Anbernic is a Chinese brand based in Shenzhen that has been building handheld consoles dedicated to retro gaming since 2017. It is the most prolific manufacturer on the market: four to five new models a year, from the small clamshell under 100 euros to an Android machine with an AMOLED screen. If you are looking for your first emulation console, you are bound to come across one sooner or later. Updated in August 2026.
Behind the name is the company Shenzhen YangLiMing Electronic Technology Co., which registered the Anbernic trademark in 2017 and launched the first console in the RG line — for “Retro Game” — that same year. The pace has never let up since, with an average of four to five devices launched every year, a rapid-fire release strategy that is unique in the sector. It has ended up paying off: the press regularly names Anbernic among the benchmarks in handheld emulation, with Popular Mechanics, for instance, naming it the best handheld system for emulation in 2023. In 2026, it is the brand we recommend most often for getting started.
The naming looks obscure, but it follows a simple logic. Models whose name contains “XX” (RG35XX, RG40XX, RG34XX, RG CubeXX) run Linux on the same Allwinner H700 chip: this is the entry level, designed for 8-bit, 16-bit and 32-bit consoles up to the PlayStation. The three-digit models without XX (RG406, RG556, RG557) are considerably more powerful Android consoles, which open the door to the Dreamcast, the PSP and the N64. The number gives you an idea of the screen size: around 3.5 inches for a 35XX, 4 inches for a 40XX. Finally, the suffixes describe the format: H for horizontal, V for vertical, SP for the clamshells inspired by the Game Boy Advance SP, Cube for the square screens.
RG35XXSP (2024). The Linux clamshell that takes up the Game Boy Advance SP format: the screen is protected once it is closed, the price is contained, and everything up to the PlayStation runs comfortably. Probably the best first retro purchase.
RG40XX H and RG34XX (2024). Same H700 chip, in a 4-inch horizontal format for the first, in a Game Boy Advance format for the second. 2D and 32-bit gaming handled well, at a low price.
RG406V and RG556 (2024). The move to Android with the Unisoc T820 chip: the N64, Dreamcast and PSP become comfortable, and part of the more recent catalogues becomes playable — to be checked title by title.
RG557 (April 2025). The in-house flagship: Dimensity 8300, 5.48-inch AMOLED screen at 1080p, around 250 dollars at launch. Very much at ease with everything that predates the PS2; the PS2 itself, on the other hand, remains uneven, with titles that display badly or refuse to start.
RG Slide (2025). A bet on the sliding format, with the screen sliding up over the controls. Original, divisive, very Anbernic in spirit.
For the price, the hardware is solid: well-made screens, decent buttons, soundly built formats. The things to watch lie elsewhere. First, the software: the stock system on the Linux models is functional but dated, and the community has got into the habit of installing alternative systems that transform the experience. Then the pace: with that many releases a year, each model is quickly replaced and software support stays short; on the RG557, a performance restriction at launch had to be fixed by an update, and its sticks, considered too small, drew criticism. Finally, after-sales service: the brand mainly sells from China, with the delays that implies if something goes wrong; going through a European retailer makes life simpler. One last reminder: like every console we sell, Anbernic machines arrive without games or ROMs.
For a first purchase, a Linux model from the XX series such as the RG35XXSP or the RG40XX is more than enough: simple, inexpensive and at ease up to the PlayStation. Move up to an Android model such as the RG406V or the RG557 only if you are aiming at the Dreamcast, the PSP or the N64.
The Linux models (the XX series) start up quickly, are driven entirely with the buttons and cover consoles up to the PlayStation. The Android models cost more, emulate more recent machines and give access to other apps, at the cost of a less immediate interface.
No. Like every console sold on Fun-Esports, they arrive without games or ROMs: it is up to you to provide your own legal copies, for example from your own cartridges or from royalty-free titles.
Yes, and it is even a common reflex. On the H700-chip models, the community offers alternative systems that improve the interface and performance, and the installation is done simply on a microSD card, with no modification to the console.
You will find all the available models in our Anbernic consoles collection, a good part of which also appears in the retro consoles under 150 euros. To place each model against the competition, go through the comparison tool, and check which alternative systems are available for your console on the firmware compatibility page.