Surprise, surprise. Anbernic’s own AliExpress store jumped the proverbial gun regarding pricing and launch details for the Anbernic RG DDS. Now, we know when it will be released, that there will be two configurations, and how much both of those options will cost.
According to the “Pre-sale Information” graphic found below, pre-orders for the Anbernic RG DDS will open tomorrow, October 16, at 6 AM ET. Retail prices start at $299.99 for the 8GB/128GB model and jump up to $364.99 for the 12GB/256GB version. As we’ve seen with previous Anbernic releases, there will be a “pre-sale” discount, knocking $15 off and bringing the prices down to $264.99 and $349.99, respectively.
Additionally, the graphic reveals the release timing for Anbernic’s next dual-screen venture. Although pre-orders are slated to open on 10/16, apparently, shipping won’t actually start until December 10. With this arriving right in the middle of the last three major holidays of the year, Anbernic is trying to set expectations by stating that shipments “will be completed no later than January 31.”
There’s no denying that Anbernic is trying to put the squeeze on Retroid ahead of the 2026 holiday season. However, even with the pre-sale discount, the 8GB/128GB RG DDS is still more expensive than the Pocket Duo with the same configuration. Ultimately, the decision on which one to choose will likely come down to which chipset you would prefer.
The Pocket Duo is powered by the Dragonwing Q-7790, which is derived from the Snapdragon 7 Gen 4. Meanwhile, the RG DDS comes packing some heat of its own, with the Snapdragon G2 Gen 2. On paper, the RG DDS should come out on top, but we’ll have to wait and see if that holds true once we’re able to get both of these handhelds in for testing.
We’ll be sure to provide any updates once/if they’re made available.
