The Anbernic RG Slide has been out for just a few days, but I’ve had some time to play with it, and I can confidently say that it’s not your average retro handheld. With a sliding-screen, Android 13 support, and some respectable hardware, this handheld is different, and I like what it’s doing.

Design and Build Quality 

Let’s start with the obvious—the sliding screen. Yes, it slides up. Yes, it’s not a gimmick. Anbernic did a good job making the sliding mechanism work smoothly and reliably, and when you slide it up, you’ll be greeted with the usual Anbernic controls.

Responsive, high-quality D-pad 

Hall-effect analog sticks, no drift/magnetic interference 

Comfortable face buttons and stacked shoulder buttons, nice quality overall

The RG Slide weighs just under 380 grams (13 oz), which feels a good solid heft, not too light and not too heavy, and everything fits together well. The sliding action itself is also solid and satisfying.

120Hz Gorgeous Display 

The display is really something special. It’s a 4.7″ LTPS panel with: 

1280 x 960 resolution, very crisp and sharp

120Hz refresh rate, buttery smooth animations 

4:3 aspect ratio, great for retro games 

Touchscreen support for Android apps and streaming media

To be honest, this is one of the best screens I’ve seen on a handheld at this price point and easily one of the best-looking retro handhelds ever made. It made me want to actually play some of the games that I’ve been neglecting.

Powerful Hardware 

Inside, the RG Slide sports the Unisoc T820 octa-core processor, along with:

8GB LPDDR4X RAM 

128GB of fast UFS 2.2 storage, expandable with microSD up to 2TB

The performance results are quite good, with very few games falling below acceptable frame rates. Here are my results for some popular retro platforms:

PS2 emulation: Playable, smooth 

GameCube & Wii (Dolphin): Excellent results 

Android games: Titles like Genshin Impact, COD Mobile, etc. are playable with minor settings adjustments 

The emulation frontends RetroArch and EmulationStation both run very smoothly for tinkerers and speedrunners. I also recommend playing with USB-C display output to attach it to a big screen and use an external controller (I use the NYXI).

Lots of Useful Features 

This isn’t a stripped-down emulation-only handheld. The RG Slide has some pretty handy features that most of Anbernic’s competitors are still lacking:

Six-axis gyroscope, good for motion controls 

Active cooling with fan and heat pipe (keeps performance more consistent during demanding games)

Haptic feedback and surprisingly decent stereo speakers 

AI real-time translation and built-in game guide lookups (still experimental, but neat to use)

USB-C DisplayPort output for easy big-screen play 

If you’re the kind of person who wants to play Emulation on an emulator, this isn’t the device for you, but if you’re willing to be a little more flexible with what you play, the RG Slide is a great handheld.

Battery and Charging 

Battery life is pretty good, thanks to the 5,000mAh battery. In normal use, you can expect 5–6 hours, but obviously, this will depend on what you’re playing. Heavy Android gaming and the higher-end emulators are going to drain the battery faster.

Charging is done through the USB-C port at 5V/2A, so it takes around 3 hours for a full top-off. This is one of the few devices I’ve seen from Anbernic that supports smart charging to avoid overcharging—their older devices often overcharged and shorted their batteries, so it’s good to see Anbernic making an effort to avoid this.

Verdict 

The Anbernic RG Slide is a really good handheld that fits a nice niche:

It’s powerful enough if you want a dedicated emulation powerhouse.

It’s polished enough if you want to play Android games and tinker on the go.

It’s quirky enough if you just want a fun, different handheld with some neat features.

It’s not the cheapest handheld, nor the absolute most powerful, but the RG Slide finds a good balance, and it’s easy to recommend.

Pros 

* Premium sliding design and great build quality 

* Gorgeous 120Hz display 

* Excellent emulation and Android gaming performance 

* Packed with lots of nice features like gyro, active cooling, and external display support

Cons 

* Battery life can drop during heavy usage 

* AI features still feel a little bit unfinished and rough around the edges

* Not the most powerful hardware you’ll find in this class

The Anbernic RG Slide is a solid handheld that’s a bit different from what you’d usually see on the market. It’s built for Android and tinkerers but has the chops to power through most retro emulators. It’s a future-ready handheld with some nice features and a solid feel in the hand.

Bottom line: The RG Slide is a fun, flexible handheld for all kinds of gaming. If you want one, it’s worth considering.