Following the RG353P and RG353V, yet another device enters Anbernic’s 353 lineup of devices: the RG353M. As the suffix indicates, the new device bears a metallic shell and is landscape-oriented. It comes in two colour accents, blue and deep purple, and starts at $146 on the official Anbernic store https://anbernic.com/products/rg353m , with additional microSD cards adding to the cost.

The unit under review is the Blue coloured variant and comes with the following items:

• Anbernic RG353M console
• USB charging cable
• User manual
• Screen protector

Specs of this latest RK3566-based handheld can be found below:

 

Specs courtesy of Anbernic

Even if the RG353M is yet another rehash of the Rockchip RK3566 processor, I was thrilled to see Anbernic release a new metal shell device. Over the years, they have perfected such handhelds with a premium look and feel that is unmatched on the retro handheld market. It is pricier than its other counterparts but this cost is reflected on the build quality which is nothing short of exquisite. Add to that the iconic Anbernic membrane button feedback, the RG353M is easily the best RK3566-based hardware out there.

 

While the shell is mostly made of aluminium, the sides (around the power button on the right and volume rocker on the left) are plastic. This is to lead to minimal interference with Bluetooth and WiFi connectivity. But the plastic segment blends well with the overall shell’s colour, and you’ll have to look closer or feel the hardware to tell the difference. As for the shell’s colour, the metallic blue looks rather unique, although I would prefer if Anbernic issued a silver or black variant as well. 

 

The metal shell isn’t the only hardware upgrade with the RG353M. It sports new speakers that deliver crisp and clear audio, and also features joysticks using Hall effect-based magnetic sensors. This is quite interesting as these joysticks don’t come from GuiliKit which popularised (and, if I’m not mistaken, patented) such joysticks but from another company. That said, the feel is superior to the Switch-like joysticks common on those handheld and being Hall effect-based, these new joysticks are free from the notorious stick drift.

 

Another noteworthy difference is that this console doesn’t bear the Anbernic logo on the front as the company’s other devices usually do. This makes the device look more minimalist and sleek, while also helping to minimise the bezel size.

In addition to these enhancements, the RG353M is a much thinner device than its predecessors. This is a very welcome aspect of the handheld, making it further portable and pocketable. It sits comfortably in the hands, with the buttons easily reachable thanks to the compact form factor. The L2/R2 keys are also raised to further help with accessing and differentiating them from the L1/R2 buttons.

These new hardware additions and improvements are quite apparent when compared to Anbernic’s other RK3566-based devices and quickly made the RG353M my favourite in the RG353 line. And as the line has the same internals, the emulation performance and user experience on the RG353M is practically identical.

The RG353M is also a dual OS device, with the ability to easily switch between Android 11 and Linux systems. For the RG353M, I would recommend the latter OS as the 3.5”, 4:3 screen aspect ratio is apt for the systems it emulates well while the screen can feel rather restrictive for Android games. In addition, Google Play is not pre-installed on the device, which is a downer as this has been a perpetuating issue in the RG353 devices and the company still hasn’t provided a workaround. This means you’ll need to individually have to install APKs of emulators or games you wish to run on the Android side and it’s just extra hassle.

For those preferring the Android UI and its ability to use the device’s touch screen, Anbernic thankfully pre-installed some emulators, including AtherSX2. However, with the RK3566 chip, PS2 emulation is more of a title-dependent bonus. Demanding titles will struggle, with  Shadow of the Colossus running at 10fps with crackling audio, and isn’t really recommended.

  

On the Linux side of things, the experience is fairly better, even if it doesn’t support the touch screen, as it is more streamlined and especially if you like to tinker with your device to customise it to your liking. You can install custom firmware which have been around for other RK3566 devices and edit the UI. Further support on Linux can be expected as a strong community has developed over the chip and system, with the custom firmware already receiving regular updates.

With the RK3566, expect the device to be more of a portable N64 and Dreamcast emulator as games from up to these systems will run pretty well. On N64, games like Star Fox and F-Zero X run smoothly at 60fps while Dreamcast titles such as Crazy Taxi 2 and Sonic Adventures perform similarly.

The device can also handle some PSP and DS titles but these can be title-dependent and can require some tinkering to get the best performance. For example, GTA Vice City Stories can hit 30fps with auto frameskip toggled. But for these systems, I would personally recommend a larger screen as this 3.5” handheld feels restrictive.

  

But these performance bottleneck and restrictive aspects of the screen are just a continuation of other RG353 devices as they all bear the same chip and differ on the form factor and certain hardware elements. The RG353M under review does come packed with some new, welcome hardware features that ultimately make it a premium device with the look and feel to boot. If you own a RK3566-based handheld already, then this device might not be for you. But if you have been waiting to upgrade from the RG350 era, then definitely go for the RG353M. The build quality is exquisite, the joysticks are a significant upgrade and you’ll have more demanding devices that can be emulated.