Anbernic RG Arc: 6 Months Later

Since I'm not old enough to consider myself a Sega or Nintendo kid, I had to experience all of the games from that era on other platforms or later on official hardware. In particular, I kept returning to the Genesis between the SNES and Genesis because it had similar games, but something about it felt right, and playing those games on an old three-button controller felt comfortable. The SNES controller was fine, but I never wanted to write home about it.

You can only imagine how thrilled I was when Anbernic revealed the Arc in October 2023. For me, this was going to be the large Sega handheld. That was my hope, however. After spending the last six or so months on the RG Arc train, I decided to finally pay some attention and share my true feelings about it.

Size and Ergonomics

Given that it only has a 4" 4:3 display, the Arc is a somewhat bulky device in terms of size. When positioned next to the Anbernic RG35XX H, it simply appears smaller. It is much simpler to toss in a bag and is shorter, thinner, and narrower. Moreover, a set of thumbsticks is included!

Something with a larger screen? The RP3+, which has a 4.7" 16:9 screen, is one example. What is the difference between them? The Arc is thicker and higher, although it is around the same width. Its beefy design is evident in its ergonomics. The Arc is just far more comfy than the RP3+.

What about something more significant? The Odin 2 is undoubtedly more prominent, though. It's thicker, higher, wider, and much cozier. However, you would really hope to hear that on a 6" display. I've included some weight comparisons below if you're looking for them.

  • RG35XXH – 184 grams
  • RG Arc – 248 grams
  • RP3+ – 237 grams
  • Odin 2 – 437 grams

Buttons and Screen

First, let's move the screen out of the way. It is a 4" 640x480 monitor that is fully functional. It feels like a significant size increase when compared to several of these 3.5" gadgets. The colors are good, and I didn't see any tearing or anything, although the Arc D comes with a touch screen and 2GB of RAM, whereas the Arc S does not. No touch screen. RAM of 1 GB. I wish the screen were used more, but overall, I really enjoy it.

But now for the controls. I adore these things, man. Both the stacked shoulder buttons and the face buttons offer a pleasant, sturdy actuation. They require some force to move, but once they do, they fall. These large face buttons are some of my favorites because they have a beautiful bottom out. And the D-pad? I adore that thing, damn it. It features a floating pivoting d-pad, much like the 8BitDo M30. If I had to pick between this and an actual M30 or even one of my Genesis controllers, I would go with this one because it moves pretty well, and I haven't had any trouble getting my inputs to land.

Despite its large size, this D-Pad is excellent. FOR ME.

Operating System

Lastly, it's relatively simple in both the OS and Performance categories. A well-known RK3566 powers this device. Everything will function pretty damned well up until PS1. Because of its efficiency, the chip will continue to do that for a very long period. You can do it if you're looking for Dreamcast, PSP, or N64. A few. However, without significant modifications or a new gadget, not much more than that.

Regarding the OS problem, you have a few choices. For it, you have the surprisingly serviceable standard Anbernic OS. It performs better on some systems than others, but it's still helpful in playing Knuckles & Knuckles & Knuckles and navigating Sonic the Hedgehog 3. The decision isn't all that horrible.

You can choose to boot into Android 11, which is again only usable if you have the Arc-D. It performs precisely what you need it to and is Anbernic's version of Android. However, I think I would give GammaOS for the 3566 family of gadgets a try. If Android is your preference, it's a superior experience, so simply proceed in that direction.

Finally, there's Retro Arena, about which we have an article. Although it is currently in beta testing, it meets the requirements and offers a better experience than the Anbernic OS. I won't go into too much detail, but I chose this one out of the four. I wouldn't have it any other way because Retro Arena is easier to pick up and play once it's set up.

Final Thoughts

Ultimately, the Anbernic RG Arc is great. I really like the controls, and it's a very comfortable handheld. However, you could probably do better unless, like me, you're interested in the 6-button system. I even wrote an essay about them back in late 2023, and there are already 10 options out of a total of 3566. In general, are you trying to find a vertical? RG353M, TrimUI Smart Pro, and the Powkiddy RGB10 Max 3.

It isn't perfect. Although the Arc is a nice gadget, it is challenging to suggest given its price and narrow market niche. Go for it if it satisfies that particular itch. If not, you can indeed discover something with a superior software scenario and use case even six months later. Please pardon me while I continue to suffer as a result of my own choices. While I'm taking out around six clamshell handhelds from my pockets, I'll see you in another six months.