Anbernic announces a new 1:1 handheld that will let you relive your Game Boy glory days

Summary

• Anbernic’s RG Cube is a powerful Android handheld with octa-core Unisoc T820, 8GB RAM, and 850MHz GPU for PS2, Wii, PSP, and Dreamcast emulation.
• The 3.95-inch square screen, 128GB storage, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, stereo speakers, and 3.5mm jack make it a gaming powerhouse.
• Despite impressive specs, the odd 1:1 aspect ratio may affect game visuals and price/release date for the RG Cube is still unknown.

As someone who grew up when today’s retro classics were cutting edge, it’s nice to see those games enjoying a resurgence in popularity. That popularity is fueled in no small part by the plethora of hardware makers that have sprung up in the last five years making retro-inspired handhelds purpose built to play the biggest games of decades past. Among this sea of devices is a small niche of machines with square screens, and one of the biggest names in handhelds, Anbernic, has a new 1:1 handheld coming soon.

A powerful Android handheld

Anbernic is calling its new Android-powered horizontal handheld the RG Cube, and it packs a bit of horsepower under its hood. It’s powered by an octa-core Unisoc T820 with a max clock speed of 2.7GHz, 8GB of LPDDR4X RAM, and a 850MHz GPU that can handle 120fps at 1080p. You probably won’t need all of that resolution though, because the screen is just 720×720 with a 3.95-inch screen.

With all that power, Anbernic says it will be able to handle PS2, Wii, PSP, and Dreamcast emulation. And if things get too hot, the RG Cube will come equipped with an active cooling system, because why not?

In addition to the juicy specs, it will also have 128GB of storage plus a MicroSD card slot that supports cards with up to 2TB of capacity. They promise up to 7 hours of battery life from the 5200mAh battery and 5V/2A charging that will go to full in 3 hours. And, of course, it will have Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, a pair of stereo speakers, and a 3.5mm headphone jack.

But a handheld is more than the sum of its specs. Aside from being a tiny Android gaming power house, the RG Cube is super kawaii. It will be available in three colors — Beige White (basically a Famicom palette), Radiant Purple, and Gray (Super Famicom) — and has LED rings behind the Hall effect joysticks. The way the shoulder buttons protrude a bit gives it a vaguely feline appearance as well.

Even though we’re excited for a punchy new Android handheld to hit the market, the 1:1 aspect ratio is an odd choice. That would mean that PSP games which use a 16:9 aspect ratio would play at 720×405, leaving a letterbox over 150 pixels high at the top and bottom of the screen. So you might be able to play Jet Set Radio, but that doesn’t mean you’ll want to. And although Anbernic has revealed basically everything about the RG Cube’s stats, we still don’t know the price or release date. Hopefully, we won’t have to wait too much longer.