Honestly, the Retro Pocket 4 Pro! It plays most everything wonderfully, however if I could have the chipset inside the RP4 Pro paired with the RG556 screen and ergonomics for $200? Perfection! 🎉
All I know is I absolutely freaking love my RG556. Mine is absolutely stacked and packed with thousands of arcade and retro console games including over 500 PS2 games and GooglePlay games. I can't get over playing my all time favorite PS2 games like Medal of Honor;Frontline and Contra; Shattered Soldier again on such a perfect size, perfect shape and ultra comfortable hand held. The PS2 emulation is excellent! Controls are awesome, and that phenomenal 1080p AMOLED screen makes all these retro games look remastered. Way better on board speaker sound than I was expecting too. Such a killer bang for the buck hand held in every way.
The RG556 will be my definitive Streaming Handheld. Also I'm happy Anbernic went with a AMOLED screen instead of an OLED screen. This means that this Handheld will be better in Sunlight and Hot conditions. Also AMOLEDs are better against Burn-in then regular OLED Screens. 😁
This machine is the one I chose at this price point. It plays almost everything I want it to play. I don't need Switch play because I have one. Not sure why people are emulating at the moment. For everything else this is by far the best thing I've bought. I finally can play SSX3 on the go. I've missed this game so much and didn't know it. The RG556 is everything anyone could want in my opinion. I paid a little extra for mine on Amazon but it was worth it. I've also modded it to use ES-DE and have set ES-DE as my home app. I couldn't be happier with a purchase than this.
I love this video. Zu has the rare ability to make a long-ish review be both informative and entertaining. If I buy one of these than you'll be a big part of why. A few points: ● Saturn emulation sparks joy. Thank you. If you like the Saturn port of "Daytona USA" then try the Championship Edition (I think that's what it was called). It used the Saturn's optional 3D Pad to give you analog steering, throttle, and brakes. ● Can the face buttons be physically swapped to the Dreamcast/Xbox layout or are they somehow keyed to their respective holes? If I bought this it would be immediately switched away from the Switch layout in software and then that toggle would likely never be touched again. I'd like the button caps to physically match because I'm weird like that. At least Mom says I'm handsome... ● In regards to the plastic shell; every video I've seen, including yours, makes it look like it's made out of the same stuff as my GameSir X2 Pro. However; everyone says that it's kind of cheap feeling. I actively like the plastics used by GameSir and I can honestly say that they've held up really well. Would you say the RG556's plastics are better, worse, or on par?
Yes, yes, yes! Checks all the boxes that matter to me, thanks for a great, detailed review (and for saying how you got the settings you got to play the way you played, very helpful!). Look forward to more from you, I like you (and your wifies) style 🙃
tough choice. i got the 35xxH for small old retro. have my eyes on the rp4pro for psp/wii... but a bigger better screen for a similar price?? 🤔🤔🤔 portability or bigger screen? theres times i play vita and think it would be better if the screen was a bit bigger. hmmm
I have an Odin 1 pro and basically it plays ps2 and 3ds the same. Some game will run better on a device, someone in the other. Also, a question for you, does button mapping work or crashes at opening?
How's the ergonomics for things like streaming modern FPS? I'm finding my right hand cramping up on my Odin Pro trying to use the right stick and shoulder buttons at the same time. Is this quite a bit better?
They're still Switch-style sticks, and they have an 8-way preference (Left, Up/Left, Up, etc...) but this can be mitigated with any sort of switch caps you might have or by tweaking sensitivity in the in-game options.
I just picked up a retroid pocket 3+ for $100 on eBay, with a bunch of extra goodies included. I have a ton of anbernic handhelds but the 3 plus is the most powerful retro handheld I have so far. I started way back in the day with the o.g. Anbernic Pap K3. This looks pretty awesome, and I'll definitely add it to the collection in the near future, but I'll be grabbing the pocket 4 pro next. Slowly but surely my cheap Chinese handheld collection is growing. I don't need these things, but I like collecting them. I love tinkering around and getting the most out of the different hardware options. Great review as always.👍
I've been buying emulation handhelds since the Gamepark GP2X. I just got the RP4pro and really liking it so far. I also still love the RG35XX for the form factor with 8/16 bit systems. It is amazing that we have so many options to choose from today.
Zu, loved the video, the cherry on top was Starfield in the bathroom, from the 3rd person perspective he gets shot in the head 26:55. But really enjoyed the emulation showcase, I ordered a blue one of these that's arriving soon, so thanks for this.
I have an RG405m , if I was to buy this and put my SD card in would the save states for games I'm playing still be there or would have to start them all again?
Gran pantalla, ergonómica, buen precio. Buen rendimiento con gc, wii, ds, ps2 (vulkan🔥) y en switch solo me interesan los indies, por tanto esta portátil es todo lo que necesito 👍
You can either add new cores through Retroarch via the core downloader or download the standalone android versions through the playstore/sideload the apks
@@retrohandhelds in the meantime thanks for the reply, I did what you wrote, I added core in retroarch and added emulator apk, I wanted to know how to view the work done in the anbernic front-end where it doesn't update and there are always 27 left
The Edge is going to be a whole lot more powerful. The Edge's Snapdragon gaming chip (a hotrodded 888, IIRC) means it'll likely have better driver support for high end emulation. Plus native Android games will scale to its massive wide-screen and look great. Finally; instead of integral controls it uses a Kishi 2 Pro. The Edge is basically no different than a phone in a controller. On one hand it might not be as solid feeling. On the other hand if the controller dies then you can swap it out, or if the body dies then you can use the controller with any future phone. The RG556 has a better aspect ratio for retrogaming; although if you don't mind holding a wideboy then you'll probably find that usable screen real estate for retro content probably isn't much different between the Edge and 556. The RG556 has the controls and body fully integrated so it should feel more solid. The ergonomics are a lot better too. Finally, video out is going to work a lot better out of the box with the RG556 if you ever get the desire to plug it into a TV or monitor.
Generally speaking, yes, but ostensibly your 35xx card will be missing any games higher than PSX, so you'll be missing out on 6th generation titles and above.
@retrohandhelds oh for sure. I know my little system just handles the simple stuff. This thing does interest me. I don't have a laptop to get new stuff on it tho.
I mean youre talking absolute grabage sadly. This anbernic has literally half the graphics performance and only 2/3rds of the cpu power of a retroid pocket 4 pro. The Unisoc CPU in this is literal dogsh*t compared to the Dimensity 1100 in the RP4 pro.
We might do an Android gaming video. I already set up Diablo on this with the touchscreen mapper software built in, and it runs great. I anticipate FPS games might have issues with stick precision, but we'll see. - Zu
Depends this Handheld only beats out the base model of the RP4. The RP4 with all the bells and whistles cost $196 plus tax and with the Pro model it's $250 plus tax. This Handheld is $185 for Built-in ergonomics, Hall Effect Joysticks, Analog Triggers, and a AMOLED screen out of the box. The only thing to keep in mind is that this Handheld has a Unisoc Tiger T820. This means the performance is on par with a Snapdragon 695 which falls between a Dimensity 900 and Snapdragon 845. From what I've said I'll let you decide.
If the Retroid form factor fits into a pocket you have and is easier to go with you all the time, or if you want mostly the same games sometimes at higher resolution on a smaller screen, then RP4Pro. If you index towards screen quality, ergonomics, hardware lifetime (hall sticks & triggers), then this Anbernic.
The 5.5” AMOLED screen is massively better than what’s on the RP4/Pro and at a better price point. The ergonomics are hugely superior too. That’d be my choice.
This. The screen is so much better, it physically looks better (subjective), I'm spooked by the myriad quality control failures the RP4 has experienced, and the ergonomics are night and day better with the RG556. Lots of people are paying an extra $20 for official accessory grips from Retroid to make their new handhelds playable while this has good grips built-in. Admittedly it's not nearly as powerful as the RP4P; but, if it can play everything you care about then what difference does it make? Any handheld I buy is going to be used for some native Android games and emulating PS2, PS1, PSP, Dreamcast, Saturn, Genesis, SNES, and DOSbox. I know this can do all the emulation I care about; but, I don't know if it can run the Feral Interactive ports or something like "Wreckfest". If it can that's great. If it can't then that's why I have an Android phone and a GameSir.
Sure if all you care about is high-end Android emulation. But if you want a Handheld that fills a niche for Retro Gaming no model of the Odin will do this.
What's *your* favorite sub $200 handheld?
This😅😂
Guilty Pleasure, but right now the RGB10 Max 3 Pro. 😬
RP4 Pro
Was 405m, but now.....
Honestly, the Retro Pocket 4 Pro! It plays most everything wonderfully, however if I could have the chipset inside the RP4 Pro paired with the RG556 screen and ergonomics for $200?
Perfection! 🎉
Is this the longest Zu review yet?
To me, this handheld might be more exciting than the RP4Pro. Normalize affordable OLEDs! We need more!
I didn't plan on it. I just kept looking at different systems and it naturally happened!
I second this. I have the Retroid Pocket 4 Pro, but am more excited for this.
The Anbernic team need to hire Retro Handhelds' wife as a fashion consultant.
Yea I bought the bag. Just cause I didn’t want to have to measure it then shop around for the right size.
All I know is I absolutely freaking love my RG556. Mine is absolutely stacked and packed with thousands of arcade and retro console games including over 500 PS2 games and GooglePlay games. I can't get over playing my all time favorite PS2 games like Medal of Honor;Frontline and Contra; Shattered Soldier again on such a perfect size, perfect shape and ultra comfortable hand held. The PS2 emulation is excellent! Controls are awesome, and that phenomenal 1080p AMOLED screen makes all these retro games look remastered. Way better on board speaker sound than I was expecting too. Such a killer bang for the buck hand held in every way.
The RG556 will be my definitive Streaming Handheld. Also I'm happy Anbernic went with a AMOLED screen instead of an OLED screen. This means that this Handheld will be better in Sunlight and Hot conditions. Also AMOLEDs are better against Burn-in then regular OLED Screens. 😁
Ands that why i pre-ordered! Perfect size for streaming games
Shame no wifi6 for low latency.. there’s always something not ideal 😭
Lets go RUSStle up us a new handheld review! Every video needs a Russ joke, this needs to be a running gag
cant stand that guy
This machine is the one I chose at this price point. It plays almost everything I want it to play. I don't need Switch play because I have one. Not sure why people are emulating at the moment. For everything else this is by far the best thing I've bought. I finally can play SSX3 on the go. I've missed this game so much and didn't know it. The RG556 is everything anyone could want in my opinion. I paid a little extra for mine on Amazon but it was worth it. I've also modded it to use ES-DE and have set ES-DE as my home app. I couldn't be happier with a purchase than this.
As long as you're having a blast rediscovering old games, that's all that matters.
I preordered the clear blue.
You should try the Android ports of Cuphead, Hollow Knight, and Slime Rancher too.
17:50 Thank You for pointing this out Zu! PS Vita Emulation doesn't require a lot of CPU power to emulate the Handheld.
Zu reviews one of my favorite reviews.
I rank them alphabetically!
Dangit
I love this video. Zu has the rare ability to make a long-ish review be both informative and entertaining. If I buy one of these than you'll be a big part of why. A few points:
● Saturn emulation sparks joy. Thank you. If you like the Saturn port of "Daytona USA" then try the Championship Edition (I think that's what it was called). It used the Saturn's optional 3D Pad to give you analog steering, throttle, and brakes.
● Can the face buttons be physically swapped to the Dreamcast/Xbox layout or are they somehow keyed to their respective holes? If I bought this it would be immediately switched away from the Switch layout in software and then that toggle would likely never be touched again. I'd like the button caps to physically match because I'm weird like that. At least Mom says I'm handsome...
● In regards to the plastic shell; every video I've seen, including yours, makes it look like it's made out of the same stuff as my GameSir X2 Pro. However; everyone says that it's kind of cheap feeling. I actively like the plastics used by GameSir and I can honestly say that they've held up really well. Would you say the RG556's plastics are better, worse, or on par?
Watched till the end, mostly because Zu
Is the switch tests in docked or handheld mode?
Always handheld
YOU KNOW WHAT?
Yes, yes, yes! Checks all the boxes that matter to me, thanks for a great, detailed review (and for saying how you got the settings you got to play the way you played, very helpful!). Look forward to more from you, I like you (and your wifies) style 🙃
Awesome, thank you!
tough choice. i got the 35xxH for small old retro. have my eyes on the rp4pro for psp/wii... but a bigger better screen for a similar price?? 🤔🤔🤔 portability or bigger screen? theres times i play vita and think it would be better if the screen was a bit bigger. hmmm
Loud clicky shoulder buttons again! :(. Always some kind of dealbreaker with these handhelds for gaming at night
I can't find a single video testing Ridge Racer V on the 556; do you know how it is on there?
Thanks for the video!
5.5 inch screen that plays psp 4x on a amuoled screen?? Man anbernic I might I have to get this one.
Right?
I have an Odin 1 pro and basically it plays ps2 and 3ds the same. Some game will run better on a device, someone in the other.
Also, a question for you, does button mapping work or crashes at opening?
The best one is the one you play 😁
How's the ergonomics for things like streaming modern FPS? I'm finding my right hand cramping up on my Odin Pro trying to use the right stick and shoulder buttons at the same time. Is this quite a bit better?
They're still Switch-style sticks, and they have an 8-way preference (Left, Up/Left, Up, etc...) but this can be mitigated with any sort of switch caps you might have or by tweaking sensitivity in the in-game options.
31 out of 40?
Zu and Mike Skinner must be the same person.
Driving is hard, okay?
Yeah, I create lineups when I'm in the washroom too.
You said washroom so you must be Canadian eh?
Will It Play Crash Bandicoot The Wrath Of Cortex
I just picked up a retroid pocket 3+ for $100 on eBay, with a bunch of extra goodies included. I have a ton of anbernic handhelds but the 3 plus is the most powerful retro handheld I have so far. I started way back in the day with the o.g. Anbernic Pap K3. This looks pretty awesome, and I'll definitely add it to the collection in the near future, but I'll be grabbing the pocket 4 pro next. Slowly but surely my cheap Chinese handheld collection is growing. I don't need these things, but I like collecting them. I love tinkering around and getting the most out of the different hardware options. Great review as always.👍
Hey man, different strokes for different folks. Thanks for watching!
Keep collecting… it’s just a matter of time before they will get banned worldwide. Maybe starting from USA because of Nintendo of America…
Absolute madlad
oh god why do you use stretch aspect ratio my eyes
Spite!
Awesome review and take 👍
Glad you liked it
Thinking of getting this for diablo immortal
Zu, what I’m impressed by (I forgot what settings) it can run at about 50-58 frames on borderlands 2 through vita!
I've been buying emulation handhelds since the Gamepark GP2X. I just got the RP4pro and really liking it so far. I also still love the RG35XX for the form factor with 8/16 bit systems. It is amazing that we have so many options to choose from today.
I used to love my Gamepark caanoo. That thing was so ahead of its time like all GPH devices.
@@jtfernandez5594 The gp2x was cool for its time, but they should have used a dpad instead of the awful joystick... it ruined gameplay.
Too bad amazon sells this for 260
Zu, loved the video, the cherry on top was Starfield in the bathroom, from the 3rd person perspective he gets shot in the head 26:55. But really enjoyed the emulation showcase, I ordered a blue one of these that's arriving soon, so thanks for this.
For all twelve Saturn fans😭
You skipped N64
hi, if i buy this console 256gb there is already games on it? can i use console to use PlayStation remote Play?
I have an RG405m , if I was to buy this and put my SD card in would the save states for games I'm playing still be there or would have to start them all again?
You'd have to copy the save files from the 405 to the SD card, then copy them to the corresponding folders on the 556.
Gran pantalla, ergonómica, buen precio. Buen rendimiento con gc, wii, ds, ps2 (vulkan🔥) y en switch solo me interesan los indies, por tanto esta portátil es todo lo que necesito 👍
¡Excelente! Gracias
Can I download roms directly on the sd card and use the systems WiFi capability just using the device and no computer ?
Yes
Great review, longer is better sometimes! (Yes, that’s what she said, etc) 😅
that Gucci bag looks good 👍🏿
Gucci Mane!
hi, how can you add emulators on Anbernic Front-End, there are 27 preloaded emulators, I would like to add others: Atari, Gamecube etc..etc...
You can either add new cores through Retroarch via the core downloader or download the standalone android versions through the playstore/sideload the apks
@@retrohandhelds in the meantime thanks for the reply, I did what you wrote, I added core in retroarch and added emulator apk, I wanted to know how to view the work done in the anbernic front-end where it doesn't update and there are always 27 left
I hope the next Odin has this ergonomic desgin.
What about this vs the razr edge 5g?
The Edge is going to be a whole lot more powerful. The Edge's Snapdragon gaming chip (a hotrodded 888, IIRC) means it'll likely have better driver support for high end emulation. Plus native Android games will scale to its massive wide-screen and look great. Finally; instead of integral controls it uses a Kishi 2 Pro. The Edge is basically no different than a phone in a controller. On one hand it might not be as solid feeling. On the other hand if the controller dies then you can swap it out, or if the body dies then you can use the controller with any future phone.
The RG556 has a better aspect ratio for retrogaming; although if you don't mind holding a wideboy then you'll probably find that usable screen real estate for retro content probably isn't much different between the Edge and 556. The RG556 has the controls and body fully integrated so it should feel more solid. The ergonomics are a lot better too. Finally, video out is going to work a lot better out of the box with the RG556 if you ever get the desire to plug it into a TV or monitor.
Matt's got it pretty solid here.
Does it have any of the resident evil games on it that actually work!?
Yes
200$ ... i prefer buy for 300$ for ODin 2 and have 60 on 6x .....
That's your right as a free citizen, but if the screen itself maxes out at 1080p, you're going to get diminishing returns.
So could I in theory, just throw the SD cards from my 35xx into this thing and be good to go?
Generally speaking, yes, but ostensibly your 35xx card will be missing any games higher than PSX, so you'll be missing out on 6th generation titles and above.
@retrohandhelds oh for sure. I know my little system just handles the simple stuff. This thing does interest me. I don't have a laptop to get new stuff on it tho.
Where in Montana are you, I go to Billings every other month
The compound's exact location is unknown to most of us.
Can I link this to other 556s to play with friends?
Yes! It supports wireless gaming if the emulator or app supports it.
So is the screen crazy awesome or just ho hum OLED?
I ENJOYED IT ADMIRAL. ⚓
Great review! The ergos and the rich oled screen has me sold over the rp4 pro.
It's in a weird spot, but I can overlook the lack of super high-end performance because even something like a D1200 is super hit or miss with Switch.
Do you think the switch emu would get better or did it peak?
Boy I don't know. I *feel* like it's getting closer to a peak, but you never know when a dev is going to pull out something like NCE.
are you playing yuzu at 1x resolution?
I used 1x for Hollow Knight and Torchlight II.
ZU ZU ZU ZU, Represent Represent
For under a hundred you can get the new powkiddy Max 3.🤔
With another RK3566 processor?
@@evshrug yeah I was looking it doesn't really say you could be right.
Best console under $200, much better then the garbage that is the Craproid 4.
You are under every videos about this device, where did Retroid touch you?
@@snowolf494 Everywhere officer!
Just spreading the truth! @@snowolf494
I mean youre talking absolute grabage sadly. This anbernic has literally half the graphics performance and only 2/3rds of the cpu power of a retroid pocket 4 pro. The Unisoc CPU in this is literal dogsh*t compared to the Dimensity 1100 in the RP4 pro.
One like for Zu 👍
My man!
What about COD mobile?
We might do an Android gaming video. I already set up Diablo on this with the touchscreen mapper software built in, and it runs great. I anticipate FPS games might have issues with stick precision, but we'll see. - Zu
Diablo is definitely on my list too!!
Is this the switch 2?
How does this compare to the Odin 1 Pro?
Sooo this, or pocket 4 pro and why ?
Depends this Handheld only beats out the base model of the RP4. The RP4 with all the bells and whistles cost $196 plus tax and with the Pro model it's $250 plus tax. This Handheld is $185 for Built-in ergonomics, Hall Effect Joysticks, Analog Triggers, and a AMOLED screen out of the box. The only thing to keep in mind is that this Handheld has a Unisoc Tiger T820. This means the performance is on par with a Snapdragon 695 which falls between a Dimensity 900 and Snapdragon 845. From what I've said I'll let you decide.
RP4 pro charge like 45USD of shiping insane
If the Retroid form factor fits into a pocket you have and is easier to go with you all the time, or if you want mostly the same games sometimes at higher resolution on a smaller screen, then RP4Pro.
If you index towards screen quality, ergonomics, hardware lifetime (hall sticks & triggers), then this Anbernic.
The 5.5” AMOLED screen is massively better than what’s on the RP4/Pro and at a better price point. The ergonomics are hugely superior too. That’d be my choice.
This. The screen is so much better, it physically looks better (subjective), I'm spooked by the myriad quality control failures the RP4 has experienced, and the ergonomics are night and day better with the RG556. Lots of people are paying an extra $20 for official accessory grips from Retroid to make their new handhelds playable while this has good grips built-in.
Admittedly it's not nearly as powerful as the RP4P; but, if it can play everything you care about then what difference does it make? Any handheld I buy is going to be used for some native Android games and emulating PS2, PS1, PSP, Dreamcast, Saturn, Genesis, SNES, and DOSbox. I know this can do all the emulation I care about; but, I don't know if it can run the Feral Interactive ports or something like "Wreckfest". If it can that's great. If it can't then that's why I have an Android phone and a GameSir.
retroid pocket 4 pro still a better buy, dont like the switch sie sticks
$250 😕
@@Pridetoons it's 199
@@Pridetoons with the accessories I got it's like 245 total without shipping
I'll stick to my ayn odin 2. All these cheaper handhelds feel obsolete and redundant.
Sure if all you care about is high-end Android emulation. But if you want a Handheld that fills a niche for Retro Gaming no model of the Odin will do this.
Does this device come pre loaded with all the games ready to play?
They have versions with an SD cards loaded with games and a version that excludes a card altogether.
@@retrohandhelds
Thanks
why would you emulate disgaea 4 when theres a native android port.....
To test Vita3K emulation
😂 Yes, I wanted to show a game that crashed consistently in Vita3k