In July 2024, Max Zhou, the owner of Anbernic, announced that the RG40XXH would be the last Anbernic device based on the H700 chipset used in their XX series. Today, Anbernic announced the RG34XX — the third separate device based on that chipset since the statement was made. This device will be the first device with a 3:2 screen that Anbernic has released in almost 3 years.
UPDATE 12/9: RG34XX Specs, Price, and Availability
The trickling of information never gets old, does it? A few days after revealing the Anbernic RG34XX, the company is back with a new promo video, while also revealing the specs and price.
- Display: 3.4-inch IPS
- Resolution: 720 x 480 (3x GBA pixel-to-pixel)
- Processor: Allwinner H700
- GPU: Dual-Core Mali G31 MP2
- RAM: 1GB LPDDR4
- Storage: Dual microSD Card Slots (Up to 512GB)
- Battery: 3,500mAh (Up to 7 hours)
- Connectivity: Wi-Fi / Bluetooth 4.2
- Extras: Vibration Motor, mini HDMI,
- Dimensions: 144.6 x 81.8 x 24.8mm
- Weight: 188 grams
So when will you be able to get one? The wait is almost over, as pre-orders are slated to kick off on December 16 at 5AM ET. The RG34XX will retail for $69.99 + shipping, but for the first 72 hours, you’ll be able to save $6, bringing the price down to $63.99. We’ll be sure to update this post once the product landing pages go live!
The first thing that jumps out on this device is the design. Much like it did with the RG300X in 2021, Anbernic is heavily borrowing its design language from Nintendo. This time, using the original Game Boy Advance as a source, rather than the previous time they copied Nintendo’s homework, where the device heavily resembled the Game Boy Micro.
And it’s not just the design language that seems to be pitched at fans of the Game Boy Advance. The RG34XX also has a screen in the same 3:2 ratio as the GBA. This screen appears to be the biggest selling point of the device.
The choice to release a 3:2 device now could be seen as a response to Powkiddy, who returned to the 3:2 arena earlier this year with the Powkiddy V10. Anbernic’s screen looks to be unlike anything we’ve seen before in a handheld. The screen is a 720×480 3.4-inch panel. While this is a tiny bit smaller than the Powkiddy offerings, it has double the resolution — meaning pixel-perfect 3x integer scaling for GBA games.
Anbernic RG34XX: What We Know So Far
While the chipset hasn’t been formally announced, we can make an educated guess that it will be the same H700 chipset from devices like the RG CubeXX and the RG40XXV, While not always accurate, the Anbernic naming convention indicates the device’s chipset.
As mentioned above, we also know that the device will have a 3.4-inch 480p 3:2 screen, which is not something that’s been seen previously in retro handhelds. We also know from an image posted on the RH Discord that the size of the device will be very similar to the size of the original Game Boy Advance.
The device will be released in 4 colors: Black, Purple, Transparent Green, and Transparent Red. The Black and Purple seem to closely resemble the original colorways of the GBA, while the Green and Red are more like the old N64 limited editions. The RG34XX will have 5G Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.2, like the other devices in the series.
Like all the other devices in the modern XX range, we would expect perfect performance for PS1 and below, with access to some N64, Dreamcast, and PSP games, although the lack of analog sticks would likely hamper gaming experiences for some of the more powerful home consoles. While some console parts are expected to be included on included SA cards, we would hope that full PortMaster support will be available when one of the regular XX Custom Firmware options are ported to the device.
Anbernic is also advertising the device’s ability to connect to an e-book reader and a streaming device, with the 34XX being able to connect to both external monitors and Bluetooth controllers.
At this time we have no information about the battery life, price, or release date, and this article will continue to be updated as we learn more.
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