NEW ANBERNIC RG35XXSP

Installing a new OS on this was a huge pain in the ass, but once it's up and running it's great. Stick to pre-PS1 era games, and avoid fighting games.

Got myself the RG35XX SP to rekindle some old memories with my old Gameboy advanced SP.
It did not disappoint.
Not only does it look great design wise (I got the transparent black one), it also feels great and like a premium device.
As a personal highlight for me it comes with some in-built apps in its stock os which allow me to play music and videos I put on the SD cards (It has 2 slots).
In terms of games I really only tested GBA ones which it runs flawlessly.
The emulator comes with many customization options to tinker with but I mainly just use the pre-selected one.
The buttons are perhaps a bit too clicky but it‘s really not a problem for me.
The shoulder buttons may eventually cause issues because it‘s the electronic button component itself that resists the external button (if that explanation makes sense).
I also took a peek inside the device and it looks high quality even „below the hood“.

It is so cute and I want a blue one just to look at.

I got this for $55.99 (plus shipping) after seeing a friend's. I got it mostly to have a cheap 'beater' console to take to work and on hikes instead of risking my modded childhood Game Boys or Analouge. The form factor makes it great for this and it feels sturdy enough not to fall apart at the first sign of wear.

I recommend installing a custom OS on it, instead of using the stock one. I didn't even boot it up with the stock OS, so it might be okay, but the custom firmware I used (muOS) is great. It can have custom themes, boxart, and use PortMaster to play some PC games. The basic setup is pretty simple, and there are tutorials online for it.

As for emulation, it uses RetroArch and did a good job with everything I tried. NES, SNES, GB/C, GBA, all retro Sega, Atari, Neo Geo Pocket, some arcade, and most anything pre-PS1 worked great.

PS1 also worked great, but you may have to be a bit selective with games due to the lack of joysticks. Most PS1 games are fine with a d-pad, but a lot of us are used to playing certain games (3D platformers, Resident Evil, etc) on an emulator or remake with sticks now. Still, being able to play PS1 RPGs and 2D games (especially SotN) on a console this small is really cool. I think they look great on the small screen, too. It reminds on the mini PSOne portable screen back in the day.

I didn't try the higher level stuff (N64, PSP, DC), mostly because of missing controls or incorrect resolution. I imagine some games would be fine, but would likely require some setting tweaking. If those consoles are your main interest, something more powerful (and with joy sticks) would serve you better.

I enjoy pixel effect shaders and it handled those easily, as well. They look great on the screen, too. RetroArch can take some getting used to if you've never used it before, but there are lots of tutorials for it now.

Overall, it's way better than I thought it would be and is perfect for all pre-3D consoles, and even some 3D. Very happy with the purchase.

I love this thing. Its wonderful to hold and very nostalgic