Anbernic 35xxH and Batocera
Today, the market is flooded with a variety of handheld devices for retro emulation, originating from several Chinese companies such as Retroid, Powkiddy, and Anbernic. These devices vary in form factors—ranging from compact screens to more powerful computing capabilities and operating systems, some of which are open-source, while others are proprietary and maintained by the manufacturers themselves.
After watching countless YouTube videos, comparing specifications, and exploring retro consoles on AliExpress priced under $100, I stumbled upon the Anbernic 35xxH. This model, featuring a 3.5-inch screen, is developed by Anbernic. It is similar to the Anbernic 35xx Plus but sports a horizontal orientation. The model name ‘35xxH’ indicates a 3.5-inch screen (‘35xx’) and a horizontal layout (‘H’).
As mentioned earlier, some operating systems are developed by the device manufacturers, like Anbernic, which offers a proprietary OS. While this OS serves its purpose, it is not without limitations. For example, the way games are displayed and organized can be confusing and cumbersome, and some emulators perform better on RetroArch than on the standalone emulators included with the OS.
Seeking a more user-friendly interface, I turned to Batocera, an open-source project maintained by the community. Batocera provides a more intuitive and visually appealing user interface.
For those interested in using Batocera on your Anbernic 35xxH, there is a repository where you can download the Batocera image, called Batocera Lite Beta for RG35XX Plus and RG35XX H.
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