame you with the inputs,Alex is always applying pressure lool Awesome video.
I find that NES and SNES in my opinion look better in 8:7, there will be some borders on the left and right but I think it looks better than 4:3 for those systems. With the RG28xx its not as simple as switching to 8:7 so I inputted it manually at W 480, H 549, X position 0, Y position 45. For PS and Sega I just switched it to 3:4 instead of 4:3 because the screen is rotated.
If there was a way to make it so that holding down a shoulder button turns the D-pad into the C-buttons, that would make this way better. Maybe in some custom firmware, they could do that.
Yes. Most of these devices will handle gameboy advance (and below) very well, some even nintendo DS. It really just comes down to your preferred form factor
Yep! This is the one for me, I've always wanted a trim ui smart because of the size but with a 3inch screen. Hopefully they would fix the dimmer and rotated screen
Whenever i see "XX" in the name i think they forgot to finish naming it lol
XX is just "fuck it random bullshit" 😂
I think of megaman😂
Akumajo Dracula XX
I’m pretty sure it’s for second example. All of the xx’s follow their 2nd generation of improvements.
@@RedBeardRetroTechin the year 20XX…. 😂
Best intro ever "It's been a couple of weeks since anbernic released a handheld..." I laughed hard.
Sarcasm
This might just be a prefect gift for my son. I can load it with games that are appropriate, it's small size will work fine in his hands, and I'm pretty sure it'll be cheap enough.
can also load games that are very inapropriate
I'm afraid to ask what games are considered inappropriate
2.8 inches is not small, not good for eyes.
Don't forget to include all the mortal kombats, I am sure your kid will love it, and don't worry those games are "appropriate" 😂
@@mcsweatshop If he has access to the internet to download the roms, then he already has access to way worse.
I’ll buy the RG28XX plus which, at Anbernic’s pace, is coming out in about five minutes
Don't blink they'll release another one.
Still waiting:(
“It’s been a few weeks…so you know what that means…” 😂😂😂
It's basically days at this point
I had a good chuckle when Russ said this. Anbernic truly dishes out devices like hot pies at the bakery.
I'm here for it, its cool to see so many new devices giving people choices and making Anbernic practically competing with themselves.
I hope they release something like this with 6 face buttons.
No, not the rg-arc one.
My husband was walking by as Russ said that, and he went “Wait, what?” 😂
Me seeing the RG35xx h: "I wish they'd made a version with a bigger screen", anbernic: "we've made it smaller! =D".
Don’t worry, they’ll probably release another device before the end of the month 😂
I mean, TrimUI Pro, Retroid Pocket 3/4, almost any streaming device… tons of options if you want a horizontal device with a larger screen
@@thomasbryans6547 There's something about a 4:3 screen that hits different than a generic horizontal device with a 16:9 display.
@@jennika753RG405M/V and Arc then
@@ZanpaaToo much of a jump up in price. (Plus, personally, I'm not crazy about android)
Something around the price of the RG arc S. With either that same chip, or the H700 chip from the RG35xx H.
With a form factor like the Rg405m or a scaled up Rg35xx H.
WiFi+ Bluetooth.
That would be ideal IMO.
I love that white and purple combination
Same, reminds me of snes
Yes looks like 2ds Version color
I love that closed captions turns "Russ from Retro Game Corps" to "Ruster Metro gamecore" - LOL
TFW YOU REALIZE ANBERNIC NAME THEIR DEVICES BASED ON THE SCREEN SIZE
And now the chromosomes as well
@@Drivenby Ah yes, the famous XX H chromosomes
The 35xx plus was the limit for small for me but if I were still in my early teens and this had released back then I would have got one without question.
Definitely agree. I got the RG35XX H last month and it was on the small side for me already. An even smaller device like this just wouldn't be appreciated by my old eyes 😆
I'm 43yrs old. I like big screens and own the legion go. However after several times of adding the rg28xx to my cart on Amazon and then deleting it several times. I finally decided to buy it, and I am surprised by how it feels in hand. Also, how crisp the screen looks. I really enjoy pulling it out of my pocket and just playing a quick game. I got it for 59.99 on Amazon and got it delivered the next day. Order it and try it out. Return it if it's not for you.
@@shoelacedonkey I have both and honestly the smaller RG28XX looks better (GBA, PS1...) due to higher pixel density. It kinda makes the games modern again.
The fact it runs N64, Super Mario 64, Mario Kart 64 & Paper Mario 64 I am sold
If someone showed 10 year old me this little device that runs smoothly a better-than-arcade version of daytona usa my mind wouldve been blown away
Any chance you could start giving the headphone jack a test when you are reviewing handhelds? I've had bad luck with noisy headphone jacks with some anbernic devices.
2nd this, having solid wired audio connectivity is essential when I'm playing in places where I don't want to disturb people around me.
Also essential for a good experience with the stock firmware's player (that was _shown in this video!_ )
I'll be honest I pretty much only play my Miyoo Mini. I love the pocketability and Onion OS is absolutely awesome on it.
Team Miyoo all the way!
Miyoo Mini hurt my hands and the screen was retina burning even on lowest brightness. I have a Powkiddy RGB30 which is perfect for DS games.
@elixxur I also have tolhe rgb30 and I love that little guy too but I love being able to pocket the miyoo mini so easily. I'm hoping a horizontal version will be just right.
@@UnitNo.2 I like the RGB30 over the MM since it can play DS Games. I ordered the RGB28XX since I like the size. Hopefully this can play DS games too. The pocketability with the RGB28XX is key. One thing I liked about the MM is the cheats that the stock cards came with. That was a fun thing to add with games.
How is it in terms of robustness? Is the build quality OK?
"You could put a charging cable in here, maybe a couple chips, yknow whatever you want"
>ah I'm feeling hungry time to pull out my anbernic rg28xx
whats up Russ, i hope all is well for you and your family. appreciate everything u do bro
All good!
Nice review! Wow those buttons are small. I like that the color schemes, the orange in particular, are very "plastic toy"-like. To me it goes well with the fact that this is meant to be thrown in a pocket and not something you worry about.
It seems that this year is going to be the comeback of the micro handhelds, with this and the Miyoo A30. I'm even more excited for the clamshells that should finally be coming out!
The difference between Ambernic orange and Retroid orange is astounding.
Great review, thanks! I'm excited for this to release. I love the orange one and I've been wanting a really small device to carry around with me that's not intrusive. I think this is the perfect size. I'm a little disappointed about the screen quality when playing outdoors but not enough to deter me from buying it.
Great choice to keep the 480p resolution even with a smaller screen, too many devices go the cheap route and use a 240p screen resulting in poor scaling with no way to fix it.
6:43 - "It's Hadoken-able and Shoryuken-able" might be the best review of a d-pad I've ever heard! XD
Yo, love the Joyce Manor shirt! 🔥🔥
Russ seeing the anbernic release schedule: ITS JUST A CONSTANT HEADACHE
After getting the 35xxH i got my eye on this one, and here I thought I don't want a smaller form factor but the pocketability aspect was something that surprised me. I want a smaller one now
Control yourself man jesus
Haha exactly my thoughs.. When this appears ill sell my rg35xx h
@@jang.6097why? Rg35xx h is superior
@@suhtangwong nope Sold it and No regret at all!
What a huge oversight not putting WiFi/BT on this thing. I could have been the perfect pocket rig, but not having Retro Achievements is a deal breaker for me.
I understand your point, but on the other hand it allows for some more battery life I suppose. I don't mind no Wi-Fi myself.
idk it's a pocket device, not something I'd want to use around the house so you'd probably be off wifi for retroachievements most of the time you use it anyway
All their marketing made it seem like an on-the-go device. If that's the case, then why include wifi.
@@TitoLikesMath Even without wifi Cloud Saves is really important because of how cheaply made alot of these can be.
Going through my roms to make sure retroachievements work... should be done in a year :/
Thank you for review Russ!👍 Seems anbernic will get my money again😅
Me too lol
Awesome video as always! I'll definitely be making a grip/case for this one for the shop. It also looks like I may have found my replacement for the TrimUI Smart.
Do you make any custom shells? Like clear frosted?
@@Ozyrus At the moment, I'm not taking any custom color orders. I do intend on offering a Pocket S exclusive Marble color though.
I would love a metal version of this, come on Anbernic sort it out
The RG28XX is a day one purchase for me. I've been wanting a horizontal smaller device for a long time, that can do GBA and SNES easily full speed. And without sticks. The RG300X was the closest, but still didn't do SNES perfectly, same for the TrimUI Smart.
The upcoming Miyoo A30 not only has a stick, making it less pocketable for me, but is much weaker than the RG28XX.
Also, how have I never connected Anbernics RG28/RG35 handhelds with 2.8 and 3.5 inch displays?
i think this would make for the perfect MinUI device, especially with the size
this ‚you‘ll have it with you more so you will play it more‘ is so true. a couple of years ago i owned a psp, a n3ds and a game boy micro and the micro paired with a flash card got the most play time for sure. but since i have adhd and tend to completely zone out when i‘m focusing on something, this led to many missed busses and trains, because i didn’t notice my train arriving and leaving again and i often missed my station and rode way too far. so i had to ditch the gaming on the go. and then i sold the micro and got much more money than i paid for it a few years before that. still love this little thing, the screen was tiny but it looked sooo good. ❤
This is basically a horizontal miyoo mini and I love that. Hope garlicOS gets released for this
Check the Miyoo A30, too!
That’ll hopefully get Onion
@@1Pandemooniumone usb c port is a problem for me. I don't want to rely on the speaker for when I want quality or play without sound. They packing BT? which would work when needing to use ANC, but I do despise BT ewaste. It won't work when I don't want to wear over ear sweat boxes, during the nearly here way too hot May-September (115F+ highs).
@@1Pandemooniumthe A30 is currently highly discounted on AliExpress. Got it on my cart for only $42 with a coupon. After thinking a lot I removed it and gave up on it. The 10 year old cpu on it really kills it for me. It has problems running even SNES which is insane, and heats up a lot and uses up all of the battery very quickly. And no headphone jack? The A30 is a dead product to me
Just realized their system of naming a few days ago lol
RG (Retro Game?) + screen size + model
I read today that scientists are ditching the atomic clock. It turns out that Anbernic's release schedule is a far more accurate way to measure time!
This isn't one for me. Too small... I am hoping that at some point Anbernic do an iteration of the ARC. That's a great device, but I wish it had a slightly more punchy CPU and if they could be added sensibly, a couple on analogue sticks would be great. I also wish Anbernic would spend more time and effort on their software.
I was looking forward to this review, time to watch with my morning coffee. I still think I'm waiting for the Miyoo Mini A30. Any idea when that is getting a review?
Probably next week!
@@RetroGameCorpsawesome! Can't wait.
It’s amazing how all the similar devices end up releasing near each other. I bet it’s Anbernic who is like, yo competition releasing this style device, we have to beat them to market, chop chop, make a similar device, you have 2 months start to finish.
@@Buzzligh8reminds me of Facebook with threads and reels lol
just waits for controversy or instability the magically releases an equivalent
It reminds me A LOT the RGB10/RGB10S, specially the face buttons. The entire device looks like something released by Powkiddy.
Wow… this lil guy actually blew my expectations! If only that stock os wasn’t so ordinary this device would be the PERFECT pocket companion!
I'm upset about the lack of steamdeck size comparison. But a good video as always.
Whhyy would you even compare that....
@@jang.6097 because it's funny.
Where's banana for scale
Love the shirt, big fan of Joyce Manor!!!
Would love to see thinner devices overall. I know the lack of availability of affordable, thin batteries holds us back. But man, I'd love something like the 28XX or 35XXH to be half as thin as they are now.
I saw a design almost identical on posts about concepts of handheld consoles. I love it.
Had a change of thought about the RG28XX. It's actually now one of my most favorite! I even have two 1TB micro sd cards in mine.
23:38 wow your home is really high up
I noticed that too! 😅
He has a studio and home. Not sure which
This looks like a nice upgrade to my trim UI. Slightly bigger screen, more power, and just as pocketable. I love having a device like this that I can throw in my pocket without even noticing it's there. It's great when I'm in a waiting room at the car dealership getting my car worked on or the doctor's office or anything like that where I have a little bit of time to kill.
Dont forget when you go poop too
The line at the post office. oof
@@wallyprichard7451 based pooer
I love the look of that orange i wish other systems would experiment with more colors like that or more clearer transparent
I like clear, shades of transparent, but they are harder to get right and less durable.
...Huh. I wasn't sold on the controls from an initial look at them, but I actually quite liked the feel of my SMB Game & Watch, and the size looks like just what I've been looking for. For such a budget price, maybe this could actually be a handheld I'd enjoy. Been a while since I've picked one up.
In the future I would really like size comparisons to official Nintendo products like the DS, or in this case a Gameboy Micro. Give viewers an idea who don't own other emulator devices, but did/do own official products a better idea on size.
Can't wait for the plus version is gonna be 🔥🔥🔥 luckily with Anbernic I just gotta wait a month before it comes out
Lol they have a new system Everytime we blink
Finally a handheld I have been waiting for! I have been collecting these handhelds since 2019 and the last one was the RG353M which turned out to be a powerful handheld but too big for my taste. My fav is my RG280v bc of its size but now this one looks even better. I prefer a non-touchscreen with a mono speaker. I also prefer digital only D-pad. This also has very good battery life which is a major plus
This video made my day
Will you do a Knulli follow up? For me it was a game changer, especially being able to run Pico 8 natively. I love this console for Pico on the go, I think the bite size nature of a lot of those games lend themselves really well to this form factor.
I really like this device. It has that perfect amount of pocketablility. The only real thing that puts me off is the incompatibility with other rg35xx devices. I really wish I could just take my minui card, stick it in there, and be good to go
If someone made a handheld like this, and worked in a crappy phone. I would never carry my actual phone again.
Fck man i need that. Just possibilty to call and use wifi for maps, messages etc. But its the rg28xx....
Now im dreaming
37:52 Anbernic, please listen closely to this point. Simply put please allow developers to have as much access as they need, to develop custom firmware for your devices. Cut some sort of deal, they're doing it FOR FREE, and you'll end up profiting, the whole community (your customer base) benefits.
If you don't, as soon as the MMP-H device launches, this (and the RG35XX-H) may be virtually obsolete for new customers, at least to a large chunk of the customer base.
I wish somebody would make a 5 or 6 inch 4:3 handheld...that aspect ratio is what matters in retro gaming for ps1 and under 🥺 and maybe with a dpad like arc s/d 🙂
16:9 screen running them at 3:2 is probably your best bet.
I feel like for a device of this size, the best form factor would be a flip device. That would allow you more room for larger buttons and a larger screen, while keeping the controls and screen protected when not in use. You could also use the extra real estate to add an analog stick or two.
I'm hoping for a larger screen on Miyoo Flip, though. I want a 4" clamshell, really. But if super solid, I won't avoid a 3.5".
If the price ends up being right, then this is kind of compelling as a gift. A friend of mine doesn't game much, not wanting to spend her money on it, but she will get enraptured from time to time with stuff like Mario or Sonic classic games. I feel like this is something cheap enough (hopefully) that she could accept this guilt-free and have a fun little toy that'll easily fit a purse.
Really great video, I can see you are a man of culture due to the fact you decided to test "arcade games" with Third strike, the CPS3 is pretty picky on how is emulated.
This handheld is really tempting me
I love the look, and I love the color options. For such a tiny device, I wouldn't really expect it to be console-able with bluetooth or HDMI (though the HDMI inclusion is a cool bonus), but the lack of wifi really robs it of some good functionality - retroachievements, as you mentioned, as well as online updating, scraping, net play, etc. Bummer, cause this is super cute!
The lack of wifi really kills it for me. It was so close to perfect otherwise... and stereo speakers. Hope the next version addresses these things
I'm here for support! Were you able to scrape the game images so that they appear in the menus? I usually use Skraper, But this time there is no way to see the images. Did you succeed?
I'm glad they finally brought back the 280 line, as its a great size, not too small as to strain my eyes, and not so big that its cumbersome to travel with,...just think they missed the boat by not making it a 286m instead, so it could play GameCube.
Ive been so picky about my retro handhelds because i baby them so much to prevent damaging them. Now that i see this thing i feel i can throw it in my pocket, no case, no worries. Easy buy
The RG35XX H has my heart for a small(ish) horizontal handheld that plays a good amount with analog sticks.
Slightly Higher end favorite would be Retroid Pocket 4Pro.
I wish they would release these form factors with much more powerful hardware. If only it had Bluetooth. Would be amazing for hooking up to TV. They could also in a future revision move the start and select buttons to the top right and add an Analog stick to the bottom left.
Thumbs up for valuing playing games on the go rather than wasting time (on phone) on the go :)
I can’t wait to see how the Miyoo A30 is going to be
Depending on the price, this could be a good gift option and a nice standalone MP3/FLAC player which can do more. Interesting ideas and I agree and that the idea of a 640x480 2.8 panel should look nice. Really need an option today to test out these devices in person. Russ would you consider a RGC Hawaii convention? I love Hawaii and need more reasons to visit.
Great review as usual! But I think I prefer the combo 35 XX H and Trimui smart... And I'll wait for the clamshells ;)
Love your honesty 😍
we need a comparison video between this the rg28xx and maybe the miyoo mini plus and the rg35xx plus, all 4 would be awesome.
I have a Miyoo Mini, Miyoo Mini Plus and Retroid Pocket 2s. I definitely don’t need this… but something that can play N64 that’s about the same of a GameBoy micro is so appealing to me😅
Is there any list of devices that are 'Contra' compatible? Btw great video.
Great little handheld.
Does it play C64, Amiga, Spectrum, CPC computers ?
I almost pulled the trigger on a 35XX-H. My RP4pro needs a pocketable alternative if I'm just gaming through something classic. This is PERFECT. No release date yet tho...
I can’t wait for these mini devices to come with an oled screen
Nobody makes small color oled screens, except for smartwatches, and those are too small.
High volume(at least a few million) devices dictate what components are developed and available for smaller volume devices.
That defeats the purpose of these cheap affordable mini devices. There are bigger and better devices that come oled.
@@toycoma98 I already have the OLED Steam Deck & Switch, I’m looking for something I can fit in my pocket
I really enjoy your content, but wouldn't really say I'm ever in the market for these devices. I bought my kids some old Nintendo DSi's on our last trip to Japan, and those have been great for their needs (maybe too good - Twilight Menu plus great battery life). And I recently picked up a used Steam Deck which has basically replaced my desktop PC for gaming.
...but I still don't take the Steam Deck with me on my usual runs out in town, including 'car rider line' when I pick up the kids from school. But this device may just be the first handheld I get from one of your reviews.
Although I'll still likely wait until the official model releases and you cover any changes/updates. And maybe for your review of its Miyo competition. Either way, thanks for the great content. Cheers!
Thank you for your helpful videos, I found them helpful for looking for a smaller retro handheld. I think I will pick up the RG35XX H since it seems that it would fit me the best.
The RX28XX is definitely an interesting device and it appears to be more playable than a Gameboy Micro.
I actually think this is the perfect form factor - about the same size as the old game and watches (as long as there is no text). I guess I'm adding to my collection.
i got my RG28XX a few days ago. i have a couple of questions:
1. for the games that has vertical orientation, can we adjust it to horizontal orientation? (because personally, its more comfort for me)
2. is there any way for this device to play JAVA games? (old mobile phones games like Nokia Ngage)
3. Can we add more OPENBOR games? if we can, where we can find it?
Thank you
should do a knulli setup video when the software is at a good public state
Need! that orange is pretty orange but great for my collection of grey, black, clear.
I love my RG35XX-H because it's small but not too small like this device.
Ordered the 🤍💜 one along with the R36S transparent purple!
I am glad to see Anbernic making updates to their firmware it's not much but it's something. I think if they would just take a brake on the devices and focus on their firmware for a bit it would be huge
Hopefully they release something closer to the 35XX H without the analog sticks. The 35XX and the Miyoos sold great probably because many people, like me, are just looking for something simple to play mainly 2D games.
I said it before if I recall, but I'd love to see these internals but into the shell of the RG280M, that'd be the perfect emulation handheld imo
Great review!
The lack of WiFi is a deal breaker for me. I'm too lost to retro chievos. Hoping for an iteration that has it.
Bro I just bought one last week, damn I would’ve definitely picked this up too
Was interested to hear the battery on your RG280v died. Is that a "deep discharge" problem, like it won't hold a charge anymore? Do you have any tips on longterm storage for these devices? Could that be prevented by occassionally charging them up every couple months for example? I have a drawer full of these things now and don't use many of them with any regularity but I'm keeping them around as backups or for when my kids are a little older. (Or did you just mean the battery was dead in the basic sense that it needed to be charged up?)
I meant it in the basic sense that I just need to charge it 😂
I kinda hope that MinUI comes out for it.
Hi Russ. I'm thinking about getting one of these and i wanna use the same SD card as in my rg35xxsp. Is swapping the sd cards between these devices working by now?
I acctually like the colours they have with these Beige white and Orange is nice. Nice smooth edges. And rather than take out my 280m and scratch it, I rather take this one out 😅. Naomi is going to be fun on this. I dont blame you with the inputs,Alex is always applying pressure lool Awesome video.
Are the batteries on these things user replaceable? You mentioned at 15:54 that the battery was dead on the RG280V.
So I have the rg35xx H and plus and a bunch of other handhelds and yet I am going to buy this as well. Are there AA meetings for handhelds, lol.
Whhyyy do we buy all of them... Doo we really need it or is it just joy
Good thing they release something new every few weeks. You have endless content. 😂
I’m surprised you didn’t compare it with the Miyoo Mini/+ models being how popular they are also
I find that NES and SNES in my opinion look better in 8:7, there will be some borders on the left and right but I think it looks better than 4:3 for those systems. With the RG28xx its not as simple as switching to 8:7 so I inputted it manually at W 480, H 549, X position 0, Y position 45.
For PS and Sega I just switched it to 3:4 instead of 4:3 because the screen is rotated.
If there was a way to make it so that holding down a shoulder button turns the D-pad into the C-buttons, that would make this way better. Maybe in some custom firmware, they could do that.
Awesome video. Thank you for sharing!
Would this be a good option to emulate some old Pokémon games? Just want to be able to play some Gameboy Color and Advance games on the go...
Yes. Most of these devices will handle gameboy advance (and below) very well, some even nintendo DS. It really just comes down to your preferred form factor
Yep! This is the one for me, I've always wanted a trim ui smart because of the size but with a 3inch screen. Hopefully they would fix the dimmer and rotated screen