If you have kids, you know that one of the most stressful events a parent can endure is hosting their child’s birthday party. Last year, 15 young boys were running roughshod all over my house at a celebration that was meant to be limited to the backyard. I still have the carpet stains to prove it. It’s a constant wrangling of cats, but they aren’t your cats, so you can’t tell them off. As I said, it’s stressful.
This year, I decided to farm out my celebration and pay someone else to take the hit. Enter the most brilliant invention of the modern parenting era – the suburban escape room. “You’re telling me that all I have to do is chill outside and make sure the door stays shut for an hour while they scream their lungs out inside a soundproof room the size of a walk-in closet?” I’ll just throw money at you.
Since I knew I’d be spending an hour of party time without much in the way of responsibility, I decided it was the perfect opportunity to field test the new Anbernic RG Rotate.
My collection of handhelds live 99% of their lives at home. It’s a rarity that I ever bring a system with me anywhere, to be honest. And if I’m traveling somewhere that involves a plane or an extra-long car ride, I usually still default to the tried and true Miyoo Mini+.
It’s perfect for my time-killing needs. It’s competent, capable, and best of all, I don’t have to stress over it if something happens. I can just chuck it in my backpack as a “nice to have if I need it” solution. If my Odin 3 were in my bag, I’d be hyper aware of making sure it was OK. I don’t want that added stress while traveling.
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Hardware | |
| CPU | Unisoc T618 |
| GPU | Mali-G52 MP2 |
| RAM | 3GB |
| Display | |
| Screen Size | 3.5-inch |
| Resolution | 720 x 720 |
| Aspect Ratio | 1:1 |
| Refresh Rate | 60Hz |
| PPI | 290.92 |
| Storage | |
| Internal Storage | 32GB |
| External Storage | microSD |
| Battery | |
| Battery Capacity | 2000mAh |
| Est. Battery Life | 5 Hours |
| Connectivity | |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 5 |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 5.0 |
| Ports | USB-C |
| Controls | |
| Triggers | Analog |
| Shoulder Layout | Shelf |
| D-Pad | Top Left |
| Audio | |
| Speakers | Mono |
| Speaker Location | Rear-facing |
| Audio Notes | USB-C Audio |
| Physical | |
| Dimensions | 80 x 80 x 21mm |
| Weight | 167g (Polar Black) | 204g (Aurora Silver) |
| Form Factor | Vertical |
| Software | |
| Operating System | Android |
Anbernic RG Rotate
Anbernic
I Don’t Want to Pocket This One
I’ve written about it in various other articles over my time here at RH, but while I can understand the need for “pocketability”, it’s not something I ever really think about. The likelihood of my ever grabbing a handheld with my keys on the way out the door to run errands is zero. It just isn’t part of my routine. Having said that, I totally get why it’s something other people would want in a device.
Even though it’s not something that I generally worry about, it occurred to me when grabbing the RG Rotate to head out that it’s really not a good pocketable option for anyone. The exposed screen on the device means that any sharp edges on keys or elsewhere in your pants have the potential to damage the screen. “But I expose my cellphone screen in my pockets all the time!” you’ll say.
Well, that’s true, but that phone is likely sporting some level of Gorilla Glass or other similar display protection. The RG Rotate would be much more susceptible to something pressing against it (like a key) for extended periods and from every angle.
Anbernic has solved the exposed screen problem by including a small case that includes a belt loop for the carrier. If you’re the dad who sports a fanny pack and socks with a pair of Birkenstocks anyway, this probably isn’t a concern for you, but I’d like to think I haven’t given up and morphed into that guy quite yet. I opted to just carry the device in the case by hand.
Best Use Case?
As the kids were locked away, and their respective safety no longer my problem for the next 60 minutes, I removed the RG Rotate from its case and committed to spending some more time getting to know the handheld in a real-world setting.
During my hour of freedom with the RG Rotate, I tooled around various games and systems, just as I had during my initial testing. Its unique design is certainly a selling point, but as I sat at the table with a full storefront window’s worth of sunshine peering in, I couldn’t help but feel that a clamshell would have been better suited for my use in this case.
I was constantly fighting for the right angle that wouldn’t make the sun’s reflected glare so punishing. The adjustable angles of a clamshell tend to help rectify this problem, and while it’s not really fair to the whole point of the RG Rotate’s design to compare them this way, I couldn’t help but think it while I was sitting there trying to see Pocky and Rocky.
What I hadn’t expected to be doing on the Rotate, at least at this party, was listening to music, but after some gaming, I decided to just lean back in my chair and turn on a playlist. Having that option on a whim is certainly a perk, and while my phone or other devices could offer similar functionality, nobody else is doing it in a package this slick yet.
Finding the Groove
Every emulation handheld has specific console experiences where they excel. Be it via aspect ratio, design inspiration, or controls, every emulation handheld is generally meant to evoke feelings and memories of a certain system from the past. The RG Rotate bucks this trend by being a totally unique handheld design. The closest thing to it was cell phone designs from the late 90s. As such, I had a hard time locking down what the system was best with. Sure, the RG Rotate’s T618 processor is more than capable of playing from a whole host of systems (it’s probably a bit much), but where does it excel?
In my 60-minute exploratory and relaxing while the kids scream at each other elsewhere session, I kept coming back to how Gameboy titles had a natural fit with the system. Rather than fighting with the RG Rotate to use all of its power to offer a PS2 title compromised with minimal controls, I embraced the handheld’s quirky design and leaned into what feels right. The extra power is nice to have when you want it, but simpler titles from the 16-bit era and earlier feel like the best use case.
Parenting Hack
So take it from me, if you’ve been on the fence about what to do for your kids’ upcoming birthday that won’t have to involve you ripping your hair out, consider an escape room and an emulation handheld. The kids loved it, I loved them being locked away for an hour, and an emulation handheld brought the entertainment to be enjoyed in a quiet corner.
This was my favorite way to experience chaperoning a bunch of other people’s children so far, and even if the RG Rotate wouldn’t be my first choice next time, I appreciate that it’s there to fill in to be whatever I need it to be in a small package. Just avoid the trappings of the fanny pack.
