Back in June, Anbernic decided to kick off the summer with a bang, as the Anbernic RG Slide was released. This marked the first time that we had seen a modern mobile gaming device with a sliding mechanism since the Sony Xperia Play. Such a device comes with a steep asking price, but you can currently save $100 on the RG Slide from Amazon, as it’s down to $199 for a limited time.
With that, you’re not only getting a dedicated gaming device with a nostalgic design, but it’s also equipped with a 4.7-inch LTPS display, complete with a 120Hz refresh rate. Not only that, but Anbernic managed to squeeze in a 5,000mAh battery that will last for up to six hours on a single charge.
✅Recommended if: You’re a sucker for nostalgia and want a gaming handheld that looks like the PSP Go but plays many of your favorite retro and Android games.
❌Skip this deal if: You want a gaming handheld that offers a bit more power than what the Unisoc T820 in the RG Slide can provide, or you need something a bit more lightweight and pocketable.
As you’d expect, there’s more than one way for you to play some games on the RG Slide, as you can just stick to the touchscreen if you really wanted to. But after you push the screen upwards, you’re immediately greeted with a full set of controls, including dual low-profile joysticks.
Beneath the intricate sliding mechanism and controls, we have a rather familiar set of specs, starting with the Unisoc T820. This chip was featured in last year’s RG406H and RG406V, but has actually been bouncing around since 2022.
The T820 is joined by 8GB of RAM and 128GB of expandable storage, giving you plenty of wiggle room to enjoy a lot of the best Android games. And as for emulation, the T820 is capable of playing up to GameCube, Wii, and PS2, along with a tiny bit of Switch emulation if you’re playing lighter titles.
The most enticing reason to pick up the RG Slide is also the biggest reason why you might want to avoid this handheld. In order to provide a gaming handheld with a sliding mechanism that won’t falter, it has to be made of metal, which is exactly what Anbernic has done. On one hand, it’s great knowing that you can slide the screen up and down without worrying about it breaking. On the other, this results in a device that is almost twice as heavy as the Pixel 10.
Even still, the RG Slide, especially for $100 off, is worth checking out if you have any interest in a modern PSP Go that runs Android and even has a 120Hz display. Plus, we expected other companies to follow Anbernic’s suit after the Sony patent expired, but at the time of this writing, the RG Slide remains the only option.
