The year is 2028. The world has been overcrowded with Anbernic variants and is now out of room. Humanity dies drowning in a sea of mid-quality retro emulation.
This whole space is only interesting for form factor and size because why would you pay so much for some of those models when you can get a refurb steam deck for less than $300
I love my RP4P which I also ended up purchasing because of your recommendations. And while it has been an absolute blast to replay retro games, I underestimated how much use I get out of it from cloud streaming! I exclusively played Dragon's Dogma 2, Skull and Bones, Unicorn Overlord, Hades 2, and now Shadow of the Erdtree on this little beast and the experience has been nothing less than exactly what I wanted. Absolutely recommended!
right?! i been loving gamepass cloud streaming on it as well. it's amazing how far the cloud streaming tech has come. the latency & video quality reduction (even with great connection) used to bug the hell out of me, but I can barely notice it these days. so underrated
that budget handhelds video was really great, but I was definitely looking forward to this one! always great that you release several videos reviewing multiple handhelds with a different focus
The Funny Playing Game Boy is something I jumped on very fast once I saw the video Russ made. Arrived fast, easy build, and honestly,love it. Went all black myself, but now they have different coloured PCBs and all. Seriously, if you like GB and GBC, go get it. Worth it.
Every time I am tempted by the Odin 2 mini, I am reminded by how amazing the rp4 pro is at half the price. Really doesn't feel like the price difference is worth it (even more so as a steam deck owner too)
Can I use the rp4p to play android games instead of my phone reliably? That's all I care about. Also I like its size too- odin 2 seems too big and is also almost twice the price
I currently own a Steam Deck OLED and a recently purchased RP4P after deciding that the RP2S wasn't for me, mainly because of the screen being too small and ultimately giving me headaches after long uses. Loving everything else about the 2S, the 4 and 4P were on my radar and I decided to bite the bullet and go with the Pro. I couldn't be happier, even with the Odin 2 Mini releasing shortly after my purchase, which also looks solid. Overall, the pocketability, power, and price of the RP4P is still more appealing to me than the Odin 2 Mini, as well as any other emulation device. These two are my all time favorite gaming devices now, and they are perfect companions. Thanks for the rundown on your favorites, too!
I'm not sure if I ever thanked you properly, but I want you to know that your videos were incredibly insightful into borderline *every detail* of the systems and what I needed to know before deciding on what handheld to buy. I've mentioned it before, but I'm pretty happy with the RG35XX Plus and I used your videos as the guide to figure out that it was the device for me _pretty effortlessly._ Keep doing what you're doing. With how many systems Anbernic puts out and how fast the market shifts, it's helpful to have videos like this one that slide all of the crap off the counter and into the trash and showcase which systems people might actually want and why they're worth considering over one another.
I was nervous getting into these handhelds and now I couldn't imagine not having my Retroid Pocket 4 Pro. It's enabled me to play all my retro games without having to dig out my old consoles and adapters.
Just got my RG35xx a couple of days ago. Your videos convinced me to pull the trigger on it. Currently playing Cave Story on it, and I love the device!
Completely agree what you said about the Odin 2 mini, for that kinda of price (340$ without shipping) it doesn't really make sense, that's steam deck territory and you can get refurbished decks for cheaper then that. 300$ is kind of the sweet spot when it comes to high end android gaming handhelds.
I have a rp4 pro and the rg35xx sp. Both fill different niches, and I'm glad I bought them. I was surprised how good Vita emulation is on the rp4. Played through all of persona 4 golden. There was a weird camera glitch that happened sometimes, but it ran smooth.
The Miyoo A30 becoming your favorite micro handheld is very surprising. I went with the RG28XX after watching reviews on both devices and I'm pretty happy with it but it's good to know you can't go wrong either way.
Bought the RG556, and don't regret it one bit. Even with the dpad being beneath the analog stick, it's still super comfy to use. Perfect for me in basically every way.
I'm loving Miyoo A30 with Spruce. Playing everything just fine and is small and beautiful. I'm hoping they release FPGBA with GBA classic form factor, would be amazing!
Heyy. I love your videos but I have a recommendation. When you take fpv shots next to the window, right side of your face has a very harsh shadow. Either adding a light or a reflector would make you pop more. Keep up the good work 🙏
Just sold my OLED deck as I found it too large for bedtime gaming and it wasn't portable enough for me. My RP4 pro has arrived and I can't wait to get started!
really? too big? I find steam deck oled amazing because u can play everything PC games + emulation! and Oled display is amazing, after oled playing any other device would feel like a downgrade
@@joelgrebinsilvestri yeah way too big for me personally. Don't get me wrong, it was a fantastic machine but I'm not a hardcore gamer nor a pc user really so it was major overkill for me anyway. The only game I miss playing so much is power wash simulator, which tells you I wasn't using it to it's potential anyway 😂
The RG Cube is the one I'm most interested in because of the somewhat niche categories it fills. Vertical arcade games and dual screen handhelds look pike this is tailor made for them, and the GC PS2 compatibility all make it a good addition to the ones i already have. I'm still going to wait for it to go on sale, but that's on my to buy list for sure.
I know the “next” console will be generally better, but now that the higher specification systems are managing most GC titles, I think the new releases over the next six months are going to be perfect for me.
My choice still the RG 35XX Plus, with MINIU as Operating System, the perfect combination for fast load and stop any game. I can use it in a public transportation with no problem and just hit the power button do put it into my pocket. And, it runs perfectly all systems until PSOne
I knew you'd mention RG Cube, you really seemed to like it. I almost bought it for gamecube. But I have a Wii and gamecube games so ultimately decided against it.
i just ordered a Trimui Smart Pro from aliexpress for 45$ shipped to door. i have a deck but its so bulky that my one hand goes numb. and a lot of times i ust want to emulate GBA rom hacks. so deck was to hefty. the smart pro dont come in till the first but i already got my roms setup for it.
For me i try to have one device to rule them all. For me right now is the RP4 Pro (I am not into the mini pc handhelds nor the steam deck) i like the form factor. And man i am really tempted to shell out the money to buy the Odin 2 mini. It looks wow, and hit the nerve around my favorite handheld growing up, the PSVita. The power of RP4 pro and up, but the looks… I don’t know maybe i will break in the coming month or two. Or maybe something sleeker would come. Maybe a retroid pocket flip 2 with the power of Odin 2 / mini 😂😂 and a bit bigger screen (for me the tops is 5.5 inch) Thanks again for another great video 🙏
For me the odin2 mini is the best. The PSVITA design hits different. I wish in the future we can get an x86 handheld with the same design so we can run steam os.
I recently got the cube, and I like it for the most part, but yes, the sticks are a bit of an issue for sure, can't creep diagonally at all in MGS Twin Snakes. Other than that though, while the screen is good for some systems, like GBC and DS, I found shit kinda small for PS2 and GC. Bit hard to read. I think I'll get either the Odin 2 mini or the RP4 Pro for more general GC/PS2 portable gaming. I'd love to see a trade-off comparison between those 2 systems. I'll have to go back and watch your review of the 2, but I think you felt it lack-luster so IDK, maybe the RP4 is better. Also, Anbernic just announced the 40XX series, so the 35XX line with a 4" 4:3. That sounds very promising for pretty compact budget stuff. Because right now the only 4" you can get is on the 405m, which has some significant drawbacks.
I import many of these handhelds from China to resell, so most have at least passed through my hands. Infact I have a bunch in stock right now that I'm getting ready to sell. That said I often disagree with many of the reviewers that take a look at these. For instance having held most of these devices in my hands I think the RG35XXSP is so over hyped. It's quality in my opinion doesn't feel quite as nice as some of anbernics other stuff. The buttons are a little rough and it's super thick. On the other hand the RG35XX H is really well built, it's bottons are great, it's super sleek and pocketable and the sticks let you take better advantage of the extra power that comes with that chip. When it comes to Miyoo, the Miyoo mini plus is better then the A30. But I thought reviewers gave the A30 an unnecessarily hard time. It's battery life isn't the best but it's really well built! While it doesn't have quite the power that anbernics devices have it's plenty powerful enough to play anything you would really want to play on a device that small and the analog stick is a nice extra. All of the hate that device has received has driven the price down to almost comically low prices at times. The software isn't great out of the box but it gets the job done if your just wanting to play some retro games. And as a plus it comes in a really nice case! In my opinion though the best device that's available right now at the best price has to be the trimui smart pro. Last year's trim UI smart was a piece of garbage in my opinion. The trimui smart pro though has to be one of the best all rounders out of the box out of the lot. It's really well built, has a really nice screen, the software is really pretty good.. even stock, and with the latest update it can play most PSP games which is pretty impressive for the price. You can get this one at times direct from China for sometimes well under $50.00 if you keep an eye out.
It didn't make your list, but I've been enjoying the Pocket S quite a bit. The dpad feels really good and it just feels premium in the hands (though not as comfortable as the Odin 2, even with the grip). It just needs some chip drivers to improve Switch performance.
i disagree that the rg35XXH is more comfortable than the SP. It must be due to how I grip it or the size of my hands (which going by the in-hand shots, is larger than Russ's) but the H is too short and the additional height of the SP layout really makes it fit better. An SP with analog sticks would be a very nice upgrade even at the cost of a bigger device. I've also come to realize that I prefer vertical devices, as even after owning a rg353P, V, M, an rg405M and rg35XX, H, and SP. I keep going back to the rg353v for my daily driver and I'm looking to get a 405v in the near future just to see if I like the extra girth. maybe a retroid device, too
There are so many great Android based emulators - but I just cannot stand using Android. I bought an OG Odin Pro and RP4P. The performance is great - but Android kills the experience for me. I hope we can get some more powerful Linux powered devices.
Hi, i am curious, do you have a list of best emulators per system or suggestions for emulators pros and cons etc? I have seen many OS suggestions, handheld reviews and setup, but not specific emulators comparison etc. I have watched many of your videos especially setups have helped me greatly, thank you!
Hey Russ, I appreciate you keeping money in mind but if money was not a concern and it was priced 50 usd cheaper for example would do you consider the O2 mini a great handheld?
great video, deliberating around miyoo mini plus or pow kiddy v10 like the look of the sp but seems bulky and pricey same with 35xx 28xx too small will the v10 play ds better you reckon since it has more power. haven't heard anything about the support either plus like the idea of wifi
"RP4 plays even Saturn" HOW though, via Yaba Sanshiro 2 or via Beetle_Saturn? That's the single most important power distinction of any handheld device right now. It's more important than it being able to play Gen 6 systems. Beetle_Saturn is THEE benchmark to test systems on.
Just ordered the rg cube really fell for it, Idk why but really drawn to that one in particular. Already got a rg35xx plus and H model but wanted ps2 emulation and GC
Is the RP4 Pro the best retrohandheld with symmetrical sticks? Seems like anything else that could compare (Odin 2, Odin lite, Rg556, etc) has an asymmetrical (i.e. wrong) stick situation.
so what do you suggest ?? ANBERNIC RG556 or Retroid Pocket 4Pro is anmernic one worth buying keeping in mind the bigger screen and amoled screen and now they both are priced at similar price tag of USD 199 plus shipping. both prices extracted from their official website. Please suggest i will definitely buy anyone of them, if not then ANBERNIC RG40XX H.
Pre-Order the rp mini as its better in performance than the RP4P or you can buy the RP5 that has bigger screen, better performance and 1080p for 30 dollars more than the RP4PRO
