It’s almost like Anbernic never left. The company is already in mid-season form, drip-feeding news and teasers ahead of the Anbernic RG557 launch. After announcing its latest handheld last week, there’s a new gameplay showcase video to enjoy. Not only that, but we’ve learned about all of the specs, thanks to a member of the RH Discord.
Anbernic RG557 Specs
| Category | Anbernic RG557 |
|---|---|
| Display | 5.48-inch AMOLED, 1920 x 1080, 16:9 |
| Processor | MediaTek Dimensity 8300 |
| GPU | Mali-G615 MC6 |
| RAM | 12GB LPDDR5X |
| Storage | 256GB + microSD Card (Up to 2TB) |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3 |
| Battery | 5,500mAh (~8 Hours) |
| Charging | 5V/9V – 27W |
| Controls | “Anti-Magnetic Capacitive Joystick”, Hall Triggers, RGB Lighting |
| Extras | Six-axis Gyroscope, Active Cooling, 1080p Display Output, Vibration Motor, 3.5mm Audio Jack |
| Dimensions | 223 x 89 x 15mm |
| Weight | 347 grams |
| Colors | Transparent Purple, White |
| Estimated Price | ~$205 |
The Most Powerful Anbernic Handheld, Yet
Shortly after the Anbernic RG557 was officially announced, Retro Handhelds independently learned that the handheld is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 8300. This helps explain why Anbernic kind of showed off a bit of Wii U emulation, although it hid the actual game footage behind a cloud graphic, presumably to avoid the ire of Nintendo.
Even still, the RG557 arrives as Anbernic’s most powerful handheld to date. Previously, this title was held by the likes of the RG406V and RG556, both powered by the Unisoc T820. According to Geekbench 6, the Dimensity 8300 offers more than 50% better single-core performance and almost 80% better multi-core performance over the T820.
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- Dimensity 8300 vs Unisoc T820
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- Dimensity 8300 vs Snapdragon 865
However, many will immediately wonder how the RG557 will fare against the Retroid Pocket 5 and Pocket Flip 2, devices that are powered by the Snapdragon 865. Geekbench 6 again gives us an idea of what to expect. The Dimensity 8300 is about 25% better in single-core performance, along with a 31% jump in multi-core performance.
With these kinds of performance numbers, Anbernic is taking the fight directly to Retroid. But like its predecessor, the bubbly design looks to provide better ergonomics without needing to spring for a detachable grip.
There’s a Catch
Now that we know everything the Anbernic RG557 has to offer, we’re even more excited to get our hands on it. However, the higher performance comes at a cost, and we’ve learned that Anbernic is likely to price the RG557 around $200.
It’s really not all that surprising, but this comes at a time when the U.S. has started imposing tariffs on goods that are shipped from various countries, notably China. With that in mind, there’s a chance that instead of being available for $200, you’d be looking at spending closer to $490. At that price, it’s a bit of a tougher pill to swallow, definitely moving it out of the “buy, try, compare, return” realm for many of us.
Nevertheless, we suspect that Anbernic will be sharing pre-order details for the RG557 in the very near future. So stay tuned to Retro Handhelds to be notified when that happens.
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