The RG503 is Anbernic’s latest retro emulation handheld system. But how does it hold up against some seriously stiff competition?
Anbernic RG503
Anbernic have been a huge name in the world of retro emulation handheld consoles over the past couple of years, creating some of the best devices on the market. The RG351 was absolutely fantastic and one of my favorite consoles for the past two years. The RG552 came out and tried to improve in almost every single area, bringing a lot more to the retro emulation handheld device concept. But now the Anbernic RG503 has arrived and Anbernic have gone in a completely direction.
Instead of just improving on the 552 they’ve actually made the 503 quite a different kind of retro handheld console. With the focus not being on adding more raw power or focusing purely on the emulation capabilities. With the RG503 Anbernic have introduced an OLED screen and changed the form factor for the first time in ages. Meaning that the RG503 sits somewhere in between the RG351 and the RG552. But all these incremental differences to the emulation and these drastic changes to the form factor and the screen worth 140 pounds?
RG503 OLED Screen
Now the first thing I noticed when I switched on the RG503 is just how gorgeous the OLED screen actually looks. The colours are so vibrant and it is instantly noticeable. OLED screens have been around for a while and are known for the deep blacks and rich colours. If you’re a fan of the PS Vita you’ll be well aware of the argument between the original PS Vita and the new updated version of the Vita. Where the original had the OLED screen and a lot of people preferred that to the later improved model.
Now there are pros and cons to an OLED screen and one of the cons is the fact that it isn’t quite as crisp when movement is involved. When it comes to gaming that’s a pretty important thing, however in all honesty considering the RG503 deals with retro games this isn’t as much of an issue. Also the benefits you get from the rich colours in the deep blacks really stands out and makes the RG503 an amazing and gorgeous screen to play on.
RG503 Form Factor
Next up is the form factor and I’m a huge fan of the changes that Anbernic have made for the RG503. I’m still waiting to see my staggered shoulder buttons however the changes that the RG503 have brought in means that having the shoulder buttons in a line, as is traditional for Anbernic is now a lot more comfortable and user-friendly. There’s a much more noticeable step change between the R1 and the R2 buttons and the same goes for the L1 and L2. It means you can now roll your finger more comfortably to hit both buttons and because R2 is higher you can hit that without risking hitting R1 as well. I really feel like Anbernic have listened to what the community was saying, and although this sticks true to the traditional form factor, it’s now so much more comfortable to use.
Furthermore in the area of comfort the RG503 has now got rounded shoulders for you to actually hold on to the console. Which is a drastic change from the more squared off style that the RG351 and the RG552 had. This means that there’s just so much more grip and makes the RG503 one of the most comfortable retro emulation handheld devices I’ve ever had the pleasure of using. Whereas with pretty much all retro emulation handheld devices, there’s been a point that after playing for a few hours you start to notice the cramp. With the RG503 I haven’t noticed it at all and I really hope that Anbernic take this design and form factor and use it for all their future consoles.
The size RG503 sits in between the 351 and the 552. Whereas the 351 was probably a bit too small for the majority of users and the 552 was maybe a bit too big to consider it pocketable. The 503 sits perfectly in the middle in that goldilocks zone that makes it really nice to hold yet incredibly easy to just throw in your pocket and take anywhere that you go. This for me is really important when it comes to retro emulation handheld devices.
RG503 Linux OS
Now one thing I was sad to see go on the 503 compared to the 552 was the fact that the 503 does not support an Android OS. And although I’m a big fan of Anbernics Linux operating systems, I really liked having the option of android on the 552. Especially when it gave me access to game streaming services like Game Pass and Stadia. The RG503 is purely Linux focused and in some respects it’s pretty nice that this console is purely focused on retro emulation. But what it does mean is that the RG03 won’t be my ultimate handheld device that I’ll be using all of the time. It means I’m going to have to revert to the 552 or the Retroid Pocket 2+ if I want to get that android experience, if I want to get game streaming on the go.
RG503 Retro Game Emulation
When it comes to processing power again the RG503 sits in between the 351 and the 552. Where the 552 has the most powerful processor and the 351 has the least powerful processor, the RG503 sits somewhere in the middle. However in all honesty when it came to the emulation experience the fact that it sat in the middle wasn’t entirely clear. Emulation on the RG503 is much closer to the 351 than the 552, meaning that it can struggle with games from the Dreamcast generation and the N64 including the PSP. I was even surprised to see it struggling with some DS games as well. One thing I was pleased to see was that the PlayStation 1 emulation though was really smooth, and in my experience, had no issues with any of the games that I tried. Now if you’re a forgiving gamer and this is your only retro emulation device then you will be able to comfortably play a lot of games but you will notice those issues. But if you are looking for perfect emulation from the N64 upwards then you’re not going to find it here. Which brings about the question. Where is the RG503 place in the currently crowded retro emulation handheld market? Especially considering that you can get a more powerful and feature-rich device from Anbernic themselves. I’ve been giving this a lot of thought recently and trying to understand the seemingly complex route that Anbernic are taking now with the releases of their devices.
Anbernic Retro Handhelds
We’re no longer seeing the traditional path of every device being a marked improvement over the last. And in the world of gaming, in the world of console generations that’s what we’ve come to expect. Every console generation that comes out, especially from the same manufacturer, is brought out to be an improvement. But I think Anbernic are starting to take a slightly different approach and trying to approach this more from the perspective of the mobile phone market. Where you have a range of devices that offer different things to different people across a range of prices. The RG351 is a great cheap option and very pocketable for anybody that just wants that quick retro gaming experience. The RG552 is the more expensive device that tries to offer you everything and the RG503 sits somewhere in the middle for those people that want to spend a little bit more and get the benefits of an OLED screen and a better form factor, but don’t necessarily want to fork out the big bucks to get the extra features.
This approach gives people a lot of options who want to enter the market. It also gives Anbernic a chance to try different things different form factors and different features that they can roll into future releases as we get closer to that perfect retro emulation handheld device. Furthermore feeding into this concept Anbernic are working on the Win600 as well. Which is a competitor for the likes of the Steam Deck. Which just goes to show you the range of handheld devices that Anbernic want to cover. Honestly if Anbernic could refine in a few areas and keep their pricing highly competitive they could be one of the best handheld console manufacturers around.
Should You Buy The RG503
If you are contemplating an RG503 then the benefits are an awesome OLED screen, a fantastic form factor and a brilliant balance between pocket-ability and size. However you do have to consider the fact that PSP. N64 and Dreamcast emulation is going to suffer a little. Especially compared to what else is available. The RG503 can be found on average for about £140.
