Recently, Anbernic released a survey for their upcoming device, the RG556, to ask some opinions on its newest device. But it seems Anbernic has solidified some of its decisions, and their next handheld will be available for pre-order soon!
According to the store listing on AliExpress, the RG556 will be available to pre-order starting February 5th at 2am PT. This is expected to run until March 5th, and if you pre-order, you will get $10 off the MSRP price of the device! On top of that, we also have some details on the device itself, including the use of an AMOLED panel, which I am very excited about!
The Anbernic RG556 will be utilizing a Unisoc T820 APU made on a 6nm process. It also has a Quad Core Mali G57 GPU running at 850MHz. It will also contain 8gb of LPDDR4X RAM. Anbernic advertises it is able to play up to Wii and PS2 games on console, as well as 3DS and PSP on handheld, and I could see this being capable, but it does have some limitations. For the price point, I would consider this decent, but if you can part with $100 more, getting an AYN Odin 2 with a SnapDragon 8 Gen 2 APU is very tempting.
One of the most exciting features of the RG556, for me, is the screen. The Android handheld will be using a 5.5-inch AMOLED screen, giving us the beautiful and vibrant colors that only OLED can give. It will also have a native 1920×1080 resolution, so a lot of emulated games will look crystal clear. It will also feature a 5500mAh battery, which is a solid size for a handheld like this.
The RG556 will be running a full-fledged version of Android 13! This means you will not only be able to play and run emulated titles, but you will also be able to install other applications from the Google Play store!
A majority of Anbernic’s handhelds are flush vertical or horizontal devices, reminiscent of the Game Boy Advance and SP. Instead of opting for a similar design, the new device will be taking a more traditional form with full handles and triggers on the back. It’s awesome seeing them branch out like this and gives us a taste of a true handheld that could stack up to competitors like AYN and Retroid.
The device has hall joysticks and triggers, a vibration and gyroscope monitor, and a MicroSD, USB-C, and 3.5mm audio jack port. It also supports a 5g network and WiFi projection to play directly on the TV.
Finally, we have the models. There are three models of the RG556 that can come with or without a bag. You can get the device by itself without any MicroSD card, or coming with a 128gb or 256gb MicroSD card that is pre-loaded with games. The price says it will range from $174.99 to $219.99 according to the listing, but since it is a pre-order, it doesn’t have the specific prices for each model.
There are two different color options you can get as well. There is a full black and a transparent blue model. Each will come with tempered film, the cleaning paper, a manual, and a charging cable.
And that’s all the information that’s there! It is pretty intriguing to see a bit about the upcoming device and I am quite pumped to see that OLED goodness in action!
You should be able to pre-order the RG556 on AliExpress starting February 5th at 2am PT, and hopefully, you will be able to on Anbernic’s website.
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