Anbernic handhelds compared: all 13 models mapped

Anbernic sells thirteen handhelds in our catalogue: nine Linux models on the H700 chip, two Rockchip models with Android, and two Unisoc Android models at the top. Choose by screen size, shape and operating system. Every figure is Anbernic's own (how we research); we have not tested any of these devices.

Every Anbernic model at a glance

The table lists the stated figures for all thirteen models, grouped by chip family and ordered from the smallest screen to the largest within each group. Prices are what the maker's store showed on 14 October 2026 and no currency is named on the page, so we show them as written and do not convert them. UK prices are not checked yet. Where Anbernic shows a sale price next to a higher regular price, the figure below is the sale price.

Two cautions on reading the table. First, Anbernic names emulator counts but not the systems, so the table cannot tell you which consoles a model handles well; the maker does not say. Second, battery hours are the maker's own figures, not independent measurements. For background on reading these numbers see battery life explained.

How is the Anbernic range organised?

The H700 Linux family

Nine models share the same stated chip: the H700, a quad-core ARM Cortex-A53 at 1.5GHz, paired with 1GB of RAM and a dual-core G31 graphics unit (all nine pages name it). All run "Linux 64-bit", all list dual card slots, and eight of the nine list 802.11ac Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.2. The RG28XX is the exception on wireless: its page states neither Wi-Fi nor Bluetooth. Because the core hardware is the same, what you are really choosing in this family is the body: size, screen shape, controls and battery.

Within the family, the bodies differ in the ways the maker pages state:

• Smallest screen: the RG28XX (2.83 inch screen, 125 g, no analog stick listed).
• Clamshell: the RG35XX SP and RG34XXSP. The SP page lists a magnetic lid and Hall switch; the RG34XXSP page says its Hall magnetic switch sleeps the device when the lid is closed.
• 720 x 480 screen: the RG34XX and RG34XXSP list 720 x 480 on a 3.4 inch panel; the other 3.5 and 4 inch models list 640 x 480.
• RGB joystick lighting: the RG CubeXX, RG40XX H and RG40XX V list 16 million colour lighting.
• Square screen: the RG CubeXX, a 3.95 inch 1:1 panel at 720 x 720.

The Rockchip models with Android

The RG353V uses an RK3566 with 2GB of LPDDR4 RAM and lists a dual boot of Android 11 and Linux. It lists a multi-touch screen. The maker lists the RG353V and RG353VS on one page; the VS has 1GB of RAM, no eMMC and no touch screen, so we use only the V figures. The RG DS is the dual-screen model: an RK3568, two 4 inch touch screens at 640 x 480, and a stylus in the box. Anbernic lists "Android 14/Linux 64-bit" without saying how the two are chosen.

The Unisoc Android models

The RG405M lists a Unisoc Tiger T618, 4GB of LPDDR4X, 128GB of eMMC storage and a CNC-machined aluminium alloy body. The RG556 sits above it with a Unisoc T820, 8GB, a 5.48 inch AMOLED at 1080 x 1920 and a fan with a heat pipe. Anbernic does not say which systems either one runs well, so treat performance questions as open.

Which Anbernic is smallest, and which has the biggest screen?

The RG28XX has the smallest screen (2.83 inches) and the lowest stated weight (125 g), at 12.5 x 5.65 x 1.65 cm. By length times width it is about 70.6 cm2, and only the RG34XXSP is smaller: it lists 8.3 x 8.2 x 2.5 cm and 178 g, about 68.1 cm2. The RG35XX SP lists 8.9 x 8.5 x 2.7 cm and 192 g, about 75.7 cm2, which is larger. Another Anbernic page gives the SP's length and width the other way round.

The biggest screen is the RG556 at 5.48 inches, then the RG DS (two 4 inch screens), RG405M, RG40XX H and V at 4 inches, and the CubeXX at 3.95. Screen shape matters as much as size: a 640 x 480 panel is 4:3, which suits games made for squarer screens, and the RG CubeXX's 720 x 720 panel is square. That is reasoning from the stated figures, not a promise about any particular game.

For a head-to-head between two 3.5 inch families, see our page on the RG35XX H versus RG40XX H.

Android or Linux: which should you pick?

Four Anbernic models list Android: the RG353V (alongside Linux), the RG DS (Android 14 or Linux), the RG405M (Android 12) and the RG556 (Android 13). The nine H700 models are Linux only, and the maker says so on each page. Anbernic mentions Android games on the Android models only, and those models also carry the higher RAM and chip figures and higher prices in the table. Our Android versus Linux guide explains the difference, and best Android retro handhelds compares Android devices across brands.

One note of caution on the RG405M: the maker states that installing a third-party operating system cannot be reversed and voids the warranty.

Which Anbernic suits which need?

• Lowest listed price: the RG28XX at $36.99, then the RG35XX Plus at $49.99 (sold out when checked), both on the maker's store on 14 October 2026.
• Clamshell: the RG35XX SP and RG34XXSP. See best clamshell retro handhelds and our SP versus 34XXSP page. The SP lists a stated eight hours against six for the 34XXSP.
• RGB joystick lighting: the RG CubeXX, RG40XX H or RG40XX V.
• Dual screens and touch: the RG DS, with a stylus listed in the box.
• Android and a modest price: the RG353V, or the RG405M with more RAM and a larger battery.
• Biggest screen and most stated hardware: the RG556, which you can set against Retroid hardware in RG556 versus Retroid Pocket 5.

What does the stated battery tell you?

The longest stated life is 8 hours, on the RG28XX, RG35XX Plus, RG35XX H, RG35XX SP and RG556. The RG556 states it with a 5500 mAh cell and an AMOLED screen; the H700 models state it with 3100 to 3300 mAh. The shortest stated are the 6 hour models: RG40XX H and V, RG34XXSP, RG353V and RG DS. The mAh figure alone does not rank the stated hours: the 3100 mAh RG28XX and the 5500 mAh RG556 both state 8 hours, and the 3300 mAh RG34XXSP states 6 against 8 for its 3300 mAh siblings. If a single long session matters, compare the maker hours as well as the mAh figure. These are stated claims only.

What does the range not tell us?

The maker does not name supported systems on any of these pages, only emulator counts, so we cannot tell you which ones handle which consoles. Anbernic prices on its store are in an unnamed currency, and UK availability is not stated on the pages. Choosing a microSD card matters on all of them, so read our microSD guide, and for a shorter route through the same questions try how to choose a retro handheld. For other brands see the full catalogue and our editorial policy.

Related guides

• Anbernic RG35XX H vs RG40XX H: which size to pick
• Anbernic RG35XX SP vs RG34XXSP: screen shape and battery
• Analogue Pocket vs Anbernic RG35XX SP: FPGA or emulation?