Anbernic RG477M Review: It’s Better Than You Think

The two devices that I remember most fondly as my “First Emulation” handhelds were the original Odroid Go and the Anbernic RG350M; two devices on opposite ends of the spectrum for the time. Fast forward about 4-5 years, and we’ve seen the release of hundreds of devices, the rise of x86, and 5 more metal handhelds to come from the Anbernic assembly lines. That was until this year, when Anbernic put out their biggest, most powerful, and heaviest metal handheld yet, the RG477M.

The metal behemoth comes packed with everything you could ask for, and hopefully more in a weighted package, but is it worth your money? That’s why I’m here, to help decide if this bronze beauty is worth your bucks. So dive in and let’s go review the Anbernic RG477M.

Anbernic RG477M Specs

When it comes down to it, the RG477M is one of the most expensive handhelds Anbernic has released yet, and unlike most other Android handhelds has two configurations in terms of RAM and storage. Despite that, you’re putting out a chunk of change for it, landing between $240 and $290 depending on spec and shipping. But you really only need the 8GB model.

Screen: 4.7″, 1280×960 LTPS (120hz Refresh Rate)
CPU: Mediatek Dimensity 8300
GPU: Mali G615
RAM: 8 GB or 12GB
Storage: 128GB or 256GB
Connectivity: microSD, USB-C with Video Out, 3.5mm Audio Jack, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3
OS: Android 14
Battery: 5300mAh
Dimensions: 176x89x16mm
Weight: 357 grams

Anbernic RG477M

What I Like

Hand Feel (Ergonomics)

There’s a lot to like about the 477M, and one of my favorites is also one of the first things you’ll notice: the feel in hand. Anbernic has been making metal handhelds since the RG350M back in the early 2020s, and while later models haven’t been perfect, it shows. There are small edges, but the rounded curves of the sides make it fit into my hands well, and the cool feel of the metal is pleasant while it’s still room temperature, of course.

In terms of ergonomics, the face and shoulder buttons line up well for me, and personally, I prefer the inline shoulders for portability, but analog triggers would have been better for emulation. The only issue is the stick height, but with the use of Retroid styled sticks again, you can pop the caps off and switch to lower profile stick caps, which make it feel way better for dual stick gaming. I also hate the included case, but that’s just me.

The Display

Honestly, the display is probably one of the biggest reasons that I like the Anbernic RG477M. It’s a nice, large 120Hz LTPS panel that we saw in the RG Slide. It’s 4:3 and a proper HD resolution. If you’re Andrew, this would make a great Hot Lap League handheld, and it’d look good while doing it, but I prefer playing dedicated 4:3 content on this thing. NES, Genesis, Gamecube, Dreamcast, and more. You can toss it all onto the 477M, upscale it to bits, and be happy.

The Controls

For the most part, they’re Anbernic staples at this point. The face buttons have this smooth finish to them, and they have the proper amount of pressure to feel responsive but not stiff. The dpad is the Anbernic affair, and they’ve done it well as usual. Even the sticks are a nice upgrade. They’re larger than the ones of the RG557, and they have more range than a Switch-style stick. I’m happy they went back to these, as it just helps the overall feel.

The Performance

Here’s one I don’t really think I need to delve into too deeply. The Dimensity 8300 is a chip Anbernic is using to absolutely brute force through most performance metrics. When the 557 came out, I had issues with its compatibility and ended up having a lot of things that just didn’t work performance-wise. The 477M seems to be better as it stands, and can manage its way through everything up to Nintendo Switch.

If you feel like going further, tapping into stuff like PS3, even, you can find a few videos out in the wild on it, particularly this video from The Retro Tech Dad, using the 557 to test PS3. Just don’t expect the world.

What I Don’t

The Weight

If you’ve seen other RG477M reviews, you might have heard something similar. Probably a statement along the lines of “If this were plastic, I’d be all over it”. While not quite the same for me, noting how heavy this thing is is an important comment to make. It’s close to the weight of the RG Slide despite the lack of a sliding mechanism, and overall, it gets close in weight to handhelds that are a decent bit larger than it as well.

While it is a metal handheld and should be expected, a number of people will still say it’s heavier than you plan for, and in this case is 100% true. Though I may be used to the weight of a 405M by comparison.

The Software

Here’s something that could be fixed with updates. Or Gamma if you’re really hopeful. The software of the 477M is mediocre as always. While the Android build itself is getting better, the preloaded junk is a bit too much. Dedicated emulators for NES, Neo Geo, Megadrive, and more are all tossed haphazardly onto your home screen. Higher-end emulators feel like they’re outdated, or just not configured correctly.

Until our Android God Gamma comes through, your best bet is to clear out everything and install the apps you want to use for emulation. And maybe a front end while you’re at it. Anbernic’s front end has gotten better, but Daijisho, ES-DE, or Beacon will be way better.

Volumes

While the face buttons and sticks are all fine, the shoulder buttons are a bit underwhelming. They have a nice tension to them, and a solid click, but the volume of L1 and R1 is just a bit louder than you’d expect. Not a deal breaker, but not great.

The other loud item is the fan. It whirs to life pretty regularly in an attempt to cool itself down. The issue is that it’s pretty loud and whiny while it does so. One comment people have mentioned is that removing the mesh in front of the fan should be able to help when it comes to the volume. However, in the case of some, it doesn’t help at all. For me, it did at least, and opening the back of the 477M is super easy. So while things are nice, it’s a bit loud.

The Competition

When it comes to your alternatives, you have a few. I’m going to focus on new options, but there are going to be used ones out there as well if you look around.

Retroid’s 865 lineup is solid competition, but it has a variety of different hardware depending on what you want. 4”, 31:27 display? They have that. Clamshell? They’ve got that too. Dual-OS capability with the help of ROCKNIX? Yeah, of course. It all looks well, works well, and is a good handheld, albeit a less powerful one.

On the other hand. Spend a bit more, and you enter the really high-end territory. The Odin 2 and Thor offer the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for just $300, and AYANEO is pushing its KONKR Pocket Fit for a similar price, holding the G3 Gen 3. The RG477M essentially falls into the middle ground between the high end and low end, with performance that matches.

Final Words

If I had to use one of the most common words in my handheld dictionary, the RG477M is solid. It’s a well-built, hefty handheld with plenty of power under the hood to cover anything that you could possibly ask for. For a 4:3 display. It’s not perfect. The fan is loud, the shoulders are loud, the sticks are too tall, and the software needs a little bit extra, but what’s good is really good on this thing.

Should you spend $240+ on an RG477M? Only if you know that it’s the exact thing you need in a handheld. This isn’t a device you can just toss aside to move onto something new; it’ll be a longer-term device. Anbernic doesn’t do $200+ devices often, but if they’re like this one, I hope they start. Though a plastic 477M wouldn’t be too bad either. For others, of course.