Is the Anbernic RG505 Getting Better? (Second Look Review)
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 22 พ.ค. 2024
- The Anbernic RG505 has recently received a refresh thanks to new custom software called GammaOS, and so in this video we're going to take a new look at the handheld and see if it's worth considering in 2023. How does its strengths (PS Vita OLED panel, performance vs price) stack up against its shortcomings?
Buy one here: bit.ly/3hJKc63
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Original RG505 review video: • Anbernic RG505 In-Dept...
GammaOS video: • GammaOS Makes the RG40...
Timestamps:
00:00 introduction
01:20 software improvements
03:32 screen improvements
05:11 screen shortcomings
06:36 hardware limitations
08:46 build quality and performance
10:45 pricing, battery life, sound quality
12:35 summary and conclusion
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#Anbernic #RG505 #PSVita #PSP - เกม
![I Was Playing the Anbernic RG Nano All Wrong [Re-Review]](/img/n.gif)
This was exactly the second look comparison I have been waiting for! Thank you Russ for your dedication and consistency, cheers from Australia
My 505 is being delivered today, im excited to try it out. Thanks for the info man!
I bought the Retroid Pocket 3+ and the RG505. I will say, that the Retroid is my go to, however I still love the RG505. The RG505 is more of a novelty item that I use to play N64 games, and occoasionally Gamecube. The Retroid Pocket 3 has HDMI out and I use to plug into my tv. As mentioned the RG505 has an amazing battery life and I've gotten close to a week without charging it. I haven't tried Gamma OS and looking forward to how that goes as well. Thanks RGC for all you do!
Thanks for all these awesome reviews! You opened me up to this industry and I would've been stumbling if not for your research and tips. I've got a few Anbernic devices stacking up now, let's hope they keep on making good devices!
I've seen like 5 of your videos, think you for all the detailed dives you take. It's layed out well, easy to follow and you kept me interested, awesome worl
So glad I stumbled on to this channel. Love your analysis.
Right as I'm thinking about getting it, I get a video from you. You're the best man
I settled on an rg505 a couple weeks ago. I'm fairly pleased with it. It does all the wider aspect ratio stuff I wanted at a pretty low price, plus I got the pleasant surprise of updated optimized software and some better-than-expected PS2 performance. I also don't have much of an issue with the ergonomics. The only real sticking point I have is the lack of video out, but that's a optional feature for me on a handheld. I can take it or leave it.
Can't you cast screen to your t.v?
Yes you can screen cast it
505 was not my first choice (no stacked triggers, no video out) but I couldn’t get a RP3+ where I live (lots of love from India, btw😊). To be honest when I first booted it up, i was a bit let down because even though the screen is oled, it has some noticeable defects (small marks) when displaying certain shades of plain colours (fairly common as per reddit).
Rather than asking for a refund or replacement, I thought I’d give it a couple of days to at-least see the performance. I have owned a psx and psp growing up so i tried several games and I must say i got hooked immediately to the gameplay and controls.
Its been a few months and i’ve grown extremely fond of the device. Yes there are visible screen defects but only noticeable when playing in a dark environment on dull loading screens - they are completely indistinguishable when actually playing anything. I’m a big fan of rpgs so the only time i’ve missed stacked triggers is when i replayed metal gear solid. All psp games I’ve tried work flawlessly at 3x and look lovely on the oled. I really don’t mind the Anbernic logo as it fades away when immersed in a game. I don’t have any other retro handheld but I do have a ps4 and i must say the controls on the 505 are excellent as going back and forth between a ds4 controller and this device, i can only appreciate the quality of the buttons and controls.
Overall, in conclusion i’ll say i’m glad i did not return the device because its an extremely well done package and definitely underrated since it draws so many comparisons to the rp3+ and gets overshadowed by the 405. If 16:9 gameplay AND oled gameplay is what you want- this little guy is the only one in the android space that fits the bill. Also, i’ve said all the above without trying GammaOS. I’m very excited to install it next month once I have access to my home pc - looking forward to the screen and performance improvements. Loved that Russ showed some much needed love and a re-look at this gem of a handheld. Kudos to the GammaOS team for breathing new life into this one🎉
P.s. i don’t miss the tv out anymore too - at least when I’m home. I have set up retroarch in my home pc which is hooked up to my tv so i can either play on monitor or tv. Saves get synced between the 505 and pc. Tricky to set up but works flawlessly now.😊
Hey I am from India too. I have the rg35xx and would like to sell it and get this one instead. Would you know how I could get about doing that?
I really enjoyed this video because with how quickly new handhelds are rolling out, many of us have our now “older” devices collecting dust- it would be great to see some videos revisiting some older devices that still have potential to see how they hold up today and how they can be best utilized. For example, I have an Anbernic RG350M and an RG351M that I would love to start using again simply because I don’t want to continue seeing them sitting in a drawer. Thanks in advance, and thank you for continuing to give us great content!
Dude if you own them and want to know how they feel in current times then just use them and check it out for yourself
I agree i have a rg350p which i just dont use anymore due to owning a rp3+ miyoo mini and all the rg353 devices the p the m and the v so its just sitting there but i feel like it should still be getting used i loved it so much as it was my first retro emulator handheld that i bought now its ignored like jessie in toy story 2 i think a good solution for these devices is gift them to someone you care about who you know is a gamer to introduce them to the world of these retro emulator handhelds im thinking of gifting my 350p to my brother hes a hardcore pc gamer but i dont think hes ever really dabbled with these devices or knows about them
Same, I Wanna see some updated firmware for the rg351v
I like my RG505. Rebuild it with the abxy buttons of a RG405M, white buttons and ring around and a yellow back on my gray device. A bit of a mix (ok, Frankenstein), but I was surprised anbernic supports the community by selling those parts separately. Too bad I cannot show pictures here.
I have a later model and most of the cons are already gone with my stock os: play store, no sharpening and great performance. Great for DS games also, as long as it's not too Heavenly leaning on two screens.
Als you said, it's a nice device in between. If you only own one, as I do, it's a great fit.
Thanks for your hard work, Russ. I couldn't do it with the dedication you show!
Gamma OS is such a game changer. I just got the RG405M and was defnitely a bit disappointed with the stock experience. Now that I'm on GammaOS it's an amazing little device!!
I grabbed the 505 at launch and it has been my go to ever since
Glad I kept my Anbernic RG505. Great value especially with the new Gamma OS installed. Thanks for the tutorial. Maybe we can get a video of how to setup Dijishu with Gamma OS and the 505? Specifically in setting up emulators, bios and cores. Thanks!
Russ, love your vids. RG505 is my go to for sure after the Gamma update, the software experience has made an otherwise run of the mill into something special.
It wasnt run of the mill even without gamma
@mamory3791 Yes it was. He said so.
@@afistfulofpimples1745 ?
Exactly the video i was waiting for!
Underrated device IMO. Bought it out of spite after Retroid announced the RP3+ the day I got my RP3 in the mail lol. I think this is a great alternative to RP3+ if you prefer better color saturation and pixel response over the higher resolution and brightness. Will have to try this new OS soon.
Also I do like the candybar thickness of Anbernic devices 😊
Awesome video as always! I have the rg405m with gammaOS and am able to cast the screen on the TV using a play store app, and it works really well!
That's awesome! What app do you use? Is there any significant lag?
@palshepard417 I use Screen Mirroring Miracast. It's a free android app. There are paid versions that supposedly run better, but this one had been getting the job done with minimal to no lag. There are times where you have to disconnect and reconnect to your TV or roku, but I think that's because my internet isn't the greatest.
@EmperorManu thanks for the info, sounds good!
So which is better the RG505 or RG 405M? I'm torn
@karinsandhu I have the 405m and not the 505. They have the same chipset, but if I were to go back, I'd get the 505. Mainly because it's a wide screen and better for psp games, and when I play ps2 or gamecube games the rg405m gets a bit hot due to the metal. The metal does make it feel good though, doesnt feel cheap and has a nice weight to it. All in all though, you can't go wrong.
My biggest issue with the RG505 are the color options. The clear black of the 353v would be perfect for this handheld.
So tempted by this one now. I typically buy 1 new handheld emulation device every year. This year was the rg35xx. I skipped last year. The RG505 is really appealing to me.
How's the rg35xx doing for you? I just bought mine today and I'm wondering if you changed to Garlic OS or went with the stock OS. In case you switched to Garlic OS, was it worth your time? If so, how?
@@ahmedghassan6399 it comes with GarlicOS dual boot now - mine didn’t. If you bought from anbernic you’re getting a dual boot system. If not no biggie, I highly recommend GarlicOS. I love the auto save feature when you hit menu (sometimes you have to double tap menu button). I don’t want dual boot personally so I am sticking with my standalone GarlicOS, it feels like such a seamless experience like this is the way retro emulation is supposed to be. The rg35xx just feels like a Nintendo mode product to me, partly because I got the gray one I guess, but I just love the thing and my kids do too.
My favorite gaming generation based on software: 4th gen. It's becoming that again over the 5th and 6th but I always loved the 16-bit era. My most played game ever is really Super Mario World. Maybe Tekken 3 prior since I played that constantly from 1998-2001 but it's really SMW. I still play it over 30 years later.
When I started getting into emulation with my first gen iPod touch and PSP phat, Super Mario World was always the first one I would try to beat. It's the perfect 2D platformer. Levels are not long and super difficult that you're stuck in a death loop. I got the 96 exits multiple times.
A game like Breath of the Wild puts me to sleep like a lot of Chris Nolan movies do like Interstellar and Dunkirk. But Super Mario World always keeps me engaged. It's the perfect Mario game to me and Nintendo's greatest game. Has a reward system good for ADHD and quick dopamine hits like playing a slot machine.
I used to have a hard time picking between Super Mario World or Sonic 2. I prefer Sonic as a character but I think SMW is the superior game. Way more secrets makes it way more replayable. I've beaten Sonic 2 many times including getting all the Chaos emeralds without the sound code but don't have the same urge to keep replaying it like I have for SMW.
I think my brain works better for 2D games moving left or right than being in a 3D environment. The controls for 3D are frustrating. Camera will mess you up a lot. If I'm not playing Super Mario World, I'm playing tons of Super Street Fighter II (MAME) on my modded Vita 2K. I think the 16-bit era had the most replayable games.
The best generation for hardware is always the current one we live in. But the best software experience for me came out like 30 years ago. Gawd, I miss those days being ages 11 to 14 and going to the arcade with my cousins or friends and playing SF2 and MK. Beating The Simpsons, TMNT, and X-Men with random strangers. Reading EGM and GamePro.
The game I do play a lot on my Switch is Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. It can be frustrating since blue and red shells will hit me a lot when I'm in first place playing 150cc or higher. But it's the best Mario Kart game ever made surpassing my favorites in Double Dash!! and Super Mario Kart (the most balanced). SNES had arguably the greatest library ever.
Honestly. I’ve been playing this out of box since I got it last March. And it plays everything I’ve thrown at it with zero issue. Plus my 12 year old daughter has no issues playing it. Win/win!
Love my retroid pocket 3+. Did the OTA updates and the hal stick upgrades and it is as smooth as butter. Thinking about getting the grips next (larger hands) but waiting til I need more stuff from Retroid to save on the shipping.
but can it play rogue leade/ gamecube?
Would be awesome if we could get this OS on the RP3/+. I'd really love to have root on this thing and change that home button to a proper back button.
Love these second looks
The RG505 is my favorite retro handheld to play psx and psp, the OLED display or gorgeous and you can add quite a bit of post-processing magic to make games look even better.
I've upgraded from the stock firmware to GammaOS a couple of days ago and I love it, my only real issue are the shoulder buttons... the inline shoulder buttons are pretty wierd, there is nothing like using triggers.
But if you are like me and use your handheld to play gba, psp or psx the 505 is a perfect match because if don't use the shoulder buttons that ofter.
Can you play 3ds games on it? I'm looking into purchasing it and also does it lag alot
Açıklayıcı ve gayet akıcı bir anlatım olmuş teşekkürler dostum
I know this is going to sound weird, but having held both the RP3 (non-plus) and the RG505 in my hands...I preferred the RG505. Sure, it's chunkier, it's lighter, it 'feels more like a toy', but I like that. It feels similar to an old school NES/SNES controller, whereas the RP3 felt like a cell phone. My hand ended up getting cramped very quickly with the RP3, and the smaller size didn't make the analog sticks any less painful to use than the RG505, personally. And the Start/Select being on the top was an absolute deal-breaker for me.
Thank you for the second look. GammaOS has definitely improved this device quite a bit.
As for your video out issue, I am on the Anbernic page on Facebook and several people confirmed that it will stream/cast to a TV just fine with casting software built into the TV. I personally hav a newer TV so I think it will work decently even if it does perhaps have some lag. But I am fine playing handheld on the go, which is why I bought mine. Hopefully I will get it soon and find out for myself whether it was worth the hefty pricetag or if it was an expensive retro player only up to about N64 flawlessly.
The OLED screen, long battery life with up to 20h in low power mode and a SoC that has enough power to play Saturn games makes it really interesting for me. Also the D-Pad is still on top and I don't understand why the 405M, as a device aimed at 4:3 games, has the stick on top.
Now the question is, how long until another device will all these features, just with better ergonomics, a higher res OLED screen and not Android based will come out? I would love such a device plus a round D-Pad and 6 button layout like the Saturn pad or a M.30.
It's brilliant you revisit older devices to see how things have improved.
Information that I've been looking for
Love the videos
The RP3+ software is fine, but curious if gammaOS works on that too if it’s made specifically for T618?
Making any handheld childproof or more secure ( e.g restricting functions like deleting roms) would be a good feature set to see
The SF2000 is pretty locked down.
Seems like the 505 is on par with the retroid and 405(with gamma) which is great but, I still prefer the 405m. Looks and feels extra saucy.
i love my RG505, today i will install gammaOS
Always informative thanks man . I have a 405m would you recommend a shader for send and which one ? I am running gamma OS .
Good review, very interesting option. I went on aliexpress to check right away, but as usual, the conversion to Canadian dollar is painful.
If you're close to the border you can just get it sent to a US post office
@@TheMysteryDriver That's a good idea, but I'm not close enough unfortunately.
@@RoastedMarshmelon any friends in the states that you could get to do it for you? I used to buy car parts for some car forum friends and mail them up. Weird how it was cheaper overall to do that
Im definitely gonna grab one of these this month and put Gamma OS on it.
I hope everything is okay with that hurricane hitting HI... not sure if it already hit, is currently there, or will be soon (I just saw something about it on my Mom's tv the other day) - Hope you're doing well!! :)
At this point I just go between 3 handhelds, the RG353M for shoving in my pocket, the Logitech G Cloud for versatility, and the Steam Deck for performance and simplicity. I don't have a T618 device but the Logitech seems to perform right on par with that chip so I haven't seen a need to go beyond that. I do love the idea of that OLED screen though...
Thanks Russ for the videos! I've tried asking a few times about the best handheld around 200 for GameCube gaming, but I think my comments get buried under the other's. Hoping a small tip might get an answer. The more videos I watch, the more confused I get about which handheld I should go with, there's soo many options.
Thanks as always for your great videos.
Devices that can play GameCube
Rg405m
RG505
RETROID POCKET 3 PLUS
ODIN
@@Somekidsingingsomethings awesome. Thanks for the reply!! Which of those would you opt for? RG505? 405? Thanks again.
@@sydeshowjoe1583 if you what to save some money the 505 is a good option but compared 405 it looks like a children toy
The 405 is metal,small and compact
so it fits in your pocket really good for 4.3 games
The 505 is great for PSP games due to the screen size and resolution
I would get the 405 tho
Love King of Colosseum 2 getting some love in the open...it runs and looks amazing on the 505. If only wrestle kingdom 2 did
asking which daijisho wallpaper pack you're using in this video, the one at 0:42 looks so good🖐
Russ, i hope you do a video on the Retroid Pocket 2S!!
Yes, with gammaOS this console becomes very good!! Have both rp3+ and 505, and like both consoles, but love screen of 505 more and this console is more solid in hands, it's surprisingly have better ergonomics for me, imho:)
Looks like the perfect PSP emulation device. Mine should be delivered tomorrow! Can't wait 😊
Just ordered mine.
With all the devices that you end up carrying, do you have solutions for having cross saves for all the games you play? Or do you just play certain games on certain devices and not worry about carrying saves between devices?
Theres multiple options for cloud sharing saves. You can hook daijisho up and other emulator programs to Google drive, Dropbox, etc.
Or you could put both your roms and saves on one microsd card and swap that between devices
Hey first off i want to thank you for keeping on being my favorite tech genius and second i just got a steam deck and your old video on how to set it up is kind of outdated with the new way the emulators run.. I just wonder if your planning on ever doing an updated steamdeck emulator installation
How are the diagonals? Does it miss a lot of inputs in street fighter alpha?
it's alive?!?!
I ordered the rg505 during their 7/10 sale, still waiting for it to arrive but gamma os is going on it first thing
Russ, what’s the better option budget not an issue, a 505 a retroid 3 plus or an Odin lite with the 6gb ram? The more I watch you the more confused I get!!! Thanks
Retroid 2s is probably the Unit everyone is looking for
I thought i will regret buying RP3+ after seeing this video. But yeah, the ergonomics is still what holding me back from buying the 505.
Maybe a stupid question, but is there a list with Retro Game Corp's favorite games that he always installs on his systems? Like a best-off per system? I keep seeing new games in all these video's that look interesting to me 🙂
Tekken games
God of war games
Looks great in this price range
You mentioned that the Google Play Store involves "overhead". What does that mean? Does it affect gaming performance at all? Or are you referring to taking up storage space?
it takes up a low amount of computing power (play service always runs in background)
may impact game performance if u are trying to push it to the limits
would you still choose the rp3+ instead of the rg505?
I still prefer the RG552 due to its screen, even though it's not oled, it scales so nicely for perfect pixel sharpness.
Do all of these anbernic systems come preloaded with a bunch of games?
I strongly recommend gammaOS for this device.
How do you do that?
I recently got one for around 99USD brand new so for that price, I think it compensates for the shortcomings compared to the RG405M and the RP3+.
Where did you get it for 99?
@@longvo196Right, I just paid $218 total for this device.
@@Emma-dh1lx on the ambernic site, it's 137 before shipping.. so if there is a site that is selling it for 99, I would love to know where
Sir may i ask a question im getting a sd card with garlic os for my rg35xx is it safe to put the stock sd card in the 2nd slot while using the sd card with garlic is it ok or it might corrupt both sd cards and if i still can play the games in the stock sd not present in the garlic sd card one
That Mighty Final Fight soundtrack is the national anthem for cheap handhelds everywhere. SALUTE!
I still prefer the RG405M over the RG505, the smaller form factor does it for me.
Showing me a wrestling game running on a system is a good way to sell me on that system. The most common games I play are wrestling games and seeing a PS2 wrestling game running at seemingly full speed has me thinking about getting one.
The RG405M is the closest Ive been to buying another anbernic device to upgrade from my RG351MP. If only it was able to play GC/PS2 games more reliably and was linux.
RG351MP Always in my Heart
Love my 505 with Daijisho
Do you own any other devices, like the RP3+ r one of the newer Anbernic? What do you especially like about the 505?
@@dark-california OLED screen is beautiful to look at. Not super bright, but it’s enough. I like the form factor. Looks like Switch Lite. :)
@@benlogan4038 Still haven't decided yet
I have a RP505, RP405M and RP3+ for sale locally
I just bought today😄 i still have my RP3plus
A major issue I have had with this device is that the sound doesn’t work. When I bought the rg505 I worked, but then I did an update on the stock os and now it doesn’t work. Every thing I’ve seen online basically just says to break the headphone Jack. Anyone have any idea how to fix this?
So its okay for the RP3+ to NOT have the linux OS option but not the RG505? Its like you are looking for things to hold against the RG505.
I love my RG505. It's a cheap alternative to play those retro games up to Playstation 2 decently.
Hey, so I installed gamma os, but it's struggling to run Amiga games and a few PS1 games, but the big issue is that when I direct it to the folder I've put the specific roms for that system in, it can't find many of them.
I've tried extracting them and not, it just won't work most of the time...... Please help!
Do you know how to get rid of ad pop ups on the RG 505? I’ve been getting them when I’m playing a game
Which one would you recommend for playing PS2, 3DS/NDS, Wii games? Anbernic 505 or 552? Thanks!
so do you recommend 505 or 405m or RP+?
after all the updates, does this rank higher than the retroid pocket 3+? and which is better, the 405m or the rp3+
The RP3+ still has the best hardware, and the performance boost is built into the android update from retroid themselves
@@dopesheepify thanks for the insight!
3rd look of rg552 when? Especially since it can purchased at $170 on sale
does the 505 come with built in tf card??
If only they had this is a metal casing without the giant logo in the front, I would have bought it.
It’s not a deal breaker but can you stretch the screen ( on the psp some games you can fit the screen).
we need to see u test the pocket air. which is aya's first android handheld
thanks
Is it still possible to do Retroachievements with GammaOS, sorry for the newbie question..! Really want to make sure if I get it that I can still do does, thx in advance!
Yes, it's still possible. You would just open the RetroArch app and add your RetroAchievements credentials, and your account will be connected!
Thx u so so much for the answer I needed and reply 👍🏻
How well does it run Sega Saturn games? that's my ultimate goal with getting one.
Do the trigger buttons work when streaming Xbox cloud games? I recall some Anbernic devices had this bug, just wondering if Gamma resolves this.
Can you still play Genshin Impact? Or do you need key mapping apk?
No video out :(, Nice video
You was wrong about it back when you reviewed it 😂 many ppl told you was wrong about it, i remember how many ppl disagreed with you, due to your friendships with Taki u was incredibly biased, the nit-picking was crazy ❤ absolutely hilarious but you're heart is in the right place so much love to u.
ahhh its still those in line shoulder buttons that are making me look at retroid. I am trying to hold out until Retroid puts in a newer chipset. but if i dont blow alot of money this weekend at Classic Game Fest in austin ill probably pull the trigger on a Pocket Flip ***hmmm dat form factor and analog triggers*****
Where is the cheapest place i can buy the anbernic of rhe RG505?
After owning Ayn Odin Pro, I feel like my itch for ultimate retro gaming handheld for best of worse is over. There's nothing better qua performance/price/size then this. If it comes to emulation of consoles ps2 , Wii ,ps3 , and higher, PC emulation is the way to go because this consoles are meant to be played on bigger screen.
I'm surprised you didn't talk on how gamma works with the controller now, cod mobile actually sees the controls as a xbox controller so native gamepad support. The r2 and l2 now work in game pass
Think I read somewhere the way they programmed it was made to make the system think it's a usb connected xbox controller
Easily the biggest reason I jumped on gamma
He did mention it in the recent 405m gammaOS vid. He may have just forgot on this vid, but it also may have not mattered to him because the long reach from the analogs to l2/r2 is something that he's never been happy with on either the 505 or even the 552.
@@misterkeebler that make total sense, imo the buttons ain't bad but if I had smaller hands I can see where he is coming from
Cod is even better if you swap l2r2 and move them to l1r1 makes it alot easier on this device
Public service announcement:
Get a hdmi to usb-c cord and BAM you can play on your tv. Idk if it works here but it does work with my rg405v.
Hey Russ and Retro Game Corps Fam, I really one a T618 device to upgrade from my RG351P and I am really stuck between all these devices since each one has a quality I like and I was hoping you guys would help me decide.
RG405M = I grew up playing NES, SNES, Genesis and everything 4:3 so this device calls out to me, I would be missing on PSP and native android 16:9 goodness. GAMMAOS
Retroid pocket 3 plus = The lightest of the bunch and the one with the best ergonomics with stacked shoulders and D-pad on top and L1 and L2 reach. Native android, PSP and GBA is amazing.
RG505 = OLED, GAMMA OS, Best battery life, Best PSP experience, amazing GBA and android native.
Retroid pocket Flip, same as RP3+ even more compact.
At 5:16 you say "It has a somewhat lower resultion from the original PS Vita", how is that possible when it's a PS Vita screen?
Sorry, what I meant to say there is that it has a slightly lower resolution due to it being from the original PS Vita, which is why right after that I said the lower resolution numbers (960x544). Listening back I can totally understand why that sounded weird, in my mind there was a comma in there :)
Wow 😮