Anbernic RG350P (Hardware)
Official GBAtemp Review
Product Information:
- Official Store: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000278888599.html
Anbernic has made quite a name for itself in the retro handheld scene, especially since it released the RG350. The device offers quality hardware and decent emulation for retro consoles that include the original PlayStation. It has garnered a strong fanbase that even pitch in for the fine tuning of the open-source device’s software and come up with hardware mods.
It gained such traction that other hardware makers cloned the device and even copied the RG350’s firmware. This is the case for BittBoy’s New PocketGo V2 that I recently reviewed. While that device was aimed to be a budget alternative to the RG350, it was marred with hardware and software issues that can’t be overlooked.
The device under review today is a genuine one from Anbernic and I was quite excited to test it given the hype around it and I also never tried an RG350 console before. This specific unit is the recently-released RG350P which costs $90 at the time of writing on the official Anbernic AliExpress store. This model is an enhanced version of the original RG350 (notice the ‘P’ at the end) that includes some changes and upgrades, mostly on the hardware front. And these changes are based on community feedback which shows that the company is listening to buyers. So let’s take a closer look!
Unboxing and hardware
Out of the minimal white box featuring the device’s outline comes the following hardware:
- RG350P console
- USB charging cable
- User manual
- 16GB microSD card
Note that just like the New PocketGo V2, the included 16GB microSD card contains the operating system. But to load your own ROMs, you will need to insert a separate microSD (upto 256GB) in the second slot. You can purchase this separately when you place your order or use one you have lying around. There’s also a branded hard case that’s sold separately and that Anbernic was kind enough to provide. It perfectly fits the RG350P, has a small meshed pocket to store accessories like the charger and I’d recommend it if you want to throw the device in your bag and carry it wherever you go without the need to worry about it getting damaged.
My RG350P unit sports what I’d call Anbernic’s signature Orange/Black color scheme and gives it quite a unique look and appeal. There are the transparent black casing to choose from or if you want to go premium, there’s the aluminum body grey one that goes for a higher price ($137 at the time of writing) and is named the RG350M. However, the plastic casing one tested in this review is already solid enough. The casing does not feel cheap but rather feels sturdy and I’m quite fond of the matte black finish. The keys are well fitted in the chassis and don’t rattle like a cheaply assembled device.
Regarding the keys themselves, I must admit that they are quite impressive for a retro gaming device based on open-source software that comes from an independent third party. The front-facing buttons have a really nice feel to them, offer an equally nice feedback when pressed that lies on the softer side of the spectrum and the clicks are also quite soft to the ear. They are also very responsive (unlike the missed inputs from the New PocketGo V2) and are large enough to be comfortable during gaming.
I also found the dual analog sticks to be of an adequate size and their rubberized finish means that they offer a natural grip. Of note, those sticks are also clickable and on the input test register as L3/R3 respectively. It’s quite a welcome addition but I did not find a specific need for it, unless it suits your play style and offers an additional option when remapping keys.
The four shoulder buttons on top offer more audible clicks and the L1 and R1 buttons need quite a reach in order to be pressed by virtue of the device’s size.
Between the shoulder buttons at the top, you’ll find four ports namely an OTG, a mini HDMI, a 3.5mm headphone jack and a USB-C port for charging. While I did not mind it, it’s worth noting that these ports are not flush with the casing but are rather found a few millimeters below the openings in the casing. I could charge and plug the appropriate cables fine, so it’s mostly an aesthetic issue.
On the right side is the volume rocker and on the left size is the power button. I found the latter's placement to be not too ergonomic given that several of the emulators require you to press this button to access the emulator’s menu. Having the power button on the top would make it more accessible for this purpose.
As for the final button, it’s found at the bottom of the RG350P and is the reset button. It can be quite handy if you need to quickly reboot the device if an emulator is stuck and you don’t need to power off and power on again. Also at the bottom are two speakers on either side and they offer decent audio output. I’m glad that Anbernic included 2 speakers as with the New PocketGo V2, the single speaker conspicuously offset the audio to one side. Having 2 speakers at the bottom really does gaming justice and their location means that they aren’t blocked with misplaced fingers or palms while gaming.
At the back of the casing are two rubberized grips which are really welcome here. They really give added grips when using the RG350P, preventing it from slipping from your hands especially if they are sweaty or wet. While these are minor additions, they do attest to the attention to detail that Anbernic paid while designing the hardware.
There’s also the inclusion of rumble in the RG350P, which adds some value for money and I did find it to add some fun for games like Wipeout 3.
There’s not much to complain about the hardware as it is evident that much thought has been put in designing it. It’s made of a good quality plastic casing, lightweight and very portable. However, here I would still prefer it if the battery was more easily accessible like with the back lid in the New PocketGo V2. With the RG350P, the battery can be accessed only by unscrewing the 4 screws at the back of the device. It’s probably a personal preference but an easily accessible battery should be a must in a so-called open-source device.
Just to be a bit nitpicky again, I noticed that the orange bit of the casing in my unit has a little bump between the second SD slot and the speaker. It’s not visible to the eye but I can press it and feel a little rebound which I don’t experience elsewhere on the device. Again, very minor and probably something that has to do with my unit alone.
Now that we’ve been through the hardware side of things, let’s jump to the software side of things by first checking out the specs.
Specs and software side of things
Below you’ll find the specs of the device, as well as pictures of the PCB, courtesy of Anbernic:
RG350P Specifications:
- Screen: 3.5 inch IPS screen, OCA full lamination/320*240
- CPU: 4770 dual 1.0 GHz
- RAM: DDR2 512M
- Memory: 16GB
- Battery: Li-polymer 2500 mAh
- External storage: Support microSD card upto 256GB
- Weight: 0.176 kg
- Function: Support HDMI, Opendingux
- Music function: High quality speaker,support lossless music/APE/MP3/WMA/DRM WMA /OGG/APE/FLAC/WAV/AAC（including AAC-LC/AAC HE/AAC＋V1/V2）and other full format audio
On the hardware front, the RG350P is rather impressive with the attention to details paid in its design but the software it runs on is rather finicky. Don’t get me wrong, it runs every game I threw at it with the emulators the device comes preloaded with, without any issues from the NES to the PlayStation. Yoshi's Island that requires the SNES' Super FX chip runs at a constant 60 fps and so does Tekken 3 for the PlayStation which the New PocketGo V2 (an RG350 clone) had trouble running.
The built-in emulators allow you to adjust the settings such as scaling, frame skips, save/load states and even add fancy borders while keeping the aspect ratio. Colors really pop out with the 3.5 inch IPS screen with no backlight bleed nor noticeable screen tearing and games from yesteryear appear crisp. And if you want to experience those retro games on a bigger screen, then the RG350P also provides this opportunity out of the box. Just hook it up with a mini HDMI cable to a monitor and you can game on a big screen and use the console as a controller (although the appeal lies mostly with the on-the-go gaming).
But the issues are with the UI and UX. RG350P’s firmware is based on OpenDingux and there’s quite a learning curve to it. Firstly, when it comes to firmware updates, you’ll have to get comfortable with fiddling around with its Linux file systems and flashing firmware files. Sure you can leave it as is out of the box and will play most games. But FW upgrades are meant to enhance the overall performance and with the RG350P, it’s not as easy as downloading over WiFi from the device itself.
Furthermore, controls for emulators are not uniform and it’s quite flagrant. For example, the GameBoy emulator’s settings menu can be accessed by pressing the power button, while the GameBoy Color’s emulator can be accessed by hitting either the shoulder buttons or X/Y keys but does nothing when the power button is pressed. Additionally, not all emulators recognize the analog sticks as input keys. It works fine with the GameBoy Advance and SNES emulators but not with GB or GBC ones, even if neither of those listed here natively support analog controls. These aren’t turn offs per se but definitely show room for improvements and frankly don’t do justice to the meticulous approach of the hardware design.
Additionally, the brightness control requires a hotkey combo (Power + Volume) and there’s no scale that informs you of the brightness level you are at. It’s the same with the volume (although it does have a dedicated rocker). I also noticed that after every reboot, the brightness and volume levels reset and I had to adjust them manually every time. It’s quite annoying to find the sweet spot so that the brightness does not blind me every time. I brought this issue up with the Anbernic team and they said that there’s a workaround for this issue. What I have to do is go to the ‘Settings’ tab, then to ‘GMenu2X’ and toggle HDMI from ‘ON’ to ‘OFF’. This indeed fixed the issue and kept my brightness/volume settings but it’s again finicky and this procedure is not written in the manual anywhere.
These were the main issues I had with the software, which while they don’t necessarily affect the emulation, they do affect the overall experience with the device.
Compatibility list
Since Anbernic’s RG350P is a multi-emulator device, the compatibility list below refers to the emulators that come preloaded with the console. A PASS! mention refers to the emulation running at 60 fps without any noticeable flaw, and it has been the case for every game I tested. If there is a particular game you’d like to know the performance of on this device, feel free to let me know in the comments below.
MAME - PASS!
DOS - PASS!
FBA Arcade Machine Emulator - PASS!
NES - PASS!
GameBoy - PASS!
GameBoy Color - PASS!
SEGA Genesis/Mega Drive - PASS!
OpenBOR Engine - PASS!
Wonderswan - PASS!
SNES - PASS!
PS1 - PASS!
NeoGeo Pocket - PASS!
GameBoy Advance - PASS!
PC-Engine - PASS!
NeoGeo - PASS!
Closing thoughts
Anbernic’s RG350P might be among the higher-priced handhelds dedicated to retro gaming but it delivers a better designed and higher quality hardware than what its competitors offer. That's because Anbernic is listening to the suggestions of its user base and tuning their devices accordingly. There are still improvements to be had on the software side especially with the upgrading process and the UX in general. But these aside, the RG350P will play what it claims to emulate. You don’t have to feel intimidated with the firmware upgrade process and can just enjoy the device and games out of the box without thinking much about it if you don't care much about such upgrades.
Additionally, Anbernic as a company shows promise and I look forward to what they come up with next. Already there are talks of the RG351 with PSP, N64 and Dreamcast emulation support and I look forward to seeing if Anbernic sets the standard again with this new generation of retro handhelds.
Official store links
If you want to check out Anbernic's products (yes, they manufacture more than just the RG350P), then head to their official stores linked below:
Note that these are not affiliate links of any kind and are just featured out of courtesy to the company.
Verdict
- Well designed hardware
- Compatibility will all emulators and games tested
- Strong support from user base
- Learning curve with software
- Finicky firmware upgrade process
