Anbernic rg sp

Anbernic RG SP – finally, the right SP form factor

Of course, we couldn’t pass this handheld up. We’d previously reviewed the RG35XXSP and RG34XXSP from Anbernic, and with this latest iteration, Anbernic seems to have finally found the right form factor.

The RG SP is very similar in size to the original Game Boy Advance SP and once again uses the well-known Allwinner H700. For Game Boy Advance, this is of course a brilliant combination, but everything right up to and including the PlayStation 1 also runs very well on this hardware.

We now know the H700 inside out, and many custom operating systems have been developed for it. We therefore expect this RG SP to support the well-known options such as MuOS, MinUI and NextUI. At RetroGear, we currently recommend KnulliOS when you order an SD card alongside your device.

For some great reviews of retro handhelds, do have a look at our friends at RetroReady.

The experience

The RG SP comes in a neat standard box, just as we’ve come to expect from Anbernic. Inside the box, you’ll find the basics: an RG SP console, a USB-A to USB-C cable, a booklet and a screen protector. No card reader and no SD card.

The console is truly a 1:1 replica of the original Nintendo Game Boy Advance SP, complete with cool details such as the raised Anbernic logo instead of the Nintendo logo. Even the speaker grille is in the same place.

The consoles are also almost the same size.

Of course, there are some minor differences. There’s a power button that doesn’t slide, and a reset button has been added. There are also two microSD slots. At the bottom left, there’s a loop for a lanyard, and there’s a ‘ 3,5 mm ’ audio jack. On top of the console are a mini-HDMI output and a USB-C port. And, of course, there are L1/R1 and L2/R2 buttons.

At RetroGear, we’re happy to install KnulliOS on this console. To do so, select the option to add an SD card from RG or SanDisk.

Knulli has already pre-installed a few games and a whole host of emulators via EmulationStation as standard. These include a Commodore 64 m, and Fix-It Felix – famous, of course, thanks to the Wreck-It Ralph films. We also have, amongst others, PC Engine, Super Nintendo with 2048 and Classic Kong, GBA with Space Twins and, of course, our RG MIT collection.

It really is a brilliant console to play on. Before we put it online, I spent a week playing Pokémon ROM hacks on it, particularly Emerald Seaglass. I also had a bit of a play with PICO-8 and played Celeste Classic.

And as we’ve been familiar with this chip, the H700, for some time now, I wasn’t surprised that this device handles games right up to PS1 very well indeed. You can even tinker a bit with shaders and upscaling, if that’s your thing.

Depending on the system, you can play on this device for between 5 and 6 hours before you need to recharge it. That was perfectly fine by me.

The great thing about KnulliOS is that it just works straight away. It’s really easy to copy games onto the SD card into the predefined folder structure.

It has handy features such as ‘sleep’ and ‘resume’, which work by opening and closing the lid. The user interface is simply very nice, and if you don’t like the default theme, you can easily choose a different one.

Why the RG SP is so much fun

For me, it’s mainly down to the combination of size and screen.

You get a 3.4-inch IPS screen with a resolution of 720 × 480 and a 3:2 aspect ratio. This is a perfect match for Game Boy Advance and enables 3× integer scaling.

There are deliberately no analogue sticks. For the N64 and Dreamcast, this limits the range of games you can play, but with this handheld, I actually think that’s fine. This device is primarily designed to be a modern GBA SP, and as far as I’m concerned, analogue sticks don’t really fit in with that.

The built-in Hall sensor detects when you close the lid and can be used for drag functionality. It also features dual-band Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and an HDMI output.

What you get

• Anbernic RG SP
• USB-A to USB-C cable
• screen protector
• user guide
• optional: RG or SanDisk SD card with our KnulliOS configuration

No commercial ROMs are included.

Specifications

• Screen: 3.4-inch IPS, OCA full lamination
• Resolution: 720 × 480
• Aspect ratio: 3:2
• Processor: Allwinner H700, quad-core Cortex-A53 @ 1.5GHz
• GPU: G31 MP2
• RAM: 1 GB
• Storage: dual microSD, up to 512 GB
• Wi-Fi: 2.4/5 GHz
• Bluetooth: 4.2
• Video output: HDMI
• Audio: speaker and 3,5 mm socket
• Battery: 3300 mAh
• Battery life: approximately 6 hours
• Charging: USB-C with C2C support
• Drag: Hall sensor in the flap
• Dimensions: 83 × 82 × 23,9 mm
• Weight: approximately 168 grams
• Colours: Platinum, Graphite, Pearl Blue and Pearl Pink

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this better than the RG35XXSP and RG34XXSP?
To me, this feels above all like the version in which Anbernic finally comes very close to the format and feel of a real Game Boy Advance SP.

Which systems am I good at playing?
Game Boy, Game Boy Colour, Game Boy Advance, SNES, Mega Drive and PlayStation 1 are no problem. N64, Dreamcast, DS and PSP are partially supported, but without analogue sticks, not all games work quite as well on these systems.

What operating system do you use?
If you order an RG or SanDisk SD card from RetroGear, we’ll install and configure KnulliOS for you.

Can I add games myself later on?
Yes. KnulliOS uses a clear folder structure for each system. You insert the SD card into your computer and place your own files in the correct folder.

Does the handheld go to sleep when I close it?
Yes. The RG SP has a Hall sensor that detects when the valve closes. Our KnulliOS setup uses this for sleep/resume.

Why buy from RetroGear

• Optionally pre-configured by us with KnulliOS
• RG MIT collection in the designated configuration
• Thoroughly tested by us before we sell it
• Dispatched from the Netherlands
• European warranty
• Personal support

For me, this is one of the best SP handhelds from Anbernic so far. Not because the H700 suddenly does anything new, but precisely because Anbernic has finally put that familiar hardware into a form factor that’s just Game Boy Advance.