Anbernic already has two Rockchip RK3566-based devices, the RG503 and the RG353P; and the company recently added two more systems packing this processor, the RG353V and the RG353VS. What was positively surprising was that the RG353VS was priced rather affordably at $98 but it comes with only 1GB RAM and boots only on Linux. On the other hand, the RG353V under review is priced at $120.99/£104/€121,42, features 2GB of RAM and is a dual-boot system (Linux and Android 11).

The handheld comes with the following items:

• Anbernic RG353V console
• USB-C charging cable
• Screen protector
• User manual

  

Specs details of the console can be found below:

  

Specs courtesy of Anbernic

Based on the specs, the RG353V could be seen as essentially a vertically oriented RG353P. However, there are additional differences beyond the form factor. Its look is instantly reminiscent of the GameBoy and the colours of the A/B/X/Y buttons and body further adds a nostalgic appeal (SNES-styled in the case of the reviewed unit). 

The buttons themselves bear the traditional Anbernic quality. This means the face buttons deliver excellent feedback thanks to the membrane underneath. As for the shoulder buttons, they have a nice clicky sound to the touch. Their positioning is also ergonomic, with the index fingers naturally resting on them and each is easily accessible without requiring extra reach.

As with the company’s other devices, the RG353V is a D-pad oriented device, with the analogue sticks being nice-to-haves for mapping keys. Depending on how you hold the handheld, the left analogue stick might require some reach.

However, the device sits nicely in the hands and bears a quality build, although the shoulder buttons do rattle a little. All buttons are easily reachable when using it and I’m quite fond of the matte finish of the body.

Regarding the screen, RG353V bears a similar 640*480, 3.5-inch touchscreen display as the RG353P but unlike most Anbernic devices, it does not feature the company’s logo under the screen. This gives the device a sleeker and more minimalist look that’s quite appealing. The bezels are also relatively thin which is a welcome feature of the device.

One notable difference between the RG353V and the RG353P is that the vertically–oriented model features only one speaker. This is unlike other Anbernic devices that I’ve tried and would prefer to have dual speakers for more balanced audio output.

When it comes to the performance, the RG353V is very much similar to the RG353P. It’s best running up to Dreamcast and N64 games. For N64, I would get Star Fox running at 60fps and Doom64 at 60fps. Dreamcast games also fare well with Crazy Taxi 2 hitting around 50fps and Soul Calibur reaching 60fps. 

Other, newer systems are also available to emulate such as PSP and DS but the performance is title dependent. For PSP emulation, I got Tekken 6 and GTA Vice City Stories running at 60fps and 30 fps respectively. However, the screen size of the RG353V is rather restrictive, especially for DS emulation on DraStic.

As the RK3566 chip has been used on other Anbernic devices already, the RG353V benefits from the community support that those devices have received so far. So you'll be able to install custom OS and further tune the UI and emulation settings to your liking.

Unlike the RG353VS, the RG353V model has the perk of being a dual-boot system as it also runs Android 11. This means you can essentially use the console as a (very) mini tablet of sorts to browse the net or use social media while navigating with its touchscreen. But that’s not the only features that the Android system enables as you’ll also have the Android emulators accessible, in particular AetherSX2 for PS2 emulation. However, don’t expect much with the RK3566 as PS2 performance will be heavily title-dependent. I got Shadow of the Colossus running at 14fps with stuttering audio and wouldn’t recommend this device solely for PS2 emulation. 

You’ll also have the ability to play Android games such as Dead Cells but the screen size might not be optimised as in the latter game, the text is illegible. But on Android, the RG353V does come packed with a key mapping feature which is handy to play touchscreen games with the physical controls, even if they don’t natively support controller input.

One caveat is that the Google Play store is not pre-installed on the stock Android OS, so you’ll have to install it on your own or install apps through their individual APKs.

  

All in all, the RG353V is neither a downgrade nor an incremental upgrade but rather a new addition to the RG353 line (as the name suggests) to cater to different preferences. It could be recommended for those preferring the vertical layout and while the RK3566 is showing its age on more demanding systems, you expect decent emulation for systems up to N64 and Dreamcast, with the bonus of being able to emulate PSP and run Android. If this will satisfy your retro gaming needs, it’s worth looking into this device as the hardware build wont disappoint. But I still wish Anbernic would release a more high performance retro handheld than rehash chips it has already worked with.