Anbernic RG Cube 3.95″ IPS touch screen Android handheld – console

The RG Cube is a compact beefier version of the 556, complete with all its winning features packed into a smaller handheld device sporting a 3.95″ touch screen.

At a glance, the RG Cube’s unique design immediately catches the eye. But the real delight comes when you hold it. Reviews have hailed the Cube as the “king of niche retro handhelds,” referring to it as the handheld for purists. And let’s not dismiss, BOTH weird and amazing!

Among a sea of handhelds, the RG Cube stands out with its unique vibrant look. This unique look continues with it’s killer IPS screen and extends to the joystick LEDs. The colour palette on these handheld consoles evokes a sense of retro gaming nostalgia that’s hard to resist.

In terms of color, the Radiant Purple option exudes vibrancy, standing out boldly. Meanwhile, the grey shade is unlike any grey Anbernic has previously employed. The beige hue offers a clean and slightly simpler aesthetic, with black being the sole standard color in this lineup.

Continuing with stacked shoulder buttons is a fantastic move, fulfilling a long-awaited desire among fans for this feature from Anbernic, for what seems an eternity.

Performance-wise, the RG Cube runs the same configuration as the RG556 – a T820 processor coupled with the Mali-G57 GPU and 8GB LPDDR4X of RAM. The key difference is the 1:1 ratio square 720 x 720 IPS touch screen.

Anticipate an enjoyable gaming journey up-to and spanning a diverse range of titles from GameCube and PS2 libraries or access the Google Play store, for a world of Android games.

With up to 7 hours of gameplay on offer, individual preferences notwithstanding, the ergonomically designed shell ensures comfort for most users throughout extended gaming sessions.

When you purchase your Cube from Electro Arcade, you can expect a branded lexar 128GB card to get you started. The console itself comes pre-tested with games imported, so you unbox, turn on, and play!

The IPS display has the ability to go super bright making it a little more friendly with that extra brightness you may experience outdoors.

For video output, USB-C support is provided, requiring a dock or USB-C to HDMI cable or adapter, turning this into a TV-friendly retro gaming console.

Out of the box, like the RG556, the Cube comes loaded with Android 13.

In gaming performance benchmarks, the RG556 sits below the AYN Odin 2 and AYANEO Pocket Air.

With its larger, high-quality display, swift setup process, stacked shoulder buttons, and smaller size, the Anbernic RG Cube is a compelling offer for casual gamers and enthusiasts alike.

With the RG556 we provide an upgraded local brand name Lexar 128GB games card isntead of the lower grade stock card.

What games can the RG Cube emulate?

A large number of retro games and consoles will play on the Cube. This includes Gameboy, N64, PS1, and SNES. 4:3 based games  perform well with the option to adjust picture scaling for specific consoles with slight bars at the correct ratio.

While numerous consoles will play Nintendo DS, the key difference with the RG Cube is the square screen, allowing you to display both DS screens at the same time, so no need to keep rotating between screens during gameplay.

To get the most out of PS2 titles you need to run the AetherSX2 emulator and select the Vulkan graphics driver. The Cube will deliver up to 3x picture upscaling and as a guide you’ll enjoy PS2 titles like Black, Bully, Burnout Revenge, Devil May Cry, Jack and Dexter, Medal of Honour, Mega Man X8, Metal Gear Solid. Burnout 3 played well overall with a few glitches – so you should be able to play a decent amount of the PS2 library.

Netflix?

Yes, Netflix, this device supports the Netflix app and you can even play games if part of your Netflix subscription. That said you can download a ton of Android games just like you would on your phone and use controllers or even touch screen if needed for navigation or gameplay. The downfacing stereo speakers are loud! so gaming and video will sound great.

The headphone jack is conveniently located on the base of the device and while it doesn’t have a HDMI port, you can output audio and video using a type C to HDMI adapter or cable at 1080P.

The boring stuff

– Based on your screen settings, product colours may differ.
– Sizes may be slightly different based on manual measurement.
– Button and controller finish may vary depending on the selected model/ colour.