Anbernic RG Slide Review: A Weighty Proposition

Retro handhelds are a fickle thing. One day, it’s just a matter of picking your favorite vertical or horizontal device to play those retro classics. Then, clamshells swoop in and punch us right in the nostalgia bone. Now, the Anbernic RG Slide is here, giving us yet another form factor to consider, and one that is truly unique.

The RG Slide is clearly meant to appeal to those infatuated with the PSP Go, the T-Mobile Sidekick, and, of course, the Sony Xperia Play. But see, I don’t fall in that demographic as I never owned any of those three devices. The only sliding device that I ever had was the T-Mobile G2, and for as much as I loved that phone, the sliding mechanism just wasn’t built to withstand daily use.

So while I might not be Anbernic’s key target with the RG Slide on the surface, I am a techie, after all, and I LOVE messing around with different devices of all shapes and sizes. After spending some time using the RG Slide, I feel pretty confident in my overall opinion, so without further ado, let’s dive in.

Anbernic RG Slide Specs and Pricing

The Anbernic RG Slide is available now, with a retail price of $189.99. If you pre-order within the first 72 hours, you’ll save $10, knocking that down to $179.99 before it goes back up again. You can order the RG Slide for yourself from either Anbernic directly or AliExpress.

Display: 4.7-inch LTPS, 1280 x 960, 120Hz
Processor: Unisoc T820
GPU: Mali-G57
RAM: 8GB LPDDR4X
Storage: 128GB UFS 2.2 + microSD Card (Up to 2TB)
Battery: 5,000mAh (~6 hours)
Extras: Active Cooling, Six-axis Gyro, 1080p Display Out via USB-C, 3.5mm Audio Jack
Connectivity: Wi-Fi / Bluetooth 5.0
OS: Android 13
Colors: Black, White
Dimensions: 154 x 90 x 26mm
Weight: 379g

Anbernic RG Slide (Direct) Anbernic RG Slide (AliExpress) Anbernic RG Slide (AliExpress – alternative link)

Anbernic RG Slide: Chonk

This is one beefy handheld. Even as someone who uses foldable phones daily, the RG Slide is comically larger than basically everything I’ve compared it to. The only exceptions are my RTX 4080 FE and a couple of my Mini PCs, but that’s kind of cheating anyway.

When we found out that the Slide clocks in at 380 grams, I couldn’t believe it and thought that it was just a typo on the spec sheet. Nope. It actually weighs that much. To put that in perspective, here’s how the Slide stacks up against some of the other handhelds we’ve seen over the past year:

It’s crazy to think that the RG Slide weighs more than the RG557, considering that’s not exactly a small handheld in its own right. I think that’s more of a testament to the thought Anbernic put into the design and materials, specifically the use of metal for the mechanism and frame between the top and bottom halves.

Speaking of which, can I just say how satisfying it is to open and close the RG Slide? The sound that it makes is both frightening and comforting. When sliding it open, I’m worried that the top half is going to fly off until the mechanism “catches” it. Thankfully, it’s not as violent when sliding the Slide shut, but the feeling is similar to closing the lid on the Retroid Pocket Flip 2 or ending a call on a flip phone.

Is there more of a chance of fatigue using this over something like the Pocket Flip 2? Absolutely. Is the RG Slide so heavy that you shouldn’t even consider it? Absolutely not.

Anbernic RG Slide: It’s Surprisingly Comfortable

For all of this talk about how heavy this behemoth of a “handheld” is, perhaps the thing I found most surprising is how comfortable it is. With many handhelds, I find myself needing to either 3D print or buy a grip just so that I can use it for more than 45 minutes to an hour at a time. That…hasn’t been the case with the RG Slide.

I’ve been trying to force myself to finish at least ONE of this month’s Games of the Month. The RG34XXSP has been turned into my E.V.O. machine, so I’ve been using the RG Slide to drudge my way through both Dino Crisis and King Kong.

More recently, Dino Crisis has been my focus as I just want to get the annoying AF “tank control game” out of the way. As such, I fired it up and ended up playing for about an hour and a half before I needed to take a break. But I didn’t need to take a break because of my hands cramping or my wrists; it’s because I’m stuck and need to figure out what I’m supposed to be doing.

I couldn’t figure out why until Stubbs and I went on an almost-three-hour livestream adventure when the light bulb went off. I think that since it’s so heavy, the RG Slide sits in my hand, as opposed to needing to be held. It’s difficult to really explain what I mean, but check out the livestream where I go a little more in-depth.

Anbernic RG Slide: Performance Is ‘Whelming’

Unlike the RG557, Anbernic didn’t ship the RG Slide with a brand-new chip. It’s the same T820 that Anbernic used last year for its flagship handhelds such as the RG406V, RG406H, and RG556. That being said, performance falls right in line with those other options, meaning that you’ll enjoy a good chunk of PS2, and some very lightweight Switch titles.

With the recent release of NetherSX2 v2.0, I’m hopeful that the improvements will let us squeeze a bit more juice out of the T820. In reality, I’m not expecting any major performance gains, save for maybe a few games here and there. And as always with these mid-range chips, anything above PS2 should be considered a bonus, so don’t expect to play Tears of the Kingdom or even Breath of the Wild on the RG Slide. Even Hades struggled during the livestream, struggling to reach even 20fps, usually hovering between 10-18fps.

What I’m really hoping for is that Gamma can get his hands on the Slide and release a new version of GammaOS Next that includes support for the RG Slide. However, I haven’t even looked to see if progress has been made because I’m sure Gamma has his hands full enough with everything else he’s doing.

For the record, I’m firmly in the camp of believing Anbernic made the right choice with the T820 instead of the Dimensity 8300. Not just because of stability issues that RG557 owners have run into, but because of the cost. The D8300 would have definitely driven the price up on the Slide, and this isn’t exactly a handheld that I would’ve wanted to see DOA.

Anbernic RG Slide: Should You Buy It?

If there’s one thing that I can call out about Anbernic over the past year or so, it’s that the quality of devices continues to get better. Not every device is perfect for every person, and just because I like clicky buttons doesn’t mean the next person will. But I think the RG Slide is a culmination of the work that Anbernic has put into trying to separate itself from being lumped in with Ban and Nick’s favorite e-waste.

That being said, do I think you should buy the RG Slide for either $180 or $190, depending on whether you jump on the pre-order deal? Honestly, as Zu’s former best friend would say, “yeah man, I wanna do it.”

Part of that can probably be attributed to the rose-tinted glasses that come with having a device that is completely different from the rest of the pack. Who knows, maybe this, combined with Sony’s patent expiring, will result in more sliders being released to give Anbernic some competition.

What I’m kind of hoping for is that Anbernic can get its hands on some Snapdragon processors, a few OLED panels, and release an updated version that’s even more powerful. The idea of being able to play Switch, PS3, or Winlator on a handheld like this would be incredible. Yes, I know it’s kind of possible, but only if you spend half the day tweaking the configurations and settings.

Nevertheless, keep your eyes peeled for more Anbernic RG Slide in the coming days. I know we have some awesome content in the works, so you definitely won’t want to miss it. In the meantime, drop us a line either in the comments below or tag me on the RH Discord (@Zuism) if you have questions or want to see something specifically.