Anbernic RG DS dual-screen handheld launches for under $100

The Anerbernic RG DS is a handheld game console that looks a lot like a Nintendo DS… if Nintendo's classic dual-screen handheld had analog sticks and ran Android.

Anbernic began promoting the handheld in October, and now the company is taking pre-orders for $94 and up. The handheld is expected to begin shipping in mid-December.

The starting p rice includes a pre-order discount – retail prices will start at $100, and customers can pay a bit extra for bundles that include 128GB or 256GB microSD cards.

Given the low price tag, it should come as no surprise that this device isn't exactly a speed demon. It has quad-core Arm Cortex-A55 processor with Mali-G52 2EE graphics, just 3GB of RAM and 32GB of built-in storage, and both of its 4 inch displays are only 480p screens.

But that should all be sufficient for using an emulator to play Nintendo DS games or other titles that can leverage the dual display setup. You could also use the dual screens for multitasking, with different apps or games on each display and Anbernic says you can switch which screen is in focus with a press of the RG key or by touching the display.

Anbernic says there's also a hall sensor that takes advantage of RG DS's clamshell design to automatically put the device into sleep mode when the lid is closed.

The Anbernic RG DS may borrow its design heavily from 21-year old Nintendo console, but it's the latest in a modern trend of dual-screen handheld. AYANEO and AYN have also recently introduced dual-screen gaming systems. But Anbernic's is by far the cheapest (and least powerful).

Displays (upper & lower)4 inches640 x 480 pixelsIPS LCDInputMultitouch supportCapacitive stylusDual analog sticksD- PadA, B, X, Y buttonsFunction, Return, Select, and Start buttons4 shoulder buttonsProcessorRockchip RK35684 x Arm Cortex-A55 CPU cores @ 2 GHzMali-G52 2EE graphicsRAM3GBStorage32GBmicroSD card reader (up to 2TB)Battery4,000 mAhPorts2 x USB Type-C (only one supports charging)1 x 3.5mm audio1 x microSD card readerWirelessWiFi 5Bluetooth 4.2OSAndroid 14Other features6-axis gyroscopeVibration motorMicrophoneStereo speakersDimensions160 x 91 x 22mm6.3″ x 3.6″ x 0.9″Weight321 grams11.3 ounces

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