Anbernic RG ARC-D (Hardware)
Official GBAtemp Review
Product Information:
There seems to be a trend in the retro handheld gaming market with companies adapting the controllers of retro consoles into handheld devices. After the RG353P, which sported the form factor of an SNES controller, Anbernic has recently released the RG ARC which itself purposefully looks like a SEGA Saturn controller with a screen crammed in the middle. It surely tickles the nostalgic appeal, so let’s take a closer look at what it has to offer besides nostalgia.
Anbernic RG ARC-D contents and specs
Before diving in this review further, it should be noted that there are two variants of the RG ARC. There’s the single OS, Linux-based RG ARC-S and the dual OS (Linux and Android) RG ARC-D. This review will reflect on the latter model which starts at $98 on the official Anbernic store. The ARC-S in comparison starts at $78 but does not have a touch screen and has only 1GB RAM.
Contents of the RG ARC-D include:
- Anbernic RG ARC-D Console
- USB-C cable
- Screen protector
- User manual
Specs of the two models can be found below:
It might also be worth considering purchasing the dedicated hard carry case for the RG ARC if you plan to bring the devices while travelling. It sells for $10 on the official Anbernic store and is designed to fit the handheld perfectly and has a meshed inner pocket to store accessories. But if you don’t intend to take the RG ARC out of your house much, then you could pass on it.
The look and feel of a SEGA Saturn controller
The most striking feature of the RG ARC is its design which clearly replicates a SEGA Saturn controller. While the main differences are the screen, a few extra buttons/triggers, the inspiration is mostly faithful and supplemented by a quality build.
Indeed, Anbernic does not fail to impress yet again with the hardware. The device feels sturdy, with little to no rattling of buttons. Each button is a delight to use with the satisfying membrane-bound feedback that emulates a retro feeling. One of the main differences to the hardware, compared to other Anbernic handhelds, is the inclusion of a circular D-pad. It is expertly crafted to deliver a satisfying feeling as well as precise controls. The front-facing dual speakers are also a plus as the audio feels more vibrant compared to their usual positioning on the underside of retro handhelds.
It sits comfortably in the hands, with all buttons easily accessible. Having stacked shoulder and trigger buttons also adds to the ergonomic factor and works well on the RG ARC. This is a welcome change for Anbernic as the company has stubbornly stuck with in-line shoulder buttons. With handhelds of a larger form factor like the RG ARC, stacked shoulder buttons go a long way to improve comfort. This is especially handy if you decide to play on a larger screen via the HDMI port and use the device as a controller.
One improvement that I’d like to have seen is the inclusion of rubberised grips. Anbernic has traditionally included such grips at the back of its devices but somehow omitted them in the RG ARC. In addition to providing a better hold when gaming, such inclusions help the device from sliding around your desk if you bump against it.
Anbernic RG ARC-D: a SEGA system and retro fighting game emulation handheld
Anbernic surely made a commendable effort to bring something new to the retro handheld gaming market with the form factor of the RG ARC. But I was initially disappointed by the fact that it sports the RK3566 chip, which is the same one featured in the RG353P that launched last year.
However, by considering the design of the handheld further, it became clearer that the RG ARC set its sights on a different target. Unlike recent Anbernic handhelds, the RG ARC does not feature joysticks. Even if the RK3566 chip can allow it to play some systems with joystick controls like the PSP, not having such physical controls means that the device is not aiming to primarily emulate such systems/games in the first place.
Instead, the circular D-pad and the six-key face buttons layout, which are the major unique aspects to the handheld’s controls, makes it particularly suitable for fighting games, and of course, SEGA systems emulation. Thus, the Anbernic RG ARC can be primarily considered as a retro fighting game and, to some extent, a SEGA system focused emulation device. It might be niche but it performs well for the targets it sets itself.
Retro games performance on the Anbernic RG ARC-D
With such targets in mind, we can have a better outlook on the handheld and it performs very well in this regard. Having six face buttons as well as a total of four shoulder/trigger buttons makes playing SEGA systems more convenient.
The RK3566 chip emulates older systems such as Mega Drive fluidly at 2x resolution. In particular, fighting games such as Street Fighter are a joy to play on the RG ARC, especially with the circular D-pad that delivers a unique and satisfying feeling. The D-pad focused layout also lends itself well to retro platformers such as Sonic as well. However, as it is an ageing chip, it won’t offer the best performance for every system.
SEGA Saturn emulation via Yaba Sanshiro on Android runs decently, with less demanding games like Saturn Bomberman, Street Fighter: The Movie playing at full or nearly full speed. More demanding titles such as Panzer Dragoon Saga,Virtua Fighter 2 and NiGHTS Into Dreams run at around 30-40fps but I found this to be acceptable considering the notorious challenges to emulate the Saturn system.
You can also expect to play some newer systems such as Dreamcast fairly well; although performance will be title dependent. For instance, Crazy Taxi and Capcom vs SNK 2 run at 60fps, while Virtua Fighter 3 caps at around 45fps and suffers from crackling audio.
As it is dual OS, the RG ARC-D can run Android games and even has a buttons mapping feature, but it is not preloaded with Google Play (luckily, Anbernic pre-installed a handy number of emulators). Also, the 4-inch screen can feel limiting for Android titles, so it’s better to stick to emulation.
Speaking of OS, while there are no custom OS on the Linux side currently, the stock OS is surprisingly functional and even includes RetroArch from the get-go; although I personally prefer to use the Android side of things.
In addition, I’d recommend getting the pricier ARC-D over the single OS ARC-S as the former’s 2GB RAM helps in terms of performance. It would have been more welcome to have a better chip that could emulate most Dreamcast games at full speed, so you’d truly have an all-in-one SEGA handheld device. But even with the ageing RK3566 chip, the RG ARC-D fares very well as a retro fighting games device with the bonus of being able to run SEGA Saturn and Dreamcast games at playable speeds on a unique-looking handheld.
Verdict
- Hardware quality
- Ergonomic design
- Circular D-pad and 6-key layout is well adapted for SEGA systems and fighting games
- Dual OS support on the RG ARC-D
- Surprisingly functional stock Linux OS
- Ageing RK3566 chip limits performance
- No rubberised back grips
- Google Play not pre-installed on Android OS
