Anbernic RG Slide Impressions
A bit late to the party, but I finally got my hands on the Anbernic RG Slide. It’s the company’s first retro handheld with a sliding mechanism, and one that’s made me truly excited after a series of underwhelming Anbernic devices that featured similar specs in different form factors. After having spent some time with this retro handheld, I’ll share some initial impressions in this article.
The Anbernic RG Slide retails for $165 via the official Anbernic RG Slide product page, and even comes with a tempered screen protector. There’s also a hard carry case with an inner mesh pocket but I find it to be too snug of a fit.
This handheld is clearly inspired by the Xperia Play (aka the best and, so far, only proper gaming smartphone) with a similar slide-out mechanism and button layout, but with an updated Android OS. It’s no coincidence that Anbernic launched this handheld shortly after the Xperia Play’s patent lapsed.
However, it might not be initially clear how much bigger and thicker the RG Slide is compared to its reference device. The Xperia Play was about 16mm thick, while the RG Slide is a chonky beast at 2.6cm. This got me to appreciate further how much ahead of its time the Xperia Play was.
That said, this design choice is likely a decision from Anbernic to not compromise on the physical controls and overall experience. Indeed, the RG Slide’s thickness enables it to house decent controls and battery, while enabling you to have a nice grip around the device. There’s a pair of proper analogue sticks - not sliders or touch controls like the Xperia Play -, and membrane-based D-pad and A/B/X/Y buttons with the expected satisfying feel of Anbernic devices.
I did wish the shoulder buttons were stacked instead of being in-line, but the device’s size makes the current ones easily accessible and not having sticking shoulder buttons makes the device more pocketable.
In any case, the sliding mechanism alone makes this one of the most fun user experience I’ve had with a retro handheld in recent years. It feels satisfying and the ability to hide the controller while navigating on the touch screen is a welcome bonus for browsing or watching videos on the device, or just to protect the controls.
Of course, you shouldn’t get a handheld for its looks alone. The RG Slide packs a Unisoc T820 processor which is fairly decent for retro emulation. You can expect to play older systems as well as casual Android games without trouble on this handheld. Its 4.7-inch display, with a 4:3 aspect ratio makes it well suited to experience most retro consoles. The display, which supports a maximum refresh rate of 120Hz, is actually very pleasant, delivering crisp and fluid visuals. I am also fond of the front-facing speakers which is not as common on such devices and I find that they offer a more immersive experience.
You can expect to play Dreamcast games such as Crazy Taxi 2 and Dead or Alive 2 at a stable 60fps. Gamecube games Twilight Princess and Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes are playable at 30fps and 60 fps, respectively, with resolution at 2x.
The RG Slide can also emulate PS2 games but you will have to temper your expectations. Some games like Final Fantasy XII run stably at 30fps when scaled to 2x resolution. But this is not the case with other titles like Shadow of the Colossus or Dragon Quest IX that are only really playable at 1x resolution but even then there are occasional performance drops in.
I did try some Switch games but these are mostly bonuses and nice surprises. Cult of the Lamb would run at 20-25fps, while Cuphead would run at a variable 30-50fps which isn’t ideal considering the fast-paced nature of the game.
My time with the Anbernic RG Slide has been a positive one. It’s not the most powerful retro handheld out there but it is capable of decent emulation, including some PS2 games at 2x resolution which is a welcome surprise. The main draw to this device is, of course, its sliding mechanism and if this form factor and its performance are what you are looking for, then it’s worth considering this handheld as your next retro companion. But the real question is: can Anbernic make an actual Android phone with this form factor next?
