Gaming handhelds are gaining considerable attraction due to their portability, and the market is abuzz with numerous options. There’s now keen interest in retro-styled arcade gaming handhelds that can have a form factor oriented towards a pocket-friendly approach. Take, for example, the Anbernic RG35XXSP Anbernic RG Slide AYANEO Pocket DS or AYN Thor, which bring the nostalgic experience of classic handhelds. The price they demand, though, is not for everyone, especially someone looking for an affordable option that checks most of the boxes.
If you’ve been closely following the modern-day gaming handheld evolution, the dual-screen consoles are rising in popularity. The Pocket DS is a very good example, but the starting price of $400 is a bit of a deal breaker. Anbernic aims to fill the gap in the lower segment of the market with an affordable dual-screen pocket handheld, similar to the recently teased RG DS handheld, which will cost less than $100. This dual-screen handheld is designed to emulate games from retro devices that have a similar form factor. For instance, the Nintendo DS originally cost $150 when released, and to have a handheld that can play most of the titles we all love is a massive win for Anbernic, who are known for making affordable handhelds.
Designer: Anbernic
This is not the first time we’ve seen this officially teased handheld in the cloud. Last month, there were leaked device images that were speculated to be AI-generated, but to see this as a real device coming shortly is an exciting development. At that time, the leak sparked a lot of conversation, and after this official teaser, a Reddit user tried to estimate the dimensions of the device from the video, with USB-C being the point of reference for the size guessing. There are no official specs of the gadget yet, but from the visuals, some things are apparent. It will have a MicroSD card slot for memory expansion, two USB-C ports for charging and data transfer. The 3.5mm headphone jack on the front, dual analog sticks, 4 shoulder buttons, and stereo speakers are not surprising.
Nintendo DS titles should be a given on the Anbernic RG DS, given its 4:3 aspect ratio display and centrally positioned microphone. The handheld will come in 4 color options, including black, white, blue, and a semi-transparent housing. The lower price point clearly thwarts any expectations of a powerful SoC inside, but it should be good enough for most classic Nintendo DS titles. For those who don’t mind paying a premium, other solid options are the way to go. Still, it is good to have something for casual gamers who like to have some fun on their daily commute.
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