Anbernic RG353V: a solid retro console for beginners and avid gamers alike
When you try to find a great retro console, it always comes down to the form factor and supported platforms. A console like Anbernic RG353V is great because it’s very compact, and it gives you that unique set of gameplay mechanics, while also being really easy to use and customize. On top of that, it does an excellent job at allowing you to play a plethora of titles and yes, it also has a great package.
Design and form factor
While the Anbernic RG353V comes with a rectangular form factor, it’s very compact and that’s one of the things you will like from the start. It doesn’t reinvent the wheel and it does look similar to a product like the Powkiddy RGB20S. However, the more translucent console body does make it more appealing. Other than that, both consoles have a great grip, and they do manage to make the gameplay experience more engaging and fun.
It's also a good idea to note the console arrives in multiple colors. It has black transparent and purple transparent, but also white and grey. It’s a nice set of colors, and you definitely have multiple options to choose from, which is always a major plus. We also like the fact that unlike the Anbernic RG353VS version that’s only supporting Linux, this one also has Android support. Having Android support is a gamechanger because it gives you access to many more games and a solid emulation experience.
Display size and quality
Screen-wise, the Anbernic RG353V is also identical to the Powkiddy RGB20S. It features a 3.5 inch IPS display with a full viewing angle. It also has a zero distance OCA full fit. While the 640x480 resolution is certainly not ideal, it does the intended job. If you like playing retro games, a slightly higher resolution might help. But then again, this also keeps the visual style of the games a lot more authentic.
We also have to note that the product has multitouch support. That’s great because it does bring you new ways to interact with the console. By comparison, the Powkiddy RGB20S doesn’t have multitouch. While not every gamer wants this set of features, there’s no denying that having multitouch support does make this a whole lot better.
Specs
We like the Anbernic RG353V specs because they are quite powerful for the device. For the CPU you have the RK3566 which is a quad core 64 bit processor. The main frequency is 1.8 GHz, which is more than enough for a game console like this focused on emulation. When it comes to the RAM amount, they chose 2 GB which we find to be more than enough. Retro games don’t need a ton of memory, and in this case you have more than enough for pretty much any game supported by the console.
You should also note the fact that storage is quite plentiful for this device. So they do have a 32 GB EMMC for basic storage, along with 16 GB TF. But depending on the package you buy, you can get way more. There are versions with 64 GB extra, and also some with 256 GB more. It all depends on how many games you want to install, how often you plan on playing stuff and using the device. But overall, there’s a lot of space to be had, and it always comes down to the games you buy.
Other things to consider spec-wise are the Wi-Fi support, along with Bluetooth 4.2 support. In addition, they do have a single horn loudspeaker. You won’t really have the best stereo experience here, and the audio is not amazing. But it gets the job done, and it’s similar to most other retro consoles at this pricepoint. So it’s certainly something that you would expect, and you have to keep that in mind.
Battery life and power
The Anbernic RG353V has a Li-Polymer battery that has 3200 mAh, very similar to some modern phones. If you choose to play games on it continually, the battery should end up lasting for around 6 hours. Sometimes it might do more, other times less. But for the most part, we found the unit to charge in an hour or two, that means you can charge it before going away for a little bit. It’s fine as a whole, and that’s what matters the most.
Software
As we mentioned earlier, the Anbernic RG353V has Android 11, so you can play a ton of Android games. Most of the time, you can’t really have great controls for Android games, so these titles work much better on Android. And that’s what makes them such an excellent solution to keep in mind.
In regards to supported consoles, you will have support for most of the popular consoles out there. MSX, GG, SMS, MD, FC, SFC, GB, GBC, NEOGEO, N64, NDS, DC, N-Gage, WSC and PCE are some of the consoles they offer support for. They support over 20 game formats, along with video, TV, music and so on.
What’s in the box?
The Anbernic RG353V comes in a very interesting box that has the unit itself, along with a gift box, a screen protector and the manual. It’s not a huge package, but it does have all you need and even more so. As a whole, we found the package to be very decent for what it is.
The product costs a little over $210AUD for the regular version, and for the version with 256 GB of extra storage you will pay $250AUD Price-wise, it is more expensive than the Powkiddy RGB20S, but it also has extra features like multitouch and Android game support.
Should you get the Anbernic RG353V?
If you have roughly $210AUD to spend on a retro console, we think this is indeed one of the best options on the market. The quality is great, you have a solid return on investment, and the overall product is very good to use. Getting accustomed with the menus is very nice, and the overall quality is what sets it apart. It’s definitely a top tier console for the money, if you are into retro gaming.