First off I want to state that I'm not a hardcore collector of these devices so have not experienced all the devices that have released this year such as the Retroid Pocket 5 or the Odin Pro 2 and have based my choice solely on the devices that have released and I've purchased during 2024, so here we go.....
It's a tie between two superb devices at both ends of the market, I really couldn't choose one!
I'm not going to go into too much detail about both as have already posted reviews of them on here.....
So first we have.....
AyaNeo Pocket Micro
Coming in at the premium end of the market we have the AyaNeo Pocket Micro and as I stated in my review this is the most beautiful looking device I've ever seen, it's just stunning!
It's ridiculously powerful too for something so small capable of playing everything up to and including Dreamcast, Saturn and PSP and some Gamecube and PS2.
The whole machine is made of metal giving it a great feel and weight when playing.
Since getting it I've added quite a lot to it, some of which I didn't think would be possible, I've added a couple of my favourite Gamecube games (both of which play great), have got all the Mame Game & Watch games working perfectly and set up EmulationStation making it easier to play those systems such as Final Burn Neo and Pokemon Mini that do not have standalone Android emulators.
Literally everything about this device looks and feels premium right down to the real leather carry case, I love this machine and it has become one of the jewels of my collection.
And finally we have......
Anbernic RG35XX SP
I've always been a sucker for a clamshell retrogaming device so was rather excited when I read that Anbernic were finally releasing one this year and I was not disappointed!
The RG35XX SP is very much styled around the Gameboy Advance SP (although is slightly bigger and thicker), it's well built with good, responsive controls and good screen.
Performance wise it can play everything up to and including PS1, most Nintendo 64 and I believe some Dreamcast too (although have not yet tested this).
The supplied firmware on the machine is perfectly acceptable however for a better experience I recommend installing one of the available custom firmwares : Knulli, MinUI or muOS. I went with muOS which has proved to be a great choice, it has a beautiful looking interface and is easy to use and navigate around.
Initially upon release the machine was a bit rattly when opened however the release of further colours later in the year has fixed this.
Due to it's increased size over the GBA SP it's a much more comfortable device to hold and use and closes with a satisfying snap just like the original GBA SP!
The best clamshell retro handheld currently available (although the Miyoo Mini Flip is reportedly due soon), Anbernic have really nailed it with this machine, a really terrific little device.
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