Can you believe Anbernic released the original RG DS late last year? Well, the company is back with its successor, as the Anbernic RG DS Plus has been announced and we finally know when everyone will be able to pick one up.
Review units have been slowly trickling in for the team here at RH, so be sure to hit the link below to check out Nick’s first impressions on Anbernic’s latest clamshell. Or if you prefer the video format, scroll down a bit and check out the dedicated RG DS Plus livestream where we were joined by Mr. Retro Game Corps to share our initial impressions.
Related Reading: Anbernic RG DS Plus First Impressions
Anbernic RG DS Plus: Price and Preorder Deals
If you’re interested in picking up the RG DS Plus for yourself, preorders officially open on Sunday, September 15 at 6 AM EDT (3 AM PDT). As is the case with pretty much every new Anbernic device launch, you’ll be able to save a few bucks for the first 72 hours. With the RG DS Plus, the price is knocked down to $84.99, a $10 discount over the retail price of $94.99.
Currently, the RG DS Plus will only be available to preorder from Anbernic directly, however, don’t be surprised if it shows up on AliExpress a few hours early. Which actually makes for great timing, considering that the next AliExpress sale kicks off on the 13th, so be sure to check out handheld.deals for discount codes.
Anbernic RG DS Plus What to Expect
Anbernic took a different approach with the RG DS Plus than many expected. Although it shares the same processor from the RG DS (the Rockchip RK3568), Anbernic ditched the eMMC storage and lowered the RAM to just 1GB.
On one hand, this might seem like a disappointment, but considering that the RG DS Plus is a Linux-based handheld, it’s actually been quite a smooth experience so far. Not to mention that we’re expecting to at least see GammaOS Nano and ROCKNIX arrive for those who want to ditch Anbernic’s stock Linux firmware.
As for the rest of the RG DS Plus details, you’ll find the full spec-sheet below:
| Hardware | |
| CPU | RockChip RK3568 |
|---|---|
| GPU | Mali-G52 2EE |
| RAM | 1GB |
| Display | |
| Main | |
| Screen Size | 4.3-inch |
| Resolution | 1024 x 768 |
| Aspect Ratio | 4:3 |
| Refresh Rate | 60Hz |
| PPI | 297.67 |
| Secondary | |
| Screen Size | 4.3-inch |
| Resolution | 1024 x 768 |
| Aspect Ratio | 4:3 |
| PPI | 297.67 |
| Storage | |
| Internal Storage | ❌ |
| External Storage | 2x microSD |
| Additional Details | Expandable up to 2TB |
| Battery | |
| Battery Capacity | 4000mAh |
| Est. Battery Life | 6 hours |
| Charging Speed | 5V/1.5A |
| Connectivity | |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 4.2 |
| Ports | 3.5mm Audio Jack, microSD, USB-C |
| Controls | |
| Sticks | 1x |
| Triggers | Digital |
| Shoulder Layout | Shelf |
| D-Pad | Top Left |
| Audio | |
| Speakers | Stereo |
| Speaker Location | Front-facing |
| Headphone Jack | Yes |
| Physical | |
| Weight | 344g |
| Form Factor | Clamshell |
| Software | |
| Operating System | Linux (ARM) |
Despite being severely overshadowed by Retroid’s recent announcement of the Pocket Duo and Pocket Duo Lite, you might not want to completely ignore the RG DS Plus. Between the Linux software, new NNDDSS emulator, and much-improved design, Anbernic’s latest handheld punches a bit above its weight class, and might just be the best budget clamshell of the year.
