@@ironeltigre for what it's worth, I ended up buying the rg405m two months ago and I absolutely love it. Playing through SSX Tricky for GameCube and FF Tactics for PSP and I have zero complaints. The form factor is ideal for me even with the sacrifice of a smaller screen. Easily sits in my pocket for 20 mins of play on the subway or what-have-you. If they release another with same form factor but a better APU I would totally buy it.
You forgot to mention that there are 3 performance modes with Gamma OS which all make big changes to the performance/battery savings. Max power saving mode can make the battery life last upwards of 20+ hours and can still play non intensive games like GB/GBA and NES/SNES. There's a normal mode which is self explanatory. PS2 and GameCube games run significantly better on Gamma OS with max performance mode btw.
My RG505 with stock OS struggled to play games smoothly like New Super Mario Bros Wii (stutters) but with GammaOS Performance mode it runs flawlessly with no emulator settings changed it’s like magic!
Even with GammaOS and Hardware Hacks, the Anbernic RG 405m is still NOT as good as the Retroid Pocket 3+. The title of this video is still Clickbait. It's heavier, it has a worse aspect ratio for Android Apps and Emulation, the asymmetric joysticks are a not great, and lastly the screen is not as sharp as on the Retroid. Not to mention the Retroid plastic is fantastic, very retro vibes, and all in all it is still $10-$30 cheaper. With that said the Anbernic RG 405m is pretty good. They've reduced their usual prices, they improved the software (usually pretty bad), it's very slim and pocketable, lastly the layout is almost perfect. Now, I am not a fanboy of any single company (maybe Yamaha) but we need to remember that Anbernic started off as a company that clones and copies other companies. They got into limelight with the RG 350 the Odroid Go Clone, and they still have the same management or mindset. Retroid always had the vision of building devices that are pocket-friendly, run Android, and target emulation. And it shows, they don't just copy others, and that mindset is why the RP2+ was the best of the 2021 emu devices, and RP3+ was the best of 2023 emu devices.
@@ekinteko IDK about click bait, think it's just his opinion. You also forgot that the 3+ has HDMI out, it really seems better in most ways. The 405m also has hall effect sticks, which everybody faps over for no good reason. The only reason I'm torn is b/c pocketability. 99% of what I want to play are retro, so the 16:9 would be wasted quite often, I hear the inline shoulder button design kinda sucks, the 3+ doesn't have that issue, which is definitely a negative for the 405m, but retro games really don't need shoulder buttons, and unless a GC game was running flawless, I'm not going to play it. I don't plan on putting either in my pocket at all, but I want the ability to slip it into a bag's side pocket easily and not take up much space, and the 405m just seems better for that than the 3+, so IDK, I'm definitely torn.
@@MrSlowestD16 That's right, I forgot about the HDMI out, which also works flawlessly for 16:9 large TVs (unlike 4:3 devices which can struggle). I agree with most of your points. I would say the Anbernic RG 353m is the device for you. It's even smaller in the pocket, and the controls favour D-Pad and Action Buttons. The slightly slower processor has no real-world difference when playing those retro games. Also no weird joystick layout of the RG 405m. Both have inline shoulder buttons, and they're actually pretty good, I prefer them to the Stacked Shoulder buttons on the Retroid, which make the device a bit thicker or catch the seams in your jeans. RG 353m has the same Hall Effect Joysticks as the RG 405m, but these are useless for most retro systems. Hall Sensors are not better than Standard Sensors, they just have longer durability. The Retroid Pocket 3+ uses a very Standard Joystick and it's easy to replace when they wear out, or you can cheaply swap them for Hall Sensors. But by the time the RP3+ joysticks wear out in a couple years or earlier, you probably would just upgrade the whole unit to something newer and better anyway. Overall, the Retroid Pocket 3+ is definitely the better and upgraded device. It can much better do Android Apps, Gaming, Cloud Streaming, and those Higher-end Emulation. The Anbernic RG 353m is better in the pocket, it focuses on the retro gaming aspects and cannot compete with the RP3+. Meanwhile the Anbernic RG 405m is something in between the two. One question we must all ask ourselves, if we all had a PS Vita Slim, hacked and enjoyed many aspects of it, which pocket friendly device would be worth it to upgrade from it? I think the Retroid Pocket 3 and Anbernic RG 405m get close but not quite there. The likes of Miyoo Mini and PowKiddy devices are worse. Meanwhile the RPF/RP3m/RP3+ is finally competitive against the legendary PS Vita Slim, and lastly you also have the option of the Samsung S10+ with the Razer JungleCat as a pocketable gaming option. The AYN Odin 1 and AYN Odin 2 are not pocketable, so you may as well get the Valve SteamDeck, or ASUS ROG Ally, or the GPD Win-Max-2+ instead.
@@ekinteko Agreed its clickbait but I clicked anyway so I'm not knocking him at all since it worked lol. Already own a 3+ and I'm not replacing it with anything except maybe an Odin 2.
There's a file for some stacked shoulder buttons you can 3d print, and they feel much better than the linear buttons. Also if you hold L1 ,R1 and L3 you can change performance mode for those higher end systems, but if you go into power saving mode ( just hold the buttons again) you can get up to 20 hours of battery life on things like SNES. -Aish
I have a Nintendo 3DS XL and surprisingly I can't think of any games that use the new shoulder buttons for anything really useful maybe there's one or two games that use them but in a completely unnecessary fashion. Anyways when holding the system I never thought those buttons were in a bad spot or anything and while I didn't get the full utilize them so I can't say definitively if done properly I think they be fine. Also why not have both and you can then use the extra buttons for something? I remember seeing a few video game controllers that have an extra button off to the side of the regular shoulder buttons so you have the two stacked ones like normal but then you have like another one that's in line with the bumpers giving you extra buttons to use. It's not as good as having buttons on the back of it like the steam controller or steam deck has but you can make a controller that has both.
The reason for switching to Gamma is for PS2 and GameCube. It boosts the performance for those a lot. Admittedly I haven't gone gamma yet, I don't know that I NEED ps2
I think I'll still with my Miyoo Mini Plus for now. These devices fall slightly too short of proper PS2 and Gamecube emulation, so I'll just stick with something that's good for games up till PS1 until then (and something like the Steam Deck is far too big and bulky to get proper PS2/GC emulation, IMO).
from what I could tell from my research a few months ago when I was debating between the rp3+ and this (in which I ended up buying the rp3+) is that the rp3+ was an all around better handheld: better screen, ergonomics, performance, etc. Right now the only thing that seemed to change is the performance oddly enough. Still not enough for me. One added benefit to the rp3+ is that DS dual screen games turn out to be more "readable" when you can add Drastic's double HD filter (forgot what it's called), which I believe is only possible with higher pixel density screens. With my old eyes in general, that brighter, crisper screen is just a life saver. Also, for those that want PSP, supposedly the rp3+ is just THE place to play those games.
It was the same exact for me, I was between this and the R3+, was very hard to choose, lots of research, but ended with the R3+ because its an overall better package between older emulation and newer gaming experiences on 16:9, including streaming from PC with Moonlight and modern emulation, cloud gaming and Android apps/games, also I don't like the side by side shoulder buttons of the Anbernic consoles at all, I like it better stacked one in front of the other like in the Retroid. Plus HDMI output so I no longer need to bring a Chromecast to hotels just this thing with a cable becomes a complete entertainment package. It's a very versatile device for just $150.
Gamma OS is definitely worth it if you don't mind the bit of setup. It fixes oversharpening and gives you some phenomenal power-saving mode you can cycle to to get you like 20 hours on a single charge. The only weird thing is I have some GC games that work better on MMJR, and some that run like garbage in MMJR but perfect in standard Dolphin so keep that in mind.
I've seen a few random posts about specific games or a handful on a console, but not a big chart yet. Even just now, I finally got GC Prince of Persia working near perfect, but had to figure it out on my own.
@@HallowKey Ah dang, you think maybe the chart for the RP3+ might also work for this system? same specs and all that jazz. Def would love PS2 horror games on the go.
@@HallowKey Because of having the same chip (although slightly different thermal properties) the retroid 3 list should mostly work. Still android, and based on specific versions of apps.
Just bought the 3+ and I will stick to my guns. The big reasons being the d pad on top, hdmi output, and ambernic’s 4:3 screen won’t be great for gba or psp which I intend on playing a lot of. I understand the whole, playable right out of the box argument, but I really enjoy the process of get an emulator device set up. Both devices are incredibly competitive offers! This market will clearly grow, but also bring anxiety. That title doesn’t really help matters. 😒
I would love to see anbernic basically bring the OLED screen to the 405M keep its form factor and the analog stick above the d pad. Also being able to dual boot Linux and android. All of that to me and they would have a killer new device.
I can easily palm a basketball and can confirm the dpad isn’t an issue. The device is about the same size as my 12 pro max and I rarely notice a difference jumping from dpad to joystick. Most arcade emulation you’ll be using the joystick freely anyways but I see no difference playing older dpad oriented systems like the nes and snes.
The 405m is so good with Gamma OS, it made me put down my 35XX completely. The compact form factor along with the performance enhancements with the new OS make it perfect. Now it even works with streaming services such as steam remote play, xbox game pass and PlayStation remote play as well.
@@AintNobodyAtAlloverall the buttons are great. The biggest deal breaker would be the triggers. They aren't stacked vertically like they should be. They're stacked horizontally which really sucks. Not only that, but the triggers aren't pressure sensitive. So it makes it impossible to play a game like Super Mario Sunshine where you need to spray varying amounts of water. To be fair though, I don't believe there are many handhelds that do have pressure sensitive triggers.
@@REVOLVERE Thanks for the reply! I'm not a big fan of horizontal triggers either but I don't think it's a dealbreaker. I'm not likely to play anything that requires pressure sensitive triggers so maybe it's worth it to take a leap. Honestly if I could just take the best parts of the Retroid 2 and 2+ and combine them, that'd be ideal. Should look into that.
Because it’s like $200 on Amazon, HDMI out is convenient, and stacked shoulder buttons are better. The 405m is a neat device but Retroid particularly with their RP2 line has always felt like the closest thing to having that sorta old school handheld design wise from the 2000s era in modern day. That said once you get to a certain performance threshold it always feels like these devices shape language just all homogenize into a Nintendo Switch which feels really boring at this point. The 405m doesn’t go for that but it also doesn’t really go for anything, the recessed thumb sticks are nice but the sacrifice for being so small and thin for the power it packs come through with its minimalist design. It just strikes me as gets the job done layout with no real flair and for me Retroid has often felt more interesting especially with its variants.
RG353PS in DMG Gray has entered the chat. Personally, I find Retroids designs boring. Just like, Wulf here said. Have you seen one device, you've seen them all.
@@BigFatCone ahhh my beloved RG353PS, I wanted so badly to love that thing, but paying a $150 on Amazon for a device that can't even run Dreamcast at full speed (avg was like 45FPS WITH drops) was just unacceptable, especially with the RP2+ out and on sale for $91 AND can run most if not all dreamcast at 60FPS. I loved the design of the RG353PS tho, so I got an 8bitdo SN30 Pro. Honestly, my bigger issue with that anbernic device was that it advertised dual boots (Linux/Android), yet Linux was a clear downgrade because there's no PS2, Wii, or Gamecube offerings that I could find. Not that this device could handle it but the dual boot felt so pointless if I had to swap back and forth between OS's just to get play some games and restart to play others, sure I could leave the SD card out and pop it back in so it boots into Android, but like if I'm settling on one OS than what's even the point.
@@pandabean See, I paid 100 bucks shipped with a 128GB card for mine. Anbernic honors their warranty so I don't see why I shouldn't buy from them directly. To save 20 bucks on return shipping on the low odds that it's DOA? And for 150, I'd agree its weak, but MSRP is pretty much perfect. It's only a couple of years ago something like that was several hundred dollars. I wasn't looking for something to do it all either. My main focus was old arcade games and portable Nintendo titles. Anthing with more hrsprs would just be wasted money. And with those targets, there's a bunch of devices that would do just fine. But none look as baller as the 353PS in DMG.
this is so real to be honest. i cant help but gravitate towards retro gaming handhelds that have that boxy old machine type of look. ambernic's RG-353p still gets me
It's the HDMI out with Retroid for me. 3+ has goofy button placements but I've never had an issue. It's just solid all around to me. (Except the very bottom of the screen doesn't register touches, where the android nav bar would be, but I work around it)
I would also say that there's the RG505 as an option as well. It's not as fancy/premium feeling as the 405, but it has the Vita OLED, which IMO, makes the games I play on there absolutely pop. But both handhelds, especially with GammaOS, are fantastic choices now. I don't regret buying my 505 at all.
There are quite a few PS2 RPG's that run just fine. The RG505 is the exact same as the RG405 in every way except... it just comes with a PS Vita OLED screen. The extra resolution is cool, and looks so nice.
I love these videos. I would never buy a retro handheld, I know I would never play it. I have so many roms and emulators on many different devices and I never actually play them 😅 but I love watching how these devices are tho
Too true, I already have 3 of these I don't play, stupid clicky buttons, and their abxy is backwards, but mostly they don't have a retro pie style easy game launcher. But I am checking on ps2 playability now
I play on my iPad but I only have nds and gba emulator . I’d like a GameCube and maybe a , PlayStation emulator . Although I have a ps3 backwards so I can play any game if I buy it .
@@toddwarboys5544 gamecube emulation is pretty good, i heard there is a way to get Dolphin in ios but might depend on model. TBH i would think the same thing sometimes where im like cool i can emulate this and that and this and that now and i never end up actually playing the games
The Retroid Pocket 3+ emulates PSP very well and has a much better aspect ratio (16:9) for PSP vs the 405m (4:3). I personally also prefer having the d-pad on top for the systems these devices emulate. Most of the dreamcast games I play also support widescreen too. If all you want to play are Dreamcast and older 4:3 aspect ratio systems like PSX, SNES, Genesis, etc., there are cheaper, less powerful handhelds with 4:3 aspect ratio screens that can do that vs this 405m.
@@christianfriedrichs A used RG353M is a good shout if you want a similar form factor to this with a metal shell, or a RG353P/PS if you fancy the SNES style layout (though I just read below that it apparently struggles with Dreamcast). Or you could go with the Retroid Pocket 2S which has just come out for only $99, which definitely won't struggle with that.
It all depends on what you want to play. 16:9 is not a much better aspect ratio compared to 4:3, especially for many retro games. Except for PSP and GBA, 4:3 is better. There's not many choices for powerful 4:3 ratio retro handled, while you can find many for 16:9. I'd rather buy more powerful handled than just RP3+, or buy cheap used smartphone + razher kishi.
I already happily have an RP3+ that I still use daily since getting it back in January, and I’ve really no need to get another handheld that essentially does the same thing as the RP3+
I would be inclined to buy the 405m/505, if they had a hdmi output like the retroid. Having the option to hook it up and then use multiple bluetooth controllers for multiplayer is just fantastic.
The RP3 plus screen had better color saturation, ppi count and bigger resolution. Perfect for 3ds, psp, ps2, native android gaming and especially game streaming. It also doesn't fall off. Plus a better shoulder button that actually works on native android games and streaming. The RG505 and 405m should've come packaged with gamma os. It fixed the oversharpening plus it boosted the performance. The 405m looks beautiful but man does it come with a high price.
At that price about $200 point the Odin Lite is the best handheld that can play up to (and including) PS2 and GameCube (and plays them well). I believe AYN accidentally made the Odin Lite more powerful than they meant to as it beats the more expensive Pro/Base models in performance AND has better connectivity including WiFi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2...
@@DaGreenDestroyer You can get the Lite in 4GB or 6GB models. The Pro does offer more RAM at 8GB I believe but in my experience I have not needed more than 4GB. The D900 is a newer and more efficient chip. At worst it is on par with the Snapdragon 845 and at best it beats it slightly in certain situations (PS2 being a good example). Not only in my experience (I have the Lite and my cousin had the Pro and sold his to get the Lite when he started having issues running games I had no issues with) but there are also reviews that show the Lite has a slight edge on the Pro when it comes to performance. Not to mention the Lite offers better WiFi (WiFi 6) and better Bluetooth (BT 5.2) than the Pro. I recommend watching different reviews before purchasing any product but all this was my personal experience with the Odin products.
see I kinda of regret getting the 405m now. I bought because it looked way more aestically pleasing to me than the retroid and that metal shell is BEAUITFUL, but at $200 (which I paid) it's just doesn't do enough for me. I still get noticeable frame drops when playing my favorite DBZ ps2 game which is partly why I bought the system. Everything else is fine. The only reason why I didn't go all in for an odin or a steam deck was because I wanted that "retro feel" from these handhelds. (it makes the experince all the more enjoyable for me) and the steam deck or odin kind of ruin that retro impressiveness. Maybe I should get a cheaper vertical handheld for the retro alongside a steam deck for the ps2 games. Any thoughts???
Returned my rg405m and got a Retroid pocket 2s and am much happier. Rg405m had a slightly larger screen, but lack of analog hdmi out, front facing speakers, and lower quality sticks and dpad really ruined it for me. Also, I play a lot of games that make use of analog triggers, and the rg405m just had clicky buttons for triggers.
No HDMI? No thank you... Love to use them while travelling and play games on the big screen with a wireless controller in hotels. The 405m cant do that, the retroid can. Nuff said.
I bought a rg505 for under 100 with temu coupons(not an ad). Gamma OS fixes image quality and mmaj dolphin works great in max performance mode along with certain ps2 games in aether. The psp 2x is crazy on the 505 though due to the oled display.
After owning an RP3+ I've learned 2 things. 4:3 is a must. Nobody seems to understand N64 or Saturn emulation - because this device can't handle those systems properly. Some games, sure, but other games will absolutely crawl or be broken. We're just not there yet, performance wise, on these sub 200$, pocket-sized, systems.
Shoulder buttons/triggers are the biggest thing for me. I just can't stand the side by side layout Anbernic uses on most of their handhelds. That alone made me buy the RP3+ over the 405m
I'd rather have the 'cheap plastic shell' vs metal. When metal scratches, it's very noticeable and when you have this thing in your pocket or are sliding it across a table or whatever that stuff is going to really start showing through. With the plastic, it's a lot harder to notice and even if you do scratch it, you can do things to fix it a lot easier than metal. Just look at an iphone, everyone buys a case to protect that shell entirely negating the point of having it. IDK why plastic gets such a bad rap, it's damn sturdy and is what most handhelds are made out of and you don't see the same kind of damage you'd see on metal devices.
@@dreamer72 My friend got the previous version of this in metal, insisting he wanted it for the 'premium feel' but said he found it tiring to hold for long sessions so he wound up getting the plastic version. Which, IDK weird.
BEST review ever. I was going to get the Retro until I saw this. I have NO EXPERIENCE with emulators at all so indicating the 405m is for newbies has helped me decide!
Idk I love that we’re getting to the point where these devices can play GameCube and Dreamcast but I am gonna need one of these in the next year or two to get up to PS2…. Seems crazy that we haven’t gotten there yet tbh. The console is what almost 20-25 years old
I feel like the OLED screen of the RG505 was a selling point to me, would've bought a Retroid Pocket 3+ if it had one, and absolutely one of these if it were OLED and has an inline dpad instead of Xbox layout.
Have you seen side by side comparisons between the RG505 with Oled Screen and the R3+ regular screen? They are almost the same because the R3+ is a very good panel. If you value what the R3+ offers but chose the other only because of the screen you should reconsider.
@@BlazeHN not only have I seen comparisons online, but I have compared both panels with a friend's RP3. I prefer an OLED because I almost always play in low to no light, so panel brightness matters little, but having black blacks means a lot. It's my preference, I don't mind if it's not others, but doesn't stop me from wishing I could have my cake and eat it too with these handhelds.
@@itsuchi-kuntewori5778 I wonder how long it will take before we see a device with the likes of an LG, Samsung or Google Pixel OLED, surely they are getting very cheap now for an early device
To be fair, Retroid remaking the 2 is sensible given how popular it was. Really, the 2 just refers to the form factor and the new version is closer to the 3+ in terms of specs. Retroid have this weird naming system where the number tells you more about the shape than the specs. The plus version of a given model tends to be equivalent to the base version of the next model in terms of specs. Hence the 3 being a different shape but no more powerful than the 2+. Not sure why they do this.
The Anbernic 405m is really appealing because it is compact and powerful, I find this pretty much as pocket-able as the 35xx but it is also incredibly powerful for its size. While it cannot play the entire PS2 library it is capable of playing some lighter titles like persona 4 and dragon quest 5.
@@itsuchi-kuntewori5778 I just really like the compactness of the 405M. I would actually prefer a plastic case over aluminum as long as it's the same shape
i dont understand the concept of not buying something because it might require setup. how would you learn anything if everything has to be pre setup for you. go through it once and youll know how to set up EVERYTHING else with little compensation on yourself to figure.
Some people don't have the time or the patience to learn that. Many people want to pickup an already setup retro gaming system and let the nostalgia flow
@@Danielboqu1st you still have to do the research and hassle of going through setups or returns if you chose wrong, not ALL are plug n play so why not use that time to learn something to make it easier whenever you want to do it again. also what about when you tun into bugs or you need to fix it? just buy another? waste it? so many products like this are returned because of non problems. thats alot of time invested or money wasted.
Bought my 405M earlier this year after selling my 351MP, cause I wanted stable N64 and Dreamcast WITH wifi! Definitely best decision. I wanted my end all be all small handheld, and I got it. Very happy with it! Glad to hear it's still relevant, and I just have Daijsho on the stock firmware!
Or a modular design. Think like the Switch handrails and Joycon attachments. You can have N64 attachments, ps1 attachments, Mega Drive 3 button attachments, gameboy etc and so on... Could make these systems _feel_ more like original hardware.
It wouldn't be pocketable, but I'd like one that is basically a screen on top of a PlayStation controller, as long as it's not so top heavy like these clips that hold your phone on a controller
Bro I just want ds emulation. Hopefully Nintendo brings back a lot of games with that new dual screen patent and that ultimately becomes the next console
Because the main draw of this chip is the perfect PSP emulation and the 4:3 screen just doesnt cut it. On top of that the stacked shoulder buttons on the 3+ basically make it the best T618 device imo.
Ive got a RG35XX and it’s super handy to throw in your pocket for journeys, waiting places etc, but my hands cramp up with the vertical nature. I just got a steam deck and completely blown away with how good it is, so sold all my retro consoles, even ps4 and ps5 as it’s replaced those (I need gaming on the go). However I will replace the RG35XX with a 405m or a 353m soon as the horizontal layout is better for me and need something small so I can just throw in my pocket as I leave the house
Got both. While anbernic has better buttons and different (maybe better?) dpad and better sticks - it weights a bit too much imo. I'd say it depends. For some widescreen is a must, so retroid still rocks
I got the RG505 in January, I'm still running stock OS, the benefits of the 505 are a bigger 5" OLED screen, bigger battery, and it seems to play most PS2 games OK, I can't compare it to a 405 or Retroid 3+, but I'd highly recommend the 505 to anyone.
How do you manage taking it around. I got it but I find it too big to take it out without it looking weird. It does fit in my pocket and with the case too but barely. Just looks weird.
@@theenthusiast4218 For 4:3 aspect ratio gaming I have an RP2+, RP2, Anbernic RG350M, and 280V. The boost in power with the RP3+ was perfect for PSP gaming, and it has a 16:9 aspect ratio that's perfect for that. These devices (and the 405m) just don't have the performance for seamless GameCube or PS2 emulation. Those two systems do work very well on my Steam Deck though.
Gonna be honest you complaining about the launch of the Retroid Pocket 3 and the bad hinges on the flip should of made it pretty evident why they're making another Retroid Pocket 2. Why wouldn't they update the positively reviewed handheld that has a better design and a highly marketable price of $99?
And the built in roms... thats.... criminal. We probably shouldn't be advocating this unless we want Sony and Nintendo to bring us back into the dark ages.
Im debating on the flip JUST because of that analogue L and R. Gotta love my travel-specific inputs on gamecube games. If this has that, then maybe.. maybe 😅
@@amielbarzelay660 true, but it doesn't have the newer 3+ power, right? Especially if it's the normal pocket 2, it'd barely run Gamecube/PS2, which'd be the reason to have analog triggers, I think...or, I assume at least. 🤔 though that should still help with Dreamcast games I think...that had analog triggers right? 😅
@@NichoMania2 I’m getting it to utilize the analog triggers for Dreamcast. It’s within 10% performance difference, so it will do most gc/ps2 decently. Although I’d get a 3+ if you’re wanting to emulate gc/ps2/psp. Dreamcast and earlier are my goals for something this size.
@@amielbarzelay660 I def want the flip just for the triggers with gc/ps2/psp.. Though isn't it the same specs as the 3+? or is it slightly less powerful, so 3+ is better in that regard?
Im gonna go with RP3+ It has lots of features that reviewers just gloss over especially easy capturing clips and screenshots, mapping controls on games with no controller support, HDMI out, the 16:9 screen is really good/perfect for almost all Android games and it has received numerous updates like the power profiles.
Same. Plus, the Retroid screen is perfect for PSP, which is my main use for it. For everything else, I'd totally get the 405m. It looks fantastic... but Anbernic prices just push me away.
The Retroid Pocket 3+/Flip has a 17.5% bigger screen with a much clearer resolution, 480p vs 750p, 62.8% higher pixel density, and a 16:9 screen, which is great for newer content and running both DS screens.
Do you think matching the PS2 instructions for the RP3+ but for this system would help the ps2 games run well? Would love those horror game classics on the go. Like Silent Hill, Haunting Ground, Clock Tower, and Rule of Rose 😊
If you run GammaOS on the 405M, you get pretty much same performance as rp3+ for ps2/gc. The benefit with the 4:3 screen is that you do not need to upscale or run wide screen hacks, which impede performance anyway. If you only play 4:3 systems and dont card for psp, 405>>>>>>rp3+
@@MysticGohan01The benefit of the 4:3 screen is a slightly larger 4:3 display. That's all. The RP3+ is capable of displaying games in 4:3 ratio. It also has HDMI out which is nice. The ability to play GBA, PSP, and Android games without awful letterboxing is great. The RP3+ is also better able to play DS games with both screens visible side-by-side. Widescreen hacks are also a big deal. Particularly on Dreamcast. Many Dreamcast games have widescreen hacks and look great. Of course, some PS2 games have solid performance on RP3+ with widescreen hacks as well. Then there's the stacked shoulder buttons and D-Pad up top layout for RP3+. Considering the 405M is mainly for 4:3 display, the choice to put the D-Pad on bottom is really odd. Both devices are serviceable. I think the RP3+ is overall the superior device, but I can see the 405M for people who get overly bothered by black bars on the sides of 4:3 content.
First advertisement in a lot of time that i actually watch, thinking on buying that phone. Would also love to see an emulator video with the red magic from you!
The new RP2S is cheaper, native 4:3, front firing speakers, stacked analog triggers, Hall effect sticks. I don’t understand how this could be better? Smaller form factor maybe? Analog triggers are a must though for racing games / Dreamcast. The 610 is just about as powerful as the 618. I only imagine you will see a difference on ps2 or psp, which I wouldn’t be playing on 4:3
Personally I've loved my 405m. Tho there's reports of ppls screens falling off from bad adhesive I haven't had the problem myself. It does everything I'd need it to do, in a nice metal shell, and I mainly play 4:3 games on it anyways. I have a 2DS for 3DS and DS games, and steam deck for PS2 and GameCube. My only complaint is that sometimes my default home switches back to stock sometimes. Makes me wanna put gamma on it just to fix that.
The screen issue only happens on the release models, I know because I bought mine on release and the screen started to come off. Anbernic took note of the issue and fixed it.
An actual ds is so much better for ds games. I cannot play ds games on 3ds/2ds anymore. Some games like mario 64 are better on 3ds though simply because of the circle pad.
@@54356776 the screen does feel blurrier on the 2ds for me. But I figured it was just nostalgia making me think graphics were better than they were. Used my mom's DSi a while back and it just feels better.
Twitch User: You should make a 405m video. Wulff Den: Why? Convince me. TU: Its better. WD: Not a good reason. TU: Then cause uhhh fuck retroid? WD: You son of a bitch, I'm in!
Seems good, but for me RP3+ is still best. I think most of my current games are widescreen or widescreen-hackable. Would love to see a review of frontends because I've never heard of dig and I'm getting bored ot Daijisho 😊
If putting a community made front end on it makes it use-able, then there's something wrong with the unit straight from the start. My 2 previous Anbernic devices have been bad enough to put me off Anbernic for good. Intuitive is not part of Anbernics vocabulary. I'm not wasting another dollar on them.
in my country, with tax and everything, its actually cheaper to get switch lite than 405m or retroid 3+ or the flip. should i consider buying that instead?
I want a super simple OS. I want each game a click of a button and have it optimized for best gameplay AUTOMATICALLY. I don’t want to “tweak” settings. I don’t have time or patience for that. Bring me this device and I’ll buy.
@@estusflask982 damn. Sad to hear that. Great device other than that. I have the same problem with my miyoo mini+. Tho it's not falling out I can feel the rattle and can push the corners down.
FYI, anbernic is running a big sale from the 21st thru the 27th, the 405m is under 150 shipped, the 35xx is $50 shipped, the nano is a hair over 50, basically everything but their big windows handhelds look like screaming deals. I'm gonna pick up a 405m and new 35xx since I gave away mine to my little sister.
Love the rg405m, its amazing. Great specs, native Gamecube and PS2 aspect ratio and resolution so its picture perfect. Larger battery than the OLED Switch and Hall effect Analog sticks so no drift. It's literally perfect, I have the silver version.
It's unsettling that you're not warning people about the plastic buttons that scratch against the metal case and then that scratching leads to them getting stuck.
The level of irony. I’m experiencing right now is so ridiculous. I literally got my 405M two days ago yesterday I installed gamma OS and had no idea what I was doing when I was trying to point the front end in the right direction. This video would’ve been so helpful. 24 hours ago lol
Are you just going to pretend there are anywhere near as many flip hinges cracking as there are 405 screens falling out, buttons sticking, buttons not working out of the box, loose battery connectors and shoulder button switches breaking? And no, the performance isn’t better than on retroid. Retroid released an update boosting the performance, GammaOS apparently recreates that. Do reviewers like this get a load of engagement by talking nonsense?
Video was running a bit long for me, but I noticed that he mentioned the lack for a "front end" on Android, Anbernic has a front end that in my opinion looks better than Daijisho. Just swipe down the screen twice and enable game mode and you have a really easy to use front end. Also, I've installed Gamma OS and I honestly prefer the stock OS better. Flashing Gamma means you have to edit the emulators in order to make them work with the controller and the graphics settings to perform better, it was a real hastle. I didn't buy a emulator handheld in order to mess around with settings, I just want the thing to work right out of the box and it does very well.
*past Also, the preamble is well thought out and nice, provides context. If you wanna skip the ad, fair enough, but I wouldn't call the intro to the subject unnecessary. If that was like the channel intro only, sure I'd get it, but it's not.
While I liked the metal shell and coming from a 353mp and I hated the 405, my out of box experience was horrible. I couldn’t get stuff to run correctly on the 405. I ended up selling and put my money towards my Loki. Best experience for me is the steam deck and Loki and my 353MP for 16 bit games and PS1 and higher on my Loki and Steam Deck.
My problem with the Steam Deck is that it's not powerful enough. The good version costs almost as much as I paid for ny computer. That I play games on 4K in. I don't really see why I'd want to play those games on that tiny screen. Maybe if GDP wasn't a thing I would have thought it was really cool. Now it's just lacking. Not powerful enough for heavy games, and way to powerful to play games that are fun on the go. And as someone who likes a nice console as much as a powerful gaming PC, it's super fan to see PC Master Race freak out. Over an underpowered console. But I guess it's cool when Vavle does it...
I'm only looking at the thumbnail and i have to ask why is the dpad at the bottom? Just because Nintendo dose it doesn't mean you shouod copy them. Especially for a retro console.
With the price tag I’d argue this is the type of device someone upgrades to from a pervious emulation device. A novice to emulation is likely to start with something cheaper to play old Mario and Pokémon games.
I'm far from a novice when it comes to anything gaming, and I know what games I will be playing on a handheld. So pretty much anything more than 100 bucks would be waste. I was looking at this, but I also didn't want Android, since I have experience with emulation on Linux. But yeah, no. This is probably few peoples first device.
![The most POWERFUL handheld emulation machine [Ayn Odin 2]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/KHwHpiAMog4/mqdefault.jpg)
![ลองสุ่มไอโฟน 990 โกงมั้ย? [ โกงมั้ยครับ ep.101 ] | DOM](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/bfsWe0j492k/mqdefault.jpg)
Check out the Red Magic 8S Pro right here 👉 bit.ly/3q52seJ
You should change your channel name to DISHONEST SHILLING
I’m excited for the 405v coming out in the next few months.
Thanks for the video bro helps me forget about life bs
How do you download an upload ROM hacks for the Nintendo Wii cancel
@@urbanwarior3134You should change your name to can't spell warrior.
Man this market is overwhelming. I think all the competition is great all around but whenever I think about buying one it's like choice paralysis
Yep! Literally just bought the 3+ a few hours ago and then this video shows up.
😅😅😅 same here😊
Me too
My advice for anyone watching this just wait until something new releases that’s insanely good value or game changing
@@ironeltigre for what it's worth, I ended up buying the rg405m two months ago and I absolutely love it. Playing through SSX Tricky for GameCube and FF Tactics for PSP and I have zero complaints. The form factor is ideal for me even with the sacrifice of a smaller screen. Easily sits in my pocket for 20 mins of play on the subway or what-have-you. If they release another with same form factor but a better APU I would totally buy it.
You forgot to mention that there are 3 performance modes with Gamma OS which all make big changes to the performance/battery savings. Max power saving mode can make the battery life last upwards of 20+ hours and can still play non intensive games like GB/GBA and NES/SNES. There's a normal mode which is self explanatory. PS2 and GameCube games run significantly better on Gamma OS with max performance mode btw.
My RG505 with stock OS struggled to play games smoothly like New Super Mario Bros Wii (stutters) but with GammaOS Performance mode it runs flawlessly with no emulator settings changed it’s like magic!
Even with GammaOS and Hardware Hacks, the Anbernic RG 405m is still NOT as good as the Retroid Pocket 3+. The title of this video is still Clickbait.
It's heavier, it has a worse aspect ratio for Android Apps and Emulation, the asymmetric joysticks are a not great, and lastly the screen is not as sharp as on the Retroid. Not to mention the Retroid plastic is fantastic, very retro vibes, and all in all it is still $10-$30 cheaper.
With that said the Anbernic RG 405m is pretty good. They've reduced their usual prices, they improved the software (usually pretty bad), it's very slim and pocketable, lastly the layout is almost perfect.
Now, I am not a fanboy of any single company (maybe Yamaha) but we need to remember that Anbernic started off as a company that clones and copies other companies. They got into limelight with the RG 350 the Odroid Go Clone, and they still have the same management or mindset. Retroid always had the vision of building devices that are pocket-friendly, run Android, and target emulation. And it shows, they don't just copy others, and that mindset is why the RP2+ was the best of the 2021 emu devices, and RP3+ was the best of 2023 emu devices.
@@ekinteko IDK about click bait, think it's just his opinion. You also forgot that the 3+ has HDMI out, it really seems better in most ways. The 405m also has hall effect sticks, which everybody faps over for no good reason.
The only reason I'm torn is b/c pocketability. 99% of what I want to play are retro, so the 16:9 would be wasted quite often, I hear the inline shoulder button design kinda sucks, the 3+ doesn't have that issue, which is definitely a negative for the 405m, but retro games really don't need shoulder buttons, and unless a GC game was running flawless, I'm not going to play it. I don't plan on putting either in my pocket at all, but I want the ability to slip it into a bag's side pocket easily and not take up much space, and the 405m just seems better for that than the 3+, so IDK, I'm definitely torn.
@@MrSlowestD16 That's right, I forgot about the HDMI out, which also works flawlessly for 16:9 large TVs (unlike 4:3 devices which can struggle). I agree with most of your points.
I would say the Anbernic RG 353m is the device for you. It's even smaller in the pocket, and the controls favour D-Pad and Action Buttons. The slightly slower processor has no real-world difference when playing those retro games. Also no weird joystick layout of the RG 405m. Both have inline shoulder buttons, and they're actually pretty good, I prefer them to the Stacked Shoulder buttons on the Retroid, which make the device a bit thicker or catch the seams in your jeans.
RG 353m has the same Hall Effect Joysticks as the RG 405m, but these are useless for most retro systems. Hall Sensors are not better than Standard Sensors, they just have longer durability. The Retroid Pocket 3+ uses a very Standard Joystick and it's easy to replace when they wear out, or you can cheaply swap them for Hall Sensors. But by the time the RP3+ joysticks wear out in a couple years or earlier, you probably would just upgrade the whole unit to something newer and better anyway.
Overall, the Retroid Pocket 3+ is definitely the better and upgraded device. It can much better do Android Apps, Gaming, Cloud Streaming, and those Higher-end Emulation. The Anbernic RG 353m is better in the pocket, it focuses on the retro gaming aspects and cannot compete with the RP3+. Meanwhile the Anbernic RG 405m is something in between the two.
One question we must all ask ourselves, if we all had a PS Vita Slim, hacked and enjoyed many aspects of it, which pocket friendly device would be worth it to upgrade from it?
I think the Retroid Pocket 3 and Anbernic RG 405m get close but not quite there. The likes of Miyoo Mini and PowKiddy devices are worse. Meanwhile the RPF/RP3m/RP3+ is finally competitive against the legendary PS Vita Slim, and lastly you also have the option of the Samsung S10+ with the Razer JungleCat as a pocketable gaming option.
The AYN Odin 1 and AYN Odin 2 are not pocketable, so you may as well get the Valve SteamDeck, or ASUS ROG Ally, or the GPD Win-Max-2+ instead.
@@ekinteko Agreed its clickbait but I clicked anyway so I'm not knocking him at all since it worked lol. Already own a 3+ and I'm not replacing it with anything except maybe an Odin 2.
There's a file for some stacked shoulder buttons you can 3d print, and they feel much better than the linear buttons.
Also if you hold L1 ,R1 and L3 you can change performance mode for those higher end systems, but if you go into power saving mode ( just hold the buttons again) you can get up to 20 hours of battery life on things like SNES.
-Aish
I have a Nintendo 3DS XL and surprisingly I can't think of any games that use the new shoulder buttons for anything really useful maybe there's one or two games that use them but in a completely unnecessary fashion. Anyways when holding the system I never thought those buttons were in a bad spot or anything and while I didn't get the full utilize them so I can't say definitively if done properly I think they be fine.
Also why not have both and you can then use the extra buttons for something?
I remember seeing a few video game controllers that have an extra button off to the side of the regular shoulder buttons so you have the two stacked ones like normal but then you have like another one that's in line with the bumpers giving you extra buttons to use. It's not as good as having buttons on the back of it like the steam controller or steam deck has but you can make a controller that has both.
only new 3ds's had L2/R2 buttons so of course not many games used it. Plenty of games you need to emulate need to use them@@bland9876
Retroid 2S is actually exactly what I've wanted from them. I love the form factor of the Retroid 2 line.
i think the r2 had the best design and this new one perfected it 🔥
The reason for switching to Gamma is for PS2 and GameCube. It boosts the performance for those a lot. Admittedly I haven't gone gamma yet, I don't know that I NEED ps2
Loving this handheld arms race and hope it continues
I think I'll still with my Miyoo Mini Plus for now. These devices fall slightly too short of proper PS2 and Gamecube emulation, so I'll just stick with something that's good for games up till PS1 until then (and something like the Steam Deck is far too big and bulky to get proper PS2/GC emulation, IMO).
If the "Switch 2 is a portable Series S" rumors are true they're gonna have to bring out the big guns soon.
from what I could tell from my research a few months ago when I was debating between the rp3+ and this (in which I ended up buying the rp3+) is that the rp3+ was an all around better handheld: better screen, ergonomics, performance, etc. Right now the only thing that seemed to change is the performance oddly enough. Still not enough for me.
One added benefit to the rp3+ is that DS dual screen games turn out to be more "readable" when you can add Drastic's double HD filter (forgot what it's called), which I believe is only possible with higher pixel density screens. With my old eyes in general, that brighter, crisper screen is just a life saver. Also, for those that want PSP, supposedly the rp3+ is just THE place to play those games.
It was the same exact for me, I was between this and the R3+, was very hard to choose, lots of research, but ended with the R3+ because its an overall better package between older emulation and newer gaming experiences on 16:9, including streaming from PC with Moonlight and modern emulation, cloud gaming and Android apps/games, also I don't like the side by side shoulder buttons of the Anbernic consoles at all, I like it better stacked one in front of the other like in the Retroid. Plus HDMI output so I no longer need to bring a Chromecast to hotels just this thing with a cable becomes a complete entertainment package. It's a very versatile device for just $150.
Gamma OS is definitely worth it if you don't mind the bit of setup. It fixes oversharpening and gives you some phenomenal power-saving mode you can cycle to to get you like 20 hours on a single charge. The only weird thing is I have some GC games that work better on MMJR, and some that run like garbage in MMJR but perfect in standard Dolphin so keep that in mind.
makes me hope a compatiblity chart like the retroids have exists already. 😅
I've seen a few random posts about specific games or a handful on a console, but not a big chart yet. Even just now, I finally got GC Prince of Persia working near perfect, but had to figure it out on my own.
@@HallowKey Ah dang, you think maybe the chart for the RP3+ might also work for this system? same specs and all that jazz. Def would love PS2 horror games on the go.
Good point. I haven't touched PS2 on this because that's what my Odin is for but I'd assume it would be at least mostly accurate.
@@HallowKey Because of having the same chip (although slightly different thermal properties) the retroid 3 list should mostly work. Still android, and based on specific versions of apps.
retroid's hdmi out is such a game changer though, i take it to work and plug it into a monitor or to someone's house and into their tv
When you do that do you use it as the controller, or do you use a separate controller?
no the hdmi out sucks actually
@@williamrosenberg8061is it laggy or something?
The HDMI out is the deciding factor for me in deciding between Retroid and Anbernic!
@@2Namiiyes, you can do either or
Just bought the 3+ and I will stick to my guns. The big reasons being the d pad on top, hdmi output, and ambernic’s 4:3 screen won’t be great for gba or psp which I intend on playing a lot of. I understand the whole, playable right out of the box argument, but I really enjoy the process of get an emulator device set up. Both devices are incredibly competitive offers! This market will clearly grow, but also bring anxiety. That title doesn’t really help matters. 😒
tI inteded to play a lot of GBA games. What I'm actually playing are arcade games. And the 4:3 kinda sucks for PSP but for GBA it's more than fine.
RP3+ is going for $125 now even if it's not as good as the RG405M it's much less expensive now.
I would love to see anbernic basically bring the OLED screen to the 405M keep its form factor and the analog stick above the d pad. Also being able to dual boot Linux and android. All of that to me and they would have a killer new device.
does anyone even make 4:3 OLEDs 💀
I would easily buy RP3+ Metal Edition if it had OLED.
The big thing for me and my big hands is the DPAD .... I prefer, the DPAD on top since 90% of the time you are using it and not the joystick.
you can see how awkward bahb’s grip is reaching for the dpad. and that was without adjusting for left bumper reach if required.
I can easily palm a basketball and can confirm the dpad isn’t an issue. The device is about the same size as my 12 pro max and I rarely notice a difference jumping from dpad to joystick. Most arcade emulation you’ll be using the joystick freely anyways but I see no difference playing older dpad oriented systems like the nes and snes.
The majority of emulators have the Dpad at the top. Let some of them have the joystick at the top for those of us that want that.
The 405m is so good with Gamma OS, it made me put down my 35XX completely. The compact form factor along with the performance enhancements with the new OS make it perfect. Now it even works with streaming services such as steam remote play, xbox game pass and PlayStation remote play as well.
How are the buttons? I thought that the buttons on the 350M (and the Retroid 2+) were too stiff and hard to press.
@@AintNobodyAtAlloverall the buttons are great. The biggest deal breaker would be the triggers. They aren't stacked vertically like they should be. They're stacked horizontally which really sucks. Not only that, but the triggers aren't pressure sensitive. So it makes it impossible to play a game like Super Mario Sunshine where you need to spray varying amounts of water. To be fair though, I don't believe there are many handhelds that do have pressure sensitive triggers.
Taki hasn't reviewed it so It must be bad , Taki knows his stuff
@@REVOLVERE Thanks for the reply! I'm not a big fan of horizontal triggers either but I don't think it's a dealbreaker. I'm not likely to play anything that requires pressure sensitive triggers so maybe it's worth it to take a leap. Honestly if I could just take the best parts of the Retroid 2 and 2+ and combine them, that'd be ideal. Should look into that.
@@DJDanceClassicTaki is shit nowadays
Because it’s like $200 on Amazon, HDMI out is convenient, and stacked shoulder buttons are better. The 405m is a neat device but Retroid particularly with their RP2 line has always felt like the closest thing to having that sorta old school handheld design wise from the 2000s era in modern day. That said once you get to a certain performance threshold it always feels like these devices shape language just all homogenize into a Nintendo Switch which feels really boring at this point. The 405m doesn’t go for that but it also doesn’t really go for anything, the recessed thumb sticks are nice but the sacrifice for being so small and thin for the power it packs come through with its minimalist design. It just strikes me as gets the job done layout with no real flair and for me Retroid has often felt more interesting especially with its variants.
RG353PS in DMG Gray has entered the chat. Personally, I find Retroids designs boring. Just like, Wulf here said. Have you seen one device, you've seen them all.
@@BigFatCone ahhh my beloved RG353PS, I wanted so badly to love that thing, but paying a $150 on Amazon for a device that can't even run Dreamcast at full speed (avg was like 45FPS WITH drops) was just unacceptable, especially with the RP2+ out and on sale for $91 AND can run most if not all dreamcast at 60FPS. I loved the design of the RG353PS tho, so I got an 8bitdo SN30 Pro. Honestly, my bigger issue with that anbernic device was that it advertised dual boots (Linux/Android), yet Linux was a clear downgrade because there's no PS2, Wii, or Gamecube offerings that I could find. Not that this device could handle it but the dual boot felt so pointless if I had to swap back and forth between OS's just to get play some games and restart to play others, sure I could leave the SD card out and pop it back in so it boots into Android, but like if I'm settling on one OS than what's even the point.
@@pandabean See, I paid 100 bucks shipped with a 128GB card for mine. Anbernic honors their warranty so I don't see why I shouldn't buy from them directly. To save 20 bucks on return shipping on the low odds that it's DOA?
And for 150, I'd agree its weak, but MSRP is pretty much perfect. It's only a couple of years ago something like that was several hundred dollars. I wasn't looking for something to do it all either. My main focus was old arcade games and portable Nintendo titles. Anthing with more hrsprs would just be wasted money.
And with those targets, there's a bunch of devices that would do just fine. But none look as baller as the 353PS in DMG.
this is so real to be honest. i cant help but gravitate towards retro gaming handhelds that have that boxy old machine type of look. ambernic's RG-353p still gets me
@@hawshimagical Oh, it's not that I hate the square look. It's just a bit boring. A rather large bit.
It's the HDMI out with Retroid for me.
3+ has goofy button placements but I've never had an issue. It's just solid all around to me. (Except the very bottom of the screen doesn't register touches, where the android nav bar would be, but I work around it)
I would also say that there's the RG505 as an option as well. It's not as fancy/premium feeling as the 405, but it has the Vita OLED, which IMO, makes the games I play on there absolutely pop. But both handhelds, especially with GammaOS, are fantastic choices now. I don't regret buying my 505 at all.
There are quite a few PS2 RPG's that run just fine. The RG505 is the exact same as the RG405 in every way except... it just comes with a PS Vita OLED screen. The extra resolution is cool, and looks so nice.
I love these videos. I would never buy a retro handheld, I know I would never play it. I have so many roms and emulators on many different devices and I never actually play them 😅 but I love watching how these devices are tho
Too true, I already have 3 of these I don't play, stupid clicky buttons, and their abxy is backwards, but mostly they don't have a retro pie style easy game launcher. But I am checking on ps2 playability now
Same here...For me If i want to play all these retro games... Just play it on my smartphone 😅😅😅
I play on my iPad but I only have nds and gba emulator . I’d like a GameCube and maybe a , PlayStation emulator . Although I have a ps3 backwards so I can play any game if I buy it .
@@toddwarboys5544 gamecube emulation is pretty good, i heard there is a way to get Dolphin in ios but might depend on model. TBH i would think the same thing sometimes where im like cool i can emulate this and that and this and that now and i never end up actually playing the games
The Retroid Pocket 3+ emulates PSP very well and has a much better aspect ratio (16:9) for PSP vs the 405m (4:3). I personally also prefer having the d-pad on top for the systems these devices emulate. Most of the dreamcast games I play also support widescreen too. If all you want to play are Dreamcast and older 4:3 aspect ratio systems like PSX, SNES, Genesis, etc., there are cheaper, less powerful handhelds with 4:3 aspect ratio screens that can do that vs this 405m.
Could you please point me in the direction of one of those fine cheaper systems?
Thanks!
@@christianfriedrichs A used RG353M is a good shout if you want a similar form factor to this with a metal shell, or a RG353P/PS if you fancy the SNES style layout (though I just read below that it apparently struggles with Dreamcast). Or you could go with the Retroid Pocket 2S which has just come out for only $99, which definitely won't struggle with that.
There's no way I'm buying any handheld with a 4.3 display in 2023.
@@newbutthuntok noob
It all depends on what you want to play. 16:9 is not a much better aspect ratio compared to 4:3, especially for many retro games. Except for PSP and GBA, 4:3 is better. There's not many choices for powerful 4:3 ratio retro handled, while you can find many for 16:9. I'd rather buy more powerful handled than just RP3+, or buy cheap used smartphone + razher kishi.
Got one of these in the mail yesterday. Side-loaded Daijisho and away we go! Loving it so far.
Tinkering and setting up devices like this is half the fun imo. I love rooting devices, flashing custom android Roms and making the device my own.
I am the opposite. I’m new and just want something that plays n64 GameCube and ps1 and 2 with no hassle
I already happily have an RP3+ that I still use daily since getting it back in January, and I’ve really no need to get another handheld that essentially does the same thing as the RP3+
I would be inclined to buy the 405m/505, if they had a hdmi output like the retroid. Having the option to hook it up and then use multiple bluetooth controllers for multiplayer is just fantastic.
That should be a standard on all retro handhelds now I feel
@@skycloud4802 Agreed.
The RP3 plus screen had better color saturation, ppi count and bigger resolution.
Perfect for 3ds, psp, ps2, native android gaming and especially game streaming. It also doesn't fall off. Plus a better shoulder button that actually works on native android games and streaming.
The RG505 and 405m should've come packaged with gamma os. It fixed the oversharpening plus it boosted the performance.
The 405m looks beautiful but man does it come with a high price.
At that price about $200 point the Odin Lite is the best handheld that can play up to (and including) PS2 and GameCube (and plays them well). I believe AYN accidentally made the Odin Lite more powerful than they meant to as it beats the more expensive Pro/Base models in performance AND has better connectivity including WiFi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2...
Yup. I got the pro but I really wish I'd of bought the lite - waiting for the Odin 2 now.
doesnt the pro have 4 more gigs of ram to help run open world games and an sd845 or is the dimensity d900 better than the sd845
@@DaGreenDestroyer You can get the Lite in 4GB or 6GB models. The Pro does offer more RAM at 8GB I believe but in my experience I have not needed more than 4GB. The D900 is a newer and more efficient chip. At worst it is on par with the Snapdragon 845 and at best it beats it slightly in certain situations (PS2 being a good example). Not only in my experience (I have the Lite and my cousin had the Pro and sold his to get the Lite when he started having issues running games I had no issues with) but there are also reviews that show the Lite has a slight edge on the Pro when it comes to performance. Not to mention the Lite offers better WiFi (WiFi 6) and better Bluetooth (BT 5.2) than the Pro. I recommend watching different reviews before purchasing any product but all this was my personal experience with the Odin products.
@@kennethd4958 Wow I really didn't know all that thanks for the clarification
see I kinda of regret getting the 405m now. I bought because it looked way more aestically pleasing to me than the retroid and that metal shell is BEAUITFUL, but at $200 (which I paid) it's just doesn't do enough for me. I still get noticeable frame drops when playing my favorite DBZ ps2 game which is partly why I bought the system. Everything else is fine. The only reason why I didn't go all in for an odin or a steam deck was because I wanted that "retro feel" from these handhelds. (it makes the experince all the more enjoyable for me) and the steam deck or odin kind of ruin that retro impressiveness. Maybe I should get a cheaper vertical handheld for the retro alongside a steam deck for the ps2 games. Any thoughts???
Returned my rg405m and got a Retroid pocket 2s and am much happier. Rg405m had a slightly larger screen, but lack of analog hdmi out, front facing speakers, and lower quality sticks and dpad really ruined it for me. Also, I play a lot of games that make use of analog triggers, and the rg405m just had clicky buttons for triggers.
I do love the screen and size of this I would prefer it over the 3+, but I am a heavy d-pad user and want it where I need it.
No HDMI? No thank you...
Love to use them while travelling and play games on the big screen with a wireless controller in hotels. The 405m cant do that, the retroid can. Nuff said.
I bought a rg505 for under 100 with temu coupons(not an ad). Gamma OS fixes image quality and mmaj dolphin works great in max performance mode along with certain ps2 games in aether. The psp 2x is crazy on the 505 though due to the oled display.
I love the 505, but I think it's not conformable to play for long hours, because the left analog should be upside.
After owning an RP3+ I've learned 2 things.
4:3 is a must.
Nobody seems to understand N64 or Saturn emulation - because this device can't handle those systems properly.
Some games, sure, but other games will absolutely crawl or be broken.
We're just not there yet, performance wise, on these sub 200$, pocket-sized, systems.
why is 4:3 a must?
Shoulder buttons/triggers are the biggest thing for me. I just can't stand the side by side layout Anbernic uses on most of their handhelds. That alone made me buy the RP3+ over the 405m
Exactly this !
This guy always uploads about the thing I’m going to buy the day I order it
I'd rather have the 'cheap plastic shell' vs metal. When metal scratches, it's very noticeable and when you have this thing in your pocket or are sliding it across a table or whatever that stuff is going to really start showing through.
With the plastic, it's a lot harder to notice and even if you do scratch it, you can do things to fix it a lot easier than metal. Just look at an iphone, everyone buys a case to protect that shell entirely negating the point of having it.
IDK why plastic gets such a bad rap, it's damn sturdy and is what most handhelds are made out of and you don't see the same kind of damage you'd see on metal devices.
Metal can also get quite cold, which cant be good for the internals. Also heavier.
@@dreamer72 My friend got the previous version of this in metal, insisting he wanted it for the 'premium feel' but said he found it tiring to hold for long sessions so he wound up getting the plastic version.
Which, IDK weird.
BEST review ever. I was going to get the Retro until I saw this. I have NO EXPERIENCE with emulators at all so indicating the 405m is for newbies has helped me decide!
Idk I love that we’re getting to the point where these devices can play GameCube and Dreamcast but I am gonna need one of these in the next year or two to get up to PS2…. Seems crazy that we haven’t gotten there yet tbh. The console is what almost 20-25 years old
Retroid pocket 4 pro and the ayn odin 2. Both offer good performance and decent pricing.
Tbf the jump from ps1 Gen to ps2 is like the biggest jump the industry has ever had. Ps2 is a magic box
I feel like the OLED screen of the RG505 was a selling point to me, would've bought a Retroid Pocket 3+ if it had one, and absolutely one of these if it were OLED and has an inline dpad instead of Xbox layout.
Have you seen side by side comparisons between the RG505 with Oled Screen and the R3+ regular screen? They are almost the same because the R3+ is a very good panel. If you value what the R3+ offers but chose the other only because of the screen you should reconsider.
@@BlazeHN not only have I seen comparisons online, but I have compared both panels with a friend's RP3. I prefer an OLED because I almost always play in low to no light, so panel brightness matters little, but having black blacks means a lot. It's my preference, I don't mind if it's not others, but doesn't stop me from wishing I could have my cake and eat it too with these handhelds.
@kanjokiroo Fair enough, enjoy your device buddie :)
Exactly. I really would love to buy a RP3+ with an OLED screen.
@@itsuchi-kuntewori5778 I wonder how long it will take before we see a device with the likes of an LG, Samsung or Google Pixel OLED, surely they are getting very cheap now for an early device
To be fair, Retroid remaking the 2 is sensible given how popular it was. Really, the 2 just refers to the form factor and the new version is closer to the 3+ in terms of specs.
Retroid have this weird naming system where the number tells you more about the shape than the specs. The plus version of a given model tends to be equivalent to the base version of the next model in terms of specs. Hence the 3 being a different shape but no more powerful than the 2+. Not sure why they do this.
The Anbernic 405m is really appealing because it is compact and powerful, I find this pretty much as pocket-able as the 35xx but it is also incredibly powerful for its size. While it cannot play the entire PS2 library it is capable of playing some lighter titles like persona 4 and dragon quest 5.
What about something like Silent Hill 2?
I finished DQ5 on RG 505, and it's undeniably prettier than the regular LCD screen.
However, 405m and RP3+ Metal are more premium designed.
@@itsuchi-kuntewori5778 I just really like the compactness of the 405M. I would actually prefer a plastic case over aluminum as long as it's the same shape
if you get GammaOS the performance increase quite a bit. like it's still hit or miss but a lot of games play pretty well.
i dont understand the concept of not buying something because it might require setup. how would you learn anything if everything has to be pre setup for you. go through it once and youll know how to set up EVERYTHING else with little compensation on yourself to figure.
I agree with you but there is a part of the market that these are targeted at. A part that just wants a ready to go device.
How do you not understand the "concecpt". You have no clue how many people are as inept with software as you are with concepts.
@@lain4231 now i know and will not mess up again. MY POINT!!!
Some people don't have the time or the patience to learn that. Many people want to pickup an already setup retro gaming system and let the nostalgia flow
@@Danielboqu1st you still have to do the research and hassle of going through setups or returns if you chose wrong, not ALL are plug n play so why not use that time to learn something to make it easier whenever you want to do it again.
also what about when you tun into bugs or you need to fix it? just buy another? waste it? so many products like this are returned because of non problems. thats alot of time invested or money wasted.
Bought my 405M earlier this year after selling my 351MP, cause I wanted stable N64 and Dreamcast WITH wifi! Definitely best decision. I wanted my end all be all small handheld, and I got it. Very happy with it! Glad to hear it's still relevant, and I just have Daijsho on the stock firmware!
Can it play pso?
I feel that they need to make handhelds for different systems. A handheld with a N64 button layout or a sega 6 button layout would be cool.
Or a modular design. Think like the Switch handrails and Joycon attachments. You can have N64 attachments, ps1 attachments, Mega Drive 3 button attachments, gameboy etc and so on...
Could make these systems _feel_ more like original hardware.
It wouldn't be pocketable, but I'd like one that is basically a screen on top of a PlayStation controller, as long as it's not so top heavy like these clips that hold your phone on a controller
Bro I just want ds emulation. Hopefully Nintendo brings back a lot of games with that new dual screen patent and that ultimately becomes the next console
Because the main draw of this chip is the perfect PSP emulation and the 4:3 screen just doesnt cut it. On top of that the stacked shoulder buttons on the 3+ basically make it the best T618 device imo.
Ive got a RG35XX and it’s super handy to throw in your pocket for journeys, waiting places etc, but my hands cramp up with the vertical nature. I just got a steam deck and completely blown away with how good it is, so sold all my retro consoles, even ps4 and ps5 as it’s replaced those (I need gaming on the go). However I will replace the RG35XX with a 405m or a 353m soon as the horizontal layout is better for me and need something small so I can just throw in my pocket as I leave the house
Um are you sure you don't wanna play PS4 exclusives??
personally I will never sell my retro consoles. I never play them but I had my nes since I was 3.
Why is this guy so angry right away.
First time here?
@@DDL-n2u Haha yes, I think it was.
The way Bob does ads is next level!!!! He can honestly make me buy anything
Got both. While anbernic has better buttons and different (maybe better?) dpad and better sticks - it weights a bit too much imo. I'd say it depends. For some widescreen is a must, so retroid still rocks
Weights too much? WEIGHTS? 😂
Fun fact the RG505 even has the same waifu on the stock android. Plus the oled is nice
Honestly if this has HDMI out, it would be near perfect. But that's a dealbreaker for me. It's such a shame because it's just so close to perfect.
^^ This
what's the point of being portable then? just play on emulators from a phone with joycons for phone or a laptop
@@valentds Why does a switch have a dock?
I got the RG505 in January, I'm still running stock OS, the benefits of the 505 are a bigger 5" OLED screen, bigger battery, and it seems to play most PS2 games OK, I can't compare it to a 405 or Retroid 3+, but I'd highly recommend the 505 to anyone.
Has no HDMI out though, that kills it for me :/
If they release a RG505 with HDMI out and stacked shoulder buttons, that's an instant buy.
How do you manage taking it around. I got it but I find it too big to take it out without it looking weird. It does fit in my pocket and with the case too but barely. Just looks weird.
Gotta have a 16:9 for DS and PSP games.
Exactly. These devices can emulate PSP very well - but you don't want to play PSP on a 4:3 screen.
@@UCLAKoolman I had a 405m and sold it for a. Rp3+. For me personally. It was a night and day improvement.
@@theenthusiast4218 For 4:3 aspect ratio gaming I have an RP2+, RP2, Anbernic RG350M, and 280V. The boost in power with the RP3+ was perfect for PSP gaming, and it has a 16:9 aspect ratio that's perfect for that. These devices (and the 405m) just don't have the performance for seamless GameCube or PS2 emulation. Those two systems do work very well on my Steam Deck though.
So the m looks interesting. Thank you .
In other sites they just say „its playing ps2“ but not about the quality.
Gonna be honest you complaining about the launch of the Retroid Pocket 3 and the bad hinges on the flip should of made it pretty evident why they're making another Retroid Pocket 2. Why wouldn't they update the positively reviewed handheld that has a better design and a highly marketable price of $99?
And the built in roms... thats.... criminal. We probably shouldn't be advocating this unless we want Sony and Nintendo to bring us back into the dark ages.
I have a ROG ally,steam deck,Odin 2, RP3+ and an original Odin pro ordered a RP4 pro and I want one of these.
Im debating on the flip JUST because of that analogue L and R.
Gotta love my travel-specific inputs on gamecube games.
If this has that, then maybe.. maybe 😅
Choose Sigma steamdeck, valve will sell refurbished steam decks for 320$
The retroid pocket 2s will have analog triggers, hall sticks, and native 4:3 screen.
@@amielbarzelay660 true, but it doesn't have the newer 3+ power, right? Especially if it's the normal pocket 2, it'd barely run Gamecube/PS2, which'd be the reason to have analog triggers, I think...or, I assume at least. 🤔 though that should still help with Dreamcast games I think...that had analog triggers right? 😅
@@NichoMania2 I’m getting it to utilize the analog triggers for Dreamcast. It’s within 10% performance difference, so it will do most gc/ps2 decently. Although I’d get a 3+ if you’re wanting to emulate gc/ps2/psp.
Dreamcast and earlier are my goals for something this size.
@@amielbarzelay660 I def want the flip just for the triggers with gc/ps2/psp..
Though isn't it the same specs as the 3+? or is it slightly less powerful, so 3+ is better in that regard?
0:34 Wulff listening aww ;)
Im gonna go with RP3+ It has lots of features that reviewers just gloss over especially easy capturing clips and screenshots, mapping controls on games with no controller support, HDMI out, the 16:9 screen is really good/perfect for almost all Android games and it has received numerous updates like the power profiles.
that bit @3:30 thankyou for making me laugh, much love to you
These two devices have different use cases for most. I like streaming games from my pc to my rp3+
Same. Plus, the Retroid screen is perfect for PSP, which is my main use for it. For everything else, I'd totally get the 405m. It looks fantastic... but Anbernic prices just push me away.
@@fruggish I can get an actual PSP for the money a RP3+ costs.
The Retroid Pocket 3+/Flip has a 17.5% bigger screen with a much clearer resolution, 480p vs 750p, 62.8% higher pixel density, and a 16:9 screen, which is great for newer content and running both DS screens.
Do you think matching the PS2 instructions for the RP3+ but for this system would help the ps2 games run well? Would love those horror game classics on the go. Like Silent Hill, Haunting Ground, Clock Tower, and Rule of Rose 😊
If you run GammaOS on the 405M, you get pretty much same performance as rp3+ for ps2/gc. The benefit with the 4:3 screen is that you do not need to upscale or run wide screen hacks, which impede performance anyway.
If you only play 4:3 systems and dont card for psp, 405>>>>>>rp3+
@@MysticGohan01The benefit of the 4:3 screen is a slightly larger 4:3 display. That's all. The RP3+ is capable of displaying games in 4:3 ratio. It also has HDMI out which is nice.
The ability to play GBA, PSP, and Android games without awful letterboxing is great. The RP3+ is also better able to play DS games with both screens visible side-by-side.
Widescreen hacks are also a big deal. Particularly on Dreamcast. Many Dreamcast games have widescreen hacks and look great. Of course, some PS2 games have solid performance on RP3+ with widescreen hacks as well.
Then there's the stacked shoulder buttons and D-Pad up top layout for RP3+. Considering the 405M is mainly for 4:3 display, the choice to put the D-Pad on bottom is really odd.
Both devices are serviceable. I think the RP3+ is overall the superior device, but I can see the 405M for people who get overly bothered by black bars on the sides of 4:3 content.
@@MysticGohan01 Oh dang! does the 405 also have analog triggers possibly? or is that more a rp3-flip thing/newer thing?
@@NichoMania2 there is an option to get stacked shoulder buttons. I believe a 3d print file exists of it, and perhaps there's some options on etsy
First advertisement in a lot of time that i actually watch, thinking on buying that phone. Would also love to see an emulator video with the red magic from you!
The new RP2S is cheaper, native 4:3, front firing speakers, stacked analog triggers, Hall effect sticks. I don’t understand how this could be better? Smaller form factor maybe? Analog triggers are a must though for racing games / Dreamcast. The 610 is just about as powerful as the 618. I only imagine you will see a difference on ps2 or psp, which I wouldn’t be playing on 4:3
Retroid 2+ has been serving me very well for almost 2 years.
Personally I've loved my 405m. Tho there's reports of ppls screens falling off from bad adhesive I haven't had the problem myself. It does everything I'd need it to do, in a nice metal shell, and I mainly play 4:3 games on it anyways. I have a 2DS for 3DS and DS games, and steam deck for PS2 and GameCube. My only complaint is that sometimes my default home switches back to stock sometimes. Makes me wanna put gamma on it just to fix that.
The screen issue only happens on the release models, I know because I bought mine on release and the screen started to come off. Anbernic took note of the issue and fixed it.
@@yellowjacket1476 I figured that. But wasn't sure.
An actual ds is so much better for ds games. I cannot play ds games on 3ds/2ds anymore. Some games like mario 64 are better on 3ds though simply because of the circle pad.
@@54356776 the screen does feel blurrier on the 2ds for me. But I figured it was just nostalgia making me think graphics were better than they were. Used my mom's DSi a while back and it just feels better.
Twitch User: You should make a 405m video.
Wulff Den: Why? Convince me.
TU: Its better.
WD: Not a good reason.
TU: Then cause uhhh fuck retroid?
WD: You son of a bitch, I'm in!
Seems good, but for me RP3+ is still best. I think most of my current games are widescreen or widescreen-hackable.
Would love to see a review of frontends because I've never heard of dig and I'm getting bored ot Daijisho 😊
If putting a community made front end on it makes it use-able, then there's something wrong with the unit straight from the start. My 2 previous Anbernic devices have been bad enough to put me off Anbernic for good. Intuitive is not part of Anbernics vocabulary. I'm not wasting another dollar on them.
in my country, with tax and everything, its actually cheaper to get switch lite than 405m or retroid 3+ or the flip. should i consider buying that instead?
Biggest benefit of this one to me is the 4:3 aspect ratio
I want a super simple OS. I want each game a click of a button and have it optimized for best gameplay AUTOMATICALLY. I don’t want to “tweak” settings. I don’t have time or patience for that. Bring me this device and I’ll buy.
Don't get this. The screen is loose because of inadequate adhesive.
It can be. Mine hasn't had the problem and I've had it for months. I think they've fixed it since launch.
@@NovaIsTheBot I just got one. Screen was loose in 3 weeks. Returned it.
@@estusflask982 damn. Sad to hear that. Great device other than that. I have the same problem with my miyoo mini+. Tho it's not falling out I can feel the rattle and can push the corners down.
FYI, anbernic is running a big sale from the 21st thru the 27th, the 405m is under 150 shipped, the 35xx is $50 shipped, the nano is a hair over 50, basically everything but their big windows handhelds look like screaming deals. I'm gonna pick up a 405m and new 35xx since I gave away mine to my little sister.
Just got the 405v its awesome comfortable to use
Retroid is cheaper tho
Love the rg405m, its amazing. Great specs, native Gamecube and PS2 aspect ratio and resolution so its picture perfect. Larger battery than the OLED Switch and Hall effect Analog sticks so no drift. It's literally perfect, I have the silver version.
or you could just get the Red Magic 8S Pro 😂
I usually play PSP and DS, and also stream pc games. So RP3+'s stacked shoulder and 16:9 screen is a better fit for me.
I’m a Anbernic guy, I tried Retroid PowKitty & others. They just don’t hold up to Anbernic imo
The RG 405V looks like a handheld that ate some bees and got inflamed.
It's unsettling that you're not warning people about the plastic buttons that scratch against the metal case and then that scratching leads to them getting stuck.
The level of irony. I’m experiencing right now is so ridiculous. I literally got my 405M two days ago yesterday I installed gamma OS and had no idea what I was doing when I was trying to point the front end in the right direction. This video would’ve been so helpful. 24 hours ago lol
Are you just going to pretend there are anywhere near as many flip hinges cracking as there are 405 screens falling out, buttons sticking, buttons not working out of the box, loose battery connectors and shoulder button switches breaking?
And no, the performance isn’t better than on retroid. Retroid released an update boosting the performance, GammaOS apparently recreates that.
Do reviewers like this get a load of engagement by talking nonsense?
Holy shit, I havent laughed as hard in a while as I did at the green bubble flip out. Good stuff.
What about not getting either? Is that ok, Bob?
How dare you
Unacceptable
Holy shit its both my old Minecraft skins in one!
Heretical
Keep retro: Free shipping
I have a Stream Deck and a RP3+ and have no major complaints. But considering you can get a refurbed SD for like $320, I think that is the play.
This just sounds like a 16 min long ad.
Video was running a bit long for me, but I noticed that he mentioned the lack for a "front end" on Android, Anbernic has a front end that in my opinion looks better than Daijisho. Just swipe down the screen twice and enable game mode and you have a really easy to use front end.
Also, I've installed Gamma OS and I honestly prefer the stock OS better. Flashing Gamma means you have to edit the emulators in order to make them work with the controller and the graphics settings to perform better, it was a real hastle. I didn't buy a emulator handheld in order to mess around with settings, I just want the thing to work right out of the box and it does very well.
Not for 180 bucks. Absolutely not
Loved the video Bahb!! I'm not big into the handheld emulation scene, but I do like keeping tabs on it and you help with that! Dope Vader statue btw!
4:20 to get passed all the intro nonsense and advertising.
*past
Also, the preamble is well thought out and nice, provides context. If you wanna skip the ad, fair enough, but I wouldn't call the intro to the subject unnecessary. If that was like the channel intro only, sure I'd get it, but it's not.
If someone added UVC video output like the hacked Vita has, I'd definitely pick this up.
While I liked the metal shell and coming from a 353mp and I hated the 405, my out of box experience was horrible. I couldn’t get stuff to run correctly on the 405. I ended up selling and put my money towards my Loki. Best experience for me is the steam deck and Loki and my 353MP for 16 bit games and PS1 and higher on my Loki and Steam Deck.
My problem with the Steam Deck is that it's not powerful enough. The good version costs almost as much as I paid for ny computer. That I play games on 4K in. I don't really see why I'd want to play those games on that tiny screen. Maybe if GDP wasn't a thing I would have thought it was really cool. Now it's just lacking. Not powerful enough for heavy games, and way to powerful to play games that are fun on the go.
And as someone who likes a nice console as much as a powerful gaming PC, it's super fan to see PC Master Race freak out. Over an underpowered console. But I guess it's cool when Vavle does it...
I'm only looking at the thumbnail and i have to ask why is the dpad at the bottom? Just because Nintendo dose it doesn't mean you shouod copy them. Especially for a retro console.
Which handheld emulation console would you recommend if I wanted to play ps2 games as well?
I’m new to this hobby and I’m really interested in getting one of these devices. Thanks for the video
I need those shoulder buttons to be stacked
my favourite part is that Ad read Bob is looking at Excited "what Phone is that" Bob
With the price tag I’d argue this is the type of device someone upgrades to from a pervious emulation device. A novice to emulation is likely to start with something cheaper to play old Mario and Pokémon games.
I'm far from a novice when it comes to anything gaming, and I know what games I will be playing on a handheld. So pretty much anything more than 100 bucks would be waste. I was looking at this, but I also didn't want Android, since I have experience with emulation on Linux. But yeah, no. This is probably few peoples first device.