I thought getting GammaOS Next on the Anbernic RG DS was Gamma’s Christmas surprise to the community. It turns out, that was just the appetizer, as Gamma has been on an absolute tear, releasing Next for a slew of Anbernic’s Android handhelds.
All of this comes less than a month after this trimmed down version of Android made its way to the Mangmi Air X. Just in the last couple of days, builds have been released for the following Anbernic handhelds:
It obviously plays in Gamma’s favor that a few of those Anbernic handhelds are powered by the Unisoc T820, but it’s awesome to see nonetheless. As for what’s new? Frankly, the changelogs are so long that you would be scrolling for hours just trying to read through the entire list.
That being said, here are some of the highlights that GammaOS Next brings to each of these devices:
- Global BFI (Black Frame Insertion) for improved motion clarity
- A fully implemented and bundled GammaEQ UI for system-level audio tuning
- A new HDMI Docking Mode that turns off the internal display and resizes to the external screen resolution when docked
- The full suite of GammaOS-quality-of-life features introduced on the T820 family (universal button remapping, Daijisho + RetroArch integration, GammaRGB, DC dimming emulation, deep sleep mode, performance modes, etc.)
- Relaxed Scoped Storage
- Three Power and Performance Modes
- Improvements to Inputs and Controls
- Daijisho and RetroArch Integration
Seriously, this is just scratching the surface of the various changes and improvements offered by installing GammaOS Next on your compatible handheld. Not only that, but with each handheld you can either opt for the “Full” version, which includes the Google Services and the Play Store, or “Lite” which removes both.
With this onslaught of releases, GammaOS Next is now available for almost 20 different handhelds, including the KT-R1, Retroid Pocket Classic, and ZPG A1 Unicorn. It’s seriously a testament to the work that Gamma puts into these builds, making them compatible with the custom version of LineageOS.
As we’ve seen since the initial release of GammaOS Next, if you want to download the latest build now, you’ll need to head over and subscribe to Gamma’s Patreon. This gives you access to the password, as the builds are only available to Patrons for the first month, before being released to the public.
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