Anbernic RG SP Preview: A Slimmer Clamshell That Drops the Sticks

2026-07-21 · Preview

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Anbernic just teased a new clamshell. The RG SP is a slimmer, cleaner take on the folding GBA SP shape that the brand has chased for a couple of years now. It keeps the proven Allwinner H700 chip. It drops the analog sticks. And it looks like the most pocketable Anbernic clamshell yet. Here is everything we know so far.

Note up front that this is a preview. The specs below come from Anbernic's teaser and early launch coverage, not from a unit we have tested. Anbernic has not published a full spec sheet, a price, or a release date yet. We will update this page as more is confirmed and once retail units ship.

What Is the Anbernic RG SP

The RG SP is the follow-up to the Anbernic RG34XX SP, the folding clamshell that recreated the Game Boy Advance SP with a modern chip inside. The RG SP keeps that same idea and refines the body. It is thinner, the bezels are tighter, and the buttons have been reworked for a better feel. Anbernic says roughly 90 percent of the parts are newly moulded.

The big change is the control layout. The RG34XX SP shipped with dual analog sticks. The RG SP goes pure D-pad, with no sticks at all. That makes it a focused 2D machine. It is closer in spirit to the older RG35XX SP than to the stick-equipped RG34XX SP.

It runs on the same Allwinner H700 as the rest of Anbernic's budget clamshell family. So the emulation ceiling should feel familiar. Think flawless play through the 8-bit and 16-bit era, strong GBA and PS1, and lighter Dreamcast and N64 with some tuning.

Anbernic RG SP Specs So Far

The specs below come from Anbernic's teaser and early press coverage. Treat everything as provisional until we test a retail unit.

What's New vs the RG34XX SP

Three things stand out.

A slimmer body. The RG SP is about 10 percent thinner than the RG34XX SP, with a top bezel that shrinks by roughly a quarter. On a clamshell that folds into a pocket, thinner is a real win. This looks like the most pocketable folding handheld Anbernic has made.

Better buttons. Anbernic reworked the tactile feel and moulded most of the shell from scratch. Button quality is a common complaint on budget clamshells, so this is a welcome focus.

No analog sticks. This is the one that will split buyers. Dropping the sticks makes the RG SP cleaner and simpler for 2D play. GBA, SNES, NES, Genesis, and PS1 2D games do not need a stick, and the extra room goes to a tidier face layout. The tradeoff is real for 3D systems. N64 and Dreamcast games that lean on a stick will be a worse fit here than on the RG34XX SP.

Who Should Wait for It

The RG SP looks purpose-built for one type of player. If your library is mostly GBA, SNES, and PS1 2D games, and you want the most pocketable folding handheld you can get, this is worth waiting for. The clamshell protects the screen. The thinner body slips into a pocket. And the H700 handles that library with ease.

If you rely on analog sticks for N64, Dreamcast, or PS1 3D games, this is not your device. Look at the stick-equipped RG34XX SP instead, or step to the vertical RG35XX Pro for dual sticks and HDMI out at a lower price.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does the Anbernic RG SP cost?

Anbernic has not announced a price yet. The RG34XX SP launched around $70, so the RG SP is likely to land in a similar budget bracket. We will update this page once pricing is confirmed.

When does the Anbernic RG SP come out?

There is no official release date yet. Anbernic revealed the device in a teaser and has not committed to a launch window. Given the timing, a launch before the holiday season is plausible.

Does the RG SP have joysticks?

No. The RG SP uses a D-pad only, with no analog sticks. That makes it a 2D-focused handheld. If you want sticks in a clamshell, the older RG34XX SP still has them.

Is the RG SP better than the RG34XX SP?

It depends on what you play. The RG SP has a slimmer body and better buttons, which suits 2D gaming. The RG34XX SP keeps analog sticks, which matters for 3D systems. We break the two down in our RG SP vs RG34XX SP comparison.

Related Reading

• Anbernic RG34XX SP Review
• Anbernic RG SP vs RG34XX SP
• Best Clamshell Handhelds