Miss the GCW Zero? The RetroGame RG350 is the modern equivalent

[Chip]

"Retro handhelds" with aged MIPS chips are basically a dime a dozen these days. There have been at least 10 released by Chinese shops under various names in the last year in a variety of shapes and sizes. They're all in the same price range, largely interchangeable, and none really stand out.

But the latest of these gadgets does manage to stand out a bit, if only for the device it apes. The RetroGame RG350 is basically a GCW Zero 1.1. It utilizes the same 1GHz JZ4770 SoC, has the same 512MB of RAM, the same size display, same 16GB storage with microSD expansion, same OpenDingux OS, and roughly the same dimensions and layout. Upgrades over the GCW Zero include a better IPS display, 2nd analog stick, L2/R2 buttons, slightly larger battery, HDMI-out that actually works, and dual USB-C ports for charging/data transfer. The only downgrades appear to be lack of wifi and less-than-ideal dpad placement.

The RG350 is available for order now on Aliexpress and direct from RetroGame in a few different color schemes for $80-90. Not quite impulse-buy-cheap, but still a reasonable price for a handheld with a fairly deep homebrew back catalog and the ability to emulate everything up to and including (most) PSX games. Definitely worth the ~$30 upcharge from the sea of lower-specced MIPS handhelds like the LDK, PAP-KIII, RS97, bittboy, etc.

 

[asimov-solensan]

I like this. I jumped from GP2X to pandora and since then i miss something small and simple with dimensions close to GP2X, but with improved performance and controls.

Outside used market there has been only dingoo a320 chinese knockoffs that added nothing new.

This is certainly something that I might buy.

 

[levi]

The GCW Zero largely passed me by. What can this do that say the seemingly popular here LDK devices can't do? How's battery life?

 

[ThinkPad]

The killer feature is the dual analog. Finaly !!!

Now I can play Darkstone.

 

[Chip]

The GCW Zero largely passed me by. What can this do that say the seemingly popular here LDK devices can't do? How's battery life?

I don't have one so I can't comment on battery life, but this does have better SNES and PSX emulation capability compared to the LDK and similar.

 

[fusion_power]

I also only remember the Zero from it's name. No clue how big of an impact this device had in the retro scene. This new one looks good, nice, simple design. But way to small for me, my old eyes need at least 5" screens these days. ^^"

 

[Nintendo]

@Chip

You mentioned, there are different colour schemes to choose from...but are there different analogue stick types/designs to choose from as well?

Also, what's "ANBERNIC"? I thought this thing was called the RetroGame?

 

[levi]

You mentioned, there are different colour schemes to choose from...but are there different analogue stick types/designs to choose from as well?

Not on the shop page linked to no. There's options for a grey unit, a black unit or a black crystal unit. There's a render of a grey unit, and I think a messed about with photo of a clear black unit with black highlights, which I assume is what they're calling the black crystal unit. The plain black option has the orange highlights.

Also, what's "ANBERNIC"? I thought this thing was called the RetroGame?

I don't know, but the renders on the retrogame site have the ANBERNIC branding on them. The feller in the video above thought they were the manufacturers, or at least a marque they were using, but I couldn't say.

 

[Nintendo]

@levi

Thanks for the explanation. It helps, as I'm semi-interested in this now

 

[Chip]

Are you asking for different stick colors, or for different types? While I think a flat analog controller like what they used on the 3DS or PSP would have been a heck of a lot better for pocketability, the taller thumbsticks are the only option available. Color-wise, it looks like your options are light grey, orange, or black, depending on which color scheme you choose. The yellow sticks in the image I posted above seem to only have been for the prototype, and it doesn't look like they're selling them in the final version.

 

[SNESFAN]

The name reminds me all that H-350 drama. I miss those days.

me too =)

 

[10basetom]

OMG I'm shocked to read about a modern device that uses OpenDingux OS -- it's been ages since I've come across this term. I still have my beloved original Dingoo and also the GCW Zero (still NIB since I was still playing on the Dingoo and then life got in the way).

 

[Ziz]

lol, I am shocked to see one of my games (snowman) on this device preinstalled.

 

[comradekingu]

The crosseyed dingus.

 

[EvilDragon]

The PocketGo2 seems to be better.
I had a sample of the RG350 - and I won't stock it.
Awkward position for the DPad and both DPad and buttons are very, very stiff.
It's not nice to play in my opinion.

I need to get samples of the PocketGo2 as well, but this one is not that good in my opinion.

 

[levi]

Thank you, Lord Evildragon, for saving us from these inferior handhelds!

 

[fusion_power]

The PocketGo2 seems to be better.
I had a sample of the RG350 - and I won't stock it.
Awkward position for the DPad and both DPad and buttons are very, very stiff.
It's not nice to play in my opinion.

I need to get samples of the PocketGo2 as well, but this one is not that good in my opinion.

How about this one then?


Sadly, it's only limited edition. But I like the direction, those devices are going.

 

[alxm]

Sadly, it's only limited edition. But I like the direction, those devices are going.

This one looks really nice. Maybe one of them will catch on and be produced for longer than 6 months, so there's time for a community to form and build cool things for it instead of the same recycled emulators...

 

[fusion_power]

Would be nice. I wonder which of these many china Handheld devices has a real and busy community out there (not counting our community here). Maybe GPD in general?

 

[darkcpc]

Why the hell did they mess up the controls? The controls on the left are in the wrong position for a retro device to play old consoles! They have simply copied the switch design.