Anbernic RG280V - Unboxing and First Impressions
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- čas přidán 10. 07. 2024
- Anbernic's latest (and smallest) handheld retro gaming console is finally here. Is it worth $80?
Buy the RG280V here: s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_9R8IeD
Timestamps:
00:00 introduction
00:35 specs
01:50 unboxing
04:45 size comparison
05:31 bootup and operating system
06:30 gameplay testing
08:05 screen analysis
08:33 weight testing
09:07 my perspective on the 280V
10:56 practical size comparison
11:36 final thoughts
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Intro theme song sampled from "Hexadecimal Genome" by Bit Shifter:
bit-shifter.bandcamp.com/albu...
#Anbernic #RG280V #Retro - Hry
I ordered one in addition to my 350m. Same quality and software, you can trade saves. This is great for short sessions and it's rly pocket. A 90' kid's dream
Definitely. Just imagine having all those consoles in one handy boi at once, surreal. How’s the 350m? Looks fancy but also a bit dated
Awesome stuff as always, Russ. Just got mine in the mail today and I can't wait for your video on the emulators! The community really appreciates all of your efforts, keep it up man
Awesome, enjoy your new device!
Great job, Russ. You're always on all the boards answering questions, plugging away on your guides and doing steady reviews! Crazy you don't have quadruple the subscribers!!
Great review. Love the size, weight, and hand size comparisons. Just purchased it and excited to get in my hands.
Hope you enjoy it!
Love this video! Watched a ton of the other reviews you put out but I always end up coming back to this one. Bought a few of these for me and my family!
Just got mine! :) was always looking at this video of yours while waiting.
-“The perfect father doesn’t exi...”
-7:09
Dude your reviews are 🔥!!! They're so in depth and I was watching this trying to get an idea of the size for my 4 year old then WALLAH!
Voilà :D
I don’t think I’ve commented on a youtube video in almost a decade but wanted to leave one as a recent fan of your videos! Been watching for about two weeks and love the steadiness of video releases you have and the amount of open and in depth information you provide on these devices. Another wonderful video here and love the proud father moments. When showing the comparison with your kids it made it click to me how perfect of a device this would be as a Kid’s First Gaming Device to introduce them to classic games as well as developing the basic language of game mechanics. Certainly beats playing those cheapo plastic handheld games that came as a promotional with fast food meals as a kid! And definitely better than teaching kids about video games through iphone apps full of lazy game mechanics and pumped with micro transactions.
Hi Chuckiy, thanks for breaking your streak and leaving a comment! I think that's a great point that this is an excellent introductory device. Can you imagine how wowed we would have been as kids to have 1,000 classic games handed to us in such a nice form factor?
I’m a tall guy and my hands are massive. But I am in love with this little guy and I know I’m going to enjoy playing with it regardless of how it fits in my hands. The pocketability, the looks, the novelty, everything about it makes me hyped. It’s like a little fidget gadget that’s always with you and opens up an entire world within the palm of your hands, and at the same time you marvel at the beauty of the thing. Also it being from Anbernic is a certainty that it’s built well. Can’t wait!
I was really lukewarm on the machine until I put it in my hands. It's funny how just a few tweaks in design really make it so pleasurable!
@@RetroGameCorps Exactly, and that’s what I think makes it a winner, because it’s designed and built well!
That’s what I’m thinking, too. I have large hands, but I really like the form factor of this 280v. I have the rg300 and rg350m, but actually like the 300 more, and just wish it had more processing power and better build quality, like the 350m. I’m hoping this 280v might be the best of both worlds.
Geez now I wanna buy this! It looks very high quality, love the look of this device. I currently have the 350M and I love it
Love your videos!! I hope you get more subs coz your reviews are really helpful and entertaining to watch 😊
Thank you so much!!
Your personal opinion about the device and it's intended use case, size comparisons, your children playing the device (and their opinions!) are all things that make this impressions video stand out and make it interesting. Keep it up. Well done.
Ordered one. Supposed to get here tomorrow. Can't wait. Just want a beater machine that I can pull out while I'm out. Decided to lay down the cash for something decent. Good video man.
Funny to see your opinion on it change in your recent video, contemplating what to buy now, great videos!
Cant wait for mine to arrive from China! I have and love the 350M, the 280V will go everywhere with me! Love your channel, keep up the great work thanks!!
Awesome! Thank you!
I’ve been seeing these videos wondering if I should get one can’t wait to see your input on it
I’m definitely hoping this gets the same treatment that was given to the 350! I got mine but I’m new to this whole handheld emulator scene so really looking for someone to hold my hand through this...
Perfect review. God bless You!
I just ordered one. After playing the Nintendo game and watch, I fell in love with the small form factor. This will sit in my car for quick sessions of just a few minutes. Only thing I'm concerned about is whether or not it has a decent sleep mode, or powers up quickly if not.
I can't remember if I showed in on this video, but it's fairly fast -- about 10 seconds to boot to the main screen, and they you have to navigate to your game. Unfortunately there is no good sleep function on the stock firmware, although the beta OpenDingux (which I made a separate video about) does have a sleep function.
Nice unboxing :)
Thank you 🤗
I have the 350M but I just ordered this too, I'm glad to hear what you said, it's what I was hoping! I was thinking of giving it as a gift but I may keep it lol
It would be hard to gift this lol
It's a neat little device, everyone in the family fights for it :)
Your sons so lucky, having a dad who love to buy game consoles and handheld
Great video
Great video. Im getting one myself, I love collecting quality retro game stuff.
Very cool!
Bought one of these thanks in part to this video. I really appreciate game systems in this form factor as I don't need the slightest excuse to bring it along with me when I go out. It's hard for me to justify bringing anything larger, and bringing a Switch today is like hauling an Atari Lynx original version around...
It really is a fantastic little thing for emulation, a lot better than my Bittboy.
LOL, it's so cute when your youngest son blocking the camera view.. I really love each one of your video 7:30
Had this for couple months now its amazing no problems at all would highly recommend to anyone
Glad to hear you're enjoying it!
Looks cool dude! It reminds me of the game boy that was square and had the flip up screen! I like it!
GBA SP?? if you like that sort of build the powkiddy v90 might interest you
@@iamjimb yep that’s the one! Thanks for the info dude!
Definitely a great buy for a holiday present
I think so too! Great release timing on Anbernic's part :)
I said to myself that I only needed one of these devices to picked up an RP2, but of course it never really stops there. This looks very cool, but I'm all on board with the FunKey for the toy form factor.
I think we would love an into video about yourself, your background, inspirations. How long have you been active for? Lets hit that 5k subscriber mark soon, keep rolling out content and the channel will pick up
Thanks for the support! I started this channel in August and I'm very happy with the response it's gotten. I do plan on creating an intro video at some point, but it might be a while. I like being a mysterious figure at this point :)
I actually recently got an ipod nano (I know weird thing to buy in modern day) and I really loved the size and using it and I think I might really like this thing too considering it can play all the games I would want it to. especially considering that now I see it for 70 bucks instead of 80
Thanks for the video, great that we got an idea of the size by using your kids in the video :D Too small for me, but then again I also own a Gameboy Micro. Maybe if the price would be 60 including postage I would pull the trigger.
I agree, $60 would have made it much more compelling.
Subscribed 🙌
Thanks for joining!
7:32 Scorpion voice "Get Over here Son!!!"
Great unboxing vid! This device may not be for everybody, but like you said, the cool factor of this one cannot be denied. I give their engineers credit for such a compact design! But I agree with you too, it should be priced around $60 max. As for me, I feel the old RG300 still is the king of compact in the sub 2.8 to 3 inch screen category. The shoulder button placements are the most comfortable . Too bad it lacks the horsepower to run demanding 16 bit titles. If Anbernic updated it's processor to a JZ4770.. that would be an instant purchase for me :) Cheers~
I've read that people love the RG300! It does have a nice little form factor, and those shoulder buttons seem to be placed well.
i love that its portable i love that it plays usual classic 80s and 70s consoles along with some 90s consoles its even something hikers and veterans can put in their pockets easily i love this one for sure but the 351P is my most fav though without a doubt
I agree, they serve two purposes. The portability of this one is very fun!
Great video, how many games does it come with on it ?
Still awesome in July 2021
Great Review! I almost bought the RG351 and went for the Kishi Controller for my phone instead. Hopefully Anbernic will release a bigger handheld. About the size of a Switch. Then I'm absolutely in :)
Haha, see for me the Switch is too big :) Although the Switch Lite looks to be just about right for me.
Great work. Is it possible to install a custom firmware?
Seems like the size is both a blessing and a curse. Small enough that you want to toss it in your bag and bring it with you wherever you go, but also too small to play for any really length of time. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing since it's designed for grab and go, seems kind of endearing actually. But since it is inherently crippled and yet inherently convenient that makes Anbernic's small craftsmanship details all the more important. Also the to-go and short game session "ness" of it makes the relatively fast boot time absolutely critical.
I have some monster hands so idk haha. I think for the collection though this one is pretty sweet. Do you happen to know if the screen is the same as the 280m? I figured they were which would be nice for that development time! The unified regba code with all the extra scaling options looks amazing on the 280m so if it's the same I recommend that scanlines horizontal on it! With the werewolv resolution scaling fix! Will totally change the device for ya!
Thanks for the great review. I’ve ordered one because I love the look & size of it. I already own an RG350M & a RG350 but this one will be the one in my pocket. I would also like to use this as an MP3 player too. The stock music app isn’t a great experience. It’ll be great if you could do a video showing how to add another dingux music app to the device... if one exists.
True, I haven't dived into the media player aspects of OpenDingux, something to add to my list (actually I think it's there already!)
Subbed. I really want one of these now too...
It's a neat little device!
@@RetroGameCorps I'm waiting on the RG351p currently. You sold me on it lol
I found out what would be a perfect case for one of these. The galaxy z flip 3 when folded is almost identical in dimensions. So one of those belt cases for the phone would probably fit perfectly
Do you plan on getting one of those cases? If you do, please let me know how well it works.
@@evangellic9027 I will for sure!
Bought one of these today. Now I wait for its arrival. I really like the look and the small size. The size is what I was looking for. Want to be able to pocket it for using at work. After it receive it and use it a bit I will give my opinions.
I was thinking of getting for the same exact reason, after a year how it go?
@@ryandavis4689 it's a pretty good little unit. I have larger hands, so it was a little hard to hold. I ended up getting a miyoo mini as well, which is easier to grip and also has a removable battery. I would take the miyoo over the anbernic. Now i mostly use the powkiddy x18s because it's more powerful, still fairly compact, has a bigger screen and can be used for a wider variety of applications.
I want this just for gameboy games. Easy to fit in pocket
Maybe in the future. But im kinda new to the retro gaming emulation scene. I just got my RG351p as my first emulation device (actually it gets delivered tomorrow 😃😃) and really looking forward to trying that one out. But I also have to kids (5 and 8) which are getting into retro video games aswell so maybe...this could be something down the line... But then again, new devices seams to come out almost every month so they become obsolete faaaast... Thanks again for another great video. Greetings from Sweden
My stack of retro devices keeps growing! :)
Another great review. I completely agree on the price. At $80, it is just too close in price to the RG351p. At $60, I'd have one on order. At $80, I'm taking a pass. I think for an NES/SNES/Gameboy device, it's really hard to command more than $60. Moving up from $60, then I'll want to see at least one of the following (and probably several): 3.5" screen, analog stick + D pad, PSX capability, stereo speakers, adult-hand form factor, etc.
In a sense, I think this is what makes Bittboy's Pocket Go more compelling. It's a D Pad-only system with 2.4" screen and $60. I think that's the ceiling for these D-pad-only, sub-3" screen devices. At $80, then you need to look at the Pocket Go V2 as a pretty good barometer for the appropriate specs.
Also, one of these years, these companies will figure out that the headphone jack belongs on the bottom of the device ...
I'm a 34 yr old woman with small chubby hands so this is perfect for me! So excited to get mine.
Im gonna buy that
Hello i just bought the rg280v with preinstalled games, do you recommend to switch out the cards to better quality cards. And also is it just to drag and drop. Also can you delete umulators you dont use? Im new to this and I would really appreciate your help thanks.
Will buy it 90%
The sound should also be mentioned positively. I think the sound is even more voluminous than the RG350, which is remarkable for such a small device.
Pretty cute, but just looking at it give me cramps at my hands lol
Breaking that 3k soon man!
Haha, it's on the horizon! It definitely is not a long-term gaming session device :)
I want to buy this one for my kid, it's possible to install simple menu on it? The system can be booted to go directly to simple menu? Tks advanced.
Some emulators sometimes cut the edges of the game badly.
In this RG280V but when you switch from game boy games to super nintendo games
does the sreen size fit the game automatically ?
Just ordered this thing despite my friend's persuasion to get a 351P or 351M. I also ordered a Super Console X. I was seriously thinking of getting the 351P/M but with the Super Console X coming in, I thought the 280V would be ok as a secondary console. The 351 can follow later if I still wanna buy it. The 2:3 aspect ratio of the 351 also makes it a bit of a downer.
I have been debating purchasing the 351P or the RG280V. I already own the original 350. I like the power of the 351P and the small size of the RG280V. It looks like in the last 24 hours Anbernic has increased the price of both handhelds around 7 dollars, with the RG280v now costing $90 with free shipping and the RG351P is at $99 with $6 shipping. I will definitely pick up the 351P first. I may purchase the RG280V later if the price comes down to the $65-$70 range. I enjoyed the video and look forward to seeing more testing on this new handheld.
Had really hard thinking what to get on 11.11 ali sale: rg280v for 62$, rg350p for 70$ or rg350m for around 95$.
But rg351p for 73$ - my winner :)
I'm happy to hear that the video was helpful for you! Yes, prices will fluctuate often for these devices, so be sure to shop around :)
I see this comes with Dosbox, do these Anbernic also come with Dos games and how do they play?
hey man, thanks for the review, i bought it and the build quality is really to my liking. only problem I have is that the thing keeps freezing, crashing and restarting when I play any games for like a few seconds, being on the menus works just fine. Haven't been able to find a solution to that, do you happen to come across the same problem by any chance?
Sounds like a bad SD card to me.
Bought one of these devices and it does pretty much everything I need it to do except I got no idea why it have an electrical arc sounding jolt when I play something with sounds. Anyone else having this problem?
This is a dream come true, I've been waiting for a device more portable than the psp go for 8 years. ALL other portable options/phone controllers, etc are NOT portable. (except gameboy advance micro, but the screen is just too small). Portable = I can have it in my pocket all of the time in case I get stranded, am in line, etc. If it doesn't make sense to be in my pocket all of the time, I might as well just play at home on my pc and tv. Switch lite is not pocket friendly. steel series stratus wireless is pocket friendly, but no way for it to hold a cell phone. Same goes for 8bitdo zero 2. Ds lite, new 3ds, ps vita, all are TOO BIG FOR DAILY POCKET USE. Finally someone actually made a portable gaming device!!!!
It really is a beauty, all four of us have been fighting over it. If it had a sleep function it would be PERFECT. But luckily it boots quickly so it's not hard to jump in and out of games.
thats exactly what i thought... the sleep function is what i need. turning off and on feels like back in the gba days (very few gba games had a software sleep function) and i still rock an atgames genesis portable that i wish could at least have a screen off function. I saw from this channel the retroid pocket 2 and rg351p were the only ones with sleep... hopefully anbernic will use that rg351p internals on their other products soon so they have sleep function too.
@@takwu0 Yes, I think that going forward we'll see more devices with sleep function!
I need this for Pokémon or other games like Mario kart because when I am in the bus or going to a trip I will bring this device
Any chance you could compare the hardware? Is it running the same chips(cpu, ram, ect) as the rg350 and rg350m
Hi, yeah it's running the same hardware as 350/M devices. The only thing different is the screen, lack of rumble, and lack of analog sticks.
@@RetroGameCorps it actually does have rumble built in! I found out last night while playing PS1. Cheers!
@@christopherhansen2444 oh, that’s good to know! I’m getting too many devices at this point, having a hard time keeping them straight. Thanks for the feedback!
I got one of these and, like the 8Bitdo NES30 Pro, the D-pad is a little loose. To test, I boot up Legend of Zelda and move left and right repeatedly. If I get any up and down movement, it's too loose, but it's easy enough to fix. I opened it up and layer two small pieces of electrical tape over the center of the d-pad on the board. Don't cover any of the contacts. This removes this bit of wiggle and the multiple button presses. Now Link goes only back and forth as he should.
I noticed this was going to be a problem when playing The Frog For Whom the Bell Tolls, a platform adventure Gameboy game from Japan that has a fan translation. Try to just move left made may character look up and stop moving. Not ideal for a platform game.
So, a small shim under the pivot point of the d-pad improve control. I've use tape and even a blob of hot glue in the past. It works so long as there's something to tighten things up just a little. I would not cry if the manufacturers do this themselves so I don't have to open a device totweak the d-pad like this.
I have a hacked Vita and hacked 3DS but I think this will be my first android device purchase due to its aesthetic and form factor.
It's a neat little device!
im interested if this device can load the arcos or load the rpgmaker like in rg351
What about gba? Is it "pixel perfect" like on the rg351p?
It is not the same aspect ratio as the RG351P (480x320), this is 320x480 with half-height pixels. So it looks more like what GBA games look like on the RG350 or Retroid Pocket 2. You either have to stretch the screen vertically or have black bars at the top and bottom.
Will you be able to install 351elec or arkOS on this?
I have a PSP 3000 that i hacked so i can just kick back and play snes, mario64 (everything else runs poorly), and ps1 games in my downtime on nightshift... so keen for one of these now for even more stealthy retro gaming... and perhaps a better chance at persuing some more n64 nostalgia
@Michael Walker Cheers mate, looks like i will stick to my PSP, RetroPi and Laptop for my emulation needs for the time being
When I enter the emulators and choose an emulator I can no longer see the list of games and select a game that starts. Only folders open and I can't start any games! What have I unintentionally changed, how can I get back to playing?
I just bought it. Waiting for the shipment…
did u get it? I love mine more than the Retroid Pocket 2 which doesnt fit in ur pocket.
@@wallyprichard7451 yes, love it
Thanks for your videos, I picked one up and a 351p and yes the RG280V is small and hurts after 20 mins, but to put in your pocket and play as you are on a train or something I think its great, some of the comments here make it sound like novelty, but this thing is ace so far, screen is fantastic, buttons feel good, I have a question for anyone who can answer, is there a way to make a favourites folder on this console like the 351p, I am a bit lost looking for games.
Hi, unfortunately there is no favorites function in the normal interface, but you could use 350teric, which has a favorites function: retrogamecorps.com/2020/09/26/guide-350teric-esoteric-frontend-on-the-rg350/
I agree $80 seems too out of reach after buying my 350 for the same price. I guess we'll see if there are any killer deals before Christmas. Otherwise it will be a while before I pick one up and even by then I'm sure something else will be popping up from another company.
Got one coming tomorrow. I've noticed a lot of these don't ship with games. Hoping mine does. Failing that, I might see if the SD card from my RG300 will work in it.
Can these run ArkOS or 351Elec? I'm interested in a dedicated Pico-8 platform, and I know that ArkOS can run Pico-8 natively, and not have to use Taco-8.
Did you buy from Aliexpress link and it came with games on SD card or the Anbernic website? Has anyone else got a console with this?
Looking forward to some guides on this one for example a guide to burn into better cards. Tried without success. Device won't start with the new card.
are the shoulder buttons clicky like a mouse? shoulder buttons like that really annoy me
Do RG350 apps work on this device? You mentioned you would look into it, but never clarified in this video. I just purchased a RG280V and would like to install Simple Menu on it. Can I use the guide on the Retro Game Corps website for RG350 installation on this device? If not, do you know of any RG280V guides?
In general all RG350 apps, including SimpleMenu, should work fine. My guide should work fine!
@@RetroGameCorps Thanks a million!
I like how pronounced the buttons are as a Pokémon pinball device sounds perfect! If it was 59.99 yeah that would definitely be a purchase for me. 80 is a bit more than I would like but I feel this does fit a good spot :)
On the website it says the 16gb version is $52 and the 64gb version is $70
@@gameboy_colorful7078 Oh really? Thank you! I'll have to see if I can get one then! I feel that is a lot better price point for what you get and at like 50 or 60 bucks is right there in the sweet spot :D
$62* not $52 my bad. So thats not far from 59.99
@@piplup10203854 yeah check out the anbernic website.
@@gameboy_colorful7078 Oh 62 that's still not too bad, and I appreciate it! :D I'm brand new to these devices and I been looking around to see if I could get something both my niece and I could bond over. Retro for me but something small for her that if she is a bit rough on it isn't too big a deal and she can enjoy :)
waitwait the dude from VE works for Ambernic?! Those headphones are the best cheap earbuds you can buy, btw.
He clarified with me yesterday, they are working together. He is helping the company set up their social media channels and whatnot, so he threw in those earbuds when they sent the 280V. They are very nice quality for that price!
Ordered one and Bluetooth adapter for Bluetooth headphones
My only gripe is the fact the speaker being on the back, it makes no sense. Why couldn't they put it in the front between the D pad and the A,B,X,Y buttons. Besides that I love the look of the device, the gold and dark red (or whatever you wanna call it lol) look sick, the buttons look high quality and everything overall looks premium.
Does this have option to save games ?
saves work
where do you buy it from?
Does this support retro achievements?
I dig it, but yeah. Strange that it should cost about the same as other Anbernic devices with bigger screens and analog sticks. I guess they're thinking about Christmas shoppers. Maybe we'll see a discount after?
Great video! Curious how GBA looks on it!
It looks a lot like it does on the RG350 -- stretched or with black bars, but not altogether great compared to the RG351P. But decent!
@@RetroGameCorps Ah okay. Gotchya!
You didnt said if we can run PS1games on Anbernic RG280V, can we run PS1 games on this?
can somebody post an image of the sd card forgot to backup mine running on 350
Hi, this is a good guide to downloading the stock SD card image for each of these devices: www.rghandhelds.com/
Could this device work with Retro Pie?
VE Monk earbuds? One of the legendary cheap earbuds.
Yeah, I had no idea when I was unboxing that they were so nice! Great quality for the price.
i cant find the firmware download anywhere online :O
Does Simple Menu or any frontend work with this?
Unfortunately, not at this time. The developer of SimpleMenu is active again on his app, so we may see it in the future.
To me the 280V, like you said, is a novelty. For me, it's a strange mix of bad and... not bad.
If you want a device primarily because it looks cool, where the fact that it can also play games is more like a nice bonus, then the 280V is perfect for you. But if you want something that you can main for long play sessions, then you should look elsewhere, like the 350P or 351P.
The big problem is that the 280V is essentially the Gameboy Micro to the 350P's Gameboy Advance. It's a novelty collectable made by a company that lacks that brand recognition required to convince people they're worth collecting.
Though I do agree with introducing the next generation to retro gaming! It really helps keep those older games alive. And strictly speaking the 280V isn't bad for little hands, but then again, the neither are the bigger 350 and 351 models.
And personally, these handhelds should be tailored to the market most interested in Retro Gaming: Middle Aged fools with more money than sense and I say that with all due affection meant.
I have had bigger anbernic handhelds but to me they are bigger than I would like but I also have a gpd win 3 so this is more of a quick portable thing for quick sessions that I can easily replace.
Thanks for sharing! Can it emulate nds? 🤩
Unfortunately, it cannot. It's limited to the same systems as the RG350 (which means PS1 and below).
@@RetroGameCorps 😢oh I see. thanks for reply!
10:30 does it really play MGS? Isn’t it requiring some extra controls like the analog stick? (Never had portable consoles other than psp, so I don’t have a clue about old portables games)
12:00 this confirm best device to gift my gf ahah, thanks!
Metal Gear Solid didn't require the analog sticks, so it's fully playable on this device. Very few PS1 games actually required analog controls (like Ape Escape, Alien Resurrection, and I think Wild 9).
@@RetroGameCorps oh this actually reassured me, I thought I necessarily needed 2 analog sticks, thanks. These consoles are getting better so quickly... I remember hyping for the bittboy, but waiting for the “next one” won’t ever lead me to getting one in fact.