Anbernic RG353M Review in 2024

Anbernic is well known for crafting high quality handheld gaming devices. They’ve done it yet again by adding another noteworthy adversary to their lineup. This time, the RG353M has made a debut and it’s a sleek and compact little device that builds upon previous iterations and offers a solid product that is both affordable and has great performance.

The RG353M stands out from the other previous Anbernic devices mainly in terms of its design. It has been well received by many in the retro gaming community; many refer to it as the best handheld emulator available, and in this review we discuss why.

Design

The RG353M has quite a few improvements over the design of the RG351M. It looks snazzy and is exceptionally clean, with a design somewhat reminiscent of the Retroid Pocket 3 Plus. It comes stock with a 3.5-inch display that is sharp and clear. Not only does the screen have a 640 x 480 resolution; but it also it now touchscreen.

This sturdy little handheld is made out of metal and has a quality feel to it. Its shell is made out of aluminum and is comfortable to hold.

Anbernic didn’t skimp on the quality when it comes to this handheld’s joysticks; the hall joysticks feel great to move and play with. Hall joysticks are heralded for their high accuracy and and long lasting durability.

The overall aesthetic of the RG353M is slimmed down, making it very comfortable for longer gaming sessions; it feels very light in the palm of your hand, but it’s metal casing makes it feel sturdy and not cheap.

The shoulder buttons are slimmer and keep in line with the overall slimness of the device; they are also a bit curved. There’s also a function button nestled between the two shoulder buttons for accessing the device’s settings.

The headphone jack is right at the top for ease of access. You can change the volume on the side along with the power switch, and the button to restart the device. There are two separate SD card slots on the bottom along with the speakers.

The back has some comfortable grips which are much appreciated. The edges of the device on the face have a bit of a rounded design and the back of the device continues with the slim form factor.

We’ll go into more depth in the next section about the specs of this device, but for now, just know that the unit is durable yet well designed. It’s sleek and slim look is built to last long gaming sessions and everyday play.

This handheld is on the smaller side but its size doesn’t take away from its comfortability.

Specifics

The RG353M has a pretty powerful RK3566 CPU inside. It runs on Android 11 and has a Linux dual-boot system. The Linux OS that comes preinstalled on the handheld makes jumping in and getting setup a breeze. This little handheld is perfect for classic retro gamers along with those who are looking for a capable android powered gaming device.

Along with the RK3566 CPU it also has a 1.8GHz Quad-Core Cortex-A55 and comes with a Mali G52 MP GPU. For memory, the handheld has 2GB LPDDR4 RAM and in terms of its screen, you can expect a 3.5-inch IPS Touchscreen with a 640×480 resolution.

Its storage is expandable with the two separate SD Card Slots on the bottom. It is dual-boot with both Android 11 and Linux OS preinstalled. It’s also Wi-Fi and Bluetooth capable, has a 3500mAh battery, and has USB-c charging.

There’s a 3.5mm headphone jack on the top of the handheld, but it also comes with built in speakers at the bottom. There’s also an HDMI port for connecting it to an external screen if you wish, but really the portability aspect of this device is its main selling point.

As previously mentioned, the device comes with Android 11 installed, so if you are looking to install any Android games or apps, you’re in luck. You can jump on the Google Play Store and download anything you like.

Performance

The RG353M is a capable little device and can handle playing games from many different consoles. You’ll find that most games from older systems run very well, with the screen size being exceptionally good for handheld titles like the Gameboy, Gameboy Advance, etc.

Games from the SNES and SEGA Mega Drive look fantastic in the handheld’s 4:3 display ratio. The colors pop and look great and the audio from the speakers is on point. You’ll find that games from the N64 and PS1 era also run exceptionally well. Games load quickly, are responsive, and look clear and crisp.

The shoulder buttons make this a perfect handheld for PS1 gaming and framerates on most PS1 games are excellent.

When emulating the Nintendo 64, you’ll be impressed to see just how well your favorite games run. Moving on to Nintendo DS titles, this handheld has a super cool feature that allows you to get around the dual screen issue, allowing you to switch between DS screens by pressing the shoulder button.

Gaming on systems up until the PSP is pretty spotless, but you’ll notice some wonkiness from there on. Performance can vary depending on the PSP game that you try to play. There are quite a few PSP games that run without issues, but some more demanding games can cause stuttering and framerate drops.

While PSP can be pretty hit or miss, Dreamcast emulation is spot on. Even the more intensive titles run well and don’t feel choppy at all.

Final Thoughts

Let’s be real, there are a lot of retro handhelds out on the market these days. It seems like every year there’s a new company that pops up in the space, dipping their toes in and releasing a device of their own. Couple that with all the other companies already releasing products, it can be a bit overwhelming at times to find the right device.

The RG353M stands out from all the rest as one of the most solid options you can buy without breaking the budget. Not only does it last for a while during play sessions on the go (around 5 hours or so), but it’s a powerful little device at its price point and is well worth the cost.

It looks snazzy and has a fantastic design. It feels comfortable in your hands and the quality here really shines through.

This handheld has been crowned by many as one of the best devices that you can buy. Anbernic have come under fire in previous years due to releasing devices that the community wasn’t too keen on, but they have completely knocked it out of the park with the RG353M. It’s clear that the company has taken the feedback from consumers into consideration here.

I highly recommend picking one up and making it your go to retro handheld.

If you enjoyed this review, you’ll also want to check out our Anbernic RG405M review as well.