Summary

DROIX blog review of the anbernic-rg505 Android gaming handheld with Unisoc Tiger T618 processor. Benchmarks, emulator tests, and comparison with RG353M, RG552, and GPD XP+.

Key Specs

SpecDetail
CPUUnisoc Tiger T618, 2x A75 @ 2.0 GHz + 6x A55 @ 2.0 GHz
GPUMali G52 MP2 @ 850 MHz
RAM4 GB LPDDR4X
Storage128 GB eMMC 5.1 HS400
Display4.95” OLED touchscreen, 960x544
Battery5000 mAh; Antutu loop: 5 hr 20 min
ControlsHall effect sensor analogue sticks
Dimensions7.4 x 3.4 x 0.7 in (18.9 x 8.7 x 1.8 cm), 286 g
ColoursYellow, Turquoise, Grey

Benchmarks

BenchmarkRG353MRG552GPD XP+RG505
AnTuTu96,015171,395670,576219,583
Geekbench125/413307/708845/2869370/1453
3DMark Slingshot7551,062Maxed2,164
Price (Dec 2022)GBP 180GBP 220GBP 440GBP 204

RG505 sits between RG552 and GPD XP+. Up to 3x performance vs RG353 series, up to 2x vs RG552.

Android 12 Improvements

  • Google Play Store now available (pre-installed or via firmware update)
  • Built-in firmware updater
  • Built-in screen controller mapping
  • Apps still require some setup for game file locations

Emulation Performance

SystemPerformance
Up to PS1/DreamcastFull speed, no issues (major improvement over RG353)
DolphinMixed; Burnout 2 full 60 FPS, some first-party titles drop to 40 FPS
PS2 (AetherSX2)Less demanding games (Neo Contra) OK; demanding games very slow
NDS (DraStic)Perfect; Castlevania, FIFA 11 flawless
3DS (Citra)Mixed; Sonic Generations playable after shader cache; Rayman Origins good
PSP (PPSSPP)God of War mostly solid 60 FPS at 1x rendering

Reviewer Verdict

Very impressed. Tiger T618 is a meaningful upgrade over RK3566. OLED display looks great. Android 12 improved with Play Store. Would like to see larger performance jump for 2023 models. Competitive pricing. Worth buying as new handheld or upgrade from older models.