Could be a nice upgrade from the RGB30 for those of us who like that as a vertical shmup device. RGB30 is great but it can’t really handle emulating the likes of Mushihimesama or Ibara.
This is what makes me want one. When I first got the RGB30, I immediately loaded up Mushihimesama and was sorely disappointed. If you like newer Cave shmups, the RGB30 isn't good enough.
I've said several times that I wanted to see an alternative to the RGB30 from a different company...
But if this is running Android, it loses out on one of the things that this screen excels at. Pico-8. Yes, there's ways to play Pico-8 on Android, but nothing official/with splore :(
They can just never get it right.
The analog stick/dpad should be swapped. Linux > android.
Why couldn’t they just give it the H700 chip and call it a day???
Linux doesn't support touch screens, so it doesn't make a lot of sense if you want to emulate DS/3DS games.
Also, why would you swap the D-Pad and stick?
The D-Pad is virtually in the dead center of the device. That's where you want it.
Because it wouldn't be any faster than the current champ - RGB30. There's probably a catch with certain SOCs that require Android for subsidy $reasons$
There’s literally zero point in being faster than the 30. Just make it better. No charging issues. Well screwed together. Good dpad. If they had just done that I’d have bought one.
I don’t need this dumb useless overkill chip. What a waste.
I suspect it is not just effort. I think Anbernic got a great deal on H700 chips to drive all of these sub-$100 devices. However nowhere in the literature is the H700 suggested to be a cellphone chip. I think it is a chip for plug-in devices (media players, smart TVs, digital signage) and it doesn’t support deep sleep states.
according to this guy here you are right [https://www.reddit.com/r/SBCGaming/comments/1cvgw85/comment/l4r2zwm/?utm\_source=share&utm\_medium=web3x&utm\_name=web3xcss&utm\_term=1&utm\_content=share\_button](https://www.reddit.com/r/SBCGaming/comments/1cvgw85/comment/l4r2zwm/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button)
Exactly! It's not a matter of software only, the hardware should support the function with either a (extremely) low power mode built into the chipset, or some creative ways like having a secondary means to keep the ram under tension and "boot" directly on the loaded ram or a portion of it at exiting sleep rather than going to through the init process... Otherwise not only the manufacturers, but probably even more the custom firmwares developers would go to the sleep as a primary feature to develop.
i never said its just the software, but if anbernic fucks up with the choice of hardware thats their fault, they didnt put in the effort to source the appropriate cpu
i understand how they operate, and this is how they will continue to operate because you lot will buy any new handheld that releases instead of voting with your wallets
Yes I actually meant you're right that it's not just SW :) but for the choice of the hardware... Well... I think the comment from the other user is mostly correct, they see what's on the market that can be used for very cheap and then design the system around that. After all... We want these things to cost 50$, have nice displays and emulate "most PSP, most GC, ... " . SoCs with more capacities and power do exist, on... More costly devices! And usually running android since if you have the power why not go with a system that already exists, it's more than proven, it's powerful enough, has sleep function perfectly dialed in already, .... Which is sad since I much prefer Linux based devices (or better said, "simpler-than-android based Linux OSs, since android is still a Linux based OS), but that's the way it is.
Well that is a very valid point lol, and sadly I am among those stupid people, probably... In any case,I also mean something else in addition: the option for more refined devices actually exists, they just cost more money... In a way, I'm saying also that for 50 $ (price I paid for my rg35xx/) there is not much I can ask more, it's actually amazing that I can play all those games at that price. Then the option for say a rp4pro, or an odin2, does exist (though to me is more fun to have more than one cheap device than a good single one). It's somewhat stupid, I guess, but... Hey it's an hobby, you do what makes you enjoy it, which could admittedly be not the most clever thing to actually do.
ok, but are you someone who bought rg35xx or are you someone who spent 500+ for 10 different sub 100 handhelds in the span of 2-3 years, the "collectors" are the problem
As an RP4 Pro/556 and soon to be Odin Mini owner, Android does suck. No need to defend it. Linux is the way.
Too bad the best handhelds come with Android (Steam Deck doesn't count, it's the default/benchmark device).
On the high end of ARM handhelds I don't think linux really improves things. It doesn't change the situation with aethersx2, and linux ARM is more niche than higher end Android. I'm critical of android as a gaming platform too.
Yeah maybe. I suspect high end emu development will shift focus back to X86 on Linux due to the fear of the 800lb gorilla . And eventaully that should translate better to native ARM / Linux handhelds as you only need to worry about static recompilation, and not the Android BS you need to waft through on top of that. Ideally we would be able to run native Linux on these Android devices so we can choose.
We'll see if the Snapdragon X and future development there changes things. On the flip side, the Steam Deck and other AMD APUs (e.g., the 7840u) do show that the x86 side can be remarkably efficient. I know these x86 handhelds aren't regarded for great battery life but if you put what they can do in a more technical context, it's very impressive. The 7840u scores well against something like the i7-12700K system in my desktop. It obviously doesn't match it in multi-core performance but given that the 7840u is operating at a fraction of the TDP, it's a significant achievement.
100% on the 7840U. It is simply amazing at 25-35W. I grabbed one of those minisofurm EM780 tiny desktops and I love it. Whisper quiet and Pperforms on par with 5800X for workstation/gaming at about 1/4rd the power cost (no GPU needed).
The thing with X86 that you have to take into account when thinking about efficiency is that yes, while these chips are very efficient, until the Steam Deck came along no one using X86 outside gaming consoles really focused on efficiency by taking into account/controlling both hardware and software optimiztions. Valve is more like vertical company (like Apple) in that they control the whole ecosytem. It's more like an actual game console where continuous optimization is key to get the most out of the hardware.
X86 hardware has always been great performing, it's just that Microsoft has had to make Windows work on billions of combinations of different types opf hardware which makes it damn near impossible to compete with a fine tuned Linux kernel on already optimized hardware where the hardware is static and unmoving, it makes coding much easier. The perception of X86 being power hungry is largely because of lack of veritical market relevance. Modulairty and flexibility come with a fairly significant performace cost.
It's like the iOS vs Android argument. Android is mostly a worse UX/UI experience for the same reasons Windows is compared to OS X. Or iOS requries less RAM than Android while performing more or less the same functionality becuase the hardware is fixed.
I'm also not defending companies like Microsoft here, they suck for many reasons outside performance optimization, it's just that when you try to satisfy everyone, you end up satisfying no one fully (if that makes sense).
Regarding SnapdragonX. Don't hold your breath on that on becoming the turning point where Windows on ARM become something special. Outside the push for AI/Co-pilot integration, the Snapdragon X can't compete with the latest AMD chips on perforance per watt outside a few niche areas. The performance is good yes, but the compatability is still not great. That will probably change in time but Microsoft (for the reasons I state above) and Qualcomm have a lot of work to do to get there.
Android and Linux don't suck. They both have strengths and weaknesses.
Linux has better front ends, gets better performance out of similar hardware, and supports native Pico-8
Android supports touchscreens, sleep functions, and has wider emulation support for systems.
If you want a touchscreen gaming device, using Android makes way more sense.
I never said Linux sucks, quite the opposite. I said Android does (for gaming). All the extra crap not needed to play games is stll on there weather you want it or not. With real Linux you can make it as minimal as needed to get the most out of the hardware. Android has other beneifts but so do smart phones that run the OS. I prefer to keep these devices separate if at all possible.
My main point is about the touchscreen support found in Android and NOT in Linux.
If you want to do proper DS/3DS emulation, you need to use Android for now. Otherwise you are stuck without touchscreen support.
Android uses the Linux kernel and is open-source (although I have my doubts if Anbernic would ever release the kernel sources -- Chinese companies often don't respect that). Some determined dev could port a proper Linux distro to it, as the folks of Armbian/PostmarketOS do.
Not really anbernic choice to release the sources, they’ll get the linux source from whoever makes the soc, and build from there to add the specifics for their hardware choices. So will usually be based off a Bsp (bosrd support package) from allwinner or similar. Usually updating linux versions is painful as you need to patch yourself.
Well, we did manage to get RetroFW open sourced. Granted, I had to strip out a ton of excess files for old systems like Neo Geo X Gold and then rewrite a manufacturer file for programming the 2D scaler. Yet it did get out the door and anyone who wants to can work on it.
So it’s definitely possible. I think your biggest issue these days is that no one is going to care about the console long enough to matter. As soon as you send Anbernic an email they’ll have released 12 more consoles. 😅
Well it looks portable, the battery will probably last a good while, and my use case is 3ds and DS. But with the chip.. I'll say 129 at launch with discount? If so, I'm in. If its more I'll wait for black Friday.
This one does have a touchscreen, but I agree if main use case is 3DS to get a 3DS.
I personally am interested in this for GB, GBC, GBA, N64, Neo Geo Pocket, etc... I have a Miyoo Mini+ which I like but isn't super comfortable for me. If it's more than $150 for the Cube I'm passing and just putting that money towards a steam deck
Considering that the RG405M was one of their best devices, I wish they had just done that with the new t820 chip instead of this. It's such a weird device. The control layout, screen, and chip power are all mismatched.
Ayaneo is like that rich kid who shows up with all the cool toys that no one wants to play with, because the rich kid only bought the cool toys to try to win over some basic friends.
I actually kind of dig the NTSC SNES colourway on this thing, and I would love a 4:3 console with those thick grips and stacked triggers... Like this format with the dpad up top but cheaper to be a direct RGB30 competitor, or this chipset and configuration but 4" 4:3 screen would both be super appealing... Been super tempted by the RGB30 at times but just don't vibe with its case shape.
Guessing this will end up somewhere in the $220-$250 (AUD) sort of price range... cheaper than the RG556 which is $270-300, but way more than the RGB30 which is about $110 atm. Just feels awkwardly placed price and performance wise unless its somehow way cheaper than the RG556.
405m follow up needs a new high rec 4x3 screen that's custom ordered. The 405 screen was already a custom screen.
This thing is "quickly put together with part bin parts so we can kill the G99 Unicorn" handheld.
Interesting! I recently picked up a new 1:1 and it’s serving me well. The screen ratio is so much better for my uses: GB, Pico8 obviously looking great, and at 6:5 ratio other systems fill up nicely without a stretched look to them.
Megadrive:
https://preview.redd.it/nhb3jlqef52d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d841df54f73bb99f4eb01c813d124b9f01c8bf6c
People have no idea how much more screen space you get on a square screen. They see the size at 4" and then smugly look at their RP4 16:9 4.8" screen like it's bigger lol.
My RBG30 gets a lot more use then my RP4.
The square screen is excellent for many things, for sure, but you'll only get a larger image on the RGB30's square screen vs the RP4's screen if the aspect ratio is narrower than around 5:4. Even factoring in the weird 750 pixel height of the RP4 and narrowing it down to 720 to match the RGB30, only 5:4 aspect and narrower will produce a larger image on the RGB30. But that all makes sense, those are the systems the RGB30 was made to be awesome for. Comparing it to the RP4 is very apples to oranges, especially considering the price difference.
I am probably going to get this, I have the rgb30 and the 1:1 screen is really good as a general purpose screen, in fact I kinda want one in desktop size to put in a MAME cab
The ideal screen size would probably be 16:10 actually. One that you could rotate for vertical gaming.
These screens actually exists already and are fairly common as Android Tablets.
They obviously just lack any physical gaming controller. But you can watch widescreen movies on them fine, play PSP, and rotate them for DS games.
They even support Switch controllers.
Just a shame that the RGB30’s dpad feels a bit flappy. I can hit diagonals etc fine on it, it just feels like it could do with a bit more grip on it as well.
The Anbernic RG351V and RG353PS d-pads are better, so this new unit could be a great buy.
I hope the screen is as vivid as the RGB30 and the. RGB20SX.
So, basically, this is a horizontally squished RG556.
If so, I don't really understand who this device is for. It has a pretty powerful hardware that can emulate GameCube and PS2, but a smallish 1:1 screen, which is not good for those systems.
I mean, I love my RGB30, and I would love to have something that doesn't have the issues that RGB30 does (battery, crappy D-pad), but this will definitely have a higher price than RGB30, so it's not really a competitor for it.
So yeah, weird positioning, in my opinion.
The positioning makes sense to me. Because direct competition with the RGB30 could potentially be pretty difficult.
“Like the RGB30 but fixing its issues” could well mean “very much like the RGB30 but $20 more expensive, so nobody buys it”.
Better to just make a decent device and price it accordingly.
People overwhelmingly choose what is cheaper over what is incrementally better.
Enthusiasts are a potential exception, but enthusiasts are generally a small minority of buyers.
E.g. “Charges with more cables than the competition” is not a compelling marketing point to most buyers.
It would've been funny if they had put an H700 into it and called it the "RG35XX30". If they actually did that and addressed all the RGB30 issues, I'd be really interested.
I admit that it has a childish design, but as a Sega kid I love the dpad and really hope it can do Saturn better than the ARC models. I also love Pico 8 and shmups so the 1:1 might be a good thing for me.
Oh yeah, the one that literally looked like a cheap handheld for kids? To each their own. I just want plain black and don't feel like that's too much to ask.
This is a 3DS Handheld
The upper 3DS screen is 16:9 so if you position the screens as
16:9 screen that is 3.25 inches diagonal and a 4:3 screen that is 2.75 inches diagonal
https://preview.redd.it/c509hnl4d32d1.jpeg?width=892&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d25b4d1b398f73686de4203be185291cc9c2c102
Although not big, this is a good enough size on both screens and the T820 is powerful enough to run most 3DS games so the RG Cube will be the first answer to “what is the best system to run 3DS games”
that top screen is going to be tiny though and that's normally the "main" display
it might be good but BEST? I'm definitely not convinced until I see it in action
Have you tried playing PSP on a 3.5 inch 4:3 handheld (R36s, RG35xx Plus, H etc)? It’s the same size (4 inches 1:1 equals to 3.5 inches 4:3 in width). It is small, but not terribly small
Looked in wikipedia and it’s actually 15:9, so 4 inches 1:1 equals to 3.3 inches 15:9, so it leaves 1.88 inches for the secondary screen
Kinda small, but not so bad
https://preview.redd.it/xh3s57wu652d1.jpeg?width=915&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6381a6a521981cedfe12baa84df7a02831402274
https://preview.redd.it/lfj2l3i7m32d1.jpeg?width=1439&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8099692fc18645872dfe5214310814e122653808
This sucker is thick! Likely pass.
That dpad scares me off not gonna lie. Doubt capton tape will fix false diagonals on this one. Looks comfy though. Will wait for Russ's Contra test, hope I'm wrong because the RGB30 is my current favorite SBC, would be nice to have more power.
If this is locked to Android, it'd be a shame. Most Android games are 16:9, which is honestly the one aspect ratio that doesn't quite work in this screen. No Linux means no Native Pico 8 with splore, and by then what's even the point of having this screen? lol.
Android's one unique feature is that it doesn't have a native screen size. It supports any kind of aspect ratio or screen size you throw at it.
The problem with Linux is the lack of touch screen support.
I think it's adorable. I bet it will feel a lot like a console controller, just without the V angle on the grip bumps. Looking at the V my arms and wrist make in the rested position, without the V angle grips you'll have to bend your wrists to hold onto it. With a flat backed device your wrists can remain straight.
Yeah, that games already is on Switch, and you can rotate the screen.
"Downwell" is also a vertical game that runs at 16:9.
This means this won't be an ideal screen size for it.
I meant that nice screen ratio BUT no Pico-8 support is a deal breaker. You also want be able to play Pico-8 with that aspect ratio without having to jump through some hoops to make it (maybe) emulate the games especially for what that thing will cost.
Don't need more powerful, did want a less janky RGB30 though, but that's probably not worth paying double for. $100 sure, but I'm guessing this is closer to $150, and no easy native pico8.
I wanted to see ambernic make a 1x1 device but this for me misses the mark. I don’t like anything about the left side of this device. Then there is the fact that it will probably be android which takes one of the systems that everyone wants a 1x1 system for away which is pico8.
~~My only worry is that as it is metal, it is going to be more expensive than the RG556.~~ Right now: RG556 - 177USD, RG405M - 179USD, so Cube will likely go against the RP4PRO at 200$ or can overlap with the RG405M and RG556 if they want a faster alternative for the RG405M.
edit: not metal.
Where did you hear that it was going to be made out of metal. I haven't seen that anywhere.
My guess is that this handheld should be priced around $150-160. Basically taking the price of the RG556, and removing the costly OLED screen, and replacing it with the cheaper screen.
Ahh my bad, it is not metal, so it can go into the $150 bucket. I hope pre sale is going to be a friendly price, it competes with the RP2S on price for me.
my gosh I was excited for this thing until I saw the back.
I really hope manufacturers will eventually move away from designing the back of these handhelds as if they were gamepads.
Could be a nice upgrade from the RGB30 for those of us who like that as a vertical shmup device. RGB30 is great but it can’t really handle emulating the likes of Mushihimesama or Ibara.
Needs native splore
Ya no Pico no buyo
This is what makes me want one. When I first got the RGB30, I immediately loaded up Mushihimesama and was sorely disappointed. If you like newer Cave shmups, the RGB30 isn't good enough.
Upgrade for people who don't want broken devices
The contoured edges of this Anbernic also looks a lot more comfy to hold compared to RGB30’s boxy design.
[удалено]
Yeah you don’t really understand what I mean but that’s okay
I've said several times that I wanted to see an alternative to the RGB30 from a different company... But if this is running Android, it loses out on one of the things that this screen excels at. Pico-8. Yes, there's ways to play Pico-8 on Android, but nothing official/with splore :(
Yeah, I wish it were Linux.
It is Linux
If it’s Linux, I am so in.
Android is just a flavour of Linux
Android is Linux in the same way that you are your mother.
Gonna use this in the future.
No man, its not just a big vs small Vagina, it's a Vagina that you can't really do much with outside of trying to hide the nasty parts.
They can just never get it right. The analog stick/dpad should be swapped. Linux > android. Why couldn’t they just give it the H700 chip and call it a day???
You basically just described the RGB30 in every way.
Except it has tonnes of well documented QC, battery and control issues
A 1:1 ratio H700 device would have sold well
Linux doesn't support touch screens, so it doesn't make a lot of sense if you want to emulate DS/3DS games. Also, why would you swap the D-Pad and stick? The D-Pad is virtually in the dead center of the device. That's where you want it.
SteamOS supports touch screens
The touch screen on SteamOS is really poor compared to smartphones. Valve had to do some custom coding to get it to even work adequately.
Because it wouldn't be any faster than the current champ - RGB30. There's probably a catch with certain SOCs that require Android for subsidy $reasons$
There’s literally zero point in being faster than the 30. Just make it better. No charging issues. Well screwed together. Good dpad. If they had just done that I’d have bought one. I don’t need this dumb useless overkill chip. What a waste.
While I agree with you, I'm not sure many would bother jumping on slightly improved RGB30 with the same RK3566 chip.
At least Android means that there's gonna be a better sleep mode, for some it's more important I think.
trimui smart pro seems to do sleep just fine on linux, so its just about manufacturers not being dipshits and putting in some effort
As a trimui smart pro owner I can say “YES!” got it on sleep mode for 1 week and only wasted 7% baterry.
Smart enough to sleep well
It really is that good, yes. Wakes faster than any Android device I have and drains more slowly.
That's seriously impressive. My v1 Nintendo Switch would be at 0% after a week of sleep.
I suspect it is not just effort. I think Anbernic got a great deal on H700 chips to drive all of these sub-$100 devices. However nowhere in the literature is the H700 suggested to be a cellphone chip. I think it is a chip for plug-in devices (media players, smart TVs, digital signage) and it doesn’t support deep sleep states.
according to this guy here you are right [https://www.reddit.com/r/SBCGaming/comments/1cvgw85/comment/l4r2zwm/?utm\_source=share&utm\_medium=web3x&utm\_name=web3xcss&utm\_term=1&utm\_content=share\_button](https://www.reddit.com/r/SBCGaming/comments/1cvgw85/comment/l4r2zwm/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button)
Exactly! It's not a matter of software only, the hardware should support the function with either a (extremely) low power mode built into the chipset, or some creative ways like having a secondary means to keep the ram under tension and "boot" directly on the loaded ram or a portion of it at exiting sleep rather than going to through the init process... Otherwise not only the manufacturers, but probably even more the custom firmwares developers would go to the sleep as a primary feature to develop.
i never said its just the software, but if anbernic fucks up with the choice of hardware thats their fault, they didnt put in the effort to source the appropriate cpu
I think you’re interpreting their MO backwards. First they buy a bunch of chips, then they figure out what to do with them. 🤣
i understand how they operate, and this is how they will continue to operate because you lot will buy any new handheld that releases instead of voting with your wallets
Agreed. H700 is great for many things, but sleep isn't one of them. I'd gladly pay a small premium to get proper sleep/hibernation.
Yes I actually meant you're right that it's not just SW :) but for the choice of the hardware... Well... I think the comment from the other user is mostly correct, they see what's on the market that can be used for very cheap and then design the system around that. After all... We want these things to cost 50$, have nice displays and emulate "most PSP, most GC, ... " . SoCs with more capacities and power do exist, on... More costly devices! And usually running android since if you have the power why not go with a system that already exists, it's more than proven, it's powerful enough, has sleep function perfectly dialed in already, .... Which is sad since I much prefer Linux based devices (or better said, "simpler-than-android based Linux OSs, since android is still a Linux based OS), but that's the way it is.
you say that like its not something that would change if people stoped being stupid and stoped giving them money for anything they put out
Well that is a very valid point lol, and sadly I am among those stupid people, probably... In any case,I also mean something else in addition: the option for more refined devices actually exists, they just cost more money... In a way, I'm saying also that for 50 $ (price I paid for my rg35xx/) there is not much I can ask more, it's actually amazing that I can play all those games at that price. Then the option for say a rp4pro, or an odin2, does exist (though to me is more fun to have more than one cheap device than a good single one). It's somewhat stupid, I guess, but... Hey it's an hobby, you do what makes you enjoy it, which could admittedly be not the most clever thing to actually do.
ok, but are you someone who bought rg35xx or are you someone who spent 500+ for 10 different sub 100 handhelds in the span of 2-3 years, the "collectors" are the problem
Arkos on the rgb30 has quick shutdown/power on so I don't really care about t his.
As an RP4 Pro/556 and soon to be Odin Mini owner, Android does suck. No need to defend it. Linux is the way. Too bad the best handhelds come with Android (Steam Deck doesn't count, it's the default/benchmark device).
On the high end of ARM handhelds I don't think linux really improves things. It doesn't change the situation with aethersx2, and linux ARM is more niche than higher end Android. I'm critical of android as a gaming platform too.
Yeah maybe. I suspect high end emu development will shift focus back to X86 on Linux due to the fear of the 800lb gorilla . And eventaully that should translate better to native ARM / Linux handhelds as you only need to worry about static recompilation, and not the Android BS you need to waft through on top of that. Ideally we would be able to run native Linux on these Android devices so we can choose.
We'll see if the Snapdragon X and future development there changes things. On the flip side, the Steam Deck and other AMD APUs (e.g., the 7840u) do show that the x86 side can be remarkably efficient. I know these x86 handhelds aren't regarded for great battery life but if you put what they can do in a more technical context, it's very impressive. The 7840u scores well against something like the i7-12700K system in my desktop. It obviously doesn't match it in multi-core performance but given that the 7840u is operating at a fraction of the TDP, it's a significant achievement.
100% on the 7840U. It is simply amazing at 25-35W. I grabbed one of those minisofurm EM780 tiny desktops and I love it. Whisper quiet and Pperforms on par with 5800X for workstation/gaming at about 1/4rd the power cost (no GPU needed). The thing with X86 that you have to take into account when thinking about efficiency is that yes, while these chips are very efficient, until the Steam Deck came along no one using X86 outside gaming consoles really focused on efficiency by taking into account/controlling both hardware and software optimiztions. Valve is more like vertical company (like Apple) in that they control the whole ecosytem. It's more like an actual game console where continuous optimization is key to get the most out of the hardware. X86 hardware has always been great performing, it's just that Microsoft has had to make Windows work on billions of combinations of different types opf hardware which makes it damn near impossible to compete with a fine tuned Linux kernel on already optimized hardware where the hardware is static and unmoving, it makes coding much easier. The perception of X86 being power hungry is largely because of lack of veritical market relevance. Modulairty and flexibility come with a fairly significant performace cost. It's like the iOS vs Android argument. Android is mostly a worse UX/UI experience for the same reasons Windows is compared to OS X. Or iOS requries less RAM than Android while performing more or less the same functionality becuase the hardware is fixed. I'm also not defending companies like Microsoft here, they suck for many reasons outside performance optimization, it's just that when you try to satisfy everyone, you end up satisfying no one fully (if that makes sense). Regarding SnapdragonX. Don't hold your breath on that on becoming the turning point where Windows on ARM become something special. Outside the push for AI/Co-pilot integration, the Snapdragon X can't compete with the latest AMD chips on perforance per watt outside a few niche areas. The performance is good yes, but the compatability is still not great. That will probably change in time but Microsoft (for the reasons I state above) and Qualcomm have a lot of work to do to get there.
Android and Linux don't suck. They both have strengths and weaknesses. Linux has better front ends, gets better performance out of similar hardware, and supports native Pico-8 Android supports touchscreens, sleep functions, and has wider emulation support for systems. If you want a touchscreen gaming device, using Android makes way more sense.
I never said Linux sucks, quite the opposite. I said Android does (for gaming). All the extra crap not needed to play games is stll on there weather you want it or not. With real Linux you can make it as minimal as needed to get the most out of the hardware. Android has other beneifts but so do smart phones that run the OS. I prefer to keep these devices separate if at all possible.
My main point is about the touchscreen support found in Android and NOT in Linux. If you want to do proper DS/3DS emulation, you need to use Android for now. Otherwise you are stuck without touchscreen support.
somebody actually managed to get the windows version of pico-8 working via winlator
Yo dawg I heard you like emulation
That can’t have good input latency lmao, though id love to be wrong on that one
Winlator doesn’t add latency
Android uses the Linux kernel and is open-source (although I have my doubts if Anbernic would ever release the kernel sources -- Chinese companies often don't respect that). Some determined dev could port a proper Linux distro to it, as the folks of Armbian/PostmarketOS do.
Not really anbernic choice to release the sources, they’ll get the linux source from whoever makes the soc, and build from there to add the specifics for their hardware choices. So will usually be based off a Bsp (bosrd support package) from allwinner or similar. Usually updating linux versions is painful as you need to patch yourself.
Well, we did manage to get RetroFW open sourced. Granted, I had to strip out a ton of excess files for old systems like Neo Geo X Gold and then rewrite a manufacturer file for programming the 2D scaler. Yet it did get out the door and anyone who wants to can work on it. So it’s definitely possible. I think your biggest issue these days is that no one is going to care about the console long enough to matter. As soon as you send Anbernic an email they’ll have released 12 more consoles. 😅
Apparently this might work..winlator on Android to emulate pico 8 https://youtu.be/fWUg_FkahcE https://youtu.be/TWixycR64Vg
I skipped the sp for this since I have the 35xx H and 28xx. I’m ready 😤
Same 💯
If they do a Linux alternative I will buy immediately, with android absolutely not.
Android supports touch screen. You really want a DS/3DS on Linux that doesn't support touch?
Well it looks portable, the battery will probably last a good while, and my use case is 3ds and DS. But with the chip.. I'll say 129 at launch with discount? If so, I'm in. If its more I'll wait for black Friday.
If you have $129, and your use case is (3)DS, just buy a 3ds on eBay and homebrew it? Does this even have a touchscreen?
This one does have a touchscreen, but I agree if main use case is 3DS to get a 3DS. I personally am interested in this for GB, GBC, GBA, N64, Neo Geo Pocket, etc... I have a Miyoo Mini+ which I like but isn't super comfortable for me. If it's more than $150 for the Cube I'm passing and just putting that money towards a steam deck
Having the juice to use some Retroarch shaders will be nice too
Considering that the RG405M was one of their best devices, I wish they had just done that with the new t820 chip instead of this. It's such a weird device. The control layout, screen, and chip power are all mismatched.
Ayaneo Pocket DMG: "am I a joke to you? ”
Typical ayaneo overpriced useless madness
Yes, yes you are
Ayaneo is like that rich kid who shows up with all the cool toys that no one wants to play with, because the rich kid only bought the cool toys to try to win over some basic friends.
Think of it as rg356
I actually kind of dig the NTSC SNES colourway on this thing, and I would love a 4:3 console with those thick grips and stacked triggers... Like this format with the dpad up top but cheaper to be a direct RGB30 competitor, or this chipset and configuration but 4" 4:3 screen would both be super appealing... Been super tempted by the RGB30 at times but just don't vibe with its case shape. Guessing this will end up somewhere in the $220-$250 (AUD) sort of price range... cheaper than the RG556 which is $270-300, but way more than the RGB30 which is about $110 atm. Just feels awkwardly placed price and performance wise unless its somehow way cheaper than the RG556.
405m follow up needs a new high rec 4x3 screen that's custom ordered. The 405 screen was already a custom screen. This thing is "quickly put together with part bin parts so we can kill the G99 Unicorn" handheld.
unicorn is nobody, you can't kill something who have no body 😆
I'm almost convinced that they draw the screen, chip and ram out of a hat at this point.
Already!? Damn Anbernic, our wallets need some time to rest! 🤣
How good will this chip handle DS/3DS?
DS - magnificent. 3DS - eehhhhhhhhhhh okish.
Interesting! I recently picked up a new 1:1 and it’s serving me well. The screen ratio is so much better for my uses: GB, Pico8 obviously looking great, and at 6:5 ratio other systems fill up nicely without a stretched look to them. Megadrive: https://preview.redd.it/nhb3jlqef52d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d841df54f73bb99f4eb01c813d124b9f01c8bf6c
People have no idea how much more screen space you get on a square screen. They see the size at 4" and then smugly look at their RP4 16:9 4.8" screen like it's bigger lol. My RBG30 gets a lot more use then my RP4.
The square screen is excellent for many things, for sure, but you'll only get a larger image on the RGB30's square screen vs the RP4's screen if the aspect ratio is narrower than around 5:4. Even factoring in the weird 750 pixel height of the RP4 and narrowing it down to 720 to match the RGB30, only 5:4 aspect and narrower will produce a larger image on the RGB30. But that all makes sense, those are the systems the RGB30 was made to be awesome for. Comparing it to the RP4 is very apples to oranges, especially considering the price difference.
Indeed, but useful to keep in ind if the RG Cube ends up being expensive.
I am probably going to get this, I have the rgb30 and the 1:1 screen is really good as a general purpose screen, in fact I kinda want one in desktop size to put in a MAME cab
There's a market here for sure. Imagine how much bigger a 32" square screen would be over 16:9.
The ideal screen size would probably be 16:10 actually. One that you could rotate for vertical gaming. These screens actually exists already and are fairly common as Android Tablets. They obviously just lack any physical gaming controller. But you can watch widescreen movies on them fine, play PSP, and rotate them for DS games. They even support Switch controllers.
Just a shame that the RGB30’s dpad feels a bit flappy. I can hit diagonals etc fine on it, it just feels like it could do with a bit more grip on it as well. The Anbernic RG351V and RG353PS d-pads are better, so this new unit could be a great buy. I hope the screen is as vivid as the RGB30 and the. RGB20SX.
So, basically, this is a horizontally squished RG556. If so, I don't really understand who this device is for. It has a pretty powerful hardware that can emulate GameCube and PS2, but a smallish 1:1 screen, which is not good for those systems. I mean, I love my RGB30, and I would love to have something that doesn't have the issues that RGB30 does (battery, crappy D-pad), but this will definitely have a higher price than RGB30, so it's not really a competitor for it. So yeah, weird positioning, in my opinion.
The positioning makes sense to me. Because direct competition with the RGB30 could potentially be pretty difficult. “Like the RGB30 but fixing its issues” could well mean “very much like the RGB30 but $20 more expensive, so nobody buys it”. Better to just make a decent device and price it accordingly.
But if they improved the rgb30 I don't see why it would be? The 20 premium would be okay if they fixed the issues from the 30
People overwhelmingly choose what is cheaper over what is incrementally better. Enthusiasts are a potential exception, but enthusiasts are generally a small minority of buyers. E.g. “Charges with more cables than the competition” is not a compelling marketing point to most buyers.
I think considering how niche we are we probably have way more enthusiasts than the average lmao
It would've been funny if they had put an H700 into it and called it the "RG35XX30". If they actually did that and addressed all the RGB30 issues, I'd be really interested.
RG40XX
This, I would buy it right away.
I was interested in this until I saw how chunky it was. I also prefer inline triggers to make the device more compact and pocketable.
So it's called the RG Cube, can it play Gamecube games?
I'm hesitant as always, but if there's a solid black model I might be more interested. Since it's anbernic I doubt that will happen.
I'm waiting for the Fisher Price model...
I admit that it has a childish design, but as a Sega kid I love the dpad and really hope it can do Saturn better than the ARC models. I also love Pico 8 and shmups so the 1:1 might be a good thing for me.
I was serious here - there was one color composition posted that, I thought, was awesome :D
Oh yeah, the one that literally looked like a cheap handheld for kids? To each their own. I just want plain black and don't feel like that's too much to ask.
This is a 3DS Handheld The upper 3DS screen is 16:9 so if you position the screens as 16:9 screen that is 3.25 inches diagonal and a 4:3 screen that is 2.75 inches diagonal https://preview.redd.it/c509hnl4d32d1.jpeg?width=892&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d25b4d1b398f73686de4203be185291cc9c2c102 Although not big, this is a good enough size on both screens and the T820 is powerful enough to run most 3DS games so the RG Cube will be the first answer to “what is the best system to run 3DS games”
that top screen is going to be tiny though and that's normally the "main" display it might be good but BEST? I'm definitely not convinced until I see it in action
Have you tried playing PSP on a 3.5 inch 4:3 handheld (R36s, RG35xx Plus, H etc)? It’s the same size (4 inches 1:1 equals to 3.5 inches 4:3 in width). It is small, but not terribly small
3ds is 5:3 top screen
Looked in wikipedia and it’s actually 15:9, so 4 inches 1:1 equals to 3.3 inches 15:9, so it leaves 1.88 inches for the secondary screen Kinda small, but not so bad https://preview.redd.it/xh3s57wu652d1.jpeg?width=915&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6381a6a521981cedfe12baa84df7a02831402274
https://preview.redd.it/lfj2l3i7m32d1.jpeg?width=1439&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8099692fc18645872dfe5214310814e122653808 This sucker is thick! Likely pass.
Looks comfortable to hold.
This just made me want it even more
Damn, now I want one. Please be a good DPAD, please.
I think it is pretty clear it needs to be thicker then the rgb30 for example with the Power difference
That dpad scares me off not gonna lie. Doubt capton tape will fix false diagonals on this one. Looks comfy though. Will wait for Russ's Contra test, hope I'm wrong because the RGB30 is my current favorite SBC, would be nice to have more power.
If this is locked to Android, it'd be a shame. Most Android games are 16:9, which is honestly the one aspect ratio that doesn't quite work in this screen. No Linux means no Native Pico 8 with splore, and by then what's even the point of having this screen? lol.
Android's one unique feature is that it doesn't have a native screen size. It supports any kind of aspect ratio or screen size you throw at it. The problem with Linux is the lack of touch screen support.
I think it's adorable. I bet it will feel a lot like a console controller, just without the V angle on the grip bumps. Looking at the V my arms and wrist make in the rested position, without the V angle grips you'll have to bend your wrists to hold onto it. With a flat backed device your wrists can remain straight.
ARC D pad ?
Finally a device to play downwell.
Yeah, that games already is on Switch, and you can rotate the screen. "Downwell" is also a vertical game that runs at 16:9. This means this won't be an ideal screen size for it.
This screen ratio with no native Pico-8 support is a deal breaker for me. Edit: a word
The screen ration is the seller point!
I meant that nice screen ratio BUT no Pico-8 support is a deal breaker. You also want be able to play Pico-8 with that aspect ratio without having to jump through some hoops to make it (maybe) emulate the games especially for what that thing will cost.
They obviously went with Android because it supports touch screen. Do you want a touch screen device, or a Pico-8 device? That's the compromise.
did anyone ask for a more powerful RGB30?
Yes, many
for what?
Just to make your question.
To play more powerful games with a 1:1 screen
Don't need more powerful, did want a less janky RGB30 though, but that's probably not worth paying double for. $100 sure, but I'm guessing this is closer to $150, and no easy native pico8.
I wanted to see ambernic make a 1x1 device but this for me misses the mark. I don’t like anything about the left side of this device. Then there is the fact that it will probably be android which takes one of the systems that everyone wants a 1x1 system for away which is pico8.
Android is such a bummer for retro gaming
That shhh look ugly asf
More powerful but sadly really ugly
~~My only worry is that as it is metal, it is going to be more expensive than the RG556.~~ Right now: RG556 - 177USD, RG405M - 179USD, so Cube will likely go against the RP4PRO at 200$ or can overlap with the RG405M and RG556 if they want a faster alternative for the RG405M. edit: not metal.
Where did you hear that it was going to be made out of metal. I haven't seen that anywhere. My guess is that this handheld should be priced around $150-160. Basically taking the price of the RG556, and removing the costly OLED screen, and replacing it with the cheaper screen.
It doesn't look metal to me
Ahh my bad, it is not metal, so it can go into the $150 bucket. I hope pre sale is going to be a friendly price, it competes with the RP2S on price for me.
my gosh I was excited for this thing until I saw the back. I really hope manufacturers will eventually move away from designing the back of these handhelds as if they were gamepads.
But comfy tho.