The siren call of nostalgia is a powerful one, and Anbernic knows it. Their latest handheld, the RG34XX, isn’t just tipping its hat to the legendary Game Boy Advance – it’s practically wearing the same indigo jacket (black, in my case). From the moment I unboxed this bad boy (thanks for the hookup, Anbernic!), the resemblance was uncanny. If you’ve got fond memories of those chunky, wide-screened Nintendo days, prepare for a serious flashback. Available in a slick range of colors, including the classic Indigo, stealthy Black, and eye-catching Transparent Red and Green, plus the cool Glacier , the RG34XX is aiming straight for your retro heart.
Design & Features: Pixel-Perfect Throwback (Score: 9)
The Anbernic RG34XX isn’t just inspired by the Game Boy Advance; it’s a near spitting image. Side-by-side with an original GBA, you’d be forgiven for thinking Anbernic raided Nintendo’s archives. The only immediate giveaways are the extra X and Y face buttons and the missing “Game Boy Advance” logo – otherwise, it’s like holding a piece of gaming history. The D-pad is virtually identical in size and feel to the OG. Now, while that’ll send some of us straight back to 2001, let’s not forget the original GBA’s D-pad wasn’t universally loved, potentially feeling a bit cramped for fighting game fanatics. The A and B buttons are also strikingly similar, with just a touch less rounding and a slight downward shift to accommodate those newcomers, X and Y. Opt for a transparent model, and you’ll get those satisfyingly embedded button labels. Start and Select are in their familiar spots, now in a hard plastic rather than the original’s rubber. Even the power LED and single speaker are right where they should be. While the speaker gets surprisingly loud, audiophiles might find it a tad lacking in the quality department.
Flip it over, and you’ll spot some modern ammenities. The cartridge slot is MIA, replaced by L2 and R2 triggers that I had no problem reaching. Below those sit two MicroSD card slots, allowing you to add all games from your personal library onto one device. The battery compartment remains, now housing a 3500mAh rechargeable battery instead of those power-hungry AAs. Up top, you’ll find a Reset button, a modern USB-C port, a mini-HDMI for big-screen action, and a Menu button. Down on the bottom, the classic power switch is gone, replaced by a power button (tap it for sleep mode), and the iconic volume dial is now a switch. This switch-style volume rocker takes a bit of getting used to, especially if your muscle memory is stuck in the early 2000s. A welcome addition is the standard 3.5mm headphone jack. Overall, the build feels surprisingly solid. Picking up the RG34XX instantly brings back that GBA feel. While long-term durability is always a question mark with these types of devices, right out of the gate, the RG34XX feels like a well-crafted homage.
Screen Quality: A Bright Spot (Score: 9)
The screen is where the Anbernic RG34XX truly shines. Forget the reflective, unlit days of the original; this boasts a vibrant 3.4-inch IPS display with a crisp 720 x 480 resolution. That’s a perfect 3x scale of the GBA’s 240 × 160, meaning your personal collection of Game Boy Advance titles will look pixel-perfect and glorious. The 3:2 aspect ratio is spot-on for GBA games. The RG34XX features a bright and colorful IPS panel that I found to have great viewing angles.
Performance: GBA Glory, Other Systems a Mixed Bag (Score: 8)
Under the hood, the Anbernic RG34XX packs an Allwinner H700 processor, backed by a dual-core Mali G31 MP2 GPU and 1GB of LPDDR4 RAM. This puts the RG34XX in a sweet spot for a lot of retro systems, though it’s not going to conquer everything.
Unsurprisingly, the RG34XX absolutely nails its primary target: the Game Boy Advance. Performance here is wonderful and very authentic, with games running like a dream. That perfect integer scaling on the screen is chef’s kiss for GBA titles. Step back to older games from your personal library, such as NES, SNES, and Sega Genesis, and you’ll generally get smooth performance. Just be prepared for those black borders due to the 3:2 screen.
Now, when you push into more demanding territory like the Nintendo 64, Dreamcast, and PlayStation Portable, things get a bit more… variable. I would describe performance here as “impressive, but spotty”. While some games might run decently, others will stumble with graphical glitches or frame rate drops. A major hurdle for these more advanced systems is the complete lack of analog sticks on the RG34XX. This makes many games designed for analog control a real pain, if not impossible, to play properly. So, while the RG34XX can technically dabble in these realms, the experience is definitely compromised.
Battery Life: Solid for Retro Sessions (Score: 8)
The Anbernic RG34XX packs a 3500mAh battery. In my testing, this translated to a respectable six to seven hours of playtime, pushing up to eight. Charging is handled via a modern USB-C port. It supports 5V/1.5A charging and is compatible with C2C chargers. However, there have been some rumblings about finicky USB-C to USB-C charging across various Anbernic devices, including the RG34XX. It’s not a universal issue, but some have reported certain cables and adapters not playing nicely. Something to keep in mind – you might need to experiment to find your ideal charging setup.
Software & UI: Simple and Functional (Score: 8)
The Anbernic RG34XX boots into a Linux 64-bit operating system. This is a pretty standard and generally effective choice for retro handhelds, offering a decent balance of performance and customization. The stock user interface is designed to be user-friendly and easy to navigate. It gives you quick access to your systems and personal library of games. All the expected retro features are present and accounted for: save states, rewind, cheats, and fast forward for those slow-burn RPGs. The handy standby/sleep mode lets you jump back into your game in seconds.
You get dual MicroSD card slots on the RG34XX. Typically, one houses the OS, and the other is for your personal library of games, offering good flexibility for managing your library. A dedicated Menu button brings up system settings and various options. For the tinkerers out there, the RG34XX has a thriving community cooking up custom firmware options. Popular choices include MuOS, MinUI, and Rocknix. These can offer enhanced features, better performance for certain systems, different user interfaces, and deeper customization, letting you tailor the RG34XX to your exact retro desires.
Game Compatibility: A Vast Library, With Caveats (Score: 8)
The Anbernic RG34XX boasts compatibility with over 30 different retro gaming platforms. That will allow you to add almost any game you have in your personal library, stretching from the 8-bit era with the NES and Master System, through the 16-bit glory days of the SNES and Genesis, all the way to handhelds and consoles like the PlayStation 1, Nintendo 64, Dreamcast, and PSP . You’ll have access to a truly staggering number of classic games.
Loading up your library is a breeze thanks to those dual MicroSD slots. Given the RG34XX’s 3:2 screen, games with similar aspect ratios, like those from the Game Boy Advance, PSP, and WonderSwan look particularly fantastic. While the RG34XX can technically run games from more advanced systems like the N64, Dreamcast, and PSP, the lack of analog controls severely limits the playability of many titles on those platforms. So, the RG34XX is best enjoyed with games that primarily rely on a D-pad and face buttons. Think classics from the 8-bit and 16-bit eras, and of course, the incredible Game Boy Advance library.
The Verdict
The Anbernic RG34XX isn’t trying to reinvent the retro handheld wheel. Instead, it’s laser-focused on delivering the definitive modern Game Boy Advance experience. And in that, it largely succeeds. The near-perfect recreation of the classic GBA form factor, coupled with a vibrant screen that makes its native games shine, makes it a compelling option for anyone with GBA nostalgia. While its versatility with more demanding systems is present, the lack of analog sticks means it’s not a true all-in-one retro powerhouse. But as a dedicated GBA machine with the added bonus of handling older systems with ease, the RG34XX hits a sweet spot for nostalgia and affordability.
Where to Buy:
Want to snag an Anbernic RG34XX for yourself? Check out the official Anbernic website: (https://anbernic.com/) and the product page: (https://anbernic.com/products/rg34xx).
