Anbernic’s RG 55G1 Brings Switch Lite Charm and Fresh Power to Retro Handhelds

Anbernic designers shaped the RG 55G1 around a 5.5-inch display covered by a single sheet of 2.5D glass. The glass curves at the edges to blend smoothly into the plastic body, creating a more finished look than a flat panel would allow. Anbernic will offer the handheld in Indigo, a vibrant purple tone, Retro Gray with multicolored ABXY buttons, and plain Black. Each version keeps the same layout and materials, so buyers can choose based on style rather than function.

The control layout gets the most attention in the first wave of coverage, and for good reason, because those 3D Hall Effect thumbsticks are far superior to the Switch Lite’s offset (analog) design. Two sticks, one on each side of the console, are nicely positioned and balanced, which is how many of us choose to play for longer periods or games that require both sticks to work. Each one has a ring of RGB illumination that gently pulses as you play. The Hall Effect sensors on the shoulder triggers are the latest and finest, so they should remain consistent and not wear down over time like older designs do. The ABXY buttons are, of course, identical to those found on a Switch, and they’ve used double shot molding to ensure that the labels stay on even after you’ve put the thing through its paces.

Up front, you’ll find some decent speakers, specifically dual front-facing ones, as well as an inbuilt fan to keep things from overheating during long gaming sessions. The connecting choices include a USB-C port at the bottom, a 3.5 mm headphone socket for plugging in headphones, and a microSD card slot for additional storage. Anbernic hasn’t revealed much about the internals, but it appears that the teal, the Qualcomm Snapdragon, is the likely contender, which would be a break from the typical suspects (MediaTek, Rockchip, etc.). A Snapdragon may be just what the doctor needed to run select PlayStation 2 games or some of the lighter Switch titles on a 5.5-inch screen *The final specs of the device (Qualcomm processor model, RAM and storage data, etc.) are still a mystery, so for now, we can only guess.

It’s all operating on Android, so those of you who enjoy customizing can jump right into custom firmware and other community customizations. Details on the entire specification, pricing, and when we can get our hands on it are yet unknown, but given Anbernic’s customary approach, expect a preorder to appear shortly. As it stands, the RG 55G1 provides a solid option for retro fans, in the sense that it looks and feels similar to a Switch Lite but has a lot more power under the hood. For anyone who appreciates a strong build and wants to see where Anbernic goes next with all of this, this is one to keep an eye on.