The RG 353M is the expected bonus version of the newest offshoot of the retro handheld. However, unlike the previous versions, the hardware is not improved compared to the plastic version (P), but only the housing is replaced.
You get the retro handheld in a metal dress, thanks Coupon straight to Geekbuying.com for 129 € from a EU-Lager.
All good things are 8 or are they 9? Admittedly, with the Anbernic models you quickly lose track and now comes with that Anbernic RG353M one more representative.
As you are used to from the manufacturer, the plastic model is followed by the metal model. Nothing has really changed in terms of equipment this time, so you continue to rely on an RK3566 quad core processor and 2 GB LPDDR4 RAM. The handheld can be ordered for a price from 129,00€ on Geekbuying.com.
Specifications of the Anbernic RG353M
| Anbernic RG353M | Anbernic RG353P | |
| Display | 3,5″, 640 x 480 Pixel, IPS, Touchdisplay | 3,5″, 640 x 480 Pixel, IPS, Touchdisplay |
| processor | RK3566 Quad-Core 1,8 GHz | RK3566 Quad-Core 1,8 GHz |
| Storage/RAM | 2GB LPDDR4, 32GB memory + 16GB SD card | 2GB LPDDR4, 32GB memory + 16GB SD card |
| System | Duales Android/Linux-System | Duales Android/Linux-System |
| battery pack | 3500mAh battery, 6 hours run time | 3500mAh battery, 6 hours run time |
| Housing | Metal | plastic |
| Preis | ~140€ | ~130€ |
A step backwards in design?
When it comes to the design, the manufacturer once again opts for the well-known design in rectangular format. Personally, I think that’s a pity, since the RG353P finally stood out from the other devices. But since tastes are known to differ, let’s just leave it at that.
Also the case is exchanged for a metal version out and going back to his roots. The rest of the design is familiar and pretty much the same as the other Anbernic RG consoles.
controls
You can find the display and the on the front Controls with D-Pad and 2 analog stickson the frame you will find the various connections such as one HDMI output, 2 USB-C ports and a 3.5 mm jack plug, In addition, you will find the 4 shoulder buttons. On the back you won’t find anything except for 2 rubber pads.
Nothing new in terms of hardware
Normally, the metal version always has slightly better hardware installed, but Anbernic saves this step this time, so the only real difference is the look and the metal housing. Inside continues to work a RK3566 quad-core with up to 1.85GHz performancethe processor is supported by 2GB LPDDR4 RAM and 32GB eMMC storage.
However, the storage space can be increased with a Expand microSD card up to 512GB. The display also remains the same and you still get a 3,5-Zoll-LCD Touch Display with a Resolution of 640 x 480 pixels.
The battery has one Capacity of 3500mAh and should be sufficient for a runtime of up to 7 hours. In the end, however, it depends heavily on the emulation and how much power is used.
Which systems are supported?
| PSP | Dreamcast | Sega Saturn |
| PlayStation 1 | Game Boy Color/Advance | Nintendo DS |
| Nintendo 64 | NES | Super Nintendo |
| Mega Drive | arcade systems | MoonLight Streaming, etc. |
The table shows that the standard 8-bit and 16-bit emulations are covered, as well as N64, Sega’s Dreamcast, Sega Saturn and Sony’s PSP. If you like using your handheld as a streaming playback device and want to access PC or XBox streams, you can use Moonlight.
Everything included for broad connectivity
In terms of connectivity, the Anbernic RG353M is quite well positioned, some of the hardware is a bit outdated, but with a retro handheld you can turn a blind eye here. It means that Bluetooth 4.2 Modul, which has really been a few days under its belt. You can also find it in the console Dual-Band WLAN and as mentioned above USB-C ports and an HDMI output.
When it comes to the operating system, you rely on one dual operating system with Android 11 and Linux (probably RetroArch). So you have two surfaces to choose from, each with advantages and disadvantages.
Is this all legal?
The handheld and the possible emulations themselves are not illegal. But if games are included that you didn’t read from the originals yourself, WITHOUT breaking copy protection, then you’re back in the illegal area.
However, most manufacturers no longer have any financial interest in their old games and turn a blind eye here and there. The exception here is Nintendo, they don’t like it at all that their old games are used illegally in this way and have already caused one or the other website and portal to be closed.
Test reports / experiences / opinions
I am a little disappointed with the Anbernic RG353M, where the manufacturer always made a small hardware upgrade in the metal version of the previous versions, but this version does without it. Both consoles differ only in the housing material and the appearance. This brings a smaller added value, but not in the way you are used to from the manufacturer.
From a performance perspective, the Anbernic RG353M should also perform well. Experience shows that the promised systems also run very well and there are actually few problems in general. But you sometimes have to switch between the two surfaces because the performance or compatibility can vary.
If you would like to give your handheld a small performance boost and use an alternative Linux interface, you are welcome to take a look at our article on Batocera.