Anbernic RG503 4.95″ OLED handheld gaming – console

The next generation of Anbernic Handhelds keep coming. 

The Anbernic RG503 steps super close to 5″ with a 4.95 inch super crisp OLED 960 * 544 display. Complete with a friendly interface and ready to play with the standard premium controls. Processor wise a step forward means the ceiling is still Playstation, N64 and Dreamcast however they play better and smoother and look great!

Moving up in screen size and processor but back to a plastic body makes it lighter and easy to hold/ handle. The contoured case adds to this and nice to see Anbernic taking a more ergonomic direction.

Size-wise, the RG503 is wider than the 351 range yet less than 1cm narrower than the RG552. The bigger screen is more immersive than the 351V and 351MP while the introduction of OLED makes everything crisp and colours pop! This Samsung OLED screen is the same one used in the series 1 PS Vita by Sony which is still highly sought after. Micro HDMI and Bluetooth 4.2 opens up many options including BIG screen output and varied gaming controllers. To top it off we finally have 5G meaning we can start to explore game streaming options like moonlight.

The RG503 doesn’t have a dedicated case, however, as the RG552 is less than 1cm wider, this 552 case might suit your needs.

We also maintain the standard features you would expect from a retro gaming console including dual micro SD slots, headphone jack, USB OTG so you can connect to your computer and a USB Type C charge port, a volume rocker to the right and the power on the left :-).

Our RG503 handhelds come with a 16GB microSD card that boots into EmulationStation and a 64GB secondary games card loaded and ready to play.

Performance-wise while some promote it as PS2, Wii and Gamecube capable, in its current form titles that would play well would be very limited. The upside here is that less demanding games can use upscaling to improve display quality. While thanks to a bit more oomph under the bonnet PS1, PSP, N64 and Dreamcast titles will play better.

Do keep in mind it won’t play all PSP titles flawlessly along with the more demanding Dreamcast titles, so perfection on higher-end titles isn’t quite there.

As an example Capcom II – The loop master 1944, not only looks amazing but plays considerably smoother than the 351 range of handhelds.

On the topic of oomph, the newer RK3566 Quad-Core processor draws less current and creates less heat, so the console feels nicer in the hand while you play for longer between charges.

The not so greats are;

The function button that’s used to exit games is located under the console, however, this can be re-mapped to use the START & SELECT buttons.

The stock operating system is easy to use and looks appealing. For the more advanced user AmberElec, ArkOS and Jelos are all in beta release for the RG503 so exciting things lay ahead. 

Electro Arcade is an authorised Anbernic seller and deals directly with Anbernic enabling us to provide improved QC, support and parts.

The stock micro SD card can be replaced with 128GB, 256GB or 400GB SD cards giving you room to grow your collection.

Happy retro gaming.

What's in the box

RG 503 console

Stock 16GB OS & 64GB games card

Type A to C cable

Screen protector

User guide