ANBERNIC is about to launch its biggest, most powerful Game Boy clone yet

ANBERNIC got a late start this year, but it’s been absolutely churning out new Android gaming handhelds over the past few months. The PSP Go-inspired RG Slide, the all-metal RG 477M, and the upcoming dual-screened RG DS are highlights, but leaks indicate that there’s a new device on the horizon.

Renders and photos of an engineering sample of the RG 477V have leaked on the Retro Handhelds Discord. If they turn out to be correct (which is almost always the case), the vertical handheld will have the same 4.7-inch 120Hz screen and Dimensity 8300 SoC as the RG 477M.

The leaks reveal a fairly standard array of controls and buttons, including two sticks positioned in the lower section of the all-glass front. Unlike most horizontal handhelds, the sticks are located toward the center of the device, which should make them more comfortable to use. Renders of the back of the device show four analog shoulder buttons and a fan beneath the screen.

The specs above, which originate from a Bilibili channel called Neon Rabbit, indicate that it will come in two variants, 8+128GB and 12+256GB. These are the same configurations that the RG 477M launched with, although the 8GB model was later discontinued. It’s also slated to have the same 5,300mAh battery as the RG 477M, which lasted between seven and ten hours in our review.

In terms of pricing, the leaks indicate a price of 1599 Yuan, which translates to roughly $225. That pricing could very well be correct, as it’s just below the RG 477M’s starting price of $239.99. That device had a premium metal shell, driving up the overall price.

It’s not immediately obvious from the images, but a 4.7-inch display on a vertical handheld is quite large. If the leaks prove to be true, this could be the largest vertical handheld on the market, and one of the most powerful, to boot. The Dimensity 8300 is capable of emulating everything up to and including the PS2, with some Switch and PC titles also within reach.

It competes with the $130 Retroid Pocket Classic, which has a smaller screen and less power, as well as the $449 AYANEO Pocket DMG, which again is smaller but has more power. Upcoming handhelds like the Pocket VERT may also serve as an alternative, although we don’t have the full details yet.

Still, none are as large as the ANBERNIC RG 477V, for better or worse. If the leaks prove to be correct, expect an official announcement as early as this week.