Anbernic RG35XX SP vs RG34XXSP: screen shape and battery

The RG35XX SP and RG34XXSP share the same chip, RAM and battery capacity, so the choice comes down to a 4:3 screen and longer stated battery life on one side, and a wider screen, lighter body and higher price on the other.

What they have in common

Strip away the model names and these are close relatives. Anbernic lists the same H700 quad-core Cortex-A53 at 1.5GHz in both, with a dual-core G31 MP2 GPU, 1GB of RAM, Linux 64-bit, a 3300 mAh battery, 802.11ac Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.2 and a 64GB card in the box. Both have a clamshell lid with a Hall magnetic switch, and both use dual card slots with expansion listed up to 512GB.

That matters because it removes a lot of questions. Whatever the chip can or cannot do, it is the same chip. Anbernic describes both with the same wording, "ported games and other 30+ emulators", and names no systems for either.

At a glance

The screen: 4:3 or wider

The SP is listed at 3.5 inches and 640 x 480. The RG34XXSP is listed at 3.4 inches and 720 x 480. By simple arithmetic that is a 4:3 shape against a 3:2 shape, and 12.5 per cent more pixels across the width on the 34XXSP (720 against 640) at the same height. A 3:2 screen is a little wider and shows a 4:3 picture with narrow bars at the sides if the image keeps its proportions; a 4:3 screen fills with 4:3 content. We are reasoning from the numbers here, not from watching either screen, and neither maker says how it scales images.

Both are IPS, and Anbernic's pages use the same description for each: full viewing angle and OCA full lamination.

Worked example: the two panels in numbers

Working from the stated diagonals and resolutions, a 3.5 inch 4:3 screen is about 2.8 inches wide by 2.1 tall, and a 3.4 inch 3:2 screen is about 2.8 wide by 1.9 tall. So the widths are almost the same and the RG34XXSP panel is shorter, with about 9 percent less viewing area (roughly 5.4 square inches against 5.9). Pixel density comes out near 254 per inch for the 720 x 480 panel and 229 for the 640 x 480 one, so the wider screen is a little finer as well. These are our sums, not Anbernic figures.

Picture fit follows from the same numbers. A 4:3 image shown at full height on the 34XXSP is 640 pixels wide inside a 720 pixel screen, leaving a 40 pixel band on each side. A 3:2 image shown at full width on the SP is about 427 pixels tall inside 480, leaving bands of roughly 27 pixels above and below. Neither maker says which scaling options the software offers, so this describes the screens, not the menus.

Battery: same cell, different claim

Capacity is identical at 3300 mAh, yet the maker states 8 hours for the SP and 6 hours for the 34XXSP. Anbernic does not explain the difference and gives no testing conditions, so treat it as a stated difference and nothing more. If hours between charges is your first concern, the SP has the higher stated number.

Size and weight

The 34XXSP is listed at 178 g and the SP at 192 g, a 14 g difference. The footprint is smaller on the 34XXSP too, at 8.3 x 8.2 cm against 8.9 x 8.5 cm. A separate Anbernic page lists the SP's length and width the other way round, so read the dimensions as approximate. Both are listed as clamshells, and the gap in listed size is small.

In percentage terms the 34XXSP is about 7 percent lighter and its footprint, multiplying length by width, is about 10 percent smaller (roughly 68 square centimetres against 76). It is also 0.2 cm less thick, at 2.5 cm against 2.7 cm. For a pocket, those are modest gains.

Controllers, TV output and extras

Anbernic lists the same controller connections for both: 2.4G wireless, wired and Bluetooth controllers. Both pages list an HD connection to a TV, and neither gives a resolution for it. The SP page also carries a note that Bluetooth works only with Bluetooth controllers. Neither page names its ports, so check the maker pages if a headphone jack matters to you. Colours differ: the SP is listed in seven finishes including several transparent ones, the 34XXSP in five.

Price as shown by the maker

On 14 October 2026 Anbernic's page for the SP listed $57.99, with the regular price shown as $64.99. The 34XXSP page listed a sale price of $67.99. The pages name no currency, we have not converted either figure, and UK prices are not checked yet. Taking the numbers as shown, the 34XXSP costs $10 more.

What to check before you buy

Because the internals match, the practical checks are about the parts that do not. Look at the maker pages for the colour you want, since the two ranges differ, and confirm that delivery and import work for a UK address, because the figures we hold do not cover them. Also decide whether the screen shape matters to you: a 3:2 panel and a 4:3 panel suit different picture proportions, and that is a larger difference in the stated figures than 14 g of weight. Finally, remember both ship with a 64GB card, with larger bundles listed by Anbernic in several storage variants, so compare like for like when you look at prices.

What the maker pages leave open

• Why 8 hours against 6: identical capacity, different claim, and no reason given.
• Named systems: both use the same "ported games and other 30+ emulators" wording, which names nothing.
• Ports: the pages do not name the connectors, including the one for TV output.
• UK position: shipping, import charges and warranty are not covered in the figures we hold, and UK prices are not checked yet.

Which should you buy?

• You want the longer stated battery life and the lower price: the SP. Same capacity, 8 hours against 6 on the makers' pages, and the cheaper listing.
• You prefer a wider screen and a smaller, lighter body: the 34XXSP, with 720 x 480 and 178 g.
• You want the most colour choice: the SP is listed in seven, including transparent shells.
• You want to use 2.4G or wired controllers: both pages list them, along with Bluetooth controllers.
• You want a different chip: neither offers one. Both list the same H700 and 1GB of RAM, so for a different chip and operating system look at devices such as the RG556 and Retroid Pocket 5 instead.

The full row-by-row view is on the side-by-side comparison page. For the wider range, see the retro handheld catalogue, and read our editorial policy for how stated figures are used.

Related guides

• Anbernic RG35XX H vs RG40XX H: which size to pick
• Analogue Pocket vs Anbernic RG35XX SP: FPGA or emulation?