Man, your reviews are getting better and better - great job! I too have noticed the screen sharpening, initially I copped it up to just the low pixel density but yeah I think they are doing something within the root settings. Hopefully as we get future options (like Black Seraph's LineageOS) we'll see some optimizations there. A huge bummer about your buttons, I worry that grease won't be enough with that sticking issue, you may have to sand down the edges of the buttons like I had to do with my early Retroid Pocket 2+ unit.
Thanks my dude! There was a fix for the sharpening posted on the retro handhelds discord today, I'm gonna give that a go, and I'll try the grease before I resort to sanding the buttons (it arrived this morning so worth a shot). Thanks for the suggestion!
I was a newb and had a vita laying around, I decided to have a go at hacking it. I followed your tips to the tee and it worked a treat. I now have an rp3 and am enjoying retro gaming a LOT! Props to you sir.
It’s amazing how that’s a universal experience. Playing super Mario rpg eating Oreos while your dad is in the back burying his territorial rival. Good times.
Your Introductionary Stories got me each time. My coffee went all over the place when the Power of 618 Tigers showed up. You're such a... Dweeb! Don't ever change that. ❤
Editing Skills are stepping up! B roll is clean and easy on the eyes. Your humor always gets me, dead dogs and all. Between you and Retro GC, I can get a solid idea of exactly what I’m looking for. I truly hope you enjoy making all these tech/handheld videos, don’t want you to get burnt out on all the tech always coming out. Side note: I’ve been curious about all the art in your videos. Do you do it yourself? Or do you have an artist that you go to?
I think I’m gonna stick with my miyoo mini plus until a system like this comes out that can handle GameCube and PS2 more comfortably. They’ve definitely come a long way in just the last year or two so I’m sure we’ll get one soon enough that can. This one looks sweet though. Thanks for the review!
It'll be YEARS until we can get one that can play PS2 and GC at 2x MINIMUM without any hiccups. What also stinks is that the Android version of Dolphin is nowhere near as optimized as the PC version. I bought a SnapDragon 888 phone for the sole purpose of seeing how it handles GameCube, and it did pretty darn well, except that it couldn't handle any widescreen cheats. And even then, it would crash sometimes without them..
@3godzilla3 this is the precise argument I have against devices outside of the miyoo mini/mini plus and rg35xx camp. I dont want to end up with several half baked solutions for GameCube, ps2 and above, fiddling with their settings only to reach compromise after compromise for a measly speed bump and still not hit 60fps. Just save up the money for a steamdeck or better yet a gpd win 4. I Hate having several devices at home collect dust anyways. It's the old adage of quality vs quantity argument for the least amount for your buck. Nb : garlic aand miyoo's Onion OS gameswitcher really spoiled me btw and I despise dealing with gaming under Linux having to configure and setup my own front-end. It's time consuming and clunky
Dude, loving the evolution of your channel quality. Superb work mate! Glad you pointed out the sharpening. It seems to be common on Anbernic devices. It really frustrates me!
man seriously top notch stuff you are crazy informative. preciate ya helping me shop these. been shopping for like a month going thru your channel and still haven't decided on one 😅
I did fix the sharpening via a patch from the Retro Handhelds discord, and the buttons are WAY better after doing the dielectric grease. If you get one I highly suggest doing the grease right away before the edges of your buttons get scratched up even more than they come out of the box. After these easy fixes it feels like the device it should have been.
Hoping for a video covering the RP3+ OTA update performance improvements. Gamecube & PS2 apparently got a decent boost, bringing the RP Flip & RP3+ to performance patity.
Is there ever too much handhelds Techdweeb? For the record, I still sit 4 inches from the TV because I need the ashtray. Congrats on hitting 20k!!! You earned it.
In case you haven't already: Installing Gamma OS on this device gets rid of the oversharpening issue and will improve both performance in GC and PS2 AND battery life, along with a bunch of other nice additions.
There is! The fix for the screen is to flash Gamma OS on the device (you can find tutorials online), and the fix for the buttons is to rub a little bit of dielectric grease around the edge of them and wiggle them around to get the grease down into the button groove. Both of those are all the fixes I needed to make it 100% perfect!
The only gripe i have (pretty minor, but puts me on the fence of getting it), is that the left analog is above the dpad. A 4:3 ratio screen is the perfect screen size for true retro titles, which also means dpad controls. So i wouldve preferred the dpad on top as the main, more comfortable placement taking that spot.
@@TechDweeb Yeah, i get that. Just that for my own purpose, i wanted ones for PS1, NES, SNES, and GBA, and I think a dpad top would serve better for that purpose. Hopefully they do a swap in a variant model maybe? haha wishful thinking, but hey, it's free to make wishes :D
Finally a 4:3 handheld with this chipset. Ill stick with RP3+ as widescreen hacks have come so far but this is great for anyone who really hates widescreen.
I'm looking at this device and thinking about where portable emulation was 3-4 years ago vs today. Man, things have certainly changed. In three or four years I wonder if we will be playing our PS3 games in a RG35XX size device that can easily slip into a pocket.
@@TechDweeb sadly yes. So far mines fine. Only had it for 2 days now and love it way more than my 35xx because of daijisho and having more power. Definitely gonna keep an eye on my screen tho. Apparently if u contact support they'll send a new screen that's already attached to the frame to replace it but that still requires you to do the teardown.
Were it not for the RP3+ and button issue here, this would be the best option, IMO. Same chipset. Catch here is the 4:3 content is only 6% smaller on the RP3+, but 16X9 games are 40% larger. Added: Actually more than that. PSP and Wii is tiny on the 405.
@@TechDweeb now I'm gonna put them on my $500 Allen edmonds wing tip dress shoes and make everyone furious. I really want a grownup propeller beanie, too.
Aliexpress has their summer sale starting tomorrow. So im rewatching a ton of reviews on the 405M and RG556. I cant decide. The metal shells on Anbernics are SO nice but i already have a 351M, but its my fave device and i want a bit more power. On the other hand the 556 is the kind of device that could make me feel like life is beautiful again. I dunno. I just dunno.
Great review, this console seems more powerful than I thought! .I wonder why you prefer android devices over linux. In my case the android devices i own seem quite slow and glitchy.
It's more about the customizability and the flexibility. I like being able to choose from a ton of launchers, and do other stuff like youtube and android games etc.
It looks cool but I promised myself to stop buying those cheap handhelds I’m going to wait for the ROG….I did end up getting the 2tb plug in play you reviewed a month ago (red cassette).
I wouldn't call it cheap persay but it's more like a really good "budget" handled only for retro gaming. I love these little handhelds because I love retro gaming. You could easily get a steam deck and play everything but I like this option since I already have a pc and I'm always home when not at work.
@@anthonym6119 I have to kind of agree with that statement. The cheaper ones don't seem to last very long at all you're right. However, I purchased the rg353v last year and it's still going strong. It's made in China but just about everything is these days.
I was watching a review video uploaded on amazon because I wanted to see if they had the button sticking issue. The guy titled his review "FAULTY!" and launches an emulator, which says "no folder is set" as in you have to point it to the ROM folder. He removes the SD card, re inserts it, then does the same process. Launches emulator and it says "no folder is set" then he gives up. lol. These are the people who buy these devices. Not even 2 braincells rubbing together upstairs.
Do you have a best "ultra cheap" handheld video? Like the $10 handhelds you see? Like maybe a vid about $50 and under. Stocking stuffer consoles for xmas
It's similar to the 505. It has the same processor, just this one is metal. And it's smaller. Here's how their naming works: RG = Retro Game FIRST 2 NUMBERS = Size of screen (so '405' is a 4.0" screen, "353" is a 3.5" screen, etc). 3RD NUMBER = generation of processor (1, 2, 3, 4, 5). The T618 is a 5th gen processor. FINAL LETTER = V (vertical), M (metal), P (horizontal), S (budget), X (out of ideas) So the RG353VS means that it's going to be a 3.5" screen with a rk3566 processor, vertical, and the budget version. Hope this helps!
Peace and blessings TechDweeb. Saw this handheld on Amazon and found and watched this video on your channel. Question for you. Do you still recommend the RG405M even though you have little complaints about the buttons?
Bro great video tech dweeb keep doing what you are doing🤙i have a question I asked you this before 😅 but do you know the best emulator to play Sega model 2 arcade games And sega model 3 arcade games
Thanks buddy! Do you mean the best emulation console? Like, android box? or handheld? I'm not sure to be honest, I've barely touched those systems. I think any console that gives good dreamcast performance will work well for those, that's my guess. Of course they'll work fine on PC as well.
@@TechDweeb Dude thanks for the feedback man I really appreciate it because those are classics. virtual fighter 2 and last Bronx Are great games, and the model 2 arcade was the greatest version to play compared to the sega saturn release. But thanks a lot you're freaking legend !!!!!! Keep posting those great videos and I'll keep in mined dreamcast quality hard for pc 🤙
It's a great system and right now I'm using the Vita 3K emulator and I'm playing The Legend of Heroes trails in the sky SC Vita Evolution English translation it might not play every PS Vita game right now but it plays a good bit including a good bit of 3DS and Playstation 2 RPG games
I don't think there is, natively. You'd have to use a display capture device. That's what I use when I record my gameplay, I record the HDMI stream on a capture PC. You can also use a dedicated screen capture device like the ClonerAlliance Box Pro.
Thanks for sharing this video, have you tried installing gamma OS on your RG405M? It is a great device. I was considering in buying one but already have an old PS Vita that I modded to play retro games. Obviously it will not play Dreamcast and some of the higher end consoles, but there is so much content already available to keep me busy, so I decided to hold off from buying this.
Ahhh... the dead dog childhood memories. Now that you're a grown up psychopath, you used to burn a kitten every day. 😅 ...and collect Handhelds. Just like i do.
I bought the RG405M as a replacement for my RG350M because I do like being able to play Dreamcast, etc. I do wish there was a Linux custom firmware to make setting things up easier, because I'm not a tinkerer. The Anbernic front end is smoking hot garbage, which probably explains why the device gets so warm. And the heat generated from the higher-end systems is my only real knock on the device. It won't burn your hands, but it's definitely noticeable and pretty unpleasant. I didn't experience the button issues, fortunately. I also use the RG280V as my pocketable system, the RG552 as my default go-to device on lower-end systems, and the RG505 as my default go-to device for higher-end systems and especially Nintendo DS for the excellent touch screen. The RG405M rides that nice middle ground, but it's also my go-to device if I want to take it with me when I get my oil change or go to the doctor and I want a larger screen than the RG280V. I don't put anything other than the RG280V in my pockets, but I consider the RG350M and RG405M portable in the way I would carry a book or tablet. The RG505 and RG552 are simply too large for that.
Good rundown. I agree. With the death of the Miyoo Mini the RG280v is currently the most pocketable you can buy right now. I hope Anbernic does an updated tiny device.
Ambernic are really good personally have 351p know not as powerful as this one tops out at n64 n psp and tbh struggles with higher end psp n N64 but fine for me still
I had one of these as well and loved it...aside from one thing. It was too small and made my hands cramp up. I sold it and just bought an RP3+. That one will def be good for me for a long time. Honestly pixel games are more my thing w/ retro consoles... but the ability to do GC and PS2 is kinda cool. (Ill still spend more time with TurboGrafx, NES, SNES, Neo Geo ect.
The handheld is great but those buttons can be big issue if not done correctly some controllers buttons sounds are too loud and making the device very uncomfortable because you will be Disturbing people with the loud sound
How does the screen fare in the outside daylight? From what I gather, it’s noticeably darker than other screens, even cheaper devices like the RG35xx and 353v.
One last question? Is it safe to charge it on a powerbank? I have an Anker Powercore+ 26800 PD, I haven't used it to charge my 405 or miyoo mini, but would like to.
I really regret this purchase. Battery problems that drain to zero and even tried calibrating it. Touch screen becomes unresponsive. I haven't had problems with the triggers like other people are reporting. Returning this thing tomorrow and desperately looking for another pocket-sized handheld (not from Ambernic) to play PSP
Hey buddy, Since there is no hdmi on this device, is there actually a way to play this on a tv screen? If so, how? Please tell us, as i would really love to buy this but only if i can also play it on the big screen
To quote the late Steve Irwin, "She's a beaut!" Too bad about the sticking buttons issue, but glad you found an answer. You could also use a silicone spray(NOT WD-40), because it won't gum up or attract dust/dirt. Just make sure you turn the controller/pod upside down for a bit and let the residual fluid drain out.
i ordered one and i love how it feels. it's so heavy and just feels premium. But the screen just doesn't do it for me. colors feel lifeless and look..cheap(?) . whenever i play with it, i put it down in a few minutes cause it's just not immersive. would you say the retroid pocket 3+ has better colors? i know they're both ips so it's probably not a huge difference but maybe it's just enough!. i'd get the rg505 if it wasn't for the bad ergonomics :(
If you haven't tried Gamma OS then I highly recommend it. Gamma fixes the oversharpening and makes the screen look WAY better. I don't have a video of how to install it but check out RGC's guide if you're interested (ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-BD0ab1gr4gM.html). With Gamma I'd say that the screen here is on par with the RP3+.
@@TechDweeb are the colors and contrast on gamma os better too? compared to the regular 405m. cause i dont see a problem with oversharpening. maybe they fixed it by now. what i dont like are the weak colors and contrast :(
Yes, but the earbuds I had experienced a delay, so they weren't good for gaming. Not sure if that's just mine or earbuds in general though (mine also do it with my phone).
Yes actually I fired it up and played for a few mins (I didn't film it though). It worked the same as it did on the RP3+ (it worked, a little bit of slowdown occasionally, but still totally playable).
