If you’ve been following handhelds for long enough, you’d know that for the longest time, 480p 3.5” handhelds were not only the norm, but the dominating form factor in the space. So when Powkiddy came out of left field with a 4” 1:1 720p handheld in the RGB30 I was hooked. It was a lovely screen that scaled some systems up even larger, but left your 4:3 content alone at that original 3.5”-ish size.
Jump forward to 2024, and two companies have answered the requests for a more powerful RGB30. ZPG with its A1 Unicorn, as well as Anbernic with the RG Cube. Both devices have their strengths, and both handhelds have their weaknesses. But with the price difference between them, you have to ask “Which one should I buy”. And I have to answer “Well, maybe read this article and see if it helps you decide.” So join in as I dig into these two devices and see if one of these can be the 1:1 one for you.
And just for reference, the Anbernic RG Cube was sent over by Anbernic, and the A1 Unicorn was sent over by RetroCN. But all of my (likely poor) opinions are just my own.
Specs
When it comes to specs, as always, it’s time to make this easier for you and put them in a nice list for you below:
Anbernic RG Cube
- Display: 4-Inches
- Resolution: 720×720
- Processor: Unisoc T820
- GPU: Mali-G57 MP4
- Ram: 8GB
- Storage: 128GB w/ MicroSD Card Slot
- Battery: 5200mAh
- Software: Android 13
- Connectivity: Wi-fi/Bluetooth 5.0, 3.5mm Headphone Jack, USB-C w/ Displayport
- Weight: 260g
- Colors: Beige White, Radiant Purple, Gray, Black
ZPG A1 Unicorn
- Display: 4-Inches
- Resolution: 720×720
- Processor: Mediatek Helio G99
- GPU: Mali-G57 MC2
- Ram: 6GB
- Storage: 128GB w/ MicroSD Card Slot
- Battery: 4500mAh
- Software: Android 13
- Connectivity: Wi-fi/Bluetooth 5.0, 3.5mm Headphone Jack, USB-C
- Weight: 252g
- Colors: Beige White, Pink, Black
Just by looking at the specs, you can tell these are two very similar devices. Same size screen, similar RAM, similar-sized battery, same storage. Both of these even run Android 13. The big differences come down to the processors, both of which we have seen before. The T820 has also been in the Anbernic RG556, and the G99 has been in the KTR1 and upcoming Ayaneo Pocket Micro. So neither of these devices are true first look, but the specs alone shouldn’t settle your choice right away.
Ergonomics and Screen
First let’s get this out of the way, the screen on these two feels basically identical. 4”, 720p, 1:1 aspect ratio. Both get nice and bright for my needs and they look like good screens because now they are. The initial batches of RG Cubes did have light bleeding, but from the sounds of it, that has been generally fixed.
Ergonomics on the other hand are another story. The A1 Unicorn stands out as being a fairly slick device, and while comfortable, the grips on the back are small enough that I have a hard time even considering them as “there”, it definitely feels more like a flat back handheld akin to an RP2S or the RGB30. The Cube on the other hand comes out on top with nice chunkier grips that let my hands just wrap around them comfortably. The texture has just a little bit more grip without feeling overbearing and it’s simply a win in terms of comfort for me.
The point here would definitely go to the RG Cube for ergonomics.
Controls
Next up on the menu are controls, and depending on what you’re looking for this could be the make or break for you specifically. In my RG Cube review, I said how much I’m starting to dislike the Switch sticks in handhelds, and the A1 Unicorn doesn’t get a pass either. Both use these styled sticks, and if you like it that’s good news! But in my opinion, we need to start moving away from these sticks.
D-Pad, I know I said I had no qualms with the Cube D-Pad, but in comparison to the A1 Unicorn, it feels rougher and stiffer. Not bad, but the A1 has absolutely got the better D-Pad. It’s light responsive, and unlike the other buttons, it isn’t clicky. Which, speaking of buttons; do you want classic membrane stiffness or light clicky actuation? That’s the Cube and A1 in that order. Personally, I’ll take the Cube’s membranes as they’re familiar versus how light and easy to press the A1 buttons are.
The shoulder buttons on the other hand simply feel like a Cube win. While Inline vs Stacked is all personal preference, the inconsistency in shoulder buttons is what gives up the A1 for me. L1 and R1 press fine, albeit with an oddly large amount of pretravel. The L2 and R2 on the other hand have different feeling actuations and the R2 is quite a bit louder overall. Usable, but I wouldn’t want to use it much.
Depending on your needs, the point could go either way.
Software
For the most part, these two come out as equals pretty well, fan controls, performance settings, and even Xbox or Nintendo format button options. The issue for me at least comes down to the Google Play Store. For the Cube? It’s all ready to go, just log in and start downloading the games that I wanted. The A1 Unicorn on the other hand is currently having issues being registered with Google Play Services. Stubbs has this issue as well, but I don’t know if that is going to be fixed in the rest of the newer units that come out in these new colors.
I was able to register it myself, and it took an extra day to take effect, but as of writing this, it is still working fine. Just be wary of that if you choose to get this one yourself.
Performance
As mentioned earlier, both of these devices have chips that have been talked about multiple times in the past. The Unisoc T820 is a machine that could definitely cover your bases for up to PS2 and Gamecube with videos on this chip having already been covered in Stubb’s PS2 showcase on the 556 or Zu’s review of the 556 as well. Switch, and Vita are two systems that would also have nice starts for emulation as well, but in my opinion, 16:9 content is just not the move on a screen like this.
The G99 on the other hand is a bit of a lower performing chip. Yes, you can reach into the same systems that the T820 can. However, PS2, GameCube, and especially Switch are going to have a ceiling you’ll reach well before the Unisoc T820 would. Is it a bad chip? Absolutely not, is it as powerful or efficient as the T820? Also not. In my opinion, this lower price lends better towards pushing you into the systems that do really benefit from the 1:1 screen. SNES or NES that can be pushed towards 8:7 or just Pico-8 which holds well in 1:1. Overall though, the T820 wins in terms of performance.
Final Thoughts
If this entire comparison sounds like me dogging on the ZPG A1 Unicorn that’s because, despite the comparison, the A1 is currently $30 cheaper than the RG Cube. That would be like comparing the RP2S to any of the $70 RK3566 handhelds. It’s a similar idea but with completely different pricing demographics. At the time of writing, the Unicorn is $130 on Aliexpress, while the RG Cube is $160 if you purchase it through the Ampown store or $166 from Anbernic.
Even after the comparison, I still intend to keep using my A1 Unicorn, I do like it that much. However, if you’re someone trying to spend the $130 asking price, I almost wonder if you’ll be better off spending the extra for the Cube, or saving a lot of money and landing an RGB30. I would recommend this device to anyone who’s only planning to play lower-powered systems but wants Android. On the bright side for the A1 Unicorn, as of right now, this is the only G99-based handheld I would happily recommend. It beats similarly specced options by $40 at least.
I’m talking about you, $170 KTR1 (not currently buyable), and $190 Ayaneo Pocket Micro.
The A1 isn’t a bad handheld by any stretch of the imagination, but the RG Cube just manages to do it better. If you want to spend the extra.
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