Is it more or does it feel like, as the years go by, retro handhelds are slowly moving in the same design direction, making it harder and harder to differentiate them from competitors? No wonder we're constantly messaged by newcomers to the emulation scene that simply do not know which one does what, and who it's made by.
I say that because ANBERNIC has just announced a new retro handheld called the RG551, a Android focused retro handheld that, despite its specifications, looks very similar to the Retroid Pocket 6, and the Mangmi Air X, other competitors in the space that are doing something similar at this price range.
I am not knocking the RG551 one here, but I'd be lying if I didn't say that these mid-tier retro handhelds are all getting a little... boring. I even stated that in the Retroid Pocket 6 review, with the literal title being "A perfect, yet slightly dull retro handheld".
It's either the fact that these manufacturers have perfected the design so much that making something different isn't financially viable, or it means that the production of these over-simplified and mass-produced designs means better profits. Perhaps it's both?
My moan aside, this is ANBERNIC's latest handheld, featuring a Nintendo Switch Lite design and a 5.5" display, packed inside a simple, yet modern shell, with hall-effect joysticks, double shot buttons, which is the first time I've heard of this, but I believe that means that there's two bits of plastic on each button, one molded for the button itself, and the other molded for the text, meaning the ink will never wear off because no ink is used. An odd feature to boast about, but i'll take it?
It also boasts "2.5D" glass, again a random term for simply saying that the edges of the glass curve to the rounded plastic shell at the edges, which I'll admit is a nice touch, instead of being a flat sheet of glass across the face of the handheld. The USB-C port at the bottom is off-centre, and paired with an SD card slot and a welcome headphone jack. The triggers are the back are hall-effect triggers too.
As of now, no pricing or release date has been announced, but there will be three colours to choose from: Indigo, Retro Gray and Black. ANERERNIC also teases that this will have a "new core", indicating that it will likely use a new CPU for better performance, which will hopefully please many of us who enjoy emulating PlayStation 2 games on a 5"+ display. Only time will tell. Join our newsletter to not miss out on more information about this device.
