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The RG ARC-S is a 4.0 inch 4:3 Linux handheld that plays everything up to Dreamcast well, made by Anbernic. It came out in November 2023 at $78. Inside is the RockChip RK3566 with 1 GB of RAM.
Who it's for
Buy it if
- You want to play everything up to Dreamcast, plus some PSP.
- You want a 4.0 inch screen and carry it in a bag or a jacket.
Skip it if
- You want PSP games: it scores 70 out of 100, so many games struggle.
- You want N64 and 3D PS1 games on analog sticks: it has none.
RG ARC-S videos
What it plays
Plays up to: Dreamcast. Chip: RockChip RK3566.
Scores out of 100. 100 means the system runs at full speed with no known issues on this device. 80 or more plays well (green), 50 to 79 plays partly (yellow).
What owners say
“My RG ARC-S became the one device that I use all of the time. I don't play anything that require analog sticks, and having 6 face buttons is nice for some sega nostalgia and arcade games.”
What the specs mean
4:3 screen
NES to PS2 era home consoles were 4:3, so they fill it. GBA and PSP games show bars above and below.
Based on: Display math: native screen shapes of each system
PS1 and N64 at exactly 2x
320 x 240 times 2 is the screen's own 640 x 480, so PS1 and N64 pixels stay perfectly even with no filter and no bars.
Based on: Display math: native resolution x whole-number scale = screen resolution
Same chip as 26 other handhelds
The RockChip RK3566 also powers the GAMEMT E6 Plus, GKD Bubble, GKD Mini Plus, GKD Mini Plus Classic and more. The same chip means similar speed, though memory and cooling can differ.
Based on: Our handheld database (chip field)
No analog sticks
N64 games and later PS1 games were made for a stick. Here they run on the d-pad, which works for some and ruins others.
Based on: Layout data; N64 and PS1 DualShock games use analog control
DS without touch
There is no touch screen, so DS games that need the stylus use a pointer moved by a stick.
Based on: Layout data: no touch screen
Rating
How we score: what it plays 30%, how many players own and recommend it 20%, screen 15%, price compared with handhelds that play as much 10%, controls 10%, size and weight 10%, battery size for its chip 5%.
Good
- Plays everything up to Dreamcast well
- Video out to a TV
- Low price
Not so good
- No analog sticks
- Not built for PS2 games
Screen fit
Screen: 4.0 inch, IPS, 4:3, 640 x 480.
| System | Original | Sharpest scale | Screen filled |
|---|---|---|---|
| Game Boy | 160 x 144 | 3x (480 x 432) | 68% |
| GBA | 240 x 160 | 2x (480 x 320) | 50% |
| NES and SNES | 256 x 224 | 2x (512 x 448) | 75% |
| Genesis | 320 x 224 | 2x (640 x 448) | 93% |
| PS1 and N64 | 320 x 240 | 2x (640 x 480) | 100% |
| DS, one screen | 256 x 192 | 2x (512 x 384) | 64% |
| PSP | 480 x 272 | 1x (480 x 272) | 43% |
Whole-number scales keep every pixel the same size. Bold rows fill the screen with a perfect fit. Screen 640 x 480.
Size
191 x 80 x 22 mm, 240 g. Too big for a jeans pocket
- RG ARC-S (191 x 80 mm)
- iPhone 15 (71.6 x 147.6 mm)
True scale, front view. Jeans pocket = front no bigger than an iPhone 15 Pro Max in a case (160 x 82 mm).
Specs
| Performance | |
|---|---|
| Chip | RockChip RK3566 |
| CPU | Cortex-A55 |
| Cores | 4 |
| Clock speed | 1.8 GHz |
| GPU | Mali-G52 2EE |
| RAM | 1 GB LPDDR4 |
| Screen | |
| Size | 4.0" |
| Type | IPS |
| Resolution | 640 x 480 |
| Refresh rate | 60 Hz |
| Pixel density | 200 ppi |
| Aspect ratio | 4:3 |
| Dual screen | No |
| Controls | |
| D-pad | Disc, Upper placement |
| Analog sticks | No |
| Stick layout | No Thumbsticks |
| Shoulder buttons | Stacked |
| Rumble | Yes |
| Gyroscope | No |
| Connectivity | |
| Storage | Dual External MicroSD |
| SD card | Yes |
| Wi-Fi | Yes (5) |
| Bluetooth | Yes (4.2) |
| USB-C | Yes |
| Video out | Yes |
| Headphone jack | Yes |
| Build | |
| Form factor | Horizontal |
| Dimensions | 191 x 80 x 22 mm |
| Weight | 240 g |
| Battery | 3500 mAh |
| Shell | Plastic |
| Speakers | Front |
| Software | |
| Operating system | Linux |
| Custom firmware | ROCKNIX, KNULLI, PlumOS, GammaOS C. |
| PortMaster | Yes |
Questions
Can the RG ARC-S play PS2 games?
Not well. PS2 scores 10 out of 100. It plays everything up to Dreamcast well.
Can it play GameCube games?
Partly. GameCube scores 20 out of 100.
Is the RG ARC-S good for GBA?
GBA runs at full speed. At 2x it fills 50% of the screen with even pixels.
Does it have a headphone jack?
Yes.
How big is the battery?
3,500 mAh. The middle Linux and other handheld in our database has 3,000 mAh.
Can it connect to a TV?
Yes, it has video out.
How much does the RG ARC-S cost?
It launched at about $78 in Nov 2023. Prices on the used market change, so check current listings.
Price and newer models
$78 at launch $60 to $120
The newest in its line in our database, out since Nov 2023.
Similar handhelds
Specs and emulation scores from the retrocatalog.com handheld database. The score out of 10 is our own.