Anbernic RG 351P

The Anbernic RG 351P is a horizontal retro gaming handheld launched in 2020, built around the Rockchip RK3326 SoC. It pairs a quad-core Cortex-A35 CPU clocked at 1.3–1.5 GHz with a Mali-G31 MP2 GPU at 650 MHz and 1 GB of DDR3 RAM, kept in check by a heatsink. It sits in the $75–100 price bracket.

That hardware covers everything from 8-bit systems up to SNES, including Super FX titles, and 3D PlayStation games at 60 FPS. 2D PSP games are mostly playable, while 3D PSP titles need frameskip. N64 and Dreamcast are mostly playable, mainly for the easier-to-emulate games. Arcade fans get MAME, Final Burn Neo, Neo Geo and Capcom Play System 1, 2 and 3. The list also includes computers like the Amiga, Commodore 64, MSX and MS-DOS, plus ScummVM, Pico-8 and OpenBOR.

The 3.5-inch IPS display runs at 320 x 480 with a 3:2 aspect ratio and a 60 Hz refresh rate, at about 165 ppi. It sits under an OCA-laminated tempered glass lens. The 3:2 format is a natural fit for Game Boy Advance and works well for most classic consoles.

The controls are a strong point. You get a cross-style D-pad in the upper position, four face buttons and dual symmetric thumbsticks with L3/R3. Four horizontal shoulder buttons (L1, R1, L2, R2) and rumble round out the layout. There is a volume wheel, brightness is adjusted via a button combination, and dedicated power and reset buttons are included. Early reports of input lag were, according to Anbernic developer TonyJih, fixed. The plastic body measures 151.5 x 70 x 18 mm and weighs 189 g. Audio comes from dual bottom-facing stereo speakers and a 3.5mm headphone jack.

Power comes from a 3500 mAh battery, with two USB-C OTG ports that also handle charging. First-batch units had internal WiFi, but it caused a buzzing noise when enabled. Anbernic removed it from later batches, so those units need an external USB WiFi dongle. Games are stored on microSD.

Modding is fully permitted. Alongside Android 11, the RG 351P supports a wide range of custom firmware: 351ELEC, ArkOS, Batocera, EmuELEC, Lakka, 351Droid and Lineage. This gives users plenty of freedom to tailor the interface and emulator setup.

Ideal for: retro enthusiasts who want a compact horizontal handheld with dual analog sticks and full PS1 performance. It also suits tinkerers who enjoy custom firmware, and anyone after strong emulation value without paying flagship prices.