ANBERNIC RG Slide

It's not bad, it's actually a brilliantly executed first attempt at this form factor. The construction is great, nice screen, and a satisfying sliding feature. The novelty of a sliding device is all there and well done.

I would take this opportunity to offer my own suggestions on how to improve if Anbernic chooses to continue making devices with this sliding feature below:

Most of the discomfort comes from the top-heaviness design and placement of the d-pad and buttons. Because the buttons and pad are placed on the outsides and analog sticks inside, this makes using the d-pad and buttons hard to use as your hands are also supporting the weight of the machine. I can think of 2 solutions to this problem.

Solution 1: A 4:3 display: swap the analogs to the outside and dpad/buttons to the inside. Because 4:3 content is focused on more classic systems, the comfort should be focused there. This will let the hands to better support a top heavy machine. It may be even better to make a more classic niche machine, less powerful chip and maybe a smaller screen can lessen the weight.

Solution 2: A 16:9 display. This can widen the bottom half to position controls to be more comfortable. I don't know how to solve the top heavy issue, would adding artificial weight to the bottom help with balance?

I will continue to support Anbernic and can't wait to see what they come up with next.

This device is super pretty and a very niche. The sliding aspect is nostalgic and futuristic in a way. Very innovative. It's sturdy and a bit on the thicker side, but not to where it's uncomfy in the hands. Im a girl and my hands aren't very big but they are quite comfy. The performance is pretty solid, but it won't do well with anything past ps1 era, with handhelds being the exception (psp, ds, 3ds, etc).
It came with emulator apps downloaded already, which wasnt my favorite thing as i ended up deleting a bunch i had no intention to use (not to mention the feeling i was using a device already setup, it gave it a used feeling). The device also heats up pretty quickly, esp with ps2 era games and up. I wish they made a case for this device, as it's very expensive. As a handheld i want to travel with it but am scared of dropping it, so i keep it home. I feel a case would also help with holding it when it starts to heat up, my hands get sweaty with the extra heat. Overall really fun and quirky but something to help with the heating since its already such a bulky device, would be nice.

Now my most used device, plays everything very well. The only criticism is the bulk of it however it is something that you get used to. Worth buying.
Fast delivery and dispatch

Man where do I start. If you love the sliding part then this is your only option right now and if this thing flops we may never see another sliding handheld ever again. The last one was the psp go over a decade ago. If you miss all the sliding phones and devices we used to have so many ago then you’d better buy this or it may be the last.

That being said here’s my honest review:
Pros-
Sliding screen
Passable game pad comfort (not the best)
Screen looks great for not being oled
Has a heavy premium feel to it for the most part.
Android 13 OS runs absolutely great on this thing as well as the custom game launcher anbernic includes is fine on its own
Battery life seems to be better than most devices since its large size can hold a bigger battery.

Cons-

Volume buttons are terrible because they’re impossible to find without looking because they’re recessed and right next to the Lock Screen button which you will press on accident a lot.

And I hate to say this and hopefully it doesn’t become a problem but sometimes the spring in the sliding hinge makes a clicking sound after you close it. Anywhere from immediately to a few seconds afterwards. The spring is binding slightly and it makes a clicking sound when it settles. This doesn’t make any noticeable difference to how it feels closing. It’s just a sound I’m hearing that may wear in or I can probably grease it and it would stop.

It is top heavy but I don’t seem to find that to be a problem for me at all but I’ll list it in the cons just because it shouldn’t be that way. It’s a little weird.

This size is bigger than you’d expect but I don’t mind it all, I find it to be just fine if the screen took up more of the front of the device but the screen aspect ratio is probably a good choice for the majority of games you’ll be playing on it. It just looks a little smaller than I’d like on a device this big.

If you’re on the fence I’d just say buy it. Overall I like it alot and the nore they sell the more likely we’ll see another slider from anbernic or maybe even a different company. It really feels so close to being perfect. I will buy a second one of these for sure so I can have both colors and support the sliding retro scene because we’ve been missing for so long now.

Got my handheld in complete intact wrapped great packaged great and when opening it ut was great handheld was exactly what I thought it would be thanks