The Retroid 3+ seemed to be the PERFECT handheld for me when it was released...but after spending time with it, the screen is too small and it's not ergonomical enough for me. I much prefer a 6" screen and handle grips like the 556 and Odin 2. Even the Odin 1/Pro/Lite were too "thin" for comfort. I'd do the 556 over the RP4 all day, and if you're spending this much might as well go for the Odin 2 ✔✔
Thank you! I finally made my choice and I think I'll go with the RP4 pro in watermelon red. I was waiting for this kind of comparative video between those two devices to take a decision.
Agreed on the outcome. They don't cost the same, they aren't designed to do the same thing, and they took totally different approaches to their respective handhelds. Ones ergonomics and perfect screen/size, the others power at all costs, including lousy ergonomics--but power! If you hate compromise, save your pennies and buy an Odin 2. I myself am old, have not the greatest eyesight anymore, and comfort is a must as I cramped up a ton whilst using my hand me down (from a friend) RP3+. I should also note that said RP3 needed a trigger button not once, but twice. Not good Retroid, not good at all that that wasn't addressed on the RP4. So the RP4 Pro, power and all, was never even a consideration to me personally. I'm very happy Anbernic took the approach they did with the 556, it's really just perfect for me all told. I can easily deal with playing at 1.5X, heck I even prefer playing at 1X because I actually like the games I'm playing looking like the way I remember playing them back in the day, blocks and all. To each their own on that one. Good review Zu!
The way it looks to me is that because of the better chip more games will run "well" on the RP4Pro, but if the game you want to play will run at reasonable speed on the RG556, you'd probably enjoy playing it more on the RG556 due to the better screen and ergonomics. But yes ... those of us who started gaming in the age of Pong like our big screens.
Odin 2 is waaay more expensive, specially if you don’t live in the US, I have to pay about $500 with taxes and shipping to Europe, making it a complete waste of money, just get a Steam deck in that case.
I have the Retroid pocket 4 pro, and grips. Could not be happier. I hook it up to my TV, and play all my games with Bluetooth controllers. It's so cool that it can act like a console.
@@DimitrisDr3am I did, but the original grip makes it pretty awkward to fit into pockets/my small handbag. I’ve got a 3D printed one that is a lot better now, but I still prefer the trigger buttons on the rp2s to the stiff ones of the rp3+
@crystal_is_cozy then wouldnt the perma grips on the 556 always give you that same problem but worse since you cannot remove them? From reviews Ive seen the triggers on the 556 are hella stiff if you dont like stiff triggers.
@@williammiller3277 oh, that’s actually something I didn’t notice in the reviews, thanks for pointing that out. Yeah, if the triggers are stiff in the 556, I’ll probably pass. Also, my sister just ordered me an Odin 2 Pro a thank you gift, so I probably don’t need one 😝 And yeah, I don’t think the 556 would be a pocket device for me, more of a lounging device. So the size with its perma-grip would be less of an issue, whereas I bought the rp3+ intending to have it live in my very tiny hip bag, so size is more of a concern. I have the RP2S now which I adore for that purpose.
@crystal_is_cozy ive been holding onto my analogue pocket but thinking I will sell it and the dock and get an odin 2 as well so cant argue with your sisters choice. If she wants to thank me as well I can give you my shipping address. My 3 kids have rp3, a rp3+, and retroid flip respectively so was leaning toward rp4 originally but odin 2 I think it is.
I picked up the RP4Pro on preorder... no regerts! I have also recently discovered the joys of a Galaxy Tab S7+ for emulation. If I want to carry something in a bag... the tablet, and some 8bitdo controllers is off the charts... amoled, hi res, super fast, and surprisingly useful for things other than retro gaming.
For me personally I like a dedicated handheld. I have an iPhone with RetroArch and PPSSPP on it and it can do God of War for the PSP at 6x resolution and maintain 60 fps no problem. The issue I have is when I connect the Backbone controller it becomes a pretty long device (phone by itself is 6.5 inches long, with Backbone connected it becomes 10 inches long), not exactly portable at that point. Even with baggy sweatpants on it still sticks out of the pocket a bit.
@deakridearts PSP, GameCube, Saturn and Dreamcast are no problem. Have not tried Wii or PS2 yet. ETA Prime has a review on his channel from a few years back.
Hummed and hahed over the RP4pro, til I saw the RP556. It was loveatfirst sight and pre-ordered on the spot. My crystal blue arrived a couple days ago and feels so good in the hand and does exactly what I want it to - play the games I missed out on early on.
I honestly spend 80-90% of my retro handhelds time on stuff I missed. It used to be a lot of replays of favorites, but our Game of the Month club on the discord has exposed me to a ton of stuff I never picked up at the local Kmart back in the 90s.
RP4 gets points for being more compact and having drastically better sticks. So get the 556 for ergo and screen as a couch device or RP4 (and a 3d printed grip case) for a throw and go device. Really wish Anbernic would've put better sticks on a device designed for ergo.
I personally feel like compactness is a weakness because you get a smaller screen on a system that can handle 6th generation systems that would take advantage of the larger screen. I can see the validity of your argument as well though.
@@retrohandheldsindeed, once being more portable becomes enough of an issue, you might as well drop down to the devices that are actually pocketable and accept the limitations that implies on the supported systems.
I bought RP4 pro because of its pocketability and performance. If I will go to a bigger handheld, I will save my money for Odin 2 base model. Steam Deck is a good option too if the idea is I will only use it inside my house. Really can't consider RG556 right now because of its chip, software, and controls. Let see next month, what new device Anbernic will release.
Handheld prices are hard to estimate. The RG556 and RP4 are both in the $200 'range' but overall expect to pay more for the RP4. In my case the difference was substantial. I got my 256 gb RG556 for $182. I couldnt find a RP4 for under $250 (from Retroids site). Im including taxes and shipping so the Retroid price isnt exact. If you want the RP4 quickly expect to pay even more. Some Aliexpress listings start at $220 and easily reach the $300 mark. I think you get 'more' with the RP4, but an OLED screen +$80 savings was an easy choice. Actually thats a lie i still spent a week going back and forth. Im happy with my choice tho.
i use to have a rp3+ but I gave it to a friend in need. The reason I gave it up was because the screen was too small. If I were to choose between rp4 and 556 i would choose 556 because of my aging old eyesight.
I totally agree with you, If i had to buy, I would buy the 556 due to bigger/better screen and much better ergonomics. That being said, i'm waiting for the best of both worlds, something like the 556 with the performance of the rp4p , in the 200$ price range. I don't want to play anything higher than PS2/GC. Until then, ill enjoy my r36s
Rp4 pro is the buggiest and very slow at ps2 wii games and there is an issue with the screen it ghosting every single time and r1 button gonna be broken within 1 month, (my personal experience) and odin pro is way better! Audio display and more,
Great review Zu, and as a fan of both these devices, I think you were being more than fair about their respective strengths and weaknesses. You’ll likely not please the stans on both sides, but never mind: you speaketh the truth!
Question: There is a third mid range contender, the original AYN Odin Pro is currently $199 + shipping from AYN's own store. For me that equals $224 US, which is on par with the Pocket 4 Pro. On paper the old but still lionhearted SD845 in the Odin doesn't benchmark nearly as well as the D1100 in Retroid and, if I'm remembering Aish's chart correctly, slightly trails the Unisoc Tiger 820 in the RG556. However; benchmarks are like BMI, they often don't tell the whole story. It's common knowledge that Qualcomm has some special sauce that makes their chips preferred by the emulation community and emulator developers. Now I've finally gotten to the question... In the real world is the Odin 1 Pro a viable alternative to these two at its new lower price? If the Tooth Fairy dropped $250 on my lap to make up for stealing all my teeth when I was a youth then I'm Team Anbernic all day, every day. $180 out the door for all it offers is a steal, and it seems powerful enough to run everything I want while being Goldielocks sized. The Pocket 4 Pro at the moment is just too flawed for the price it commands. However, the Odin 1 Pro is kind of tempting at 4 Pro prices. I thought this was another great review/comparo. Then again, has Zu ever not put out a great quality content? The man is as consistently good as the Toyota Land Cruiser factory.
I remember getting the RP2 and a 351P. On paper they were comparable but i found myself using the 351P every single time. RP2 took 30 seconds to boot up and i felt like i was always messing with the settings, and various games just wouldnt run as expected. I just got a 35XX H and i love it. Anbernics never let me down.
@@Oddoad6001 if you emulate handheld games such as psp, gb, nds then it's perfect, but those system doesn't required powerful hardware. But RP4 pro have enough power to emulate home console which isn't ideal to play on small display, even playing android games is hard.
Very solid review! For me, the main thing that matters when comparing these two is that one fits in my pocket while the other doesn’t. I purchased the RP4P so I can play at work or when I’m out and know I’ll be stuck somewhere. If I’m home or on a longer vacation or whatever, I’ll play my Steam Deck OLED for more power, ergonomic comfort, and the better screen. Use cases vary from person to person though, I totally get that, but I feel better knowing I have the least amount of devices that cover the most ground as possible.
I just bought the RP4 Pro with the grip, sou ergonomics is not a problem, yeah, sure, they could have done the model with the bumps, but I think it would not be so pocketable, I think the performance is better, less things to tinker for it to run smoothly, better materials, feels more durable. Not saying the RG556 is bad, but I think the performance and out of the box experience of the RP4 Pro outweights the ergonomics and size problems, it is supposed to be portable after all, but that's just my opinion and my choice Edit: I thought about buying an Odin Pro, but the shipping and taxes on my country are way too high, specially for the Odin, it's almost 80% of the price just for the tax.
I just need my handheld to play retro games and GooglePlay games. Started looking for an upgrade to my cherished but dated GPD XD+. Wanted to keep it around $250 or so. After much nerding out to a ton of content on both the Retroid Pocket 4 Pro and Anbernic GR 556 and several others, I went with the black RG 556 for a few reasons. Both are bangers, with the Retroid having better thumbsticks, better PS2 emulation and more speed under the hood. But for me personally the 556 is the perfect size and weight for a handheld; not too big, not too small, not too heavy, not too light, but just right. The price to power ratio is insane. It's ultra comfortable in hand and I really prefer its overall ergonomics and control layout. I love its larger OLED screen. It delivers truly stunning visuals. I have no doubt a firmware update or some other option will unlock even better PS2 emulation on the 556, which it already does pretty well as is. But there's no update that can increase the size and picture quality of the Retroid's screen. The 556 does absolutely everything I want it to and more. I can't get over how much bang you get for the buck.Honestly I can't love this thing enough.
Great review Zu. Very fair. As others have said, still undecided which way to go. Let me put the question like this: If I don't care about 2-3x upscaling, will the 556 play the PS2 library at 1x? I know you said yes, but, I wish reviewers would play more of these games at 1x for longer.
@@retrohandhelds that sounds great, I really appreciate it! I'm sort of a nerd for wrestling games. Do you have Here Comes the Pain that you'd be able to run? Maybe a FIFA game? I don't want to be too picky, I just want to make sure that the Anbernic will at least run 95% of the PS2 library at 1x. Thank you!
Great review. I think this is one of the best comparison videos of these two. If you apply the official RP4P grip on it, will it have similar ergonomics to the 556? Thanks.
RG556 it is. Im not too into Nintendo so emulating Switch flawlessly doesnt matter to me. Itll play my entire library. And pretty perfect looking for using GeForce now. That and the R/L buttons snapping constantly (ive seen soo many reviews about this) it tells me the RP4 is going to cost even more in repairs. Thanks for the video. Definately helped me narrow things down.
Awesome video, loved the side by side gaming comparison. It really answered some questions for me. Very torn between these 2 though. Love the performance and pocketability of the RP4 Pro but man of man that oled screen on the 556 is a beauty.
The RP4 pro's only advantage in my eyes are the portability and horsepower The rg556 had a more comfortable feel and better screen. I'm not sure if it had the same list of mechanical failures and shitty QC the rp4 pro have. If it's solid, then it's an insta win in my book. We're paying for a fully operating device. So I don't wanna be stressed and be forced to rip open a brand new device just for repairs and replacement.
You can’t beat the screen 📺 n the 556. I was going to buy a switch but after seeing this was coming out I dropped that idea. The 556 plays everything the other does for the most part. It feels good and looks good. After setting it up with ES-DE and setting ES as my start system it work great. It feels like a console. I’ve been using it everyday. Even connecting it to my tv and a Bluetooth controller.
With years of experience you would think Anbernic already knew what they were doing, but nope. They just make totally nonesense decisions and sprinkle them to all of their devices. This time, it's the material used for the shell. It's an absolute fingerprint magnet, and feels a class below their recent handhelds. Honestly, this would be in the same tier as older powkiddy devices in terms of plastic quality. I still love my 556, and glad I got the blue one. This black one looks yucky to me, even more when I use it probably, because I have sweaty hands all the time.
I agree, but the fingerprints are only a issue when I use the 556 for Game of the Month and forget to wipe it off before I take my credits picture! - Zu
i dont think it's "nebulous" to bring up the fact that there IS bad colour accuracy and significant ghosting on the 4 pro. I still think it's fine when i am in-game, but it is undeniably noticeable, especially in menus. /and I am not someone who is particularly sensitive to those kind of things. still a fantastic deal for $200 as long as you get a new backplate when the spring breaks. I also had the somewhat common issue where play services permissions was causing android apps to randomly close on launch which requires using ADB commands to fix (or running a shell script that a reddit user has shared on the subreddit). Definitely not a plug-and-play device for the masses.
Fantastic video and just what I was looking for! Thank you for making this! I don't know if it was an optical illusion to me or what but when you pressed down on the analog triggers a few times 1:28 looked like they wiggled quite a bit on the RP4+. I'd prefer no wiggling, just in or not in. If they are wiggling that much then I wonder if that's why people were saying the springs in the R2 button were dislodging?
I already have a steamdeck oled and an odin 2 Pro. I bought the retroid pocket 4 Pro because I wanted something smaller and portable than I could travel with. I don't like traveling with a lot of stuff or with a lot of heavy items. Plus if something were to happen to it like getting lost or stolen, $200 is way easier to replace than $400-$550.
Felt like the comparison between the pro and 556 was unwarranted, as it should have been a comparison between the RP4 vs the 556 instead. Also if the ergonomics was such a deciding factor I would have also actually preferred you to show and use the grip to compare the differences rather then just saying you would want one. A lot of people enjoy having optional addons rather then being forced to use the built in ergonomics that anbernic forces. Given ergonomics being interchangable this review really comes down to Screen vs performance vs price vs X factor (What games you want to play, how you want to use your device.). This didnt even delve into pocketability use cases. My RP4P w/grip fits in my jacket pocket. Making it more portable then a bigger device would be, thus more usable for my use cases.
I really love both. After all those retro devices , one thing I always remind myself is Do you need PS2 emulation actually? Buy a cheap Snapdragon android phone ,upscale & use Gamesir x2 pro or something like that. Do you need PS1 emulation & below ? Just fine with a 35xx plus or H. At this moment , we just need to wait for a better device since it is early 2024.
I just bought the rg556 for the screen and better control placement I will delete all the emulators and install upto date ones with a fee tweaks I've seen people do you can get better performance compared to the out the box experience
@@scoobiedude because, why do you want something with 💩 controls? Look at those sticks they are a mess. The screen is good, and thats about it. Also android is not nearly as clean as on rp4 pro. Make your choice buddy
@@scoobiedude 1080 on such a small screen and weak chipset, no thank you. 750p on rp4 pro looks great, i see no pixels. This devices are just a cheap phone with built in controls bro, there is no jealousy. Im just pointing what device is worth buying
The anbernic added over 40 dollars in taxes at checkout to ship to the uk which put it over 200 dollar mark, put me off and ordered the rp4 pro instead.
It makes a large difference in the dark, you can play with a much lower brightness without the screen looking milky due to backlighting In a bright environment, it depends
I second this. To me its gorgeous especially housed with the black grip, it honestly brings joy to me when using. But every other video showing it off doesnt look the same as in RL.
Why would I need a chunky, almost un-pocketable, retro handheld? If I wanted a "full-sized" handheld, I'd go for one of the Windows-based ones, or a even Steam Deck. The whole point of a retro handheld for me is the readily available, in-and-out-of-pocket, 15-30 minutes break at the doctor's office or waiting for my flight. These are old games, I can't play them for hours at a time. Not these days, anyway. The RP4 is more in that area, although I would rather prefer something like the Flip for that purpose.
The Retroid size/form factor is NOT designed for normal adult male hands. Sent a 3+ back before Xmas because it was impossible to play for more than 5 minutes without pain and the size of the screen severely limited enjoyment of any modern widescreen content. Stepsons hands with him being 6'4" were going to be a no go. Similar priced the Odin Lite was a much better adult retro gaming purchase.
I just received mine and ordered it with the 256gb with pre installed games but…. No SD card shows up under storage and when I open an emulator to search for games it says none detected…. Do you think I received a broken SD card or maybe reader is wrong? It is there a step I’m missing?
Pop out the SD card and see if it will open on your computer. If it doesn't work with the handheld *or* your computer, I'd reach out to customer service. If it's a defective SD card, they might be able to just ship you a new one right away.
@@retrohandhelds does it insert with the pins facing toward you? I read that in a few posts and that doesn’t seem correct or even like it fits lol. With pins facing away it inserts easily and ejects.
Just ordered an rg556 from anbernic but I bought an sd card with games preinstalled from Etsy .. does this mean once I put my sd card into the console will it be ready to play? Or do I need to do something?
People need to stop expecting perfect PS2 & Gamecube performance for $200. It's not happening in 2024. If you want that from an Android handheld then you have to go big with the Odin 2. End of story.
That's why the power to price of the RP4 Pro is in a weird spot for me. Like, it's more powerful, but you're also starting to approach lower end Odin 2 pricing.
Every single reviewer has moaned about no grips on the Retroid Pro 4. I've had mine for like a month no, and I haven't dropped it once. It feels almost like a Switch lite...or a regular ass Switch, just smaller. Correct me if I'm wrong, but why is this an issue when we grew up with handhelds that didn't have grips at all. Gameboy, Game Gear, GBA, DS, PSP, Vita...NO GRIPS! Not a single one of them had grips. What gives? Why is that, all of a sudden such a feature for you to have now? You got chubby ass fingers? You oil them up regularly? How did you drop your handheld so often when I haven't once? I don't get it bro, I don't get it at all. And I don't get other reviews like Retro Game Corps, and Gamer Dad saying the same exact things...Am I out of touch???
If you go back far enough, a controller was just a rectangle, ergonomics have moved on from those days and while regularly dropping a device does seem odd, better ergo also results in a device being more comfortable to hold over a longer period than one without it.
I agree with this take, but more importantly, why are removable grips hated so? Heres the thing, I like having more options then being force fed whatever you want. I would rather have the option of grips, then be forced to use one that may not make the device comfy for me. I think that is also less talked about. Yes, I have a grip on my RP4P, and its still fits in my jacket pocket, it doesnt make it less portable for MY use case. but if it did, having the option to remove the grip is nice too. Yet "It needs grips" is commonly used as an excuse to trash a device. If ergonomics are important to "Your" Usability use case, then the RP4P has that option for you. If pocketability is more your use case, then the RP4P has that for you. But thats always dismissed as a downside in these videos. Makes no sense. Thats an upside!
Yeah agreed, everyone loves the switch form factor, but hates rp3-4 form factor... It's about the same thing 🤦🏼♂️ does that mean everyone hates switch, psp, ps vita, ds, ds lite, dsi, 3ds, 2ds, gba, gb, gbc, gb micro, gb pocket, almost every smart phone, tablet, etc? 🤔
I was almost put off buying the rp4 pro, because everyone was complaining about the ergonomy. I was curious what people said about the vita, because I use this device even today. It is very comfortable to me, but guess what I found? People complaining about cramped fingers :D I have big hands, therfore I seriously don't know what the problem is :D I want to know how the ergonomy of the rp4 pro compares to the vita. I bet it's not very different and therefore it will be no problem for me.
If only the RP4PRO had a max version with a larger screen. It's too powerful for that tiny screen. I ordered an RG556 when it came in it had a bad thumbstick. We need the RP4PRO power in an RG556.
Just ordered the blue one yesterday going to be my first retro handheld all the reviews im watching they state the sticks suck so hopefully i didn't make a bad choice. also got a sub from me great content!! :)
@@simonagusto5041 I love it man the screen is beautiful runs everything really well I erased everything and re downloaded all the emulators ps2 games run good the only complaint really is the sticks when trying to play like call of duty mobile but they work fine with mostly everything I’m hoping the come out with an update like they have done in prior handhelds other than that I give it 7 out of 10 for the price can’t beat it
Do these things run the installed games that you can get bundled in say, the 128 GB card, good out of the box with only having to tweak settings? I don’t wanna have to install different operating systems in front ends, and all that if I can avoid it, thanks !
Might be a dumb question, but what’s the point playing PS2 games at >1.5x on the RP4P when the screen is only 1.5x of the PS2’s output? Or was you just conducting this test for benchmarking?
Many youtubers the last few days decided to do the same "battle" between these particular handhelds and all of them, found that the 556 is the best proposition! What a "coincidence" 😂😂😂
@kostassti yes, we are currently discussing your conspiracy theories. Making videos wouldn't be very much fun if we were being told what to do. Anbernic asks for fair and honest feedback, the same as Retroid. They send devices for review, we review them, that is the extent of it.
@@retrohandhelds conspiracy theories are for flat earthers. We are talking about your bad performance to actress. Also, if you want to be a public person, you must be ready for negative reviews.
Love the review, now for people outside of the US who seem to get free shipping and have nicer taxes policies this all sounds nice, me living in old Germany with my government squeezing every euro in taxes, both come at more or less the same price with shipping and taxes. In that case, what would you recommend?
I've seen European people on our Discord mention that the GoGameGeek 556 deal bypasses a lot of the VAT and import duty stuff compared to buying direct or through Ali Express. I can't confirm that since I live in the good ol' US of A, but you might want to try that link and see what sort of savings you might get. It's in the video description.
@@retrohandhelds thanks! I may try that, now if that wouldn’t be the case, do you still think the anbernic is better considering the price being the same?
If the price is the same, then you'd really need to consider if you wanted better performance on 6th generation stuff and above or if you wanted a bigger screen on a more comfortable handheld.
Have you or anyone else you tried sports games, like Cricket 19 (switch emulation) or Don Bradman Cricket 14 (PC emulation) on either? I'd really appreciate it man. I have the RG556 on the way, being new to handheld emulation. I figure PS 2 emulation of Cricket 07 would be pretty solid, given other PS 2 titles run well. But I'd like to one day try something from the 2010s through whichever emulator/system it would work with.
picked up the r4pro didnt know about the rg556 i swear these handhelds be popping out of nowhere lmao got the grip, 512gb sd card and a case been playing all of my old game collections runs all my ps2 games fine! been enjoying ratchet deadlocked on the go lmao
Nice! I thinks the hardest part is just picking one that does what you want and then fighting the urge to buy the next best thing. I know a couple people who got a 351V and they're set for life! - Zu
yeah im happy with my choice plus since still android, can run all of my native apps! got genshin to play just the controller is wonky @@retrohandhelds
if retro gaming only and on the go - rp4+ (note fan is a little irritating in high performance mode) if at home, want pc or game pass streaming, rg556 or odin2 if you want to spend the extra money =>a modern pc streaming will outperform any handheld
@dragon2knight yes but then I start killing myself on whether I should get the 8G or the 12G. I know 8 is probably fine, but I feel like I'll regret not getting the 12. But were at 400 at that point. Is odin lite better than both if these as well you think?
@@-Airwalk1616-Yes, it is. And a base is just fine, it's the processor that does the bulk of the work here and more memory is a luxury, not a necessity.
I'd take the CPU and analogue sticks out of the RP4+ and stick them in a RG556......Then we have good ergonomics, OLED screen, fairly powerful device, Good sticks, decent battery.........Oh sod it, I'll just get a Odin 2. 🤣
Downside is Odin 2 isnt Oled either. But i'm with you, can't wait until one of these companies gets it together and pairs OLED with Power in a ergo form factor.
You left out a very BIG factor out, and one of the boggest reasons i went with the RP4 and it is pocketability. I wanted something powerful that i could just pocket and the RP4 made it possible. So yeah, BIG reason left out
One of two things need to happen for me to buy one of these. Retroid needs to use a better screen or Anbernic needs to use a higher end SOC. Once one of those conditions are meant. I will buy one. Both are very flawed to me right not. No, I don't believe Gamma will be able to save Anbernic this time with newer drivers. The gap is a little too much.
Which one of these will you be picking up? Maybe you're opting for something more powerful?
Let us know in the comments!
RG556 because it feels better in the hands and I don't like Retroid products.
@@PridetoonsI like the Switch Lite look of the Pocket 3 and 4 but what's wrong with them?
Minor correction but RP4 Pro can do 1080p out of USBC as well, regular Pro cam only do the HDMI
neither
@@triniking1234 Non-existent Ergonomics just like the Nintendo Switch.
I went with the RG556. The extra screen real estate will be great for game streaming.
I'm pretty happy with my RP4 pro but cool to see ambernic came out with something way more ergonomic looking!
The Retroid 3+ seemed to be the PERFECT handheld for me when it was released...but after spending time with it, the screen is too small and it's not ergonomical enough for me. I much prefer a 6" screen and handle grips like the 556 and Odin 2. Even the Odin 1/Pro/Lite were too "thin" for comfort. I'd do the 556 over the RP4 all day, and if you're spending this much might as well go for the Odin 2 ✔✔
That's an extra $100+ 🤔 might as well go more and get steam deck lol
🤡
@suhtangwong not if you want something even close to portable. Not always about the $$$ and raw power.
@@williammiller3277 so just get the rp4 pro, win win ♥
@@suhtangwong im happy with my Odin 2
Thank you! I finally made my choice and I think I'll go with the RP4 pro in watermelon red. I was waiting for this kind of comparative video between those two devices to take a decision.
You're welcome!
Agreed on the outcome. They don't cost the same, they aren't designed to do the same thing, and they took totally different approaches to their respective handhelds. Ones ergonomics and perfect screen/size, the others power at all costs, including lousy ergonomics--but power! If you hate compromise, save your pennies and buy an Odin 2.
I myself am old, have not the greatest eyesight anymore, and comfort is a must as I cramped up a ton whilst using my hand me down (from a friend) RP3+. I should also note that said RP3 needed a trigger button not once, but twice. Not good Retroid, not good at all that that wasn't addressed on the RP4. So the RP4 Pro, power and all, was never even a consideration to me personally. I'm very happy Anbernic took the approach they did with the 556, it's really just perfect for me all told. I can easily deal with playing at 1.5X, heck I even prefer playing at 1X because I actually like the games I'm playing looking like the way I remember playing them back in the day, blocks and all. To each their own on that one. Good review Zu!
The way it looks to me is that because of the better chip more games will run "well" on the RP4Pro, but if the game you want to play will run at reasonable speed on the RG556, you'd probably enjoy playing it more on the RG556 due to the better screen and ergonomics.
But yes ... those of us who started gaming in the age of Pong like our big screens.
Odin 2 is waaay more expensive, specially if you don’t live in the US, I have to pay about $500 with taxes and shipping to Europe, making it a complete waste of money, just get a Steam deck in that case.
I have the Retroid pocket 4 pro, and grips. Could not be happier.
I hook it up to my TV, and play all my games with Bluetooth controllers.
It's so cool that it can act like a console.
Great video! I have an RP3+ and hardly use it because of the ergonomics. The RG556 looks pretty snazzy for the price.
Why not pick up the grips?
@@DimitrisDr3am I did, but the original grip makes it pretty awkward to fit into pockets/my small handbag. I’ve got a 3D printed one that is a lot better now, but I still prefer the trigger buttons on the rp2s to the stiff ones of the rp3+
@crystal_is_cozy then wouldnt the perma grips on the 556 always give you that same problem but worse since you cannot remove them? From reviews Ive seen the triggers on the 556 are hella stiff if you dont like stiff triggers.
@@williammiller3277 oh, that’s actually something I didn’t notice in the reviews, thanks for pointing that out. Yeah, if the triggers are stiff in the 556, I’ll probably pass. Also, my sister just ordered me an Odin 2 Pro a thank you gift, so I probably don’t need one 😝
And yeah, I don’t think the 556 would be a pocket device for me, more of a lounging device. So the size with its perma-grip would be less of an issue, whereas I bought the rp3+ intending to have it live in my very tiny hip bag, so size is more of a concern. I have the RP2S now which I adore for that purpose.
@crystal_is_cozy ive been holding onto my analogue pocket but thinking I will sell it and the dock and get an odin 2 as well so cant argue with your sisters choice. If she wants to thank me as well I can give you my shipping address.
My 3 kids have rp3, a rp3+, and retroid flip respectively so was leaning toward rp4 originally but odin 2 I think it is.
I'm getting the rg556 simply down to ergonomics and screen.
I picked up the RP4Pro on preorder... no regerts! I have also recently discovered the joys of a Galaxy Tab S7+ for emulation. If I want to carry something in a bag... the tablet, and some 8bitdo controllers is off the charts... amoled, hi res, super fast, and surprisingly useful for things other than retro gaming.
For me personally I like a dedicated handheld. I have an iPhone with RetroArch and PPSSPP on it and it can do God of War for the PSP at 6x resolution and maintain 60 fps no problem. The issue I have is when I connect the Backbone controller it becomes a pretty long device (phone by itself is 6.5 inches long, with Backbone connected it becomes 10 inches long), not exactly portable at that point. Even with baggy sweatpants on it still sticks out of the pocket a bit.
Does the S7+ do PSP and PS2? I wanna replay Jak X, Motorstorm Arctic Edge, and the other Jak n Daxter games
@deakridearts PSP, GameCube, Saturn and Dreamcast are no problem. Have not tried Wii or PS2 yet. ETA Prime has a review on his channel from a few years back.
Rg556 for streaming must be Heavenly
I think that was a fair and astute assessment. Two thumbs up. Unfortunately, I still can't decide which one I'd rather buy. 😂
Trick question: save an extra month and go Odin 2. Best of both worlds
@@gutyourtrust Believe me. I've been looking at that one and thinking the same thing too.
Hummed and hahed over the RP4pro, til I saw the RP556. It was loveatfirst sight and pre-ordered on the spot. My crystal blue arrived a couple days ago and feels so good in the hand and does exactly what I want it to - play the games I missed out on early on.
I honestly spend 80-90% of my retro handhelds time on stuff I missed. It used to be a lot of replays of favorites, but our Game of the Month club on the discord has exposed me to a ton of stuff I never picked up at the local Kmart back in the 90s.
RP4 gets points for being more compact and having drastically better sticks. So get the 556 for ergo and screen as a couch device or RP4 (and a 3d printed grip case) for a throw and go device. Really wish Anbernic would've put better sticks on a device designed for ergo.
I personally feel like compactness is a weakness because you get a smaller screen on a system that can handle 6th generation systems that would take advantage of the larger screen. I can see the validity of your argument as well though.
@@retrohandheldsindeed, once being more portable becomes enough of an issue, you might as well drop down to the devices that are actually pocketable and accept the limitations that implies on the supported systems.
I bought RP4 pro because of its pocketability and performance. If I will go to a bigger handheld, I will save my money for Odin 2 base model. Steam Deck is a good option too if the idea is I will only use it inside my house. Really can't consider RG556 right now because of its chip, software, and controls. Let see next month, what new device Anbernic will release.
Handheld prices are hard to estimate. The RG556 and RP4 are both in the $200 'range' but overall expect to pay more for the RP4. In my case the difference was substantial.
I got my 256 gb RG556 for $182. I couldnt find a RP4 for under $250 (from Retroids site). Im including taxes and shipping so the Retroid price isnt exact. If you want the RP4 quickly expect to pay even more. Some Aliexpress listings start at $220 and easily reach the $300 mark.
I think you get 'more' with the RP4, but an OLED screen +$80 savings was an easy choice. Actually thats a lie i still spent a week going back and forth. Im happy with my choice tho.
i use to have a rp3+ but I gave it to a friend in need. The reason I gave it up was because the screen was too small. If I were to choose between rp4 and 556 i would choose 556 because of my aging old eyesight.
I totally agree with you, If i had to buy, I would buy the 556 due to bigger/better screen and much better ergonomics. That being said, i'm waiting for the best of both worlds, something like the 556 with the performance of the rp4p , in the 200$ price range. I don't want to play anything higher than PS2/GC. Until then, ill enjoy my r36s
I'm not a professional retrogamer, so i will get the RG556.
Don't
@@shto4782 lol so we should all cancel preorder ?? Reasons??
@@Bidwellz9 plenty. Controls, size, messy android experience, chipset. I can go on. Just gonna say that rp4 pro is better
All should cancel and buy odin pro, believe me
Rp4 pro is the buggiest and very slow at ps2 wii games and there is an issue with the screen it ghosting every single time and r1 button gonna be broken within 1 month, (my personal experience) and odin pro is way better! Audio display and more,
Great review Zu, and as a fan of both these devices, I think you were being more than fair about their respective strengths and weaknesses. You’ll likely not please the stans on both sides, but never mind: you speaketh the truth!
Question: There is a third mid range contender, the original AYN Odin Pro is currently $199 + shipping from AYN's own store. For me that equals $224 US, which is on par with the Pocket 4 Pro. On paper the old but still lionhearted SD845 in the Odin doesn't benchmark nearly as well as the D1100 in Retroid and, if I'm remembering Aish's chart correctly, slightly trails the Unisoc Tiger 820 in the RG556. However; benchmarks are like BMI, they often don't tell the whole story. It's common knowledge that Qualcomm has some special sauce that makes their chips preferred by the emulation community and emulator developers. Now I've finally gotten to the question... In the real world is the Odin 1 Pro a viable alternative to these two at its new lower price?
If the Tooth Fairy dropped $250 on my lap to make up for stealing all my teeth when I was a youth then I'm Team Anbernic all day, every day. $180 out the door for all it offers is a steal, and it seems powerful enough to run everything I want while being Goldielocks sized. The Pocket 4 Pro at the moment is just too flawed for the price it commands. However, the Odin 1 Pro is kind of tempting at 4 Pro prices.
I thought this was another great review/comparo. Then again, has Zu ever not put out a great quality content? The man is as consistently good as the Toyota Land Cruiser factory.
I remember getting the RP2 and a 351P. On paper they were comparable but i found myself using the 351P every single time. RP2 took 30 seconds to boot up and i felt like i was always messing with the settings, and various games just wouldnt run as expected.
I just got a 35XX H and i love it. Anbernics never let me down.
Price wise, Should be compared to RP4 regular rather than RP4 pro.
True but people will still compare
NGL upscaling on a Tiny Screen is meaningless.
@@Pridetoons agree, RP4 pro is unecessary, they should make it bigger to justify it's power.
@@hull4bal00 Loses portability though. Which can be a big draw.
@@Oddoad6001 if you emulate handheld games such as psp, gb, nds then it's perfect, but those system doesn't required powerful hardware.
But RP4 pro have enough power to emulate home console which isn't ideal to play on small display, even playing android games is hard.
About the only thing you didn't mention is the fact that it'd be way easy to throw an RP4 Pro in a pocket/bag... right?
Thanks for another honest review Zu. I prefer odin2 still and saving up until the day I can cash in my Odin 2
Very solid review! For me, the main thing that matters when comparing these two is that one fits in my pocket while the other doesn’t. I purchased the RP4P so I can play at work or when I’m out and know I’ll be stuck somewhere. If I’m home or on a longer vacation or whatever, I’ll play my Steam Deck OLED for more power, ergonomic comfort, and the better screen. Use cases vary from person to person though, I totally get that, but I feel better knowing I have the least amount of devices that cover the most ground as possible.
@@brandongabel Why not just stick to a small budget system then? 2D games are great for that. 3D games really need a bigger screen and comfort.
I just bought the RP4 Pro with the grip, sou ergonomics is not a problem, yeah, sure, they could have done the model with the bumps, but I think it would not be so pocketable, I think the performance is better, less things to tinker for it to run smoothly, better materials, feels more durable. Not saying the RG556 is bad, but I think the performance and out of the box experience of the RP4 Pro outweights the ergonomics and size problems, it is supposed to be portable after all, but that's just my opinion and my choice
Edit: I thought about buying an Odin Pro, but the shipping and taxes on my country are way too high, specially for the Odin, it's almost 80% of the price just for the tax.
Odin is not pocketable.
Already have my Anbernic pre ordered.
I just need my handheld to play retro games and GooglePlay games. Started looking for an upgrade to my cherished but dated GPD XD+. Wanted to keep it around $250 or so. After much nerding out to a ton of content on both the Retroid Pocket 4 Pro and Anbernic GR 556 and several others, I went with the black RG 556 for a few reasons. Both are bangers, with the Retroid having better thumbsticks, better PS2 emulation and more speed under the hood. But for me personally the 556 is the perfect size and weight for a handheld; not too big, not too small, not too heavy, not too light, but just right. The price to power ratio is insane. It's ultra comfortable in hand and I really prefer its overall ergonomics and control layout. I love its larger OLED screen. It delivers truly stunning visuals. I have no doubt a firmware update or some other option will unlock even better PS2 emulation on the 556, which it already does pretty well as is. But there's no update that can increase the size and picture quality of the Retroid's screen. The 556 does absolutely everything I want it to and more. I can't get over how much bang you get for the buck.Honestly I can't love this thing enough.
Great review Zu. Very fair. As others have said, still undecided which way to go. Let me put the question like this: If I don't care about 2-3x upscaling, will the 556 play the PS2 library at 1x? I know you said yes, but, I wish reviewers would play more of these games at 1x for longer.
Gimme some hard to run PS2 games you're thinking of and I'll see what the 556 can do!
@@retrohandhelds that sounds great, I really appreciate it! I'm sort of a nerd for wrestling games. Do you have Here Comes the Pain that you'd be able to run? Maybe a FIFA game? I don't want to be too picky, I just want to make sure that the Anbernic will at least run 95% of the PS2 library at 1x. Thank you!
The only benefit of the RP4 Pro is a little bit more performance?? No thank you and go for the RG556😅
I bought the 556 due to the bigger oled screen and ergonomics.
If only PowKiddy's MAX 3 had a better chipset, it could have made this competition a whole lot more interesting.
Still early days in the t618 successors, still time for powkiddy to join in, if they can find time between releasing new rk3566 devices.
Great review.
I think this is one of the best comparison videos of these two.
If you apply the official RP4P grip on it, will it have similar ergonomics to the 556?
Thanks.
Love my rp3+ so much. Not sure if I should get rp4pro or wait for the rp5.
The rp4 pro outputs 1080p via the USB c (as well as 720p via mini HDMI)
RG556 it is. Im not too into Nintendo so emulating Switch flawlessly doesnt matter to me. Itll play my entire library. And pretty perfect looking for using GeForce now.
That and the R/L buttons snapping constantly (ive seen soo many reviews about this) it tells me the RP4 is going to cost even more in repairs.
Thanks for the video. Definately helped me narrow things down.
Awesome video, loved the side by side gaming comparison. It really answered some questions for me. Very torn between these 2 though. Love the performance and pocketability of the RP4 Pro but man of man that oled screen on the 556 is a beauty.
The RP4 pro's only advantage in my eyes are the portability and horsepower
The rg556 had a more comfortable feel and better screen. I'm not sure if it had the same list of mechanical failures and shitty QC the rp4 pro have. If it's solid, then it's an insta win in my book.
We're paying for a fully operating device. So I don't wanna be stressed and be forced to rip open a brand new device just for repairs and replacement.
Fully operating device, rp4 pro kills the anbernic
Everything ive seen says controls on rp4pro are far superior. When theyve hardwired in that isnt nothing at all.
Shoulder buttons break a lot. Seen people have them only a couple of days and already have to send out requests for replacement parts
You can’t beat the screen 📺 n the 556. I was going to buy a switch but after seeing this was coming out I dropped that idea. The 556 plays everything the other does for the most part. It feels good and looks good. After setting it up with ES-DE and setting ES as my start system it work great. It feels like a console. I’ve been using it everyday. Even connecting it to my tv and a Bluetooth controller.
TIL wait 2-6 months and get the upgrade of the 556 that will inevitability release.
I'll go with the 556.
With years of experience you would think Anbernic already knew what they were doing, but nope. They just make totally nonesense decisions and sprinkle them to all of their devices. This time, it's the material used for the shell. It's an absolute fingerprint magnet, and feels a class below their recent handhelds. Honestly, this would be in the same tier as older powkiddy devices in terms of plastic quality.
I still love my 556, and glad I got the blue one. This black one looks yucky to me, even more when I use it probably, because I have sweaty hands all the time.
I agree, but the fingerprints are only a issue when I use the 556 for Game of the Month and forget to wipe it off before I take my credits picture! - Zu
That's good to know! Happy Gaming!@@retrohandhelds
i dont think it's "nebulous" to bring up the fact that there IS bad colour accuracy and significant ghosting on the 4 pro. I still think it's fine when i am in-game, but it is undeniably noticeable, especially in menus. /and I am not someone who is particularly sensitive to those kind of things.
still a fantastic deal for $200 as long as you get a new backplate when the spring breaks. I also had the somewhat common issue where play services permissions was causing android apps to randomly close on launch which requires using ADB commands to fix (or running a shell script that a reddit user has shared on the subreddit). Definitely not a plug-and-play device for the masses.
OTA update dropped today to fix the colour accuracy and ghosting. Lets see how that performs.
How does it perform?
Hi, because this review i just pre ordered rg556 from link in description.. got $170 free shipping from the code
Hope you enjoy it!
from what I've heard the rg556 plays any popular ps2 game well, that's all I'd want. That in addition to the screen makes it my favorite.
What’s better RP4pro, Odin Lite, or RG 556??? Since Odin lite is around the 200 range too
Isn't the odin 2 light 299? I'm from Canada and looking for something 300 and under for a console with Shipping
@@michael-lm6yb he is speaking about the odin 1 lite
Fantastic video and just what I was looking for! Thank you for making this!
I don't know if it was an optical illusion to me or what but when you pressed down on the analog triggers a few times 1:28 looked like they wiggled quite a bit on the RP4+. I'd prefer no wiggling, just in or not in. If they are wiggling that much then I wonder if that's why people were saying the springs in the R2 button were dislodging?
true i herd retro has alot of quality problems with broken sticks and trigger buttons
I already have a steamdeck oled and an odin 2 Pro. I bought the retroid pocket 4 Pro because I wanted something smaller and portable than I could travel with. I don't like traveling with a lot of stuff or with a lot of heavy items. Plus if something were to happen to it like getting lost or stolen, $200 is way easier to replace than $400-$550.
Felt like the comparison between the pro and 556 was unwarranted, as it should have been a comparison between the RP4 vs the 556 instead. Also if the ergonomics was such a deciding factor I would have also actually preferred you to show and use the grip to compare the differences rather then just saying you would want one. A lot of people enjoy having optional addons rather then being forced to use the built in ergonomics that anbernic forces. Given ergonomics being interchangable this review really comes down to Screen vs performance vs price vs X factor (What games you want to play, how you want to use your device.). This didnt even delve into pocketability use cases. My RP4P w/grip fits in my jacket pocket. Making it more portable then a bigger device would be, thus more usable for my use cases.
I really love both.
After all those retro devices , one thing I always remind myself is
Do you need PS2 emulation actually?
Buy a cheap Snapdragon android phone ,upscale & use Gamesir x2 pro or something like that.
Do you need PS1 emulation & below ?
Just fine with a 35xx plus or H.
At this moment , we just need to wait for a better device since it is early 2024.
If using a phone for gaming is good enough for you then use a phone for gaming. However most of us in this community don't like gaming on phones.
I think the portability should be worth a ding* sound effect
Cheaper for an OLED screen, grips, hall effect sticks, analogue shoulder buttons, better battery... to me it's a no brainer.
In the U.K RG556 is about £20 more expensive than RP4P delivered.
I just bought the rg556 for the screen and better control placement I will delete all the emulators and install upto date ones with a fee tweaks I've seen people do you can get better performance compared to the out the box experience
With some tweaks super mario wonder can be played fine on the rp4 pro in 30-40fps
Yoo more 556 content LFG 🔥
Rp4 blows it. Im biggest 556 hater btw
@@shto4782 why
@@scoobiedude because, why do you want something with 💩 controls? Look at those sticks they are a mess. The screen is good, and thats about it. Also android is not nearly as clean as on rp4 pro. Make your choice buddy
@@shto4782 that 1080 OLED tho. Little jealous? And it’s bigger, maaaan that’s gonna be nice to play on
@@scoobiedude 1080 on such a small screen and weak chipset, no thank you. 750p on rp4 pro looks great, i see no pixels. This devices are just a cheap phone with built in controls bro, there is no jealousy. Im just pointing what device is worth buying
The anbernic added over 40 dollars in taxes at checkout to ship to the uk which put it over 200 dollar mark, put me off and ordered the rp4 pro instead.
Too late now, but I've heard that GoGameGeek is a decent UK option from a couple of guys on the discord.
You won't regret! Rp4 ftw
Oled screen really make that much of a difference when playing games?
PS. I never use a oled screen
I also once scoffed at OLED, but it makes a legitimate difference. -Zu
It makes a huge difference for me. Big enough that I bought the switch oled even though I already had a regular switch and it was 100% worth it to me.
It makes a large difference in the dark, you can play with a much lower brightness without the screen looking milky due to backlighting
In a bright environment, it depends
YES the AMOLED screen makes a HUGE difference!
Thank for everyone that really to my comment. After reading your comments i will buy a rg556
I skipped the $200 mark and went odin 2 this year. Man love the odin 2!
Why not go bit more for steam deck? 🤔
you wont regret it, even the base model is all you need
i love my rp4 pro and i got replacement triggers 2 weeks after i asked and its great to take to work
The retroid is $10 more idk what to get...on your switch video that was double the fps! 556 still has 1080p oled vs 720p IPS...
This is the most accurate view of the ice blue color I've seen so far.
I white balance my videos! 😁
I second this. To me its gorgeous especially housed with the black grip, it honestly brings joy to me when using. But every other video showing it off doesnt look the same as in RL.
Why would I need a chunky, almost un-pocketable, retro handheld? If I wanted a "full-sized" handheld, I'd go for one of the Windows-based ones, or a even Steam Deck. The whole point of a retro handheld for me is the readily available, in-and-out-of-pocket, 15-30 minutes break at the doctor's office or waiting for my flight. These are old games, I can't play them for hours at a time. Not these days, anyway. The RP4 is more in that area, although I would rather prefer something like the Flip for that purpose.
Liked and subscribed guys, thanks a lot for the hard work and the funny moments ;)
Thanks for the sub!
Nice comparison.
Personally, I prefer ayn odin 2. With +100 usd, you'll get Double performance, better battery, better build quality.
If it only was the + $100, but the tax increases also a lot with the additional $100 -.-
RP4 needs plus version, like a RP4+ and RP4+ Pro. Bigger screens and maybe, better grips.
I like the stick layout better on the 556 Over the RP4 pro.
D-Pad location agnostic! I'm militant D-Pad top, yet I'm still considering the 556
Even for 3d games?
That OLED looks fire though 😮
The Retroid size/form factor is NOT designed for normal adult male hands. Sent a 3+ back before Xmas because it was impossible to play for more than 5 minutes without pain and the size of the screen severely limited enjoyment of any modern widescreen content. Stepsons hands with him being 6'4" were going to be a no go. Similar priced the Odin Lite was a much better adult retro gaming purchase.
I just received mine and ordered it with the 256gb with pre installed games but…. No SD card shows up under storage and when I open an emulator to search for games it says none detected…. Do you think I received a broken SD card or maybe reader is wrong? It is there a step I’m missing?
Pop out the SD card and see if it will open on your computer. If it doesn't work with the handheld *or* your computer, I'd reach out to customer service. If it's a defective SD card, they might be able to just ship you a new one right away.
@@retrohandhelds does it insert with the pins facing toward you? I read that in a few posts and that doesn’t seem correct or even like it fits lol. With pins facing away it inserts easily and ejects.
Just ordered an rg556 from anbernic but I bought an sd card with games preinstalled from Etsy .. does this mean once I put my sd card into the console will it be ready to play? Or do I need to do something?
People need to stop expecting perfect PS2 & Gamecube performance for $200. It's not happening in 2024.
If you want that from an Android handheld then you have to go big with the Odin 2. End of story.
just get a SD oled at that point
That's why the power to price of the RP4 Pro is in a weird spot for me. Like, it's more powerful, but you're also starting to approach lower end Odin 2 pricing.
Amen! 🙏
@@seethruhead7119 he said "Android Handheld"
The goal "should" be full PS2 performance at $200 price point. 🙃
First one to reach this goal will snag the majority of the market.
Nice review! RG556 screen looks amazing
Amoled always pops out the colours but some don’t like it.
Every single reviewer has moaned about no grips on the Retroid Pro 4. I've had mine for like a month no, and I haven't dropped it once. It feels almost like a Switch lite...or a regular ass Switch, just smaller.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but why is this an issue when we grew up with handhelds that didn't have grips at all. Gameboy, Game Gear, GBA, DS, PSP, Vita...NO GRIPS! Not a single one of them had grips. What gives? Why is that, all of a sudden such a feature for you to have now? You got chubby ass fingers? You oil them up regularly? How did you drop your handheld so often when I haven't once? I don't get it bro, I don't get it at all. And I don't get other reviews like Retro Game Corps, and Gamer Dad saying the same exact things...Am I out of touch???
HEY! YOU PUT SOME RESPECT ONTO GAMER DAD'S NAME!
If you go back far enough, a controller was just a rectangle, ergonomics have moved on from those days and while regularly dropping a device does seem odd, better ergo also results in a device being more comfortable to hold over a longer period than one without it.
I agree with this take, but more importantly, why are removable grips hated so? Heres the thing, I like having more options then being force fed whatever you want. I would rather have the option of grips, then be forced to use one that may not make the device comfy for me.
I think that is also less talked about. Yes, I have a grip on my RP4P, and its still fits in my jacket pocket, it doesnt make it less portable for MY use case. but if it did, having the option to remove the grip is nice too. Yet "It needs grips" is commonly used as an excuse to trash a device. If ergonomics are important to "Your" Usability use case, then the RP4P has that option for you. If pocketability is more your use case, then the RP4P has that for you.
But thats always dismissed as a downside in these videos. Makes no sense. Thats an upside!
Yeah agreed, everyone loves the switch form factor, but hates rp3-4 form factor... It's about the same thing 🤦🏼♂️ does that mean everyone hates switch, psp, ps vita, ds, ds lite, dsi, 3ds, 2ds, gba, gb, gbc, gb micro, gb pocket, almost every smart phone, tablet, etc? 🤔
I was almost put off buying the rp4 pro, because everyone was complaining about the ergonomy. I was curious what people said about the vita, because I use this device even today. It is very comfortable to me, but guess what I found? People complaining about cramped fingers :D I have big hands, therfore I seriously don't know what the problem is :D I want to know how the ergonomy of the rp4 pro compares to the vita. I bet it's not very different and therefore it will be no problem for me.
I think i wiil buy RG556 because of AMOLED screen,it's the first console around this price.
Which Is the best handhelds NOW for you?
It's funny I never hear anyone complain about switch form factor, but that's what the rp4 replicates and everyone complains about it 🤔
I mean, there's a big secondary market for switch grips, but okay.
@@zu_perler3011 the rp4 has 1st market for grip, so okay ♥
I cant play with the ps5 Controller on the rp4.
They have a Problem to gegister the Sticks.
If only the RP4PRO had a max version with a larger screen. It's too powerful for that tiny screen. I ordered an RG556 when it came in it had a bad thumbstick. We need the RP4PRO power in an RG556.
Just ordered the blue one yesterday going to be my first retro handheld all the reviews im watching they state the sticks suck so hopefully i didn't make a bad choice. also got a sub from me great content!! :)
Thanks and good luck!
Man I wanna know wich one I should buy … how is going your experience with the 556 ??
@@simonagusto5041 I love it man the screen is beautiful runs everything really well I erased everything and re downloaded all the emulators ps2 games run good the only complaint really is the sticks when trying to play like call of duty mobile but they work fine with mostly everything I’m hoping the come out with an update like they have done in prior handhelds other than that I give it 7 out of 10 for the price can’t beat it
@@krazykid2002k thank you so much … you still would rather this one over the RP4 ??
@@simonagusto5041 I don’t want to tell you what to buy but the 556 is super comfortable in the hand
Where's the best place to order rp pro because 15 to 60 day delivery is bogus
Here's their Amazon shop, but still a decent 15 day lead time (not 60 at least!) and upcharge. amzn.to/3vrSzKW
I stream my Xbox to my retroid pocket 4 pro.
Plus it has cloud gaming with Xbox gamepass ultimate.
Do these things run the installed games that you can get bundled in say, the 128 GB card, good out of the box with only having to tweak settings?
I don’t wanna have to install different operating systems in front ends, and all that if I can avoid it, thanks !
Yes
Might be a dumb question, but what’s the point playing PS2 games at >1.5x on the RP4P when the screen is only 1.5x of the PS2’s output? Or was you just conducting this test for benchmarking?
Benchmarking.
In the Philippines, RG556 is being sold at $330. Way more expensive
Daaaaaaaaang!
3.3 sale sa shopee 9.5k nalang almost 172usd. base model
@@emilsanchez8923 gusto ko bumili pero sana sa oras na yun eh magmura na. Eguls eh laki ng tubo.
Many youtubers the last few days decided to do the same "battle" between these particular handhelds and all of them, found that the 556 is the best proposition! What a "coincidence" 😂😂😂
Use them both and then you decide
@@retrohandhelds obviously. But we are not talking about me.
@kostassti yes, we are currently discussing your conspiracy theories. Making videos wouldn't be very much fun if we were being told what to do. Anbernic asks for fair and honest feedback, the same as Retroid. They send devices for review, we review them, that is the extent of it.
@@retrohandhelds conspiracy theories are for flat earthers. We are talking about your bad performance to actress. Also, if you want to be a public person, you must be ready for negative reviews.
Save a bit more and get the odin 2 for best experience.
Love the review, now for people outside of the US who seem to get free shipping and have nicer taxes policies this all sounds nice, me living in old Germany with my government squeezing every euro in taxes, both come at more or less the same price with shipping and taxes. In that case, what would you recommend?
I've seen European people on our Discord mention that the GoGameGeek 556 deal bypasses a lot of the VAT and import duty stuff compared to buying direct or through Ali Express. I can't confirm that since I live in the good ol' US of A, but you might want to try that link and see what sort of savings you might get. It's in the video description.
@@retrohandhelds thanks! I may try that, now if that wouldn’t be the case, do you still think the anbernic is better considering the price being the same?
If the price is the same, then you'd really need to consider if you wanted better performance on 6th generation stuff and above or if you wanted a bigger screen on a more comfortable handheld.
@@retrohandhelds thanks man
Have you or anyone else you tried sports games, like Cricket 19 (switch emulation) or Don Bradman Cricket 14 (PC emulation) on either? I'd really appreciate it man. I have the RG556 on the way, being new to handheld emulation.
I figure PS 2 emulation of Cricket 07 would be pretty solid, given other PS 2 titles run well. But I'd like to one day try something from the 2010s through whichever emulator/system it would work with.
Retroid was in high performance mode?
Yes
picked up the r4pro didnt know about the rg556 i swear these handhelds be popping out of nowhere lmao got the grip, 512gb sd card and a case been playing all of my old game collections runs all my ps2 games fine! been enjoying ratchet deadlocked on the go lmao
Nice! I thinks the hardest part is just picking one that does what you want and then fighting the urge to buy the next best thing. I know a couple people who got a 351V and they're set for life! - Zu
yeah im happy with my choice plus since still android, can run all of my native apps! got genshin to play just the controller is wonky @@retrohandhelds
I'm actually stuck. I can't decide between the 556, rp4p, or the odin2
If you can afford get the odin2. If you want a bigger screen with comfortable controls get 556. If you want smaller pocketable get rp4
if retro gaming only and on the go - rp4+ (note fan is a little irritating in high performance mode)
if at home, want pc or game pass streaming, rg556 or odin2 if you want to spend the extra money
=>a modern pc streaming will outperform any handheld
If you can afford the Odin 2, no brainer, get it. Blows both of these out of the water.
@dragon2knight yes but then I start killing myself on whether I should get the 8G or the 12G. I know 8 is probably fine, but I feel like I'll regret not getting the 12. But were at 400 at that point. Is odin lite better than both if these as well you think?
@@-Airwalk1616-Yes, it is. And a base is just fine, it's the processor that does the bulk of the work here and more memory is a luxury, not a necessity.
Rp4 pro ftw! The grip helps so much more.
I'd take the CPU and analogue sticks out of the RP4+ and stick them in a RG556......Then we have good ergonomics, OLED screen, fairly powerful device, Good sticks, decent battery.........Oh sod it, I'll just get a Odin 2. 🤣
Downside is Odin 2 isnt Oled either. But i'm with you, can't wait until one of these companies gets it together and pairs OLED with Power in a ergo form factor.
People keep mentioning odin 2 but to me that thing is way too big even bigger than the sw lite. Might as well get the lite for that money on odin 2
You left out a very BIG factor out, and one of the boggest reasons i went with the RP4 and it is pocketability. I wanted something powerful that i could just pocket and the RP4 made it possible. So yeah, BIG reason left out
Were both handhelds on high performance mode?
How about the Analog sticks on both, which one would you prefer for shooting games?
@@sunnyc2624 RP4 for Shooters because no Cardinal Snapping. Anbernic NEEDS to fix this issue.
Yeppers.
My man PrideToons is on point. The 556 sticks aren't great for modern shooters.
Could either of them run Cemu (Wii U) Roms?
No
I Cant decide between the blue or black rg556 😅
I like blue, favorite color….but I don’t want it to look like a toy so I went with black
@@Bidwellz9 I'm settled on blue now 💙 😅. The black plastic looks too cheap and I feel like the bezels look even bigger on the black although it's not.
The rp4 pro version
One of two things need to happen for me to buy one of these. Retroid needs to use a better screen or Anbernic needs to use a higher end SOC. Once one of those conditions are meant. I will buy one. Both are very flawed to me right not. No, I don't believe Gamma will be able to save Anbernic this time with newer drivers. The gap is a little too much.
I have my anbernic pre-ordered 🎉
I hope you like it. I've been playing a ton of stuff on the 556 since it arrived and I'm still really in love with the screen and ergonomics.