At first glance, you might mistake it for its predecessor the RG35XX, but subtle physical alterations greet you even before powering it up. One noticeable change is the now replaceable 3300 mAh battery, promising extended device lifespan. The shoulder buttons now sport a more ergonomically ‘slanted’ design, resting comfortably under your fingers.
Less obvious but equally impactful is the revamped D-pad, offering an even better tactile experience than its already impressive predecessor. The 3.5-inch, 640×480 pixel IPS screen remains unchanged—a vibrant and sharp display. Moreover, it boasts a mini HDMI-out port, dual MicroSD card slots, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and a USB-C port.
While the cosmetic enhancements are welcome, the real star lies under the hood. The RG35XX Plus packs a punch with a 1.5GHz H700 Quad-Core ARM Cortext-A52 chipset and 1GB of RAM, significantly boosting performance. This upgrade enables Dreamcast emulation, a feat the original couldn’t manage. However, it lacks an analog stick, limiting the full experience on games designed for analog controls.
PSP emulation is feasible but lacks the expected smoothness, suffering from occasional audio drop-outs and stuttering. Nonetheless, it covers 8 and 16-bit eras, arcade, handhelds, and PlayStation games fairly well, making it an attractive option.
While WiFi marks an improvement, the user interface remains unchanged, maintaining its unattractive and somewhat amateurish appearance. This aspect makes the RG35XX Plus pale in comparison to its competitors. Anbernic argues that usability matters more than appearance, but some enhancements in this department would be appreciated.
Priced around $70, the RG35XX Plus is a substantial leap from its predecessor. If you recently acquired the older model, the rapid upgrade might irk you, but unless you specifically desire a user-replaceable battery and Dreamcast compatibility, the gap isn’t as significant as it seems.
However, for potential buyers, this handheld is worth considering. It marries sleek design with impressive performance and an affordable price tag, making it an enticing option for portable emulation.