Anbernic RG557 Review: We Waited for This?

It’s a really weird world right now. The US market is having its own issues, and Anbernic just went 4 plus months without releasing a handheld. But now Anbernic has decided this is the exact time to come out with a new device for their market, and they figure it’s time to go pricey and powerful. The Anbernic RG557 has hit the scene as a refresh to everyone’s favorite ergonomic piece, the RG556 from last year, but the question is now. Is this thing worth the $250 asking price? 

Well, that’s not the question this time. At least to me. Is the Anbernic RG557 worth it when compared to the competition? If you’re spending in the mid to upper-end range on Android handhelds. Should you buy this one? Well, join in as we dive into the RG557 review.

Anbernic RG557 Specs

When it comes to specs, you’re getting a good bit here. Rather than just attempting to explain everything, you can find the information here. Just know, raw power isn’t quite everything with this handheld.

Anbernic RG557

Ergonomics and Screen

Screen 

We’re going to start with what I’d say are the biggest upsides of the RG557. The screen is a 1080p 5.48” AMOLED display, and this is likely the same one in the RG556, as well as a similar panel to handhelds like the Ayaneo Pocket Air.

While on video, this handheld does flicker quite a bit, in person, the colors and vibrancy of the panel remind me of why I like going back for OLED. Unfortunately, however, for Anbernic, a lot of makers are using AMOLED panels. From the Retroid Pocket Flip 2 to the AYN Odin 2 Portal, the competition has caught up and even surpassed it in some regards. 

Ergo

While others may also use OLED panels, the one thing many people comment on with those handhelds is the ergonomics. And the 557, by comparison, beats those out comfort-wise. The RG557 plays host to some nice thick bump-outs in the back that would make The Retro Tech Dad happy, and for me, make the 557 one of the more comfortable devices I’ve held this year, allowing my hands to land nicely on the controls. 

While ergonomically amazing, the quality of the plastic does bring it down. The slick, clear plastic of my transparent purple unit is what I would most associate with the plastic of the Aolion K10 controller. A controller that costs $30. If your $250 Android handheld feels as slick and plasticy as a $30 controller, you might have chosen the wrong plastic. 

Geeze, it feels weird to blame someone other than AYANEO for bad plastics.

Controls

The Good

Getting into controls, we’ll start with what I like first. The triggers of the RG557 have a nice tension and move well when pressed in-game. Alongside that, the shoulder buttons, despite their loud clickiness do also feature a fairly pleasant tension which makes using them a breeze, and I’d consider them a net positive. 

The next thing I like is actually just the face buttons. They’re very familiar, featuring the glossy cover of Anbernics from last year, and for the most part, feel the same, too. The only difference really seems to be that they’re slightly stiffer than their predecessors. 

The Bad

Now it’s time for the stuff I don’t like, and that’s two different things. The first of which is the D-pad. While it has a similar pivot to other Anbernic handhelds, the material of the D-pad is too slick for quick movement. Alongside that is something that may only affect me but is still worth mentioning: there’s a slight grinding sound on the D-pad the more I use it, though it has gone down since it arrived. 

The sticks, on the other hand. They move fine. They’re, as the big A calls them, “Anti-Magnetic Interference Capacitive Joysticks,” and they have really lovely RGB. The movement is what I’d like out of a stick, but they’re too small for a device this big with this much power. The switch sticks of the 556 had poor movement but fine size, and Anbernic has decided to go the opposite way this time. They’re manageable, but not good. Hopefully, they choose something different next time around. OR they can go back to the sticks from the 406H and V.

Software

On the front of it, the software of the RG557 seems to be pretty straightforward, a clean-looking build of Android 14 with a whole lot of emulators pre-loaded onto the device for better or for worse. You can even swipe down and find options for forcing landscape, RGB control, fan control, keymappers, and even a performance toggle! Sounds like it’s got everything and Google Play Services to boot, right? Right?

Well, everyone’s good (and not shady buddy) Zu has been doing some research, and at this point, I can only confirm what everyone in the RH discord has been shouting for a couple of weeks now. The actual build of the device seems to be, simply put, bad.

We’ve found the High Performance mode toggle isn’t really doing anything, there are runnable scripts in the Discord that can boost performance by around 10%, and worst of all, they preinstalled NES.emu. Who even wants to use that? 

On the software front, things are a pretty face that are half-baked in the background. The 557 software is essentially a chicken that looks crisp on the outside and full of salmonella on the inside. Maybe not that severe, but the point stands!

Performance

When it comes to performance, the 557 is definitely choosing brute force over compatibility.

Starting out, the RG557 obviously covers everything prior to the year 2000 with ease. As long as it’s something people actually want to play.  Getting into GameCube and PS2, you’re going to find that things generally run well at a 2x scale.

A lot of the games I enjoy playing fall towards the lower end of GC and PS2, but even games like the Burnout franchise end up running pretty well. It’d just become a better experience with slightly larger sticks. Especially for racing games.

Once you start touching on the higher-end emulation, including Wii U and Switch, you start to run into issues with the Mali GPUs. You can brute force your way through some games, but that won’t stop blank screens, poor performance, and dropped resolutions.

If you’re looking for these systems specifically, I’d recommend looking towards handhelds with Snapdragon processors. Unless there are some custom drivers for Mali, this isn’t quite the move for that.

Alternate Use Cases for the Anbernic RG557

Now, if you’re looking past emulation, the 557 does really well for me in game streaming. Having a nice 5.5” AMOLED display for PC gaming does wonders. While again, I’d wish the sticks would be larger, the performance over Artemis/Apollo is nothing to sneeze at.

On the other end of the foot, if you’re going for native gameplay, Android games run pretty dang well too. Games like Grid AutoSport and Dredge are enjoyable experiences. And the sticks show their potential with how well they move and roll around in games like Halls of Torment and Vampire Survivor. They do well, but could be even better.

Final Thoughts

The 557 has a lot of potential, but at the moment, there are a few things that just hold it back from greatness. The small sticks and lackluster driver support are the biggest ones to me. But the proposition of placement in the marketplace is the other hurdle for it to overcome.

Right now, the 557 is sandwiched by OLED handhelds with Snapdragon processors on either side. The Retroid Pocket 5 and Flip 2 are just a little bit cheaper, with less power, but feature Linux support and Snapdragon drivers. On the other hand, AYN has the Odin 2 starting at $299 or less, with coupons giving you way more power and the same advantages of the Pocket 5 processor. 

If you’re looking for the most comfortable-to-hold handheld and you don’t care about anything else, this is absolutely the one to grab, as ergonomically, it’s nearly perfect. But in the current market, there are a lot of good handhelds that are simply worth it to pick up.

The RG557 is an incomplete rehash of the RG556, and while I feel it’s a bit undercooked, it’s a handheld that doesn’t leave me over- or underwhelmed by what it is. Simply whelmed.

Anbernic RG557

What did you think of this article? Let us know in the comments below, and chat with us in our Discord!

This page may contain affiliate links, by purchasing something through a link, Retro Handhelds may earn a small commission on the sale at no additional cost to you.