There is a reason your channel is growing so fast. You are the reference for when i search honest reviews about this devices. Keep up the good work Russ!
There’s a few quality channels these days, I usually watch multiple reviews of the same item just for the entertainment factor of the hosts like this one
Hey dude, I just want to let you know how much of an asset to this community you are. I randomly stumbled upon your videos and immediately became enthralled in making my own handhelds. You've made everything so easy all of the time, now I am out here making them and sending them out as gifts to friends for the holidays. Thanks for all you do man!
Your dedication to providing insight and analysis, and your talent in doing so, are special, Russ; this review answered all my questions and was perfectly-timed. Thank you for all you do- and from a fellow veteran, thanks for your service.
By this point, I've watched many videos on this handheld by many great channels/reviewers but, as always, the most comprehensive and informative content comes from this channel. Always look forward to your videos. Keep up the great work.
Your reviews are a master class, every time. Even more established reviewers/TH-camrs in this community don't come close. The way you put things into context, focus on the things that really matter, and break down your pros and cons... not to mention your recommendations for different subsets of viewers/players, it's the best out there, imo of course. You make deciding between all of these devices so much easier. THANK YOU.
Your reviews are so holistic dude, thank you and keep it up! Also thank you for including the part about pet ergonomics, showed this to my dog and she’s asked for a Retroid Pocket 2 for Christmas instead.
I really love hove you go into detail with aspect ratio and integer scaling. This stuff is important for meny people but most reviewers don't mention it much.
Good prelim review. I'm not sold on this right now, I like Anbernic's devices so far but this one seems to fall short especially for the price point. I'll wait till later next year to see how the software side develops to get an idea of what this thing can truly do in the right hands.
Russ, you are one of the greatest exponents the community has today. You truly do a wonderful job at assessing the hits and misses of every single device you put your hands on. And you do it in such a natural way! If all your videos, from now on, have 50 min or more, I'll keep watching them all. Trust me. XD
Let’s hope the wonderful community can provide us with great custom firmware down the line….great review as always Russ! Hope you and the family are all good
As usual yeah, I think these companies release a device, slap in a working a OS no matter how good or bad it is and leave it up to the dev community to truly unleash any hidden potential. Checkout Tech Toy Tinker's vids on this device. Apparently he is getting the source code for the 552 from Anbernic so will be able to maximise performance. One of his vids showed the cpu is default clocked at around 1.4ghz which he says he should be able to get almost the 2ghz out of it, at the cost of battery life ofcourse. I bet you then itll be able to play N64,PSP and Saturn a whole lot better.. And others. Defo need to keep an eye on his progress with it.
i appreciate that you always seem to be optimistic yet honest in your reviews. ive seen a lot of reviews on this and this is the first one to mention the battery life or the ergonomics. I will admit its a crazy crisp and nice screen but not worth the money. Anbernic seems to price their devices as if they are the only game in town. Also hopefully you can find a handheld for chicken one of these days.
Great video as always! I really enjoy long and well-thought videos. The shoulder buttons and the price are deal breakers for me, I think I gonna wait and see how the Odin is.
Not gonna lie, I only skimmed the video after you talked about the size and ergonomics, that's an immediate dealbreaker when it comes to my small hands. I appreciate how thorough and thoughtful your reviews are, and in doing so you addressed all of my questions! Terrific job as always.
PSP, N64, Sega CD, Dreamcast, GameCube, and PS2 game performance. I want to see if this will make a good replacement for my 351P. Also if there is any news on custom firmwares
This device is almost great. With this build quality and screen, if this had Retroid Pocket 2+'s performance and battery life, it'd be killer. Maybe next generation we'll have truly amazing devices for accessible prices.
When you referred to Mega Man X as “Mega Man 10” my eye twitched. I feel triggered. 😅 In all seriousness though, excellent video as always. Very thorough and helpful information + impressions. If it wasn’t for the ergonomics (which really do make or break the experience) I’d pick one up today. Thanks for all you do, Russ! 🙏
I guess I'm firmly in the third camp, I'll wait for v2 with Bluetooth, 5Ghz wifi, Google Play Store integration built into a newer variant of Android and a significantly better price point given the insanely stiff competition. Thanks for the bloody brilliant first impressions with this device Russ. Anbernic stubbled out of the gate in this one I'm afraid.
@@pieceofschmidtgamer Agreed. I'm down with my OneXplayer S1 1195g7 but I'm interested to see the performance on the Steamdeck. I think the Steamdeck AMD/Ryzen is going to kill on retro emulation nevermind AAA gaming on Steam or Cloud gaming/streaming. I'm saddened by the Steamdeck delay but everyone is bloody impacted although it still sucked to get my email from Valve.
@@amristar736 It's hard to understand why Anbernic thought this would be a good starting point. Maybe because the SOC on this unit is damn near as old as the O/S. And imagine, a Chinese manufacturer NOT including Play Store integration. What a shock. 😏
Another 50 minutes of my life well spent. Terrific and honest review on the device itself. Too bad no butter for comparison this time, and chicken would steer away from this device. 2022 would spell disaster for anbernic. Anyway thank u russ :)
Gotta say Russ, i was tempted to buy one of these but there is no way i will until developers manage to make it worth my while at that price. Ive been really busy with my x18S lately and its amazing.
what makes your videos so great, and the source for me when it comes to devices like this, are the very in depth detailed look and comparisons to other similar devices! You've definitely helped me decide whether to purchase these or not. Keep doing what you're doing! Thanks for the awesome videos!
With that detailed review, you've just earned a new subscriber! Yay! Thanks for reviewing this unit. Not really a fan of emulator handheld gaming devices since most flagship smartphones are already capable and even more powerful plus a Switch is enough, but this should be helpful to people who prefer a dedicated emulator device.
To each there own. I have a Snapdragon 870 8gb phone but gaming on it just put me off just because I need to connect it wired or Bluetooth with my 8bitdo pro 2. I need a dedicated gaming device. I bought the RG351p because of this channels' review. I will wait for the next Anbernic device and wait for the review of the Odin if it's good.
Excellent Review! Wow so many questions answered I'm getting this over Nintendo switch as it meets my criteria for playing old school games and so many platform options to choose from and being HDMI and android compatible it's a win win.
Thanks for the awesome review. It was well worth the time to watch the entire video. I'm passing on this device for now. Overall, I think the biggest drawback is the price. Compared to upcoming competitors, the pricing is high, especially considering the lack of bluetooth and the 2.4ghz wifi chip. The final thing that completely ruled this device out for me is the lack of ergonomics for using sticks and shoulder buttons at the same time. I don't have any of these emulation devices yet, because I'm in the "looking for the one" category. I wanted close to perfect PSP, dreamcast, and N64 emulation out of these "next generation" devices.$200 is my hard limit for a device unless it exceeds my expectations by quite a bit. I followed your batocera on a flashdrive video and am satisfied with this setup while I wait for a food device. If everything coming out soon flops, I might settle for a rg351mp(especially if the price drops). Having the batocera on a flashdrive helps me not waste money on a device that is wrong for me. If I want to wait for the perfect device, I can use my batocera flashdrive in the meantime. If I want to settle for a "last gen" to save money and continue to use batocera for the more demanding emulation I can. It's good to have options.
LOL @ the difficulty playing if you don't have opposable thumbs. This is the important journalistic integrity I have come to expect from this channel. If my cat can't play with me, what even is the point?!
I laughed out loud at your cat using the device XD I'm a fan of Anbernic devices, as a rule, but think I may hold off getting this one. Too big. Too expensive. Great video. Thanks for sharing :)
No device at all at the moment, but looking into getting into portable consoles. I play PC games but loved playing on my classic Game Boy as a kid. Seeing your review and Taki's I think I'll wait for the Steam Deck. Not gonna pre-order though as I never do. Great review as always!
Love the video, love the one and only Chicken. Do like the RGB 10 max 2 little more though. When it came out, I pretty much considered it DOA. With this price and performance of the RG552 though, that device just got a whole lot prettier. Here's hoping they'll upgrade that one a bit in time. Too bad there aren't really any SOCs that are affordable, more powerful than 3399, yet with existing software support.
I was pointed to your channel by a close friend. I have to say, you were very informative, pin pointed the pros and cons and pretty much helped me not spend $227 on something I might regret later. I look forward to seeing how you feel about it later on.
Amazing video as always. Your summary slide “Who Should Buy” would look amazing on social media to promote this video. As it’s not for me as I now primarily want a handheld for Stadia, I appreciated seeing who should get this device. I love how there’s such a variety of handhelds that there really is one for everyone. Can’t wait for my Odin Pro!
As a RG351P user I have been eagerly awaiting your review of the RG552, as I really thought it would be the natural upgrade route for me. So whilst your review is as excellent as always, I leave your video disappointed by the device. It really seems a missed opportunity by Anbernic. As it stands my RG351P running ArkOS final will continue to be my one and only. Fingers crossed 2022 brings us something that will live up to the hype!
Considering the upgrades that Anbernic is pushing on new devices which are quite disappointing for higher end systems...still happy with my RG351M. Price is also high, considering that with a little more you get a Nintendo Switch, and for less a Switch lite. Yes, maybe you can't retroplay as much but looking for something to play around, fro those bucks I wouldn't go for this one. Concerning the video, Russ you are the leader on this topic right now. The level of in depth details you put in your videos is mind blowing, and without you I would have not really know what to buy this year. Your channel was the best discovery on TH-cam I did this year!
Thanks for testing Ki2. Got myself a Retroid Pocket 2+ coming for a more easy to fit in my pocket device. I'm waiting for a handheld that runs Ki2 great before I buy something of this size.
Really appreciate all the resolution talk! Integer scaling is very important to me so all that depth was very helpful. BTW SNES renders natively in 8:7 so I think the distortion in Mega Man X was because you were stretching that to 4:3. A CRT can do that but any LCD screen with fixed pixels will have problems because of it. The choice is always between perfect pixels but squished presentation, or proper presentation with shimmering.
Thanks for this Russ and congrats on 100K+ Subs. You know that means we need more Chicken! I bet if you ran the stats, Chicken = views. Looking forward to messing around with the RG552 and testing all the new firmware that will make it even better.
Good review as always, but I think that the "buy later" category will become soon "don't buy" with so little power for that money when Odin, RP3 and other device will came out.
@matttrotter2401 it's honestly pretty great. I've been playing soul calibur from dreamcast on this and it's been flawless. All my psx games work great. It's become my one stop shop for all my retro gaming needs. Battery isn't great. That's the only downside
Thank you so much for this true review! I'm in the buy later category for sure, maybe even slightly leaning on the Don't buy category. I'm really looking for that all in one perfect handheld and I'm definitely not tech-savvy. I hate computers and anything to do with software-hardware mumbo-jumbo. I just want one device to play them all flawlessly... Game consoles, handheld, and arcade games! I just ordered the RG351MP so we'll see how that turns out, but from your review, it may do the job temporarily. I appreciate all you do for the community.
I think i'll be holding on to my money a while longer but your review was honest and greatly appreciated. I don't think much will change with updates in the future and if by now they can't get N64 or PSP working to a higher standard then why bother. The chip in this is not worth the upgrade price imo.
Nice video! I like the RG552, but when the price is so near to one nintendo switch lite, I think it loses appeal. I understand is for different uses but.. just to play games, I will choose the switch.
The price to performance ratio is a disaster. In my opinion this device is worth $40 - $50 more than the existing RG351P. Anbernic is losing bad in 2022 in the handheld realm.
I own an Odroid Go Advance that cost me like $60 and I'm seeing hardly any real upgrades here. This is maybe. $120 device. By the time you are shelling out $250, the performance has to start competing with stuff like the Steam Deck and the Deck is gonna blow this thing out of the water lol.
Literally the only major thing this has over the RP2+ is the screen. Granted it is better in every way: image quality, resolution, and aspect ratio may be perfect for jack of all trades integer scaling, but when a device less than half the price is more powerful and has more features like a sleep function and longer battery life, then something is seriously wrong with the pricing. Like the other person said $150 is a good price for this, I'd go as far as maaaybe $180, but $220+ is a total rip-off. I'd like to see an RG553 (or maybe a revision of the RG552) that's cheaper, has better L2/R2 placement, focus on Android with intuitive front-end for beginners, and features like a sleep mode.
That’s an awesome review once again. You’re doing the best reviews and tutorials in this field. Regarding the device I wanted to love a more powerful device from Anbernic but I can’t. I would have bought it if it had the unisoc t618 from the x18s but I can’t justify getting a Linux device again. I was annoyed by the experience while I had the rg351 and ultimately sold it. I still have my RG350M because I love that thing for all old stuff and because of the Anbernic build quality. I payed for the Odin base already can’t wait for it to arrive in january.
Thanks russ your review are awesome as always. My final thoughts on this one is to probably hold back a bit. Maybe they will release a better version of this early next year hahaha.
Thanks for the review. From the current software situation this is an absolute “don’t buy” device. Android 7 is a 5 years old unsupported OS and the buggy Batocera Linux Version is just insulting. Yet I still love the screen. This 5:3 aspect ratio is really interesting, probably the best improvement overall. I hope they’ll keep it for their next generation devices.
2 years later, this helped me decide to pick one up. It's not $220+ anymore, it dropped to $170, which is still pricey, especially for a 2 year old device, but the clincher that sealed it for me is the great screen, the performance and the availability of Rocknix for it. I _really_ dislike Android for these devices. The modern versions of Android lock the device down too much and you're constantly fighting permissions and file locations and crap that no one wants to deal with when they just want to play games. That's why - even with the ridiculous amount of settings - the linux-based handhelds are better. Put your roms on there and play the games. No messing around like with Android. I have a Logitech G Cloud that I never use because Android is such a pain in the rear. I've never finished getting all the emulators to work right. I'm always running into permissions issues and file location issues. It's a giant black-hole sucking up all my time and fun. I just want a device with a nice BIG hires screen (sorry, 640x480 isn't gonna cut it in 2024) that plays games. I don't want to fight the OS to make it do what I tell it to do. Again: that's the most frustrating part about Android - YOU, the owner of the device - are NOT in control of the device. You're "not allowed". Big brother doesn't trust you. Get outta here with that nonsense. I'll stick with Linux based devices from here on out.
Not quite related to the RG552, but I've found the best option for playing vertically oriented video games like shmups is to load them on a phone and snap that into a telescopic Bluetooth controller vertically I can assure you it's much more enjoyable than forcing a one-device-fits-all approach when it wasn't planned for
There is a reason your channel is growing so fast. You are the reference for when i search honest reviews about this devices. Keep up the good work Russ!
This!
Agree
There’s a few quality channels these days, I usually watch multiple reviews of the same item just for the entertainment factor of the hosts like this one
Thanks Ross, you are the second-greatest yoochewber.
Russ is awesome
it's actually amazing how you can eloquently talk about this device for 50 minutes straight
Keep up the good work!
I mean ...it's edited lol
@@kandyvenom well obviously. He had to write a script over 50 minutes long then edit it down and speak about it for about as long.
Thicko
@@vergodagoat all I'm saying is that anybody can speak "eloquently" for an hour straight with editing.
@@kandyvenom “anybody” is a stretch but alright.
Hey dude, I just want to let you know how much of an asset to this community you are. I randomly stumbled upon your videos and immediately became enthralled in making my own handhelds. You've made everything so easy all of the time, now I am out here making them and sending them out as gifts to friends for the holidays. Thanks for all you do man!
The anticipation of this one going up today has been getting me ALL DAY! Haha. Thanks for your hard work, Russ. I look forward to enjoying this one.
Good to know that this console isn't cat friendly based on its control layout/size.
(Appreciate the Chicken cameos in your videos as always.)
I came to the comment section just to say that.
The Chicken cameo gave me a sincere laugh hahahah
Your dedication to providing insight and analysis, and your talent in doing so, are special, Russ; this review answered all my questions and was perfectly-timed. Thank you for all you do- and from a fellow veteran, thanks for your service.
50 minutes? I’m using this as a podcast as I go about my day!!!! Nice Russ! And congrats once again on reaching 100K!
By this point, I've watched many videos on this handheld by many great channels/reviewers but, as always, the most comprehensive and informative content comes from this channel. Always look forward to your videos. Keep up the great work.
Get myself some popcorn for this video 🤗 !
Looking forward to the handheld myself did order it when it was released😄
Surprised you have money left over to buy popcorn after paying for this. 😂
Where did you oreorder from?
Your reviews are a master class, every time. Even more established reviewers/TH-camrs in this community don't come close. The way you put things into context, focus on the things that really matter, and break down your pros and cons... not to mention your recommendations for different subsets of viewers/players, it's the best out there, imo of course. You make deciding between all of these devices so much easier. THANK YOU.
Thanks for the feedback, Javier!
Your reviews are so holistic dude, thank you and keep it up! Also thank you for including the part about pet ergonomics, showed this to my dog and she’s asked for a Retroid Pocket 2 for Christmas instead.
Long video but I watched and enjoyed every minute. Thanks, Russ!
You are the best in the business Russ! Really appreciate your work, thank you! ✌
Can't wait to watch! Your videos are true gifts, and we get 50 minutes! Thanks Russ!
The 'who should buy' ending slide is an awesome addition the review's, perfect for these type of handhelds. Thanks Russ!
I really love hove you go into detail with aspect ratio and integer scaling. This stuff is important for meny people but most reviewers don't mention it much.
I've been waiting for this review! Thank you.
Good prelim review. I'm not sold on this right now, I like Anbernic's devices so far but this one seems to fall short especially for the price point. I'll wait till later next year to see how the software side develops to get an idea of what this thing can truly do in the right hands.
i got a retroid 3 for time being
@@kabirh3626 i would like to buy one but i need a device with linux :(
amazing video! waiting for your next videos with your future thoughts on the device
Russ, you are one of the greatest exponents the community has today. You truly do a wonderful job at assessing the hits and misses of every single device you put your hands on. And you do it in such a natural way! If all your videos, from now on, have 50 min or more, I'll keep watching them all. Trust me. XD
Me too!
I have been refreshing your channel since yesterday 🤣 here it is! Watching everything
50 minutes of retro joy!
Time to make a cup of tea, sit back and relax.
Let’s hope the wonderful community can provide us with great custom firmware down the line….great review as always Russ! Hope you and the family are all good
As usual yeah, I think these companies release a device, slap in a working a OS no matter how good or bad it is and leave it up to the dev community to truly unleash any hidden potential.
Checkout Tech Toy Tinker's vids on this device.
Apparently he is getting the source code for the 552 from Anbernic so will be able to maximise performance.
One of his vids showed the cpu is default clocked at around 1.4ghz which he says he should be able to get almost the 2ghz out of it, at the cost of battery life ofcourse.
I bet you then itll be able to play N64,PSP and Saturn a whole lot better.. And others.
Defo need to keep an eye on his progress with it.
i appreciate that you always seem to be optimistic yet honest in your reviews. ive seen a lot of reviews on this and this is the first one to mention the battery life or the ergonomics. I will admit its a crazy crisp and nice screen but not worth the money. Anbernic seems to price their devices as if they are the only game in town. Also hopefully you can find a handheld for chicken one of these days.
The cat part got me LOL. Great work as usual
Great video as always! I really enjoy long and well-thought videos.
The shoulder buttons and the price are deal breakers for me, I think I gonna wait and see how the Odin is.
Not gonna lie, I only skimmed the video after you talked about the size and ergonomics, that's an immediate dealbreaker when it comes to my small hands. I appreciate how thorough and thoughtful your reviews are, and in doing so you addressed all of my questions! Terrific job as always.
Wow! 50 minutes. I think this is a record for this channel! Nice work Russ!
Can’t wait to see the inevitable custom firmware video that will come.
This was a great review, you thanked us for watching, we should be thanking you for this really insightful review.
Haven't finished watching but thx for the "uncut" version!
That was a quick 50 minute video. Glad you didn’t shorten it.
What do you want to see in my next RG552 video?
Edit to add: yes I misspoke and said "Mega Man Ten", sorry about that :D
Depends who buys it, it's a pass for me, but I'll watch nonetheless. :)
Games and Game Reviews
PSP, N64, Sega CD, Dreamcast, GameCube, and PS2 game performance. I want to see if this will make a good replacement for my 351P.
Also if there is any news on custom firmwares
Ongoing firmware updates or android emulator performance updates, otherwise excellent video 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼. I hope you do an Odroid Go Advance BE video soon!
I'm scared to ask for a deep dive, to be honest.
This device is almost great. With this build quality and screen, if this had Retroid Pocket 2+'s performance and battery life, it'd be killer. Maybe next generation we'll have truly amazing devices for accessible prices.
When you referred to Mega Man X as “Mega Man 10” my eye twitched. I feel triggered. 😅
In all seriousness though, excellent video as always. Very thorough and helpful information + impressions. If it wasn’t for the ergonomics (which really do make or break the experience) I’d pick one up today. Thanks for all you do, Russ! 🙏
I never watched 1hr videos of explanations but yours!
Thanks from retro NES lover for your great review !!!
I like the comparisons , gives a good idea of the differences between the physical sizes. Thanks Bro!
I guess I'm firmly in the third camp, I'll wait for v2 with Bluetooth, 5Ghz wifi, Google Play Store integration built into a newer variant of Android and a significantly better price point given the insanely stiff competition. Thanks for the bloody brilliant first impressions with this device Russ. Anbernic stubbled out of the gate in this one I'm afraid.
But, by the time that comes out, the Steam Deck will be released. I just don't see the appeal on this one.
@@pieceofschmidtgamer Agreed. I'm down with my OneXplayer S1 1195g7 but I'm interested to see the performance on the Steamdeck. I think the Steamdeck AMD/Ryzen is going to kill on retro emulation nevermind AAA gaming on Steam or Cloud gaming/streaming. I'm saddened by the Steamdeck delay but everyone is bloody impacted although it still sucked to get my email from Valve.
Still running on Android Nougat. No more Google support. Why not Android 10? Nougat no glory
@@amristar736 Crazy right? New product and ancient O/S and chipset.
@@amristar736 It's hard to understand why Anbernic thought this would be a good starting point. Maybe because the SOC on this unit is damn near as old as the O/S. And imagine, a Chinese manufacturer NOT including Play Store integration. What a shock. 😏
Great pre-review video! Didnt even notice the 50' pass by
9:55 More cats playing retro handhelds, please!
Another 50 minutes of my life well spent. Terrific and honest review on the device itself. Too bad no butter for comparison this time, and chicken would steer away from this device. 2022 would spell disaster for anbernic. Anyway thank u russ :)
Gotta say Russ, i was tempted to buy one of these but there is no way i will until developers manage to make it worth my while at that price. Ive been really busy with my x18S lately and its amazing.
what makes your videos so great, and the source for me when it comes to devices like this, are the very in depth detailed look and comparisons to other similar devices! You've definitely helped me decide whether to purchase these or not. Keep doing what you're doing! Thanks for the awesome videos!
Android 7 is a major limitation here. A lot of modern games just aren't going to work.
I mean maybe it's just me but my Moto Edge (2021) can run God of War at 100%, so I have no need for a dedicated device that runs it worse
Can this run Brawl Stars well?
Now has amdroid 11.
Android 11 now
It’s not supposed to play modern games. I believe up to ps1 or ps2 is its cap. You can emulate ps2 on a potato.
With that detailed review, you've just earned a new subscriber! Yay! Thanks for reviewing this unit. Not really a fan of emulator handheld gaming devices since most flagship smartphones are already capable and even more powerful plus a Switch is enough, but this should be helpful to people who prefer a dedicated emulator device.
To each there own. I have a Snapdragon 870 8gb phone but gaming on it just put me off just because I need to connect it wired or Bluetooth with my 8bitdo pro 2. I need a dedicated gaming device. I bought the RG351p because of this channels' review. I will wait for the next Anbernic device and wait for the review of the Odin if it's good.
Great job Russ! I love how you break everything down!
I'm waiting for those "different opinions in a few months"... Right now it doesn't add enough over my 351v for the price. Thank you for the review!
Really great job reviewing this device. I’m still waiting on my powkiddy max2 to come in.
Appreciate the in depth review and showcasing the fighters!
Excellent Review! Wow so many questions answered I'm getting this over Nintendo switch as it meets my criteria for playing old school games and so many platform options to choose from and being HDMI and android compatible it's a win win.
Another great video! Will stick with RG351MP and then wait for Steam Deck.
Thanks for including Sega Rally and Nights on Saturn.
Thanks for the awesome review. It was well worth the time to watch the entire video. I'm passing on this device for now. Overall, I think the biggest drawback is the price. Compared to upcoming competitors, the pricing is high, especially considering the lack of bluetooth and the 2.4ghz wifi chip. The final thing that completely ruled this device out for me is the lack of ergonomics for using sticks and shoulder buttons at the same time.
I don't have any of these emulation devices yet, because I'm in the "looking for the one" category. I wanted close to perfect PSP, dreamcast, and N64 emulation out of these "next generation" devices.$200 is my hard limit for a device unless it exceeds my expectations by quite a bit.
I followed your batocera on a flashdrive video and am satisfied with this setup while I wait for a food device. If everything coming out soon flops, I might settle for a rg351mp(especially if the price drops). Having the batocera on a flashdrive helps me not waste money on a device that is wrong for me. If I want to wait for the perfect device, I can use my batocera flashdrive in the meantime. If I want to settle for a "last gen" to save money and continue to use batocera for the more demanding emulation I can. It's good to have options.
Okay. Awesome video. Can’t wait to see what comes next
LOL @ the difficulty playing if you don't have opposable thumbs. This is the important journalistic integrity I have come to expect from this channel. If my cat can't play with me, what even is the point?!
This is one of the most in-depth review of anything on youtube
Oh god Rez on Dreamcast looked so good on that screen! Thanks Russ for featuring it.
I laughed out loud at your cat using the device XD
I'm a fan of Anbernic devices, as a rule, but think I may hold off getting this one. Too big. Too expensive.
Great video. Thanks for sharing :)
I’m a big fan of these longer videos :) I can’t wait to see the steam deck videos ☺️
No device at all at the moment, but looking into getting into portable consoles. I play PC games but loved playing on my classic Game Boy as a kid. Seeing your review and Taki's I think I'll wait for the Steam Deck. Not gonna pre-order though as I never do. Great review as always!
Love the video, love the one and only Chicken. Do like the RGB 10 max 2 little more though. When it came out, I pretty much considered it DOA. With this price and performance of the RG552 though, that device just got a whole lot prettier. Here's hoping they'll upgrade that one a bit in time. Too bad there aren't really any SOCs that are affordable, more powerful than 3399, yet with existing software support.
Long video, but I savored every minute of it. Great job.
What a Great Review, so thorough and full of honest opinion.
Really appreciate the time and effort you put into these videos. I KNOW I can trust your reviews. Money in the bank.
I was pointed to your channel by a close friend. I have to say, you were very informative, pin pointed the pros and cons and pretty much helped me not spend $227 on something I might regret later. I look forward to seeing how you feel about it later on.
Welcome aboard!
As always top notch review!
Amazing video as always. Your summary slide “Who Should Buy” would look amazing on social media to promote this video. As it’s not for me as I now primarily want a handheld for Stadia, I appreciated seeing who should get this device. I love how there’s such a variety of handhelds that there really is one for everyone. Can’t wait for my Odin Pro!
Such a nice video. Thanks for your effort!
As a RG351P user I have been eagerly awaiting your review of the RG552, as I really thought it would be the natural upgrade route for me.
So whilst your review is as excellent as always, I leave your video disappointed by the device. It really seems a missed opportunity by Anbernic.
As it stands my RG351P running ArkOS final will continue to be my one and only. Fingers crossed 2022 brings us something that will live up to the hype!
Thanks for covering this, Rus!
Considering the upgrades that Anbernic is pushing on new devices which are quite disappointing for higher end systems...still happy with my RG351M. Price is also high, considering that with a little more you get a Nintendo Switch, and for less a Switch lite. Yes, maybe you can't retroplay as much but looking for something to play around, fro those bucks I wouldn't go for this one.
Concerning the video, Russ you are the leader on this topic right now. The level of in depth details you put in your videos is mind blowing, and without you I would have not really know what to buy this year. Your channel was the best discovery on TH-cam I did this year!
Gonna watch this when I get home from work, when I'm cooking my dinner!!
I’m on the fence with this one. Great video.
Thanks for testing Ki2. Got myself a Retroid Pocket 2+ coming for a more easy to fit in my pocket device. I'm waiting for a handheld that runs Ki2 great before I buy something of this size.
Many thanks for your effort and hard work to review and explain the device, 👍
Really appreciate all the resolution talk! Integer scaling is very important to me so all that depth was very helpful.
BTW SNES renders natively in 8:7 so I think the distortion in Mega Man X was because you were stretching that to 4:3. A CRT can do that but any LCD screen with fixed pixels will have problems because of it. The choice is always between perfect pixels but squished presentation, or proper presentation with shimmering.
been anticipating this all weekend! I’ll be back when i finish 👍🏼 Big fan of length too!
edit 1: holy hell that’s a hefty price tag
Thanks for this Russ and congrats on 100K+ Subs. You know that means we need more Chicken! I bet if you ran the stats, Chicken = views. Looking forward to messing around with the RG552 and testing all the new firmware that will make it even better.
Superb review as always !
Great Video, you put so much care it shows. Thanks.
Good review as always, but I think that the "buy later" category will become soon "don't buy" with so little power for that money when Odin, RP3 and other device will came out.
Bought this just now via Amazon based on your review. Such a hefty price tag but I'm hoping it'll be my one stop shop for all things retro gaming!
How was it?
@matttrotter2401 it's honestly pretty great. I've been playing soul calibur from dreamcast on this and it's been flawless. All my psx games work great. It's become my one stop shop for all my retro gaming needs. Battery isn't great. That's the only downside
Thank you so much for this true review! I'm in the buy later category for sure, maybe even slightly leaning on the Don't buy category. I'm really looking for that all in one perfect handheld and I'm definitely not tech-savvy. I hate computers and anything to do with software-hardware mumbo-jumbo. I just want one device to play them all flawlessly... Game consoles, handheld, and arcade games! I just ordered the RG351MP so we'll see how that turns out, but from your review, it may do the job temporarily. I appreciate all you do for the community.
Yeah the RG351 devices are the best for someone like you
Excellent review mate!
I think i'll be holding on to my money a while longer but your review was honest and greatly appreciated. I don't think much will change with updates in the future and if by now they can't get N64 or PSP working to a higher standard then why bother. The chip in this is not worth the upgrade price imo.
Nice video! I like the RG552, but when the price is so near to one nintendo switch lite, I think it loses appeal. I understand is for different uses but.. just to play games, I will choose the switch.
I hope you’re getting paid well dude because your vids are the best by faaaaaaaar.
OH YEAH IT'S OUT! FINALLY
Your content is addictive!
The price to performance ratio is a disaster. In my opinion this device is worth $40 - $50 more than the existing RG351P. Anbernic is losing bad in 2022 in the handheld realm.
the rg 351 series was also overpriced yet people kept buying . I do agree with you tho if the rp2+ is 99 usd then this device should be maximum 150.
I agree in each word
I own an Odroid Go Advance that cost me like $60 and I'm seeing hardly any real upgrades here. This is maybe. $120 device. By the time you are shelling out $250, the performance has to start competing with stuff like the Steam Deck and the Deck is gonna blow this thing out of the water lol.
Literally the only major thing this has over the RP2+ is the screen. Granted it is better in every way: image quality, resolution, and aspect ratio may be perfect for jack of all trades integer scaling, but when a device less than half the price is more powerful and has more features like a sleep function and longer battery life, then something is seriously wrong with the pricing. Like the other person said $150 is a good price for this, I'd go as far as maaaybe $180, but $220+ is a total rip-off. I'd like to see an RG553 (or maybe a revision of the RG552) that's cheaper, has better L2/R2 placement, focus on Android with intuitive front-end for beginners, and features like a sleep mode.
Very helpful review and cat humor. I'm now a subscriber
That’s an awesome review once again. You’re doing the best reviews and tutorials in this field.
Regarding the device I wanted to love a more powerful device from Anbernic but I can’t. I would have bought it if it had the unisoc t618 from the x18s but I can’t justify getting a Linux device again. I was annoyed by the experience while I had the rg351 and ultimately sold it. I still have my RG350M because I love that thing for all old stuff and because of the Anbernic build quality.
I payed for the Odin base already can’t wait for it to arrive in january.
Thanks russ your review are awesome as always. My final thoughts on this one is to probably hold back a bit. Maybe they will release a better version of this early next year hahaha.
Thanks for the review. From the current software situation this is an absolute “don’t buy” device. Android 7 is a 5 years old unsupported OS and the buggy Batocera Linux Version is just insulting.
Yet I still love the screen. This 5:3 aspect ratio is really interesting, probably the best improvement overall. I hope they’ll keep it for their next generation devices.
Yeah, the aspect ratio is defo an interesting feature on this one.
Great video (as always) .. that 7x integer scaling on the GBA is insane .. thats made my mind up .. the 552 will be added to my collection!
Still hoping for your review of the Retroid Pockets 2+ soon.
2 years later, this helped me decide to pick one up. It's not $220+ anymore, it dropped to $170, which is still pricey, especially for a 2 year old device, but the clincher that sealed it for me is the great screen, the performance and the availability of Rocknix for it. I _really_ dislike Android for these devices. The modern versions of Android lock the device down too much and you're constantly fighting permissions and file locations and crap that no one wants to deal with when they just want to play games. That's why - even with the ridiculous amount of settings - the linux-based handhelds are better. Put your roms on there and play the games. No messing around like with Android. I have a Logitech G Cloud that I never use because Android is such a pain in the rear. I've never finished getting all the emulators to work right. I'm always running into permissions issues and file location issues. It's a giant black-hole sucking up all my time and fun. I just want a device with a nice BIG hires screen (sorry, 640x480 isn't gonna cut it in 2024) that plays games. I don't want to fight the OS to make it do what I tell it to do. Again: that's the most frustrating part about Android - YOU, the owner of the device - are NOT in control of the device. You're "not allowed". Big brother doesn't trust you. Get outta here with that nonsense. I'll stick with Linux based devices from here on out.
Where did you buy it from?
I agree I do not like android for small devices like this
We in the prelims baby! The main event is on the horizon
Hi Russ,
I exchanged the Dpad membrane for one from the RG351m now the Dpad is much better. Now fighting games are fun again👍 Great Review👍👍👍
thanks for review. I save my $$$ after hearing size & weight.
Cheers Russ, great review.
Not quite related to the RG552, but I've found the best option for playing vertically oriented video games like shmups is to load them on a phone and snap that into a telescopic Bluetooth controller vertically
I can assure you it's much more enjoyable than forcing a one-device-fits-all approach when it wasn't planned for
The collectors will enjoy this one, no one else.