I love 2024's GBA SP clone! (Anbernic RG35XXSP Review)

In this video, we're going to review the new Anbernic RG35XXSP and talk about why I love it, as well as go over the issues it has.

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Timestamps
00:00 - What is this?
01:40 - Original GBA SP Comparison
02:37 - The Great (Nostalgia)
03:58 - Colors
04:28 - Power
06:33 - Dpad & Buttons
08:40 - The Good (Comfy)
09:20 - Audio
09:51 - Pocketability
10:13 - HDMI & Bluetooth
10:56 - The Bad (Firmware & Updates)
11:43 - Thermals
12:23 - Frame Pacing
12:49 - Static/Buzzing Noise
13:24 - Locked down RetroArch
13:46 - Lid Closing
15:03 - Wrap Up

[ErrythingPhroze]

YouTubers are over emphasizing the button noise dramatically. They are FINE. I actually love them.

[alastor]

Finally someone who likes the buttons, the way people talked about this I was expecting them to need some force to press or something.

[kamcom]

13 in 2002? We came out of the factory in the same year. 👊🏾

[cirmothe]

I agree about the sleep mode being a big factor of having a clamshell console. I've decided I'd rather keep it on sleep even with the battery loss. I just like closing it quickly to do something and then open it back up later. If I know I won't be using it for awhile, I'll shut it down with the power button.

[tonyrosario]

Joey, love your no BS reviews! If you get sent an RG Cube, please consider doing a review on it. Would love your thoughts on the Sega D-pad in regards to traditional precision platformers as well as puzzle games like Tetris. (The Pokemon test, lol) Appreciate all you do for the community, brother! 🍻🤘🏼

[kaedeshirtoto]

MuOS beans made this device perfect sure it doesn't have screen sleep but that's fine. MuOS base shaders applied appear invisible as if nothing is on. It's so great

[Johntriger]

I kinda wish they had used the 1:1 screen from the RGCube in this. Would have been 3x scaling for GBA and also would be perfect for GB and GBC. I look at my RGB20SX and my RG35xxSP doesnt look nearly as good while playing these games. You can try and blur the image with upscaling but it just isnt the same as pixel perfect emulation like the 1:1 screens do for GBA. I really want to like the RG35XXSP but I am kinda on the fence of selling it. I used to think 4:3 screens where the bees knees for emulation but not so much anymore. Ill watch and see what you think about this or if you touch on how the image looks off for GBA content.

[insu_red]

Your review came just in time to validate my late-night impulse purchase! Looking forward to completing loads of games on this thing! Going to start by installing muOS, then perhaps eventually switch over to GarlicOS once 2.0 is in a complete state :)

[alastor]

Also Advance Wars is the best game everyone please play it

[lliixzllii]

I bought a second sp thinking i got lucky as the buttons were in no way fatiguing either. I have a transparent and solid and both are very easy to press so i was confused about all the comments regarding this.

I am also aware that I'm a 30 year old male so maybe for some people it is actually tiring but I've been playing hours on these daily and havent had any cramps or issues at all. Love the review, thanks Joey!

[kaedeshirtoto]

I want them to make more colors. I want the solid red like your GBA and a transparent purple but more purple than they usually do. More towards miyoos purple

[lordcrayzar]

Yay love Anbernic. They sent me a broken one!

[exodous]

yeah, this is my favorite handheld so far. Everything PS1 and down is this and everything above PS1 I have my steam deck.

[mbjac]

I never realised the SP had such a small screen, always remembered it being bigger, plus it'll be a good wait to see if we see any reddit images of cracked hinges show up

[djwrahfael]

I've just bought a blue one just like yours. Can't wait to receive mine and put some stickers on it. Good video man! 👍🏻

[davidtharp]

Would you say it’s your favorite? If not which is? Better yet what are your current top 3?

[zakknafein]

I got the blue 1 for my brother and the silver for me. I used to have a original sp and love it. We are using it mostly for 8bit, 16bit, ps1 and some psp/n64 games. The buttons are ok. This and my miyoo mini plus are my go to for retro gaming. For dreamcast, GameCube and some ps2 my retroid pocket 2s.

[seethruhead]

i really wanted to love playing gba on this thing but i've found myself not enjoying it due to the non-integer scaling

not to mention not having a proper sleep function

[jeremy__hopkins]

Interesting to see the original SP compared to the RG35xx SP rather than an AGS-101. Would be kind of neat to do a comparison of all the versions from the OG non back lit GBA, to the fan afterburner kit, first SP, AGS-101, micro, DS phat, DS Lite and then the latest LCD kits. Also, wish a GBA emulator would strip out the midi files and replay them as higher quality yamaha XG samples. It's not an apples to apples comparison but similar in spirit to fan restorations using original midi hardware with higher quality samples along with MSU-1 streaming. I could do with less bacon sizzle in my GBA soundtracks.

[JB-jsxi]

Great video. I have had all of them since the OG GB when I was 18. I must be getting old....I have my old systems and I have retro systems...the latest the RGB30. I do NOT understand the obsession with button sound. I'm assuming it's from people used to the non sounds of touch screens. But I really don't get it at all. When I was a teen and our Mattel Football games made too much noise we just taped cardboard over the speaker. Wanna talk about loud buttons??? Those things sounded like machine guns. I don't get it. LoL. I always loved the GBA SP (sold my GBA to get one and never ever regretted that) and have 3 originals and just one with the "extra bright" back light. One of the best designs ever. I like this new on just for the fact it's new. LoL. Enjoyed the video though ...you got the best color...❤