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[Eddie-Griffin]

I didn't think it was real at first, it was only a rumor due to the amount of time and expense to develop it...

But this is the first console ever with a "hall stick", two of them, for the first time on a consumer product. This is simply a legendary moment that may be a lot to take in, but they managed to get it done. The day has finally come, no more dead zones and flutter.

Now available on Aliexpress https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256804435063232.html (keep in mind it ships from china)

Hall Sticks alone are a big deal, and moon light streaming + being able to Dual Boot to Linux to install steam and use desktop mode when connected to a TV or monitor is also pretty handy. My biggest problem with this one is I feel it's a tad overpriced especially with only 2GB of ram even if it is LPDDR4.

I also don't like the horizontal stick and face/pad placement. The screen itself is also pretty small only 3.5 inches. I know it's meant to be pocketable but still. Hall Sticks are a game change though.

 

[mrcroket]

Moonlight streaming in a 480p display and 4:3 aspect ratio? Why?

 

[8BiTw0LF]

But this is the first console ever with a "hall stick", two of them, for the first time on a consumer product. This is simply a legendary moment that may be a lot to take in, but they managed to get it done. The day has finally come, no more dead zones and flutter.

China just kicked America and Japan in the nuts

 

[night13x]

I'll wait for the improved 256 x 224 crystal liquid display handheld coming in 2023.

 

[a multicultural team of v]

The Saturn 3D controller used a hall sensor stick too.

 

[ACESHIGH]

OMG! A handheld that can emulate consoles up to Playstation and play some DC and PSP games too!!!

 

[CrustyBritches]

Anbernic makes good devices from what I've seen in reviews. Just ordered a couple RG280V's for me and my son from their site for $56 each with their current promo.

I already have Steam Deck and 2DSXL, so I'm not sure I would drop money on the more high-end devices Anbernic sells.

 

[El Muerto]

You're better off getting a Retroid Pocket 3+ for the same price. Better specs so It would handle ps2/gamecube much better too. Even a Retroid Pocket 2+/3 is still better buy than that.

 

[01011001]

The Saturn 3D controller used a hall sensor stick too.

the Xbox controllers now use it for the triggers but for some weird reason not for the Sticks... I really don't get why the industry as a whole hasn't switched to Hall Effect sticks exclusively... they can't be that expensive when cheap ass thied Party controllers and tiny emulation handhelds use them these days

 

[M1chl]

I seriously hope that console manufacturers watching, how many new gadgets comes with HALL sensor sticks. Time to deprecate those resistive shit-sticks.

 

[CamHostage]

Moonlight streaming in a 480p display and 4:3 aspect ratio? Why?

It's a weird mix of purposes, but these low-cost Android gaming devices tend to be pretty useful when they're small. I have an Odin and I like it a lot, but it's a big Switch-sized device and it's just tiring to hold in classic games sometimes, whereas the GBA- or GB-sized models can be very comfortable and easier to reach for when you want to play. And although mostly that'd mean classic (up to PS2-era, I would assume by the specs) games on a device of this type, sometimes a little device is also nice for bigger games too. Or, you could Moonlight over classic PC games and build up your GOG library.

Either way, Moonlight is just a bulletpoint. It's a feature natively possible to do on these devices, whether it's 4:3 or 16:9, so they just do.

The screen itself is also pretty small only 3.5 inches. I know it's meant to be pocketable but still.

Remember though, screen size is measured diagonally. so a 4:3 screen with a 3.5" diagonal, that.... very bad math, but nearly 3 inches by just over 2 inches? In a device that's something like half the size of a Switch Lite (again, totally-out-my-ass math) to be more like the size of a GBA? Seems okay to me.

I personally like the Game Boy classic design with the screen up top in these retro-foremost Android gaming machines ,for comfort and weight distribution (and then, if you actually plan on playing modern Android games and streaming PC stuff, go ahead and go real big,) and with prices creeping above the magic $100 mark these are no longer just devices to throw in a backpack or keep in the car. So I don't think 353M is for me, but there's stuff I like about it so far.

 

[ReBurn]

I generally like Anbernic handhelds. I have a 351M that I really enjoy.

 

[kapshin]

More like anemic

 

[Puscifer]

I seriously hope that console manufacturers watching, how many new gadgets comes with HALL sensor sticks. Time to deprecate those resistive shit-sticks.

My wooting60he with hall switches is A BEAST

All it's done is spoil me.

Also Eddie-Griffin , I'm going on an IT project in LA for 6 months starting in December. How good is this for PS1 or PSP titles? I wanted an analog pocket but my order kept being delayed and the things blown wide open so I don't even care anymore. Figure if I can get GBA, PS1 or PSP on here it's worth it.

 

[SegaShack]

I hope the Powkiddy v90 gets an upgrade. Love the clamshell formfactor. Even though I have original hardware its nice to have a cheap chinese handheld to take on a trip or when on a plane to not sweat losing.

 

[CamHostage]

Also Eddie-Griffin , I'm going on an IT project in LA for 6 months starting in December. How good is this for PS1 or PSP titles? I wanted an analog pocket but my order kept being delayed and the things blown wide open so I don't even care anymore. Figure if I can get GBA, PS1 or PSP on here it's worth it.

I still have barely dug into my Odin's capabilities so I haven't tested these high-end emulation systems, but generally on these Android handhelds in the $100-200 range, PS1 is close to 100% fullspeed, PSP can be pretty good on some games and playable with frameskips or cheats on others, some others still not at all. (Dreamcast is also not bad pretty often, and PS2 finally became a possibly thanks to a new emulator but it's really hit-or-miss at this power level.)

Anbernic 353m looks to have less juice to it than I thought they would pack in for an end-of-2022 device (there's some crazy hardware coming out for portables these days, plus you could also just use an old phone and get a controller clip and have a ton of power that way,) but for 4:3 games (or 3:2 on GBA) outside of PS2 and of course Xbox, there's a lot in that $100-150 range that should work for the most part. When you throw PSP or 3DS in, you start wishing you hade a widescreen display instead of a TV-shaped one, so that might be a problem with this even if performance turns out okay for some titles, but with a bigger/wider screen comes more weight and fewer comfort options for handling, so consider that a frill rather than part of your purchasing plan if you have wide retro tastes. (Lots of good games on Dreamcast and PS1, and they filter up pretty nice these days...)

 

[THE DUCK]

You lost me at 3.5 inches.

 

[MasterCornholio]

Anbernic makes good devices from what I've seen in reviews. Just ordered a couple RG280V's for me and my son from their site for $56 each with their current promo.

I already have Steam Deck and 2DSXL, so I'm not sure I would drop money on the more high-end devices Anbernic sells.

I actually got that one. It's much better after you flash a custom OS on it. The only device I haven't messed with was the Retroid Pocket 2 +. It's the simplest one to set up IMO.

 

[Tams]

You lost me at 3.5 inches.

Oh dear. Poor you.

It's such a shame that there are no bigger devices out there that you could buy. The state of the industry. Honestly.

Unless of course you want something smaller, in which case you have my sympathy. Though what would you be playing? Tamagochi?

 

[THE DUCK]

Oh dear. Poor you.

It's such a shame that there are no bigger devices out there that you could buy. The state of the industry. Honestly.

Unless of course you want something smaller, in which case you have my sympathy. Though what would you be playing? Tamagochi?

Come on now, 3.5 inches, what is this, a fitbit? Lol. I'm sure it's fine if you have good eyesight and small hands, I don't have either

 

[thicc_girls_are_teh_best]

I love how it says it supports Dreamcast and Saturn, but with those listed specs it will probably struggle to do so at even 20 FPS and you can forget about upscaling the resolution.

It might be a nice cheap device for the other supported systems though. The limited RAM is the biggest bottleneck though, and that's assuming it's fast RAM (it could be lower clocked, for example).

 

[Tams]

Come on now, 3.5 inches, what is this, a fitbit? Lol. I'm sure it's fine if you have good eyesight and small hands, I don't have either

Ah, so you are in the market for something smaller. To match your feet no doubt.

 

[Codiox]

My AYN Odin Lite whipes the floor with this. Couldn't give a fuck about the analog sticks, moon light on 4:3? No thanks.

Anbernics quality has drastically decreased in the last years.

 

[Kiya's Guard]

Didn't know there were threads about these consoles in here.

I have the 351p and man, fuck the screen size. We aren't 12yo anymore to not care about a tiny ass screen. And I hate the tendency for these to go wide-screen once the size is bigger than 3.5", despite everything being emulated is made for square screens

 

[Eddie-Griffin]

You're better off getting a Retroid Pocket 3+ for the same price. Better specs so It would handle ps2/gamecube much better too. Even a Retroid Pocket 2+/3 is still better buy than that.

Except you can also boot it as a linux system or have it connect clearly to a TV without sacrifices.

My wooting60he with hall switches is A BEAST

All it's done is spoil me.

Also Eddie-Griffin , I'm going on an IT project in LA for 6 months starting in December. How good is this for PS1 or PSP titles? I wanted an analog pocket but my order kept being delayed and the things blown wide open so I don't even care anymore. Figure if I can get GBA, PS1 or PSP on here it's worth it.

It does a good job giving you close to an authentic PS1 experience with how it emulates PS1 games so if you are into that (and PSP) this will be a good pocketable option.

 

[THE DUCK]

Ah, so you are in the market for something smaller. To match your feet no doubt.

Arg no, I decribe my feet as flippers.

 

[CrustyBritches]

I actually got that one. It's much better after you flash a custom OS on it. The only device I haven't messed with was the Retroid Pocket 2 +. It's the simplest one to set up IMO.

Is that the so-called Adam Image, or something different?

 

[MasterCornholio]

Is that the so-called Adam Image, or something different?

Yes that's the one I'm using. It makes it a lot easier to use the device. The stock one is some strange Linux UI that's icon based which is annoying to navigate through. The Adam Imags is just a list plus you have access to box art with it as well.

 

[lukilladog]

China just kicked America and Japan in the nuts

 

[qwertz12345]

My AYN Odin Lite whipes the floor with this. Couldn't give a fuck about the analog sticks, moon light on 4:3? No thanks.

Anbernics quality has drastically decreased in the last years.

Yeah, I feel the same.

Anbernic have really dropped off my radar these past few years too.

I bought a 351V... And haven't bothered with them since.

Although to be fair, one of the main reasons (and this problem afflicts every Chinese retro handheld console) is that Anbernic doesn't have any exclusive content.

Once I was able to get decent emulation of the SNES and MegaDrive, I had no real reason for wanting to pick up another handheld.

 

[ZoolNL]

I love how it says it supports Dreamcast and Saturn, but with those listed specs it will probably struggle to do so at even 20 FPS and you can forget about upscaling the resolution.

It might be a nice cheap device for the other supported systems though. The limited RAM is the biggest bottleneck though, and that's assuming it's fast RAM (it could be lower clocked, for example).

It plays those systems fine.