It’s not without its kinks, but what this pocket-sized powerhouse gets right justifies its purchase with ease.
The RG35XXSP is a clear sign that the Anbernic of today isn’t the Anbernic of yesterday.
Good, here’s one in a different color.
Now buy the metal version.
People screamed for evolution and were met with a stream of samey devices.
Fast-forward to the now and with the RG35XX series roaming thebest gaming handheldbattlefield, Anbernic is still reusing parts.
It’s only $64.99 / 64.99.
Specs
When it comes to specs, the RG35XXSP uses similar innards as the RG35XX Plus.
For the GPU, we’ve got the dual-core Mali-G31, which sits alongside 1GB of LPDDR4 RAM.
Again, it’s a simple pairing designed to get the job done while keeping costs low.
The RG35XXSP isn’t geared to play recent systems with lush 1080p resolution upscaling activated.
like an over-caffeinated child, chances are the form factor is going to be the main hook.
Who doesn’t want pretty toys laced with nostalgia dust?
That’s why we’re all here, right?
The RG35XXSP, oddly, has Bluetooth for controllers but not headphones.
One area I’m less than impressed with is the D-pad.
It’s not that the gadget doesn’t register the input either, I’ve run multiple tests.
It just struggles unless you’re pressing super-firmly.
In games where diagonal inputs aren’t integral, the D-pad works without issue.
This isn’t a major gripe, but, you know, gotta be thorough.
There’s also been a lot of chat about how clicky the buttons are.
Moving into more positive waters, the screen positively bangs.
It’s a 3.5-inch IPS display that works great in medium sunlight and low light conditions.
So if you want to play it in bed like it’s 2003, you’re golden.
This isn’t necessarily an issue as there’s no other way to do it.
It’s more just something for you to keep in mind going in.
Performance
The RG35XXSP says it’s capable of playing up to PSP.
While that’s true, it’s not completely honest.
The more simple games like Loco Roco work well, the same goes for classic collections.
But anything above that is a no-fly zone.
What does that leave us with?
If it can’t run those systems and run them well, the equipment would be dead on arrival.
The way I see it, think of the RG35XXSP as a pro Game Boy Advance SP.
The main draw with this machine is its 3.5-inch screen size, as everything looks better as a result.
On a seven-inch display, I’m sure the games it plays would look stretched and washed out.
Yet, thanks to the smaller panel, everything fits nicely.
It’s kind of like playing a game on theSteam Deck OLEDat 720p 30fps on an external display.
On a 4K gaming TV, those elements would translate terribly.
The same logic applies to the RG35XXSP.
Shrink it down and the lower specs become less relevant.
Should you buy the RG35XXSP?
Do you like the Game Boy Advance SP’s aesthetic?
Want to play up to Dreamcast?
If you answered yes to both, you’re going to love the RG35XXSP.
It’s as simple as that.
If you’ve already got an RG35XX gear, though?
That’s where things get a little more complicated.
Power-wise, everything is the same.
You won’t get a performance boost in the newer gadget.
It really all comes down to how you want to play.
During my testing, I depleted the battery several times and recharged it without any issues.
As I say, I didnt suffer this problem myself, but Id advise caution.
For more on how we test handhelds and other portable gaming devices, check out ourGamesRadar+ hardware policy.
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