Anbernic is back with its new portable console, the RG35XXSP. This time, the Chinese manufacturer is venturing into the realm of the clamshell format, with a design strongly reminiscent of the legendary Game Boy Advance SP. Offered at less than 60 euros, this machine promises to emulate a wide range of classic consoles, from the NES to the PSP. But behind this eye-catching look and attractive price, the RG35XXSP seems to have trouble keeping all its promises.
Did you say Game Boy SP?
Impossible to miss: the RG35XXSP is a true aesthetic clone of the Game Boy Advance SP. Anbernic has spared no expense in reproducing Nintendo's iconic design. Dimensions, button layout, flip format: everything is there to revive our childhood memories.
This aesthetic choice is not insignificant. It allows the console to immediately stand out in a market saturated with generic retro consoles, where Anbernic already offers many models. In addition, the clamshell format offers natural protection for the screen, a real asset for a portable console.
However, one decisive element somewhat spoils the whole thing: excessive thickness. Indeed, where Nintendo's Game Boy Advance SP displays a thickness of 24.3 mm, Anbernic's console reaches 27 mm. A difference that seems negligible on paper, but which alters the aesthetics and handling for those who were hoping to find exactly the original experience.
We nevertheless appreciate the manufacturing quality. The plastic used inspires confidence, and the hinge seems robust, a crucial point for this type of often vulnerable design. The buttons are responsive and pleasant to the touch, provided you appreciate their firmness.
Under the hood: a proven configuration
The RG35XXSP does not revolutionize the market in terms of hardware. It has a configuration already present on other Anbernic models:
- Allwinner H700 CPU clocked at 1.5 GHz
- Mali-G31 GPU
- 1 GB of RAM
- 3300 mAh battery
This configuration makes it possible to emulate 8 and 16-bit consoles without difficulty. NES, SNES, Mega Drive, and Game Boy games work perfectly. The console also handles the PlayStation 1 and even some N64 or Dreamcast games very well.
Storage is via micro SD card, with two slots available. This wise choice makes it easy to expand the storage capacity.
The 3.5-inch IPS screen (640×480 pixels) does the job well. It offers good viewing angles and decent brightness. The thin bezels around the screen add a touch of modernity to the whole, offering a rendering clearly superior to that of the Game Boy Advance SP.
Depending on the emulator used, the battery life can reach up to 7 hours with the brightness set to mid-level, which is rather interesting for a retro console of this type.
In terms of connectivity, the presence of Wi-Fi and Bluetooth is appreciable, thus allowing you to connect a controller. However, we regret the impossibility of pairing wireless headphones. The possibility of connecting the console to a screen via the mini-HDMI port is also an asset, although it is difficult to use on a daily basis. Indeed, it is often necessary to configure each emulator individually so that the display format is correct, a tedious process that can be discouraging after hours of configuration.
A lacking operating system
The RG35XXSP user interface is meant to be simple and effective. However, the real problem lies in the emulation itself. Anbernic has chosen to integrate two separate systems: RetroArch and a home-made emulator called “Game Room”. And that’s where the problem lies.
The performance of these two systems is radically different. RetroArch, well-known and widely used, offers smooth and stable emulation for most supported consoles. Conversely, “Game Room” struggles to run even the most basic consoles.
This difference in performance is disconcerting, especially for newbies who may come across “Game Room” first. One wonders why Anbernic didn’t simply rely on RetroArch, a proven and efficient solution.
Another negative point: the loading times between games are sometimes excessively long. This defect can quickly become annoying when you want to chain several titles.
There are of course alternative operating systems developed by the community. I myself tried the one that is widely recommended by the subreddit dedicated to the console, called muOS. Although superior to the original system, it remains relatively incomplete. Indeed, the Bluetooth function is not yet supported, preventing the use of wireless headphones and controllers, which considerably reduces the interest of the mini-HDMI port. Suffice to say that, compared to the Onion OS, which is perfectly optimized for the Miyoo Mini, no solution is truly satisfactory for Anbernic's clamshell model.
Severe emulation performance
The RG35XXSP excels at emulating 8- and 16-bit consoles. It's fluid, responsive, and faithful to the original versions.
The PlayStation 1 is also well supported, with games running smoothly and loading times reasonable.
Things get more complicated when you move to more recent systems. The N64 and Dreamcast are playable, but some framerate drops are felt on certain titles. As for the PSP, it's better not to count on it too much: most games are unplayable or suffer from significant slowdowns.
You might think that there was no point in focusing on games that require a joystick, since the RG35XXSP doesn't have one. Think again, because the Bluetooth connection and HDMI port could have made this console a great way to play these titles on a larger screen with a controller. You will therefore have to resign yourself to only playing games on the least demanding consoles.
Where to buy it?
The Ambernic RG35XXSP console is available at Geekbuying for 64 euros with the code NNNFRSP64.
0 Comments