What's better for GBA emulation? PSP or RG350P

[kmpt]

Hello,
I'd like to buy retro handheld for GBA emulation (I'll play other games as well). I want decent build quality, good ergonomics and easy to use software. I don't want to pay more than 100$.
I'm considering PSP-3004 and Anbernic RG350P at the moment. I can get both for similar price in my region. What would you choose guys?
Thanks in advance!

 

[SylverReZ]

I'd prefer the RG350P other than the PSP as emulators have gone outdated on that system.

 

[Levine91]

Get the 351P/M over the 350, it has a 3:2 screen which is what the GBA has. Looks much better.

 

[kmpt]

Thanks for all replies so far! I've found that RG351P is being sold in my country for ~90$ :o Will it work better with GBA roms than PSP? Is it easy to put your own roms on the console? I didn't have any Anbernic's consoles before, I'm not certain if it's gonna serve me for few years? Should I pick it over PSP-3004?

 

[Nikokaro]

I, on the contrary, recommend the psp3004 instead. It's easy to install a cfw, temporary or permanent, it has perfect compatibility with psx games (with few old titles that once didn't work, now they work by entering alternative title IDs), you can play all the old DOS FPS games on it (Doom/Doom2, Descent, Quake/ Quake2, Heretic/Hexen1/2, Duke3d, Shadow Warrior etc.), finally it has a very good SNES emulator, compatible even with the recent Tengai Makyo Zero (eng patched). Like all older consoles, they are made of higher quality materials, certainly compared to the other chinese console you mentioned. Regarding the emulation of GBA, I cannot say. Also you can connect it to the TV with RCA or HDMI cable. Personal opinion. Now your choice.

 

[Latiodile]

I, on the contrary, recommend the psp3004 instead. It's easy to install a cfw, temporary or permanent, it has perfect compatibility with psx games (with few old titles that once didn't work, now they work by entering alternative title IDs), you can play all the old DOS FPS games on it (Doom/Doom2, Descent, Quake/ Quake2, Heretic/Hexen1/2, Duke3d, Shadow Warrior etc.), finally it has a very good SNES emulator, compatible even with the recent Tengai Makyo Zero (eng patched). Like all older consoles, they are made of higher quality materials, certainly compared to the other chinese console you mentioned. Regarding the emulation of GBA, I cannot say. Also you can connect it to the TV with RCA or HDMI cable. Personal opinion. Now your choice.

you haven't used an anbernic device before, i can tell, they're pretty much the gold standard nowadays when it comes to chinese emulation devices, with most of the others trying to match anbernic's standards, there's even a model with an aluminum shell which is arguably higher quality than even the psp 1000 build quality

 

[Shiroyuuki]

Bruh, you do know the anbernic is an emulation device right?

It also plays gba, psp, pc-engine and even psp games.

I love the psp, I do however depending on the types of games OP wants to play, the anbernic is very likely the better buy.

Just by the way @kmpt if you ever plan on playing pokémon rom hacks, basically any that have released since unbound/radical red won't work on the psp gba emulator. The emulator is too old and the engine overhaul for games from unbound/radical red onwards is more than what those old psp gba emulators can handle.

 

[kmpt]

Thanks guys! Can you answer one more question? Is Anbernic RG351P easy to use?
I've read that before you start using the device you're supposed to upgrade "firmware" & change emulators for better experience and it looks kinda complicated :/
I've watched some videos and PSP looks much easier to handle?

It also plays gba, psp, pc-engine and even psp games.

I've read in a review that it won't run all PSP games with good performance. Can you confirm/deny?

 

[Osakasan]

Sorry to barge in and i know none of these are the platforms you asked for, but

Either Android mobile or a 3DS

3DS is backwards compatible with DS via hardware, wich also makes it backwards compatible with GBA. You can find software that allows you to create injects that use Nintendo's interpreter, guaranteeing full compatibility (you can also use Open AGB Firm, wich is still in development)

3DS has, if you get a New 3DS or New 2DS, a huge array of emulated platforms either via Retroarch or Virtual Console emulators, from Pokémon mini to PS One. Plus, multiple ports of old PC games.

On Android you can get either mGBA through Retroarch or the paid emulator PizzaGBA, both are great options with a controller (either clipped controller or a Kishi/Gamesir style controller) plus an even bigger variety of emulators. Adding to that, it doesn't take a very powerful phone to emulate the GBA.

 

[Shiroyuuki]

Can you confirm/deny?

Unfortunately I cannot. I have heard that the device performs well with 2D psp games however it struggles with 3D ones.

The best way to know for sure would be to try and find a forum with people discussing it specifically or maybe try to get some insight from the ppsspp discord server.

Post automatically merged: Dec 16, 2022

Honeslty though, if you don't mind my asking, what phone do you have?

There's plenty of free emulators, and it might just be better to buy like a $20 controller for your phone and play from there than to buy a specialized device.

Sorry for assuming, but from what you said in your original post, it sounds like you mainly interested in gba games with maybe some other games on the side, and I don't think you need to spend $100 for a specialty device to do that.

People who buy those emulation devices usually hardcore play many different types of games, and it doesn't sound like you want to that?

Of course it's up to you in the end, but I would 100% recommend atleast checking into phone emulation and a decent controller for your phone to go with it.

 

[fusermarucs]

I, on the contrary, recommend the psp3004 instead. It's easy to install a cfw, temporary or permanent, it has perfect compatibility with psx games (with few old titles that once didn't work, now they work by entering alternative title IDs), you can play all the old DOS FPS games on it (Doom/Doom2, Descent, Quake/ Quake2, Heretic/Hexen1/2, Duke3d, Shadow Warrior etc.), finally it has a very good SNES emulator, compatible even with the recent Tengai Makyo Zero (eng patched).

Is there a decent DOS emulator for PSP then or are you referring to Retroarch? Thanks!

 

[Nikokaro]

Is there a decent DOS emulator for PSP then or are you referring to Retroarch? Thanks!

There is a version of dosbox ported to PSP but I have never used it. All the titles I mentioned (originally DOS FPS games) are all open-source and individually ported to PSP. Google them.

 

[kmpt]

Sorry to barge in and i know none of these are the platforms you asked for, but

Either Android mobile or a 3DS

I've got Nintendo DS Lite in my collection and I still play on it from time to time 3DS is a good suggestion but you know... I never had Sony/Anbernic handheld before and I like to try something new

Honeslty though, if you don't mind my asking, what phone do you have?

Unfortunately, I hate playing games on mobile phones... I don't know why, it's just inconvenient for me :/

Sorry for assuming, but from what you said in your original post, it sounds like you mainly interested in gba games with maybe some other games on the side, and I don't think you need to spend $100 for a specialty device to do that.
People who buy those emulation devices usually hardcore play many different types of games, and it doesn't sound like you want to that?

I'm sure I'd play other type of games as well... for example, I've never had PlayStation1 before so PSemulation sounds great for me However good GBA emulation is most important since I'd love to play some classics from the past that I wasn't able to run on NDS via GBARunner2.

If I understand right, both handhelds (PSP-3004 & RG351p) are decent devices to emulate GBA games, but which one is easier to use? Which one can successfully emulate more types of games?

 

[Shiroyuuki]

I've got Nintendo DS Lite in my collection and I still play on it from time to time 3DS is a good suggestion but you know... I never had Sony/Anbernic handheld before and I like to try something new


Unfortunately, I hate playing games on mobile phones... I don't know why, it's just inconvenient for me :/


I'm sure I'd play other type of games as well... for example, I've never had PlayStation1 before so PSemulation sounds great for me However good GBA emulation is most important since I'd love to play some classics from the past that I wasn't able to run on NDS via GBARunner2.

If I understand right, both handhelds (PSP-3004 & RG351p) are decent devices to emulate GBA games, but which one is easier to use? Which one can successfully emulate more types of games?

Depends on what types of games. If it's just regular gba games, the psp should have no problems with them, but if you want to play like newer rom hacks, as I explained above, because of the new engine it could be problematic on the psp.

Can I ask why you wouldn't want to use a controller with your phone? Most emulation devices run Android, and a version of the emulators for systems already available for the OS. Unless you're buying one of the newer emulation devices that can emulate like ps2 games it might just be worth looking into a controller for your phone.

The razer kishi I believe is also $100 if you really want to spend that much.

 

[Osakasan]

Can I ask why you wouldn't want to use a controller with your phone?

I can answer this for him: It's cumbersome, plus, your phone is basically out of commision during your play session.

I use my phone as a gaming machine, and i really understand why he doesn't want to.

 

[zxr750j]

Just buy the damn RG350P

 

[Osakasan]

Just buy the damn RG350P

He's clearly set on it, but i can understand why he doesn't want to spend the money blindly.

Look @kmpt , as of now there isn't a current retro handheld (be it Miyoo, Retroid or Anbernic) that can't run GBA games easily, in fact you can get up to Playstation before having to face compatibility/power issues, so you're clear.

If i were in your shoes, however, knowing that you have a DS Lite i would just buy a EZ Flash or a similar cartridge and play in original harware, unless the console's state is too poor to use it as a daily driver.

 

[sombrerosonic]

Get a DSlite with a EZ-Flash or a Everdrive(GBA) and a R4(DS games) or a New3DS with mGBA on it. Skip the DSi. GBA games aren't all compatible.

Or if you have the OG hardware, get a EZ-Flash, they can run GB and GBC games as well

 

[SylverReZ]

Get a DSlite with a EZ-Flash or a Everdrive(GBA) and a R4(DS games) or a New3DS with mGBA on it. Skip the DSi. GBA games aren't all compatible.

Or if you have the OG hardware, get a EZ-Flash, they can run GB and GBC games as well

I would have to disagree a bit on that note. DS emulators aren't always that stable when it comes to things like SNES emulation.

 

[sombrerosonic]

I would have to disagree a bit on that note. DS emulators aren't always that stable when it comes to things like SNES emulation.

An DSTWO handels SNES emulation well, the PSP also dose it well but ive seen some shotty preformance in both (Super Mario Kart and Metroid comes to mind. Ive seen gliches while running Warioware on the GBA one)

Ill put my money into a New 3DS or a Vita. or hell, a steamdeck for shit like 360 Emulation!