Part

Description

Shell

Clear Flame Red

The shell is not 100% clear, more like 70% transparent. It has a light matte finish with a soft touch.

The vibrancy of the red colour is astonishing, especially under bright ambient light.

Buttons

Plastic Black Button Set
Original Volume Slider

Stickers

Rear Sticker: New AGS-101 – Made in Japan – C/AGS-JPN

Front Sticker: Nintendo®

Charging Port

USB-C with Analog Audio

• Modern standard

• Audio passthrough

• Durable connector

A USB-C to 3.5mm adaptor (included) can be used for audio via the USB-C port, but it has to be an ANALOG adaptor.

The adaptors that have a DAC won't work with this mod.

No change in charging speed.

Audio Amplifier

Audio Amplifier Mod

• 2X Louder at max volume

• Audio signal filtering

• Low distortion

This amplifier module, increases the max volume of the console's speaker to almost twice that of the original.

In my experience, the original GBA SP speaker is too quiet for most environments, even at maximum volume. With this mod, the max volume is increased, and can sometimes be “too loud”. It is very nice to have that extra power, when you need it. Be aware, that some of the hissing is amplified too, but it is only obvious enough at max volume, to which, I personally rarely had to turn up.

Battery

HSABAT "2000mAh" **

Battery Type: Li-ion
Voltage Range: 3.7v – 4.35v

** Battery is not actually 2000mAh. I thought it wasn't possible and I bought three to find out. After testing the batteries, I measured that their actual capacity is between 800-900mAh. This is the capacity range of all the upgraded batteries for the GBA SP on the market, so the seller just over-sold the battery. For comparison, the original battery is only 600mAh, but the front light panel consumes significantly less power.

Test results:

• Charge time: 3h 10m
  From completely flat to completely full

• Discharge time: 3h 15m *
  At Maximum brightness (Level 15)

• Discharge time: 3h 45m
  At Half brightness (Level 7)

• Discharge time: 4h 30m
  At Minimum brightness (Level 1)

* The V5 screen at this brightness level, is many times brighter than the original panel and therefore, the increased power consumption, drops the battery voltage faster. After 3 hours of sustained gameplay, the console powers off automatically, but if turned on again and used at a lower brightness level, it can go for up to 1 more hour.

Display Brightness Cable Colour

Red

Upgraded Screen

NEW IPS V5 LCD Mod

Resolution

720×480 (9:1 Pixel ratio over the original AGS-001 240×160)

Panel

High Contrast IPS

Viewing Angles

178° Vertical / 178° Horizontal

Features

Wide colour gamut, Low reflectivity, OSD Menu, Brightness control, Pixel Effects, Colour Modes, Frame Blending (FRM), Touch controls

OSD Menu

The On-Screen-Display Menu can be used to:

• Set the brightness
  Determines how bright the screen will be.
  
  

  Minimum: 1
  Maximum: 15

• Select Colour Mode
  This effect changes the colour of the whole screen.
  
  

  1. None

  2. Black & White

  3. Light Blue

  4. Pink

  5. Yellow

  6. Red

  7. Green

  8. Blue

• Select Pixel Effects
  With this effect, the user can recreate some pixel effects that the original GBA SP screens suffered from, for an enhanced nostalgic experience.
  
  

  1. None

  2. Retro Pixel

  3. Scanline #1

  4. Scanline #2

• Enable / Disable Frame Blending (FRM)
  In some games, the developers, used a special technique for rendering transparent object, which leveraged a special property of the original panels. This trick does not work on modern IPS panels, due to the faster pixel response. As a result, some items, in some games, might appear flashing when they should be transparent. Enabling Frame blending, commands the screen driver to combine a few consecutive frames together. This eliminates the flashing side-effect. Not needed for most games.
  
  

  1. ON

  2. OFF

• Factory Reset
  Reset all settings to factory defaults
  
  

  Defaults

  1. Brightness: 7 / 15 (Medium)

  2. Colour Mode: 1 (None)

  3. Pixel Effects: 1 (None)

  4. FRM: OFF

OSD Menu Navigation

Navigation of the OSD Menu is achieved, by using the GBA SP Brightness Button.

• Open OSD Menu

  1. Press and hold the Brightness Button for 3 seconds

• Select Menu Item

  1. With the OSD Menu open, Press and hold the Brightness Button until it starts cycling through the menu items.

  2. Release the button, when the desired item is highlighted by the arrow.

• Change Setting Value

  1. With the OSD Menu open and with the setting to be changed highlighted, Click the Brightness Button to cycle through the value options of the setting or to perform a Factory Reset.

• Close OSD Menu

  1. With the OSD Menu open, wait 10 seconds without pressing or holding the Brightness Button.

• Change Brightness

  1. With the OSD Menu closed, Click the Brightness Button to cycle through the 15 Brightness Levels.

Touch Controls

There are 2 capacitive touch sensors, on the bottom side of the IPS. One is for cycling through the 8 Colour Modes and the other is for cycling through the 15 brightness levels and the 4 Pixel Effects.

The touch controls are disabled, when the OSD Menu is open.

1. Colour Mode Touch Control
   Located at the exact middle of the bottom part of screen. It is the most sensitive on the shell outline, right below the “AD” of the GAME BOY ADVANCE SP logo.

   • Long touch the control to change Colour Mode

2. Brightness Level Touch Control
   Located at the left side of the bottom part of the screen. It is the most sensitive on the shell outline, right below and after the end of the GAME BOY ADVANCE SP logo.

   • Short touch the control to change Brightness Level

   • Long touch the control to change Pixel Effect

In my experience, the controls are not very consistent and require precision in order to get a consistent input but once learned, they are easy to use.

Comments

The screen at Maximum brightness is extremely bright. This IPS V5 model is the second brightest out of all the other LCD upgrades for the GBA SP on the market, after the IPS V2 (a big battery life sacrifice). It has very good colour accuracy and vibrancy too. Very comfortable and visible, even in bright outdoor environments. The most enjoyable levels for indoor gaming, are between 6 and 9.