Hi there! Sorry, I'm the author of the article (just noticed this was cross-posted), so I can address this!

I guess the fact it rotates out isn't going to be earth shattering, if you're looking for that being the one reason it is worth owning (a rotating mechanism for the display), you wouldn't get it. But to me being able to use it for things like listening to music (on-device, offline music, or streaming), watching an older anime episode, an audiobook, or scrolling through Mastodon while it is in the cube format, then being able to flip it open to play some GBA just makes it unique.

I have it sitting on my desk or shelf as I work, propped up facing me to stream music. Then I can pick it right up after I'm done and go back to FFVII on there.

I just like how this handheld 'feels'. Smooth rounded corners and edges, and with a super satisfying weight to it. And I don't think that 'feel' ever gets enough coverage for retro handhelds.

Sorry, maybe I'm struggling to convey how nice it is to use with words here!

If the dongle you need is USB-C, I've got one for my phone that lets you charge at the same time, and it's pretty low profile. Not ideal, but an option.

Who releases a product with busted AF bluetooth these days?! Hard pass until that, at least, is corrected. 🥹

So Bluetooth headphones are a no-go?

still use mine almost daily. thing is built like a damn brick house too, rock solid. Metroid and Final Fantasy Tactics Advance are my go tos.

If you're looking for something akin to the GBA-SP but modern, check out the Anbernic RG34XX-SP.

It looks almost the same as the GBA-SP, but with better everything and can emulate other systems. Same aspect ratio too which makes it perfect for GBA emulation, and it comes in fun colors.

I saw one reviewer was annoyed by a shoulder button feel. But I have tried my hardest and I haven't been able to feel that sharp point/edge. I do have smaller hands, so that could be a factor as I play (where it might be a issue with larger hands)

I checked in with other reviewers, and I didn't find anyone else who found that an annoying issue! But as with everything on retro handhelds, YMMV!

Whaaaat?! I haven't run across anyone else who's knows about Gunsmith Cats in decades! That's a deeeep cut. 🤘🏼

It is!!!

You're 100% right! I mean to some time today, record a lil video of me sweeping it open then convert it to a GIF. I've just got a few things to get through first! Someone else reminded me I forgot to do that, which is...concerning since it is the BIG point on this handheld!

For now, check Anbernic's own video on YT, it was a short one which shows the rotation well:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hYdxn8lDhQc

Yes, and yes. Plus, the bluetooth has a really bad delay, and there's no headphone jack.

Should be fixed now! Thanks for sharing your feedback, there's a option to close it down, Gardiner just changed it

That's really interesting, I hadn't even noticed that banner existed!

This is all Gardiner's side of things, I just sent your thoughts over to him, thank you for the comment on it!

I do love the Analogue Pocket's philosophy and design, but:

Analogue Pocket which seems to do everything this does, and a little bit more

The Rotate runs Android. Which is a bonus to some, and a caveat to others. But it is infinitely more powerful as a retro handheld than the AP! The 'Pocket can't run systems from the 32-bit era or later, while this can emulate a whole lot (with varying degrees of success)

I just think wanted to address "...everything this does, and a little bit more..." for anyone coming across this in the future!

Is the market getting saturated? I have an Odroid Ultra and feel like there isn't a real good upgrade out there.

Underneath I'm assuming is the hand help controls. Like flipping open an GameBoy Advance SP or a DS/3DS. But instead of flipping it open like a clam shell the screen is rotated open

• The headphone jack is totally valid for some. I'd not used a 3.5mm plug-in pair for sooooo many years (actually I bought my first pair of IEMs a few weeks ago for my new music journey, so there's that!), so bluetooth is just my default go-to these days. But for some who prefer wired this will 100% be a let down, or a deciding factor

• The back-firing speaker is fine when you hold and play it. Not once have I covered it with my hands or fingers! The only time it is a factor that drove me nuts was when I'd lay it down on a surface, face-up. That is when it gets muffled

• The battery is perfectly fine! 5-6 hours with pushing it on higher systems, and maybe 6-7 with basic GB? And it charges SO quick. I can't see anyone going out during the day and spending more than 6 hours gaming. But maybe that is just my take on it

The best part is that you know exactly what you love, and what works for you. Lots of people make fun of how often devices get released, but the best part of that is that there really is a device for everyone!

It definitely isn't Corning who are covering the top of this one. It just 'feels' the same as my phone screens, but I'm not actually sure what the surface is! Someone else asked me to check, so I've asked my friend at Anbernic (will update here if I remember!). All I can say for sure now is that it has the exact same feel as all my phones do.

I'm like you though, in that I'll be very interested in how this looks after say 6 months of use. It does come with a screen protector, and the soft case it has will protect it in transit.

I don't play that game, but someone on Discord asked me to try the Android version for them. The only issue I found was the UI was a bit squished in the intro set-up screen:

After that it is just fine! All the pinch to zoom gestures and so on work well.

Though to be fair I'm not sure what is normal and right, as I don't play it!

As for PS2 emulation, there are SO many devices which run it. These days the systems which are pushing the envelope on the retro handhelds are things like:

• PC gaming (Steam, GOG, Epic and so on) which is 100% super doable and impressive on Android.
• PS3 which is just really starting out, not fantastic but the games which do play, do so great.
• Switch! Super, super, super impressive on handhelds. Eden is the one emulator doing the hard work these days in my eyes. There's also Ryubing (made by one of the original Ryujinx devs), but Eden is my pick.
• Wii U (a rather immature emulator, just getting started on Android).

It is a deep, deep world out there, with varying costs. But if you're looking for PS2 games, upscaled and on the go in a tiny handheld? There is so many to choose from now!

None of these will affected! These retro handhelds aren't officially certified Android devices, they just run the Play Store

You can find the list here:

https://github.com/androidtrackers/certified-android-devices

Fair enough!

(Or just delete that app)

Wasn't the Gameboy screen pretty square? OP also mentions PS games.

In addition to the obvious Game Boy, NES and SNES look great in 8x7 which looks really good on a square screen.

Its a review. My honest review. I'm not paid to write on my friend's site, nor do we run a single ad on there. Anbernic don't have any say in what I write, and if I gave up my reputation as a writer for a device this cheap, I'd be an idiot.

I love the device, but if I loathed it I'd still share it here. I post all of my articles here.

Check my post history, if you still think I'm some deep cover ad agent then you can have my account, I can't even be bothered with these insinuation today.

One little edit:

I spent a solid 18 months covering Steam Deck news. I did so with a weekly news post (elsewhere, then actually here on Lemmy after I'd given it up for a long time), I'd cover what was happening, befriended devs to share their news and what was coming up, and built up a nice little community around that.

From there I started to interview these developers, because no one did so before I did. That sounds a bit tickets-on-myself-y, but it is just true. I wanted the developers of projects like Heroic, Lutris, EmuDeck, Decky Loader, Junk Store and RetroDECK to be able to share their side of things, since most of the time people tend to forget who is behind the project or program they know, use and love. Some of my articles and interviews were posted on big sites, some on smaller sites, a couple on Gaming on Linux and SDHQ and so on.

From there I made friends with Gardiner Bryant, who is now one of my closest friends. I share on his site exclusively now, because I LOVE gaming. I'm not paid for my articles (nor do I want to be), I just write because I love to. After picking up retro handhelds for awhile, some of those companies got in touch with me, asking if I'd like to review their devices. I said yes, but that I'd do so in accordance with our ethics standards we have on the site

If you think I'd risk all of that (literally years of writing content just on social media, then on sites, now with my friend Gardiner) for one little handheld? You'd be wrong. I just hate how this kind of shit gets thrown out as an offhand comment, it is so dirty and insulting.

No, this isn't an ad.