Anbernic RG28XX Review: Is It Worth It?

Anbernic's most recent handheld is the RG28XX. My initial thought is that I was surprised by how little it is—weighing 127 grams, or.280 pounds, and measuring 12 cm by 5 cm, or 5 in by 2 in. I'm going to concur with Andrew that those with fleshy claws shouldn't do it. 2024 is turning out to be the year of little horizontal devices, which surprised me. Let's check to see if this is worth the money.

First Impressions of the Anbernic RG28XX

Overall, the 2.83-inch IPS screen is quite good. During testing, I discovered that the screen can be seen from most perspectives. Playing on it was still feasible, even though it was a little challenging in direct sunlight.

The speaker occasionally pops and crackles, which is one I noticed that might be the one I got. Based on what I asked the other members of the team, this appears to be an oddity with the one I was sent. Nevertheless, I believe it is important to note in case this problem arises again in the future. The speaker sounds excellent, aside from it.

If you're worried about having this in your pocket without any protection, the case is worth the extra $10. The RG28XX comes with a really good-quality shell that feels hard on the exterior and soft on the inside. The gadget fits perfectly without the case pressing on the buttons.

Several models were available, but I was given the transparent black one. The material and color are excellent and meet the high standards of Anbernic products. Although the trigger buttons are a little challenging to push, they feel fantastic. Additionally, the L1/R1 buttons are quite clicky, and pressing them requires non-natural hand movements.

Hands-On Use

I wanted to give this item a good run for a few days before writing this evaluation. I wasn't too interested in the 28XX at first. It didn't appeal to me because I already have a couple of little devices. But after just a few days of use, I can see that I'm utilizing it far more than I had anticipated.

I did observe that my thumbs would cramp after around thirty minutes of playing. I am not overly shocked by this because I have bigger hands. Watch for his video since Stubbs mentioned he had a unique method of gripping his that prevents cramping. Nevertheless, this might be a fantastic gadget to keep in your pocket when you have a few minutes to play Tetris or grind in an RPG.

Zu noted in his assessment that it looks like the screen inside the RG28XX is rotated. While testing PSP, I became aware of this and increased the volume till the interface displayed on the top of the screen rather than to the side. In the future, CFW will likely be able to handle this.

Tear-Down

Examining a new device's internal workings occasionally is beneficial. Even though I'm not particularly technical, I accepted the challenge of doing a minor disassembly so that everyone could view what's inside this computer. Four 1.5mm hex screws are located in the device's rear corners.

When the RG28XX is opened, the motherboard is on one side, and the battery is attached to the back casing. Before opening the gadget completely, make sure to unplug the battery connector. To remove it, you must unhook the speaker and disconnect the ribbon line for the screen.

Six Phillips screws fasten the motherboard together. Once those are removed, you can take the board out to reveal the buttons, rubber membranes, and back of the screen. The side buttons, top function buttons, and shoulder buttons are prone to falling out, so use caution. Removing those initially is usually the best course of action.

Performance

I was surprised by the RG28XX's performance. Despite my lack of knowledge of the chip's capabilities, I was consistently and pleasantly astonished by how well it worked. Since the performance of the NES, GB, SNES, Genesis, and so forth was guaranteed, I experimented with a range of games on more powerful systems. In order to be honest with those who are learning this with minimal expertise, I also didn't change any settings.

N64

A customer requested Pokémon Stadium for the N64, but since the game employs the D-Pad, analog stick, and C buttons, the button arrangement was a little excessive. Because there aren't many buttons, button layouts might be challenging to set up, which is a common issue with N64 emulation. Although there were a few graphics issues, Mario 64 operated pretty smoothly. In my opinion, it was playable overall. There were a lot more graphical bugs and slowdowns in Conker's Bad Fur Day. It wasn't very playable, in my opinion.

Dreamcast

I used Crazy Taxi for Dreamcast, and it was fantastic! The gameplay was really fluid, and I didn't notice any lag. After that, I tried Marvel vs. Capcom 2, and it worked even better. Additionally, Dreamcast appeared to be functioning rather well, and the gaming was incredibly fluid.

PSP

Lastly, I completed some testing by playing a few PSP games. Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories is highly playable and showed some promise. For this one, however, you would need to remap the analog controllers to the D-Pad. The analog controls in The Third Birthday, which I also tried, will need to be remapped, but it also functioned wonderfully. I used Bomberman to do my PSP exam, and it went really well.

I've added some video clips of my gaming above if you'd want to watch them. To witness additional gaming, make sure to watch Zu's video as well. Also, keep an eye out for Stubbs's upcoming video release!

Battery Life

Knowing how long a device's battery lasts is my top priority when making a purchase. To see how this held up, I conducted two experiments. I started by playing The Legend of Zelda 2 on the NES with the volume set to the middle range and the brightness at its highest. I then used the same parameters to run The Third Birthday on the PSP. To find out how long the battery would survive, I set a timer and ran this from 100% to 0%.

The device lasted 11 hours and 46 minutes during my initial test. This is far more than the eight hours that Anbernic's website states should be expected. This might be a fantastic option if you're looking for a portable system with a long battery life that can play lower-end systems.

On my second PSP test, the battery lasted seven hours and four minutes. Using an A to C USB, it took me two hours and thirty-one minutes to charge from 0% to 100%. Aish went from 50% to 100% in only an hour, confirming that USB C to C also functions.

There is a problem with standby mode on the current firmware. You can pause play and resume where you left off by pressing the power button. I opened Klonoa for the PS1 at 100% and then put it on standby to see how long the battery would survive. After 12 hours of being left overnight, the battery went from 100% to 48%.

Likes and Dislikes

+ It's the perfect size to fit in a pocket.

+ The performance is excellent for such a small screen.

+ I'm thrilled that Anbernic is incorporating other hues. The orange, cream, and beige/purple look fantastic.

+ Long battery life

+ It's difficult to beat the price.

– The trigger buttons clack a lot and are really awkward to press.

– It might not be suitable for those with bigger hands. After approximately half an hour of playing, my thumbs started to cramp.

- There were some speaker problems with the device I received (popping and cracking).

-Certain N64/PSP games are challenging to play without configuring controls due to the absence of analog sticks.

– There is now a significant power drain in suspend mode.

Who This Device Is For

Who is this gadget even for, and is it worth purchasing? If you need a compact handheld to carry around, this is a fantastic addition to a collection. Some people may find the absence of analog sticks annoying, but it also makes it easier to fit it in your pocket. I've been utilizing this a lot over the past few days because I have a newborn at home. It would be a fantastic addition to any collection of vintage handhelds, and the price is hard to beat. Word has it that CFW, like MinUI, MuOS, and Knulli, is already in the works.

Lastly, you can purchase the RG28XX for yourself from Anbernic or AliExpress. Shipping is not included in the $47.99 price. For an additional $10, you may consist of a case with your order for more protection. For comparisons, extra reviews, and firmware updates on the RG28XX, stay tuned to the website and channel!

  • RG28XX from AliExpress
  • RG28XX Direct from Anbernic