Anbernic's sliding screen handheld might be too chunky and heavy for your pockets
The RG Slide will be priced at $189 and is expected to go on sale starting on June 20th, 2025, according to RetroDodo. It's powered by an octa-core Unisoc Tiger T820 CPU, which is a processor Anbernic already uses in its higher-end handhelds like the RG Cube that can emulate most games from the PS2 and Nintendo GameCube era. That's paired with 8GB of RAM, 128GB of storage, a microSD card slot, and a 5,000mAh rechargeable battery that's estimated to power the console for up to six hours between charges.
Retro Dodo liked the RG Slide's 4.7-inch, 1280 x 960 pixel resolution screen and found it makes 'retro consoles such as GameCube, Dreamcast, and PS2 look slightly more vivid in comparison to previous Anberic products.' It also found the console's sliding mechanism to be satisfyingly solid, but lamented the loud 'clack' it makes when opening or closing the device.
The console's controls are as good as what's found on other Anbernic devices and seem reasonably comfortable and well-balanced, but not quite as ergonomic as other handhelds.
Both Retro Dodo and Russ Crandall, who runs Retro Game Corps, feel that Anbernic missed the mark when it comes to the RG Slide's size, which feels too large and thick to be comfortably pocketable. It also weighs 380 grams, which is just shy of the original Nintendo Switch that weighed 390 grams and much heavier than the 158-gram PSP Go.
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USA Today
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Android Authority
02-08-2025
- Android Authority
This 4:3 device made me rethink what I actually want from a gaming handheld
ANBERNIC RG 477M The RG 477M has the perfect screen with the enough power to take any retro game to the next level. It's pricey, but it's worth it to make classic games really shine. When I first got into modern emulation handhelds, I always went for horizontal models with a widescreen aspect ratio. Maybe it was just what I came to expect after being conditioned by the PSP and Nintendo Switch, but the squat screens found on most ANBERNIC devices just didn't appeal to me. That was, until I reviewed the ANBERNIC RG Slide. That little 4:3 120hz display absolutely blew me away, and although ultimately I was slightly disappointed by the weaker chipset, I knew it was only a matter of time until the company paired it with a little more power. Fast forward to last week, when I finally got to test the RG 477M. This little metal handheld has exactly what it takes not just to play my favorite retro games, but to make them look better than ever. 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It allows for pixel-perfect 4x upscaling for the PlayStation and Nintendo 64 with no black bars. Older NES and Genesis games are also pixel-perfect at 4x, although there are small black bars. The 4:3 120Hz screen is the RG 477M's secret sauce. In fact, every retro home console looks incredible on this screen. It's not as ideal for handheld systems like the Game Boy, Game Boy Advance, or PSP, but it's still more than servicable. PSP is the only console I wouldn't play on this because of the large black bars, but there are plenty of 16:9 handhelds to choose from if that's what you're after. And most of them are cheaper than the RG 477M. Nick Fernandez / Android Authority Then there's the fact that it's 120Hz. At first it might seem like this is useless for retro games, since none of them ran above 30 or 60 fps back in the day. However, it enables a unique feature called black frame insertion. 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In any case, the crazy loud shoulder buttons already disqualify this for playing in bed next to your spouse. The Dimensity 8300 chipset is powerful, but somewhat unstable. In terms of emulation performance, everything I tested was excellent. It was able to upscale everything up to and including PS2 games without breaking a sweat. I wouldn't recommend this handheld for anything above that, especially Nintendo Switch emulation. The chipset might be powerful enough, but the drivers just aren't there. PC emulation is a similar story, although there may be light on the horizon. The team behind GameHub is working on improving drivers for Mali GPUs, although it's still too early to see significant results. Hopefully in the next few months MediaTek and even Tensor SoCs see significantly better driver support, but it's worth keeping an eye on. Nick Fernandez / Android Authority As for Android games, the RG 477M ran everything I tested with ease. 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The RG Slide ($189.99 at Manufacturer site) is one, and although it doesn't have enough power to truly take advantage of this screen, it does have a cool sliding mechanism that feels incredible to use. Retro games just feel cozier with this screen and my favorite CRT filters. ANBERNIC has plenty of other 4:3 consoles, like the RG 406H. That one doesn't have the power or the refresh rate of the RG 477M, but it's much cheaper. It also drops the metal build for a plastic one. Personally, I hope ANBERNIC releases a plastic version of the RG 477M later this year at a slightly lower price. The metal build is the only thing I would be willing to give up in order to hit a lower pricepoint. But the truth is that the RG 477M is currently in a class of its own. After just one week, I find myself turning to this device to emulate retro home consoles rather than much more expensive (and more powerful) widescreen devices. Flipping on my favorite CRT shaders and playing without black bars makes it feel extremely cozy, like I'm playing on the original hardware. If that's what you're after, it's worth the premium. There is a bit of good news if you act quick. The RG 477M just went on sale today, and for the first 72 hours both models are discounted by $20. The cheaper model's 8GB of RAM is more than enough for what I used this for, and at $219.99, it's a much easier sell. ANBERNIC handhelds typically get steep discounts later in their lifecycles, but I doubt you'll be able to beat that price for another six months or more. ANBERNIC RG 477M ANBERNIC RG 477M Great performance • Incredible screen • Premium metal build MSRP: $239.99 A powerful handheld with a retro aspect ratio The RG 477M is a powerful handheld with a premium metal build and the perfect retro screen. See price at Manufacturer site Follow
Android Authority
28-07-2025
- Android Authority
Miss the Xperia Play? A new Android gaming phone is coming, and it slides like it's 2011
Nick Fernandez / Android Authority TL;DR AYANEO announced it's making a gaming phone with a physical sliding design, similar to the Xperia Play. The phone was teased during a livestream, but no specs, images, or release date were revealed. The move follows the expiration of the sliding phone patent and comes amid several other AYANEO hardware announcements. AYANEO is branching out in an exciting way. At the end of a four-hour livestream packed with announcements, the company revealed it's working on its first smartphone, which will have a physical slider in a similar concept to the old Xperia Play. There's no release date, no specs, and no images of the actual device yet, but AYANEO teased the gaming phone concept with a few slides and slogans like 'you'll feel the difference' and 'the magic lies in the slide.' The announcement came in a segment called 'One more thing III,' which pretty much tells you how packed the event already was. AYANEO The company didn't show anything beyond a silhouette, but the implication is that this will be a gaming phone with physical controls that slide out — something we've been waiting to see since the Xperia Play or, more recently, the ANBERNIC RG Slide. That device launched soon after the patent for sliding phones expired, and AYANEO now seems to be following suit. AYANEO has been busy lately. Earlier in the same livestream, it showed off the dual-screen Pocket DS Android handheld, as well as a Game Boy-style vertical console and a new budget sub-brand called KONKR. The new phone feels part of a broader push into different form factors. It's not a huge leap, considering AYANEO already makes high-end Android handhelds. For now, there's not much to go on besides that it exists and is in development. But if the final product delivers, it could be a big deal for mobile gamers. We'll watch for more details as they arrive, and it's worth keeping an eye out for a blog post about the livestream on the company's news center. Follow
