Saw it on sale for like $13 and had to order it. Ended up finding this vid and I appreciate the details you went into it on this thing! I’m looking forward to when it finally arrives home in a few weeks!
I found one on sale for $27 shipped a couple weeks ago and it just arrived. Its still stupidly amazing for that price. But now the listing is back up to $37.
I love my RG300. Buyers should also be aware of the RG99, which looks identical but is slightly cheaper and has a much worse CPU / performance / OS and game compatibility. It sometimes shows up in search results and could be mistaken for the same thing.
The truth is they know how to make the perfect device. They are just going to keep launching slightly better versions for a while because people keep buying them.
Every few years, Anbernic launches a great device, then they keep refurbishing and slightly improving that concept before launching another one. It means that they are never on the forefront of 'revolutionary' handhelds, but you will always get a solid device with solid performance. Well, except for the SD card (which is the lowest of lowest quality), but it is common practice to clone it to a good SD anyways.
@@CarthagoMike what they need is a modular design for their next handheld, like the laptop Linus reviewed.. So modular USB-C ports for different adapters for different setups, including an HDMI one.. a modular screen, so you can have 4:3 or a 16x9 screen. Modular speakers and analog stick, so you can either have mono speaker and a joystick, or dual speakers, modular L and R buttons, to go from L1+2 & R1+2 to just L and R.. maybe a Z button module.. and different button modules for N64 and Gamecube and such.. and maybe a battery module that would allow different power storage options, or a no battery module for people who always want to stay plugged in.. That's all I can think of at the moment..
Another great vid; glad to see the 300 get the love it deserves. Something that doesn’t get brought up other than the broad term “form factor” is the device weight. I have a 351m and it’s a beast, but man is it heavy. This thing I can slip in my pocket and barely notice it. Also, the boot times on the 351 are much longer comparatively. For something super lightweight that still feels well-made, you can take anywhere without noticing it AND boots up something like Advance Wars with the quickness, the 300 is the jam. Edit: also, the menu sounds for Gambatte are super satisfying :)
I love my RG300. It plays everything in need it to, and is truly comfortable, very pocketable. I actually like the standalone Gambette emulator on this better than the RA Core.
Having used this device for a few months, I can safely say that if you overclock the cpu to around 690mhz, it runs most all SNES games except those that use the super FX chip really well. It’s a fairly capable budget handheld
The software is so mature and that what I like, slow progress is fine as long it's works than fast progress but have many bugs something what I think make new game for this generation so much disaster, not like back then there no bugs but it's steady get update from community to make it better, while these days let alone community developer support at best just couple years before they ditch it.
I had this device, but I gave it away. My issues with it was the size of the handheld and the D-pad. I don't have large hands, but my thumbs kept bumping into each other when I played fighting games, and the D-pad was not responsive enough for fighting games either. You shouldn't have to struggle to do shoryukens in practice mode lol. Now... The RG351V... PERFECT! The size is right, Anbernic stepped up the quality of their D-pads over the years and the stock firmware is not bad. I can't until they come with a better firmware! Keep up the good work Russ! I see you're already at 26k subs! We need a face reveal at 100K subs! hahaha
The rg300 is still my favourite small emulation device (smaller than the rg350). It has a great dpad, small enough to fit in a pocket, beautiful IPS display and will emulate most 2d games if you don't mind the odd frameskip
I already have both V90 and S30. Now I decided to order the RG300, because the mature firmware, plus it has a very nice screen and I can finally play Jazz Jackrabbit flawlessly.
@@moarmoarmoar I don't have received my RG300 yet, but I can say a lot about the S30, it has more emulation capacities, plus horizontal form (more confortable if you hands not too big). I'll start talking about cons and then, the pros based on my experience with the S30: CONS: Sadly the stock firmware is crap, and Simple30 fix some things but for me still not mature enough. It has a bit of drift problem with analog stick, the volume resets every time you turn off the device and sometimes you can lose savegames/savestates even if correctly did the safe shutdown. Also the ABXY buttons are quite small and cramped compared to device size. PROS: Looks like a very cool SNES control and it really is, there has no screen tearing or any kind of screen issues, the analog even with the drift still useful (on the Mario 64 port i don't see any drift problem) also the best thing is you can play a native port of Super Mario 64 at 60 FPS on S30, no framedrops. You can play everything up from PS1 with any issue, but the 3:2 aspect and the retroarch (if Simple30 installed) maybe need some tweaks for make it look better. PSP, Dreamcast and Nintendo 64 don't run very well, but some 2D simpliest games or the games from the beginning of N64 life will be playable (Mario Kart 64, Diddy Kong Racing). If you want to play ps1 and 8-16 bit, it is perfect by his perfomance. And his actual price is pretty close to RG300, just a little more.
@@megastkgames In my opinion and based on what I have researched, I think the good things about this console outweigh the negative aspects. Also, I'm a retro gamer, so I don't think I will demand too much from the console, I'm fine with the main n64 games and a few ps1 games. I'll probably end up playing more snes and gba lol. Thank you so much for your review, I think I'm going to do some more research on other consoles, but the S30 is my first choice anyway. I like its performance, the snes controller design, the landscape screen/console design and I also like the price. I hope you receive your RG300 very soon. Again, thank you!!! :)
@@moarmoarmoar You welcome. I received my RG300 last week, and after played quite a lot these last days, I can say it's a fantastic little device! It runs SNES very good, but more demanding games (starfox, f-zero) is going to require some frameskip. The amount of homebrews I could put into the RG300 is what makes me fall in love with this device. And yeah, as I expected, finally I can play Jazz Jackrabbit perfectly. Maybe one downside for the RG300 is the screen: It's a very high quality IPS screen but compared to my Powkiddy V90, the colors have kinda of a "darker aspect" and is less brighter, even after adjusting with the brightness button. The S30 still a banger, I don't play a lot with mine, but I hope very soon people is going to release new custom firmwares and ports to PocketGO S30. :D
I ordered one of the cheaper 400 in 1 versions. Arrived today, screen not working out of the box, has been returned already and I’ve ordered two of these, one for me and one for my nephew for Christmas. Plenty of time to test before he receives it and return if needed. I think it will be a wonderful gift to receive as a 15 year old boy.
I just saw one of these on aliexpress for $27 and picked it up. For that money, this thing is amazing. Plenty of games inclided, plays most ps1 titles (wish it had remapping though for ps1, might be in there somewhere) even has a few dosbox games that run amazingly like descent 1 and 2. The screen is amazing, and it genuinely feels nice in the hand. Of course the listing shot back up to $37 the next day, and at that price, id just go up to the 35xx (the shell size of the 35xx is identical) but im going to be keeping my eye on this for more sales around $25, because at that price this thing is a ludicrously good gift. It was astonishingly plug and play. Only a couple snes games werent perfect (f zero and starfox) and only one ps1 title i tried wasnt at full speed either (bloody roar)
Thanks, Russ! This review got me into the hobby with an RG300 (when it was $50). And I'm still not sure if there's anything I can upgrade to from here. I have an S30 and there's a lot I like about it, but the form factor isn't great and it doesn't add much beyond novelty. You were SPOT ON about comfortably holding the RG300 with the resting knuckle technique! I can play it for 40mins easy. But I have a pipedream about Netplay across country with old friends. So maybe I'll just keep rewatching your 280 And 351V reviews till I finally decide. Thanks again!
I had this for quite awhile but went to 280v for PS1 but now am finally happy with the 351V which can run almost everything I like. Now I’ll just have to wait for the “final form”. 351V form factor with flawless PSP/Dreamcast/GameCube emulation and I’ll be done buying these thing ahaha
If I could play GameCube games I would be set :) my dream would be the form factor of the RG351V with the battery life but have it play GameCube and Wii 😅 I know I’m asking a lot but I want basically only my switch and then one other device to play all the rest that’s in gameboy form.
I think the RG300 really shines if you know its limitations. I was V curious to see how it ran PS1 games and wasn't surprised it could run 3d accellerated games. I actually love the RG300 as a Gameboy emulator- which is what I got it for, and the form factor is nice for me. The IPS display is gorgeous and flashing it with the right firmware makes it good at that. If anyone cares, I'd advise getting a second SD card to store your games and savestates on so you can flash the internal storage and not care about if you lose your roms
Bought one for around £50 quid last year. Amazing little handheld and plays practically everything brilliantly up to PSone. Perfect for the GB/GBC fan.
johnwilliam...i'm 2 years late for commenting but i had to add i got mine in late 2019...v1.0 i think...not IPS...but i paid less too from Droix in Woolwich London...about 44 to 45quid...around that...i still do Gran Turismo on it...nowhere near full speed with frameskip 1...it's playable...of course it's been pushed to the back since i added more Anbernics and others...as we do...i even nearly bought the RG99 to scavenge parts to try to upgrade screen/spare shell/ and spare battery etc...as someone above commented beware haha...unless you have a good reason! i decided to forget the idea...most have moved on in late 2023...Russ wouldn't mention it these days...or the cheaper nastier plastic emulators i own...hope you still dig yours out the box once in a while...
@@markianclark9645 I still play it now and again. I love the form factor, like I say - perfect for GB/GBC stuff. Really gives me the nostalgia vibe. I've moved onto the Odin Pro (First Gen) but I still do play it every now and then. I was honestly surprised how good it was/still is.
Ah! Good old RG300. I had the version with dim display. I enjoyed a lot when I had it. But ever since I got RG351p, I set it up and gave it to my brother. :) Hope he plays with it time to time. lol
It seems to me the V90 is slightly better but much more affordable. As well as more pocketable with the screen protected. It's just hard to beat at and around it's retail price
Rg300 was one of my first cheap emulation devices. I loved it. But I had the non IPS screen so I gave it to a friend. It was comfy. But nowadays I need more power and more visually attractive frontends.
I have this for 2 years, I never know there is a 2 steps shut down. I just flip the switch after I have saved my game. So far no clash or save game corruption.
My first handheld from anbernic! Man it was a steal at the price and I had a lot of fun..especially playing all the neo geo games. Then I upgraded to the 350p and finally my 351v is coming soon..hopefully lol
when a quality company like ambernic comes out with a device that plays most n64 games at full speed is when i'll be willing to cough up money on a toy even if I'm saving for car/college.
Android phone dig fromt emd retroarch and a bluetooth controller probably best way to go as far as i can tell so far been trying to work out best route to go myself and so far even my phone which is like 10 years old is more capable than most of these devices probably more reliable too cos its samsung not chinaland stuff its not my phone of choice id rather a sony or a htc they are my 2 fave phone brands by choice i just happened i get a samsung because i was waiting for my htc to be returned to me... it got returned and had been bricked by the person that had it unfortunately so 4 years later im still using the samsung note 4 i got for tempory use hey ho it seems to do anything i throw at it so camt complain battery removable too which is always nice
Top 3 iv been playing most on n64 are lylat wars (starfox) and zelda mm and rampage universal tour since i posted last also goldeneye bubble bobble and couple others that i play less and they all seem to run perfect on my samsung note 4 which is pretty old and outdated right now so im sure a modern smartphone could probably emulate just about anything lol and though i did hate touchscreen joypad to start with its not too bad im pretty much used to it now and i can even warp to lightspeed in the asteroid field in starfox lol took a few tries to get used to it but most games arent that fiddly and play great so much so that the only thing that reminds me im on a phone sometimes is when something is really small and hard to see cos im use to seeing it on a big telly and i think wow im using a phone to play this if 10 year old me had had this insted of a phat old gameboy with tetris it would hav been like magical wizardry lol
Although I plan on mainly playing GB, NES and SNES games on it, I'm still looking forward to my RG351V that should arrive next week. I was afraid you'd now come and tell me that some custom firmware had managed to give the RG300 a sleep function, because that's my main gripe with my PowKiddy V90 - and it would be with the RG300 as well. I'm giddy with anticipation to run 351elec on my RG351V next week... :)
@Chuck Wood You can leave the quotes away in my opinion. I got my RG351V yesterday, and it feels premium alright, hardware-wise. And the software's coming along with 351elec. There are still some problems, but work's going on daily over there.
I see that you don't have 3" screen, you have 2,8" screen size as mine as well. Anbernic decided to replace all new rg300 with a 2,8" without notice their buyers, the box continued announce 3" screen size, but really no it is
@@RetroGameCorps Yes, you can easily identify the 2,8" screen size because the bezel size. The 3" screen has a bezel that is way thinner than 2,8" screen size
Yep. I just got one of these but still have my older non IPS model. That has a 3" screen but this is DEFINITELY only 2.8". Had I have known, I would have gone for the RG280V. It is a bit of a con that they are not telling us about this. Mind you the screen is good though (except mine is not working on GG or SMS). Forgot to say I also have the RG351V but this is somehow still very nifty to use.
I think I might just get this from the review it looks great and I’ve been looking for a retro handheld to play classic gameboy and gba games from this review this looks perfect and is cheap enough. Especially for me this would be my first emulation console since I only own original consoles and handhelds.
I watched this video twice now to decide between this and the 351v and I just ordered this because it was 50 bucks I only care about handheld gaming and it seems like a perfect inexpensive way to play games from my childhood
I'm looking for a basic little machine that plays 8-bit games and 80s arcade games. No need for analogue joysticks. Basically, I just want to play Atari, NES, SNES and arcade games that are joystick and one or two buttons. As a kid, I generally played shoot'em up games like Time Pilot, Galaga, Scramble and Gyruss. I'm wondering if this is a good fit for that.
Surprised the RG280V wasn't included in the comparison devices as it is pretty much the same except more powerful and smaller - perhaps due to the increased cost? I bought an RG280V and was impressed enough to immediately place a second order for the RG351P and have spent most of the past 3 months tweaking and perfecting ArkOS by following your guides. The 351P is definitely my favourite handheld because what it can do has exceeded all my expectations. Sort of forgot about the RG280V until a couple of weeks ago because it had been left in my coat pocket, but after sorting out roms and updated emulators it is now the perfect "companion" device to the 351P because it is always to hand whenever I am out + about being the kids taxi service or whatever! I definitely recommend the 280V and after your review of the RG300 it seems like it does almost all the same things but better (ignoring any cost difference).
@ retro game corps.. love how this guy is humble. I was watching a review for a newcomer youtuber tech mom or something in that nature. She mentions and he comes on the comments to thank her.
I definitely want to get one of those Powkiddy v90 consoles one day. I already have a Retroid Pocket 2+ and I love it, but honestly, I spent around $160 total on it, and I'm always concerned about scratching and scuffing it up, as well as dropping it. I'd love to get a v90 as a strictly handheld console. GB, GBC, GBA, Game Gear, Neo Geo Pocket/Color, Lynx, Wonderswan. Something not too expensive, that folds up, that I can shove in a pocket or bag and not worry too much about it getting scratched up. Keep my Retroid for home use when I wanna sit back and play some games, and use the v90 as my on-the-go handheld that I can just pull out when I'm out and around. Saying that, there is a feature I wish these handhelds had, as well as emulators in general. The ability to load and save both in-game save files, and save-state files, to a cloud server. Something common like OneDrive or something. I have a Vita that has emulators on it (though now that I have a Retroid, I use it less for emulation), I have the Retroid, and I have emulators on my Xbox Series S. And if I get a v90, that's just another device with emulators. It'd be nice to easily be able to keep all my save files together, so I'm not either having to manually copy/paste save files from one console to another, or having to start a game over entirely on a different device. Like, being able to start a game on the Retroid, and continue that save on my Xbox, or the v90, would be amazing.
It just means that they give you two SD cards, one with RetroFW, and one with some other obscure sub-par firmware. There is basically no reason to get the “double system”
I just managed to get an open box rg300 from amazon for £28, so very happy with my deal. In this video you said the firmware it comes with is very good but, in your opinion, is that firmware absolutely the best option, or are there others that would give better performance?
Great device, but I would note that it is not an easy battery to find a replacement for - the battery is not a BP-5L as labelled. The contacts are in the wrong place. If you do find the correct battery I would be interested to know what it is.
Hi, I just learned about this today. Check out the written guide I have linked in the description, some figured out how to 3D print an adapter for BP-5L batteries. Not the same as a brand new battery but it’s a solution!
thanks for the info :) I really like this device compared to powkiddy v90 which only lasted for 2 days before it died and i wasn't able to get a refund
Russ, I'm damn glad you mentioned that you have to curl your fingers up to hold it: I have damage from RA, and it HURTS to curl my fingers up. This thing looks great, but I guess it's not for me.
@@RetroGameCorps Thank you so much, man, for everything. You're the reason my wife and I BOUGHT the 351's: I also have a retroid pocket 2, but, I agree: that d-pad HURTS. You are amazing, though, man, and I think you're going to be VERY successful with this channel. You're doing SO much more than anyone else. It means a LOT, to a lot of people.
Does this screen actually looks better than the RG280V? The screen looks very vibrant in this video compared to your RG280V review. Is final fantasy 9 running fine on this device after changing the settings?
Hi, we all really appreciate your work, what do you advise to me? I’m going to buy my first retro console I like this version because of screen colors and L R buttons but also like the powkiddy a19 but you know not L R buttons! :( it’s more powerful device capable to run n64 and some Dreamcast what would you recommend to me? Rg300 is 70 and powkiddy 90. Thanks in advance
@@BenJelter Opening was easy. Maybe you forgot the screws behind the battery? There are 6 screws in total. The back must be unfolded sideways because of the cable of the screen which is connecting both parts.
Hey! Love your reviews. I had this one but moved since and left it at my old place, was thinking on going for the Miyoo Mini V2, how would you compare them?
Quick question. Can I leave this charging over night or is their some sort of precaution against it? Can the precaution be thrown to the wind? Can I leave it plugged in from night time to from when I get back from work meaning something like 15 hours?
My RG300 was OK but the battery kept failing. Where the battery connects to the PCB was loose so I opened it up to fix it and broke off the power switch sealing it back up. Maybe mine was defective but it’s pretty low quality.
I like the display colors, but the formfactor puts me off a bit cause of how I tend to just put my consoles in my bag when I go anywhere. Powkiddy V90 has the best for for me cause I don't have to worry about the screen.
Can you do a video using the best hand held device for classic arcade games designed for 4.3 games? Like for Pac-Man, Galaga, Donkey Kong, Q-bert etc. I have a friend that mainly just like those older games when it comes to Retro games. So I wanna pick something up for him for Christmas. Especially keeping between $50-$100.
I got my rg300 towards the end of 2020, but every time I go to turn it on, the whole screen just scrolls and makes it unusable, sucks this was my first experience with a retro handheld
I would try to reseat the display ribbon cable, see if that fixes it. It also might be a bad SD card, here is how to re-flash the firmware onto a new card: github.com/retrofw/retrofw.github.io/wiki/Install-Firmware
I really need help. Are there any college football or basketball games on the RG 300? Or is there a way to download them? Information would be much appreciated. Thanks.
Ive had mine almost a month, I reset it and only put gambatte and a few others on there. A few things; shutting it down resets the time and date so clock based events are a pain. Wanna grow berries or get Umbreon? Second, the sound is pretty bad i get alot of emulation pops randomly and the whole thing puts off a super high pitch inaudible sound that my cats probably hate. Not to mention the pain of setting the volume up initially. After dragging/dropping save files around the folder got corrupted and none of the emulators save states would work but i deleted the whole folder and it fixed it after 2-3 reboots. Now the battery is starting to go wacky showing the emergency battery sign after 10 mins then going away, made worse by the lack of % on the battery meter. I mean i guess it gets the job done but damn lol.
I doubt they actually pulled anything; much more likely they simply sold all the available inventory. And if the seller is shipping directly, especially from China, rather than keeping inventory in an Amazon warehouse, it’s likely they won’t qualify for the Prime shipping label (take note of the expected delivery dates and who is handling the shipping).
I’ve been trying to work out what’s going on with the screen res. The box actually says 3x320x480. Most other sources say 960x480, so I’m assuming it’s more like 320x480 with each pixel vertically split into 3 somehow?? I admit I need help understanding this!
![ROSÉ (로제) - number one girl [더 시즌즈-이영지의 레인보우] | KBS 241129 방송](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/A9oByH9Ci24/mqdefault.jpg)
Saw it on sale for like $13 and had to order it. Ended up finding this vid and I appreciate the details you went into it on this thing! I’m looking forward to when it finally arrives home in a few weeks!
It never arrived...
Oh no 😭
I found one on sale for $27 shipped a couple weeks ago and it just arrived. Its still stupidly amazing for that price. But now the listing is back up to $37.
I love my RG300. Buyers should also be aware of the RG99, which looks identical but is slightly cheaper and has a much worse CPU / performance / OS and game compatibility. It sometimes shows up in search results and could be mistaken for the same thing.
Thank you so much! I was about to buy an RG99 thinking it was the RG300!
I just got a rg353V >> it is awesome.. I got my daughter the rw300 she loves it..
do you know where to buy batteries for rg300? If the game went dead somedays?
Thank you Russ. I’ve been eyeing this one for a while and I’m glad to finally have a reviewer I really trust talk about it
I got this to play the old pokemon games and I love it
Anbernic needs to watch your reviews and make notes, so that their next consoles are even better. Good review!
The truth is they know how to make the perfect device. They are just going to keep launching slightly better versions for a while because people keep buying them.
@@thebizkit69u I'm buying the next version they release as long as it's a vertical.. 🤣🤣🤣
Every few years, Anbernic launches a great device, then they keep refurbishing and slightly improving that concept before launching another one.
It means that they are never on the forefront of 'revolutionary' handhelds, but you will always get a solid device with solid performance.
Well, except for the SD card (which is the lowest of lowest quality), but it is common practice to clone it to a good SD anyways.
@@CarthagoMike what they need is a modular design for their next handheld, like the laptop Linus reviewed.. So modular USB-C ports for different adapters for different setups, including an HDMI one.. a modular screen, so you can have 4:3 or a 16x9 screen. Modular speakers and analog stick, so you can either have mono speaker and a joystick, or dual speakers, modular L and R buttons, to go from L1+2 & R1+2 to just L and R.. maybe a Z button module.. and different button modules for N64 and Gamecube and such.. and maybe a battery module that would allow different power storage options, or a no battery module for people who always want to stay plugged in..
That's all I can think of at the moment..
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU for the Performance ratings on different consoles. First time I’ve seen this done and I hope it continues!
Glad it was helpful!
This was my first retro game handheld.
I love the way you do an in depth review, it's very easy to understand.
The clarity of your voice is the main factor 👍
Another great vid; glad to see the 300 get the love it deserves. Something that doesn’t get brought up other than the broad term “form factor” is the device weight. I have a 351m and it’s a beast, but man is it heavy. This thing I can slip in my pocket and barely notice it. Also, the boot times on the 351 are much longer comparatively. For something super lightweight that still feels well-made, you can take anywhere without noticing it AND boots up something like Advance Wars with the quickness, the 300 is the jam.
Edit: also, the menu sounds for Gambatte are super satisfying :)
Totally agreed re: Gambatte menu sounds 😎
I love my RG300. It plays everything in need it to, and is truly comfortable, very pocketable. I actually like the standalone Gambette emulator on this better than the RA Core.
RG300 I almost forgot about my old buddy. 😅
It’s a nice little guy!
Always a good day when Russ uploads a new video. 😁 Thanks, man. You’re doing a great job!
Thanks Chad!
The Form factor is amazing but snes being hit and miss is such a huge nope
Yeah that does suck but you could just run the GBA versions of the SNES games you like.
Having used this device for a few months, I can safely say that if you overclock the cpu to around 690mhz, it runs most all SNES games except those that use the super FX chip really well. It’s a fairly capable budget handheld
Having a removable battery really is a plus to this device. I wish more retro handhelds, including modern Anbernic's, would come with this feature.
The cool thing about Retro FW is as long as you're in main menu, you can simply turn it off. It won't damage the sd card.
Good to know, thanks!
The software is so mature and that what I like, slow progress is fine as long it's works than fast progress but have many bugs something what I think make new game for this generation so much disaster, not like back then there no bugs but it's steady get update from community to make it better, while these days let alone community developer support at best just couple years before they ditch it.
One of my firsts, one of my favs, it's a classic. Thanx for the review, Russ, u did the old boy justice ;D
Thanks You gave me the idea of getting this game and I am having a blast. I have had it almost a week now and it’s doing great
I had this device, but I gave it away. My issues with it was the size of the handheld and the D-pad. I don't have large hands, but my thumbs kept bumping into each other when I played fighting games, and the D-pad was not responsive enough for fighting games either. You shouldn't have to struggle to do shoryukens in practice mode lol. Now... The RG351V... PERFECT! The size is right, Anbernic stepped up the quality of their D-pads over the years and the stock firmware is not bad. I can't until they come with a better firmware! Keep up the good work Russ! I see you're already at 26k subs! We need a face reveal at 100K subs! hahaha
I can't wait*
And for only $40 I bought the R36S which is much more powerful, lol
Along with other models I have. Things are getting better in the Retro market
The rg300 is still my favourite small emulation device (smaller than the rg350). It has a great dpad, small enough to fit in a pocket, beautiful IPS display and will emulate most 2d games if you don't mind the odd frameskip
I already have both V90 and S30. Now I decided to order the RG300, because the mature firmware, plus it has a very nice screen and I can finally play Jazz Jackrabbit flawlessly.
Dude, I am considering whether to buy the S30 or the RG300. Which one preforms better or have less issues? Which one do you recommend me? 🙏
@@moarmoarmoar I don't have received my RG300 yet, but I can say a lot about the S30, it has more emulation capacities, plus horizontal form (more confortable if you hands not too big). I'll start talking about cons and then, the pros based on my experience with the S30:
CONS:
Sadly the stock firmware is crap, and Simple30 fix some things but for me still not mature enough. It has a bit of drift problem with analog stick, the volume resets every time you turn off the device and sometimes you can lose savegames/savestates even if correctly did the safe shutdown. Also the ABXY buttons are quite small and cramped compared to device size.
PROS:
Looks like a very cool SNES control and it really is, there has no screen tearing or any kind of screen issues, the analog even with the drift still useful (on the Mario 64 port i don't see any drift problem) also the best thing is you can play a native port of Super Mario 64 at 60 FPS on S30, no framedrops. You can play everything up from PS1 with any issue, but the 3:2 aspect and the retroarch (if Simple30 installed) maybe need some tweaks for make it look better. PSP, Dreamcast and Nintendo 64 don't run very well, but some 2D simpliest games or the games from the beginning of N64 life will be playable (Mario Kart 64, Diddy Kong Racing).
If you want to play ps1 and 8-16 bit, it is perfect by his perfomance. And his actual price is pretty close to RG300, just a little more.
@@megastkgames In my opinion and based on what I have researched, I think the good things about this console outweigh the negative aspects. Also, I'm a retro gamer, so I don't think I will demand too much from the console, I'm fine with the main n64 games and a few ps1 games. I'll probably end up playing more snes and gba lol.
Thank you so much for your review, I think I'm going to do some more research on other consoles, but the S30 is my first choice anyway. I like its performance, the snes controller design, the landscape screen/console design and I also like the price.
I hope you receive your RG300 very soon.
Again, thank you!!! :)
@@moarmoarmoar You welcome. I received my RG300 last week, and after played quite a lot these last days, I can say it's a fantastic little device! It runs SNES very good, but more demanding games (starfox, f-zero) is going to require some frameskip.
The amount of homebrews I could put into the RG300 is what makes me fall in love with this device. And yeah, as I expected, finally I can play Jazz Jackrabbit perfectly.
Maybe one downside for the RG300 is the screen: It's a very high quality IPS screen but compared to my Powkiddy V90, the colors have kinda of a "darker aspect" and is less brighter, even after adjusting with the brightness button.
The S30 still a banger, I don't play a lot with mine, but I hope very soon people is going to release new custom firmwares and ports to PocketGO S30. :D
I ordered one of the cheaper 400 in 1 versions. Arrived today, screen not working out of the box, has been returned already and I’ve ordered two of these, one for me and one for my nephew for Christmas. Plenty of time to test before he receives it and return if needed. I think it will be a wonderful gift to receive as a 15 year old boy.
Merry Christmas
Brilliant review. I bought one about 6 months ago. It's great little device. Well worth $50.
I love clear shells I can't get enough of devices that have clear shells
I just saw one of these on aliexpress for $27 and picked it up. For that money, this thing is amazing. Plenty of games inclided, plays most ps1 titles (wish it had remapping though for ps1, might be in there somewhere) even has a few dosbox games that run amazingly like descent 1 and 2. The screen is amazing, and it genuinely feels nice in the hand.
Of course the listing shot back up to $37 the next day, and at that price, id just go up to the 35xx (the shell size of the 35xx is identical) but im going to be keeping my eye on this for more sales around $25, because at that price this thing is a ludicrously good gift. It was astonishingly plug and play. Only a couple snes games werent perfect (f zero and starfox) and only one ps1 title i tried wasnt at full speed either (bloody roar)
Damn well made video sir. Thank you.
I just ordered one from Amazon $30 can’t wait
Thanks for the great review! Keep it up!
Thanks, Russ! This review got me into the hobby with an RG300 (when it was $50). And I'm still not sure if there's anything I can upgrade to from here. I have an S30 and there's a lot I like about it, but the form factor isn't great and it doesn't add much beyond novelty. You were SPOT ON about comfortably holding the RG300 with the resting knuckle technique! I can play it for 40mins easy. But I have a pipedream about Netplay across country with old friends. So maybe I'll just keep rewatching your 280 And 351V reviews till I finally decide. Thanks again!
I'm so glad I stumbled on your channel
I had this for quite awhile but went to 280v for PS1 but now am finally happy with the 351V which can run almost everything I like. Now I’ll just have to wait for the “final form”. 351V form factor with flawless PSP/Dreamcast/GameCube emulation and I’ll be done buying these thing ahaha
Then you'll want the version that plays PS2/Xbox...
If I could play GameCube games I would be set :) my dream would be the form factor of the RG351V with the battery life but have it play GameCube and Wii 😅 I know I’m asking a lot but I want basically only my switch and then one other device to play all the rest that’s in gameboy form.
I think the RG300 really shines if you know its limitations. I was V curious to see how it ran PS1 games and wasn't surprised it could run 3d accellerated games. I actually love the RG300 as a Gameboy emulator- which is what I got it for, and the form factor is nice for me. The IPS display is gorgeous and flashing it with the right firmware makes it good at that. If anyone cares, I'd advise getting a second SD card to store your games and savestates on so you can flash the internal storage and not care about if you lose your roms
Bought one for around £50 quid last year. Amazing little handheld and plays practically everything brilliantly up to PSone. Perfect for the GB/GBC fan.
johnwilliam...i'm 2 years late for commenting but i had to add i got mine in late 2019...v1.0 i think...not IPS...but i paid less too from Droix in Woolwich London...about 44 to 45quid...around that...i still do Gran Turismo on it...nowhere near full speed with frameskip 1...it's playable...of course it's been pushed to the back since i added more Anbernics and others...as we do...i even nearly bought the RG99 to scavenge parts to try to upgrade screen/spare shell/ and spare battery etc...as someone above commented beware haha...unless you have a good reason! i decided to forget the idea...most have moved on in late 2023...Russ wouldn't mention it these days...or the cheaper nastier plastic emulators i own...hope you still dig yours out the box once in a while...
@@markianclark9645 I still play it now and again. I love the form factor, like I say - perfect for GB/GBC stuff. Really gives me the nostalgia vibe.
I've moved onto the Odin Pro (First Gen) but I still do play it every now and then. I was honestly surprised how good it was/still is.
Ah! Good old RG300. I had the version with dim display. I enjoyed a lot when I had it. But ever since I got RG351p, I set it up and gave it to my brother. :) Hope he plays with it time to time. lol
The L and R buttons, and where they’re located, is simple, but so smart.
Great review, as always 🤘
Thanks 😎
I really gotta stop watching your videos before I buy yet another one of these devices.
Agreed. I went right to Amazon and saw one for $89.99! Put it in my cart then realized they wanted $40 for shipping! Deleted it out of my cart... 😐
It seems to me the V90 is slightly better but much more affordable. As well as more pocketable with the screen protected. It's just hard to beat at and around it's retail price
$75 now in July 2021. Hopefully that comes with alot of upgrades because I just bought one.
Are you enjoying this console? I'm thinking about getting one.
Rg300 was one of my first cheap emulation devices. I loved it. But I had the non IPS screen so I gave it to a friend. It was comfy. But nowadays I need more power and more visually attractive frontends.
I ended up swapping a Sony screen into mine. Much better, was pretty inexpensive.
@@diversionmary Yeah I read about that solution after I gave mine. Thanks
I have this for 2 years, I never know there is a 2 steps shut down. I just flip the switch after I have saved my game. So far no clash or save game corruption.
I'm pretty sure it's just 1 step if you got RetroFW 2.2
Great review I bought mine yesterday I just want to see what I have in store
First time I’ve been this early. Good review as always 👍🏻
Thanks!
Yes for 50$ it really works. Tnks for the full review. You’re great 👍.
Thank you!
i had no idea the rg351v was so big--i'm going to get an rg300 just because its cuter
I had a Gameboy when I was a kid and I loved it, but since I started play with horizontal handhelds I'm never coming back to vertical.
That's fair, some people love the vertical form factor; I prefer horizontal too.
My first handheld from anbernic! Man it was a steal at the price and I had a lot of fun..especially playing all the neo geo games. Then I upgraded to the 350p and finally my 351v is coming soon..hopefully lol
when a quality company like ambernic comes out with a device that plays most n64 games at full speed is when i'll be willing to cough up money on a toy even if I'm saving for car/college.
Why not just get a Pi boy or G pi?
@@GucciCracka1017 GPi won't do N64 and even a Pi boy with Pi 4 won't play most N64 games
Android phone dig fromt emd retroarch and a bluetooth controller probably best way to go as far as i can tell so far been trying to work out best route to go myself and so far even my phone which is like 10 years old is more capable than most of these devices probably more reliable too cos its samsung not chinaland stuff its not my phone of choice id rather a sony or a htc they are my 2 fave phone brands by choice i just happened i get a samsung because i was waiting for my htc to be returned to me... it got returned and had been bricked by the person that had it unfortunately so 4 years later im still using the samsung note 4 i got for tempory use hey ho it seems to do anything i throw at it so camt complain battery removable too which is always nice
Top 3 iv been playing most on n64 are lylat wars (starfox) and zelda mm and rampage universal tour since i posted last also goldeneye bubble bobble and couple others that i play less and they all seem to run perfect on my samsung note 4 which is pretty old and outdated right now so im sure a modern smartphone could probably emulate just about anything lol and though i did hate touchscreen joypad to start with its not too bad im pretty much used to it now and i can even warp to lightspeed in the asteroid field in starfox lol took a few tries to get used to it but most games arent that fiddly and play great so much so that the only thing that reminds me im on a phone sometimes is when something is really small and hard to see cos im use to seeing it on a big telly and i think wow im using a phone to play this if 10 year old me had had this insted of a phat old gameboy with tetris it would hav been like magical wizardry lol
Although I plan on mainly playing GB, NES and SNES games on it, I'm still looking forward to my RG351V that should arrive next week. I was afraid you'd now come and tell me that some custom firmware had managed to give the RG300 a sleep function, because that's my main gripe with my PowKiddy V90 - and it would be with the RG300 as well. I'm giddy with anticipation to run 351elec on my RG351V next week... :)
@Chuck Wood You can leave the quotes away in my opinion. I got my RG351V yesterday, and it feels premium alright, hardware-wise. And the software's coming along with 351elec. There are still some problems, but work's going on daily over there.
I was hesitant about other models because of the built-in battery, so this one with removable battery is the perfect choice
great review
Thanks!
I see that you don't have 3" screen, you have 2,8" screen size as mine as well. Anbernic decided to replace all new rg300 with a 2,8" without notice their buyers, the box continued announce 3" screen size, but really no it is
Yikes, I had no idea. That’s a crappy thing for them to do. No wonder it looked so small compared to the RG351V screen!
@@RetroGameCorps Yes, you can easily identify the 2,8" screen size because the bezel size. The 3" screen has a bezel that is way thinner than 2,8" screen size
Yep. I just got one of these but still have my older non IPS model. That has a 3" screen but this is DEFINITELY only 2.8". Had I have known, I would have gone for the RG280V. It is a bit of a con that they are not telling us about this. Mind you the screen is good though (except mine is not working on GG or SMS). Forgot to say I also have the RG351V but this is somehow still very nifty to use.
I think I might just get this from the review it looks great and I’ve been looking for a retro handheld to play classic gameboy and gba games from this review this looks perfect and is cheap enough. Especially for me this would be my first emulation console since I only own original consoles and handhelds.
I watched this video twice now to decide between this and the 351v and I just ordered this because it was 50 bucks I only care about handheld gaming and it seems like a perfect inexpensive way to play games from my childhood
I'm looking for a basic little machine that plays 8-bit games and 80s arcade games. No need for analogue joysticks. Basically, I just want to play Atari, NES, SNES and arcade games that are joystick and one or two buttons. As a kid, I generally played shoot'em up games like Time Pilot, Galaga, Scramble and Gyruss. I'm wondering if this is a good fit for that.
Surprised the RG280V wasn't included in the comparison devices as it is pretty much the same except more powerful and smaller - perhaps due to the increased cost?
I bought an RG280V and was impressed enough to immediately place a second order for the RG351P and have spent most of the past 3 months tweaking and perfecting ArkOS by following your guides. The 351P is definitely my favourite handheld because what it can do has exceeded all my expectations.
Sort of forgot about the RG280V until a couple of weeks ago because it had been left in my coat pocket, but after sorting out roms and updated emulators it is now the perfect "companion" device to the 351P because it is always to hand whenever I am out + about being the kids taxi service or whatever!
I definitely recommend the 280V and after your review of the RG300 it seems like it does almost all the same things but better (ignoring any cost difference).
@ retro game corps.. love how this guy is humble. I was watching a review for a newcomer youtuber tech mom or something in that nature. She mentions and he comes on the comments to thank her.
She seems nice! 😎
@@RetroGameCorps how do I play 2 play locally as I bought 2 of them
This seems perfect for my idea of just wanting something that plays gameboy and nes games. Mainly pokemon and tetris lmao.
Yes, it's a perfect fit for those!
love the screen !
I definitely want to get one of those Powkiddy v90 consoles one day. I already have a Retroid Pocket 2+ and I love it, but honestly, I spent around $160 total on it, and I'm always concerned about scratching and scuffing it up, as well as dropping it. I'd love to get a v90 as a strictly handheld console. GB, GBC, GBA, Game Gear, Neo Geo Pocket/Color, Lynx, Wonderswan. Something not too expensive, that folds up, that I can shove in a pocket or bag and not worry too much about it getting scratched up. Keep my Retroid for home use when I wanna sit back and play some games, and use the v90 as my on-the-go handheld that I can just pull out when I'm out and around.
Saying that, there is a feature I wish these handhelds had, as well as emulators in general. The ability to load and save both in-game save files, and save-state files, to a cloud server. Something common like OneDrive or something. I have a Vita that has emulators on it (though now that I have a Retroid, I use it less for emulation), I have the Retroid, and I have emulators on my Xbox Series S. And if I get a v90, that's just another device with emulators. It'd be nice to easily be able to keep all my save files together, so I'm not either having to manually copy/paste save files from one console to another, or having to start a game over entirely on a different device. Like, being able to start a game on the Retroid, and continue that save on my Xbox, or the v90, would be amazing.
I tried to play spiderman (ps1) on the rg300. It was the laggiest game ever even with auto frame skip. It's still amazing
What's the difference between the single system and the double system? Love your work Russ!
It just means that they give you two SD cards, one with RetroFW, and one with some other obscure sub-par firmware. There is basically no reason to get the “double system”
I just managed to get an open box rg300 from amazon for £28, so very happy with my deal. In this video you said the firmware it comes with is very good but, in your opinion, is that firmware absolutely the best option, or are there others that would give better performance?
Anbernic should make one without shoulder buttons just for GB games, but same build quality and thinner
Great device, but I would note that it is not an easy battery to find a replacement for - the battery is not a BP-5L as labelled. The contacts are in the wrong place. If you do find the correct battery I would be interested to know what it is.
Hi, I just learned about this today. Check out the written guide I have linked in the description, some figured out how to 3D print an adapter for BP-5L batteries. Not the same as a brand new battery but it’s a solution!
thanks for the info :)
I really like this device compared to powkiddy v90 which only lasted for 2 days before it died and i wasn't able to get a refund
Yikes, sorry to hear about your V90!
I like the new visual style for likes/dislikes, but I still kind of prefer the old one as I find it more cohesive with the rest of the channel :)
It’s a new plugin, still playing around with it. I also prefer the old style, I’m going to see if I can marry the two😎
Russ, I'm damn glad you mentioned that you have to curl your fingers up to hold it: I have damage from RA, and it HURTS to curl my fingers up. This thing looks great, but I guess it's not for me.
Sorry to hear that, I’m happy to be of service to you.
@@RetroGameCorps Thank you so much, man, for everything. You're the reason my wife and I BOUGHT the 351's: I also have a retroid pocket 2, but, I agree: that d-pad HURTS. You are amazing, though, man, and I think you're going to be VERY successful with this channel. You're doing SO much more than anyone else. It means a LOT, to a lot of people.
I just want that with a better chip inside.
Where are you finding the batteries for it? It seems to use a nonstandard removable one that I can never find
Check out the written guide in the description, someone made an adapter that looks promising. You’ll need access to a 3D printer though.
Does this screen actually looks better than the RG280V? The screen looks very vibrant in this video compared to your RG280V review. Is final fantasy 9 running fine on this device after changing the settings?
Both 351Elec and ArkOS are out for the 351v. Interested in seeing your take on them for it in the future.
Hi, we all really appreciate your work, what do you advise to me? I’m going to buy my first retro console I like this version because of screen colors and L R buttons but also like the powkiddy a19 but you know not L R buttons! :( it’s more powerful device capable to run n64 and some Dreamcast what would you recommend to me? Rg300 is 70 and powkiddy 90. Thanks in advance
Ad this one to me collection cheers
Nice one!
How does this withstand throughout time? And also how are the gba Pokémon games? Do they hold saves? Great video!
RS-97 Anniversary edition. 4 Life.
Subscribed.
I love my RG300 besides the RG351P.
I also painted it in full black and changed the buttons.
How did you change the buttons? I had trouble getting the back panel off
@@BenJelter I sanded the back of the keys and then glued on white letters with a transparent background. And this back is also painted black.
@@peter-w When I tried to remove the back panel it seemed to be stuck in place because of the trigger buttons. Any advice on that step?
@@BenJelter Opening was easy. Maybe you forgot the screws behind the battery? There are 6 screws in total. The back must be unfolded sideways because of the cable of the screen which is connecting both parts.
@@peter-w I'll give it another shot. I got worried that I was forcing it
does the pocketgo s30 come preinstalled with a good firmware
Hey! Love your reviews.
I had this one but moved since and left it at my old place, was thinking on going for the Miyoo Mini V2, how would you compare them?
Quick question. Can I leave this charging over night or is their some sort of precaution against it? Can the precaution be thrown to the wind? Can I leave it plugged in from night time to from when I get back from work meaning something like 15 hours?
Now i have 351v but i still love my 300....
My RG300 was OK but the battery kept failing. Where the battery connects to the PCB was loose so I opened it up to fix it and broke off the power switch sealing it back up. Maybe mine was defective but it’s pretty low quality.
I like the display colors, but the formfactor puts me off a bit cause of how I tend to just put my consoles in my bag when I go anywhere. Powkiddy V90 has the best for for me cause I don't have to worry about the screen.
I've come to the conclusion that the display is 2,8 inches 240p 4:3. Anybody seeing this tell me if you think something different.
The screen is not 3 inches, the width of the console is, but it's still cool
Can you do a video using the best hand held device for classic arcade games designed for 4.3 games? Like for Pac-Man, Galaga, Donkey Kong, Q-bert etc. I have a friend that mainly just like those older games when it comes to Retro games. So I wanna pick something up for him for Christmas. Especially keeping between $50-$100.
I got my rg300 towards the end of 2020, but every time I go to turn it on, the whole screen just scrolls and makes it unusable, sucks this was my first experience with a retro handheld
I would try to reseat the display ribbon cable, see if that fixes it. It also might be a bad SD card, here is how to re-flash the firmware onto a new card: github.com/retrofw/retrofw.github.io/wiki/Install-Firmware
Good video as always Russ, can I ask if you had any issues getting GNGEO running as I had a mare with it when I got my Rg350m.
It seemed fine to me, all games played okay. It did take a while for some of them to load.
I had to find the bios for it, took me ages to get one that worked.
I really need help. Are there any college football or basketball games on the RG 300? Or is there a way to download them? Information would be much appreciated. Thanks.
Ive had mine almost a month, I reset it and only put gambatte and a few others on there. A few things; shutting it down resets the time and date so clock based events are a pain. Wanna grow berries or get Umbreon? Second, the sound is pretty bad i get alot of emulation pops randomly and the whole thing puts off a super high pitch inaudible sound that my cats probably hate. Not to mention the pain of setting the volume up initially. After dragging/dropping save files around the folder got corrupted and none of the emulators save states would work but i deleted the whole folder and it fixed it after 2-3 reboots. Now the battery is starting to go wacky showing the emergency battery sign after 10 mins then going away, made worse by the lack of % on the battery meter. I mean i guess it gets the job done but damn lol.
Any chance you can review the GKD Mini? It’s kinda similar to the RG300 in size I think but more powerful and has some nice features.
Hi! Thanks for the video. What's the name of the last arcade game you played? Sounds really cool!
Looks like Eco Fighters.
Bruh why did they pull the retroid pocket 2 off of amazon overall and the rg351p off prime😭??
I doubt they actually pulled anything; much more likely they simply sold all the available inventory. And if the seller is shipping directly, especially from China, rather than keeping inventory in an Amazon warehouse, it’s likely they won’t qualify for the Prime shipping label (take note of the expected delivery dates and who is handling the shipping).
They can just stall. They will never win. The Light will always be stronger. A single candle can illuminate an entire room.
How exactly do you find Oregon trail on here???
How did the fighting games for SNES work out? (Mortal Kombat/SF2 etc) or should I play the Sega versions instead? I do prefer SNES tho.
Hey onions, have you had a chance to get simplemenu running on the RG300?
I’ve been trying to work out what’s going on with the screen res. The box actually says 3x320x480. Most other sources say 960x480, so I’m assuming it’s more like 320x480 with each pixel vertically split into 3 somehow?? I admit I need help understanding this!
Hey, is it possible to do the custom screen filtering and such on this device like you did on the 351v?