The Anbernic RG34XX is a handheld gaming device that mirrors the iconic Game Boy Advance shell while adding everything the original GBA was missing: a backlit IPS screen, USB-C charging, rechargeable battery, dual SD slots, and a modern emulation stack. This review covers what holds up across the GBA, GBC, SNES, NES and PS1 libraries, and what to know before you buy.
We don't receive review units. Specifications come from Anbernic's own listing, and every subjective judgement is attributed to the outlet that tested the device.
Price: $59.99 at Anbernic (list $69.99), checked 13 October 2026 — usually the cheapest direct source. On that date only the China-warehouse colours were in stock; the full price and stock table is further down this page.
Buy the Anbernic RG34XX at Anbernic.com →
Quick verdict
If your priority is Game Boy Advance above everything else, the RG34XX is the handheld to buy under $80. The 3.4-inch laminated IPS panel scales GBA cleanly, the H700 CPU comfortably handles up to PS1, GarlicOS is mature, and reviewers rate the GBA-shape ergonomics as a faithful reproduction of the 2001 hardware — cramped grip included. It is not the right pick if you mainly play PSP, Dreamcast, or GameCube — for that, look at the RG406V or Retroid Pocket 5 instead.
Key features and design
The RG34XX nails the GBA silhouette down to the button placement and shoulder profile, then quietly modernizes everything underneath. Retro Dodo's Rob Page, who scored it 8.8/10, put the fidelity plainly: the RG34XX "not only looks like a GBA but it feels absolutely spot on to the original console too," with the back buttons, d-pad and face buttons all "identical." Retro Handhelds agreed on the controls — "the dpad feels really nice though and so do the face buttons."
Two upgrades stand out:
- The screen. A 3.4-inch 720×480 laminated IPS with no air gap — which, as Retro Dodo notes, "allows for a perfect 3x integer upscale" of GBA's native resolution. That integer relationship is the whole argument for this panel size. The original GBA's reflective non-backlit screen remains the single biggest reason to retire your launch unit.
- The charging story. USB-C and a 3,500mAh lithium-ion battery instead of AAs. Retro Handhelds measured GBA drain at "less than 10%" per hour, rising to 13–15% on more demanding systems — so roughly 10 hours of GBA, or 6–7 hours of PS1.
Other quality-of-life additions: dual MicroSD slots (one for the OS, one for your ROM library), a mini-HDMI out for TV play, and 2.4/5GHz Wi-Fi for OTA updates and game scraping.
Specifications at a glance
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| CPU | Allwinner H700 quad-core ARM Cortex-A53, 1.5GHz |
| GPU | Dual-core Mali G31 MP2 |
| RAM | 1GB |
| Screen | 3.4-inch IPS, 720×480, OCA full lamination |
| Battery | 3,500mAh — Anbernic rates it at 7 hours; ~10h GBA, ~6–7h PS1 per Retro Handhelds' drain testing |
| Storage | Dual MicroSD (OS + Games), up to 512GB per Anbernic |
| Connectivity | 2.4/5GHz Wi-Fi (a/b/g/n/ac), Bluetooth 4.2, Mini-HDMI |
| Dimensions | 14.46 × 8.18 × 2.48 cm, 188 g |
| OS | Stock Linux + GarlicOS support |
Performance by system
The RG34XX is squarely a 8/16-bit and PS1-tier device. Here is where each library lands in 2026 with GarlicOS installed:
- GBA: Flawless. Full-speed, perfect scaling on the 720×480 panel, every BIOS-required game (Mario Kart Super Circuit, Golden Sun, F-Zero Maximum Velocity) runs without tweaking.
- GBC / GB: Perfect, with shader options if you want the green LCD look.
- NES / SNES / Genesis: Effortless, including SuperFX titles like Yoshi's Island.
- PS1: Plays the full library at full speed via DuckStation. Final Fantasy VII, Symphony of the Night, Crash Bandicoot — all fine.
- N64: Hit-or-miss. Mario 64 and Mario Kart 64 are smooth; Conker, Goldeneye, and any 3D-heavy title will stutter.
- PSP / Dreamcast / GameCube: Don't bother — the H700 chip isn't built for it. This is a "look elsewhere" tier.
The GBA experience is the headline, and it's what both reviews lead with. The honest counterweight is ergonomic rather than technical: Retro Handhelds found the device "very cramped" for larger hands, and called the shoulder button placement "very clever, but not very comfortable." That is the same complaint people had about the 2001 hardware, faithfully reproduced. If the original GBA gave you hand cramp, this will too.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Best-in-class GBA screen at this price — laminated, backlit, and a perfect 3x integer scale
- The most faithful GBA reproduction reviewers have found; Retro Dodo scored it 8.8/10
- D-pad and face buttons well received by both outlets
- USB-C, dual SD slots, mini-HDMI out, Wi-Fi for OTA updates
- GarlicOS support out of the box once installed
- Strong battery life for 8/16-bit sessions — around 10 hours of GBA
Cons:
- Cramped for larger hands, per Retro Handhelds — an inherited GBA flaw, not a new one
- Shoulder button placement is clever but not comfortable
- Not appropriate for PSP / Dreamcast / GameCube emulation
- Screen brightness is adequate rather than excellent; direct sunlight is a struggle
What the reviewers found
We haven't tested this device. The published coverage is unusually consistent:
- Retro Dodo (Rob Page, updated February 2025) — 8.8/10, the highest score we found for a sub-$80 handheld. The verdict is unequivocal: "any fan of the GBA should give this device a go" rather than keep using original hardware.
- Retro Handhelds (jalanimal, December 2024) — praised the d-pad, face buttons and the volume wheel, and did the battery drain testing quoted above. The more qualified of the two: "if you have any connection with the original GBA design, this device is a must-buy," but explicitly "not for everyone."
That caveat is the one to weigh. Both reviews recommend the RG34XX because it reproduces the GBA faithfully — including the cramped grip. If the shape isn't the reason you're buying, a vertical handheld like the RG40XX V will be more comfortable for the same money.
How it compares to other Anbernic handhelds
| Model | Best for | Price | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|
| RG34XX (this device) | GBA, GBC, SNES, PS1 in a Game Boy-shaped shell | $59.99 | Anbernic → |
| RG35XX Plus | Same era + slightly squarer screen, often on sale | $89.99 (out of stock at LitNXT, 6 Oct 2026) | LitNXT → |
| RG35XXSP | Clamshell / GBA SP form factor | $89.99 | LitNXT → |
| RG34XXSP | Clamshell variant of the RG34XX | $99.99 | LitNXT → |
| RG40XX V | Vertical 4-inch, slightly more powerful | $95.99 | LitNXT → |
| RG406V | PSP, Dreamcast, GameCube tier | $239.99 | LitNXT → |
For pure GBA the RG34XX wins. For more horsepower the RG406V is the obvious step up. If you want the same 3:2 GBA-first screen in a metal Android body, see our AYANEO Pocket Micro review, which also covers the stick-free Classic model.
Should you buy the Anbernic RG34XX?
Yes, if:
- You grew up with the Game Boy Advance and want the most faithful modernized version
- You mostly play through PS1 and earlier libraries
- You want a $60 handheld that doesn't feel $60
Skip it if you want a single device for everything up to GameCube — that's a $200+ category, not this one.
The Anbernic RG34XX is one of the few sub-$80 handhelds in 2026 that reviewers still rate above devices costing twice as much. The screen is the closest a $60 device gets to a premium display, the GBA reproduction is the most faithful available, and the dual-SD setup means switching between firmware experiments without re-flashing is painless.
Buy the Anbernic RG34XX at Anbernic.com → — usually the cheapest direct source.
RG34XX price and stock (checked 13 October 2026)
Read from Anbernic's own product listing on 13 October 2026. Anbernic sells every configuration at the same sale price per storage tier, and stock depends on which warehouse ships it.
| Warehouse | Configuration | Price (list) | In stock on 13 Oct 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| China | 64GB card, Black or Glacier | $59.99 ($69.99) | Yes |
| China | 64GB card, Indigo / Transparent red / Transparent green | $59.99 ($69.99) | No |
| China | 32GB + 64GB cards, any colour | $67.99 ($77.99) | No |
| China | 64GB + 128GB cards, Black or Glacier | $89.99 ($89.99) | Yes |
| China | 64GB + 256GB cards, Black or Glacier | $109.99 ($119.99) | Yes |
| US | 32GB + 64GB or 64GB, all colours | $59.99 ($69.99) | No |
| EU | 64GB, all colours | $59.99 ($69.99) | No |
Two practical points. The US and EU warehouses were sold out across every colour on the day we checked, so an order placed now ships from China, which usually means a longer wait than the local warehouses. And the cheapest in-stock option is the 64GB Black or Glacier at $59.99; the bigger card bundles cost more than buying a reputable card separately, so they only make sense if you want it ready to play out of the box. These figures change often; the Anbernic listing is the live source.
RG34XX vs RG34XXSP: which 3.4-inch Anbernic?
The RG34XXSP is the clamshell sibling: the same screen and chip folded into a Game Boy Advance SP-style shell. The specification differences, from Anbernic's two listings:
| RG34XX | RG34XXSP | |
|---|---|---|
| Form factor | Horizontal, GBA-style | Clamshell, GBA SP-style |
| Screen | 3.4-inch IPS, 720×480, laminated | Same |
| Chip / RAM | H700, 1GB | Same |
| Analogue sticks | None | Two small inset sticks |
| Battery (Anbernic's rating) | 3,500mAh, 7 hours | 3,300mAh, 6 hours |
| Lid sleep | No lid | Hall sensor sleeps the device when closed |
| Price at Anbernic, 13 Oct 2026 | $59.99 | $67.99 (China warehouse; US and EU sold out) |
| Price at LitNXT, 6 Oct 2026 | Not listed | $99.99, in stock |
The sticks are the meaningful difference. Both RG34XX reviews above name their absence as the reason N64 and Dreamcast are a poor fit. TheSixthAxis (Dom Leighton, 8/10) found the SP's sticks "feel pretty good" despite their short travel, praised the build as more rugged than the Miyoo Flip after weeks in a bag, and marked it down for a tinny mono speaker that distorts at high volume. TechX Reviews liked the hinge and the screen but found the sticks cramped, and noted that the 3:2 panel shows 4:3 consoles smaller than a 4:3 screen would.
So: buy the RG34XX if you want the GBA grip and the longer rated battery for less money. Buy the RG34XXSP if you want something that folds into a pocket with the screen protected, or if you will play some PS1 and N64 games that need analogue input.
Frequently asked questions
Is there an Anbernic RG34XXH?
Not on Anbernic's store. On 6 October 2026 its listing shows two 3.4-inch models, the RG34XX and the RG34XXSP, and no "H" variant. Searches for "RG34XX H" almost always mean one of those two. Anbernic does use an H suffix on other models (the RG35XX H and RG40XX H), which is probably where the confusion comes from.
Does the RG34XX have analogue sticks?
No. It has a d-pad, four face buttons, and shoulder buttons in the original GBA positions, with the extra pair moved to the bottom edge. Retro Dodo and Retro Handhelds both cite the missing sticks as the reason 3D systems like N64 and Dreamcast are frustrating on it. If you want sticks in the same screen size, that is the RG34XXSP.
How long does the battery last?
Anbernic rates the 3,500mAh battery at 7 hours. Retro Handhelds' drain testing came out better for lighter systems: under 10% per hour on GBA, and 13–15% per hour on heavier ones. That works out to roughly 10 hours of GBA and 6–7 hours of PS1.
Can it connect to a TV?
Yes. Both reviews confirm a mini-HDMI output, and Anbernic's listing also lists support for Bluetooth, 2.4G wireless and wired controllers, so you can play on a TV with a separate pad.
Which GBA games should I start with?
Our best GBA games list is the place to start. The 720×480 screen is an exact 3x of the GBA's 240×160, so the whole library displays without scaling blur. If you want a premium alternative with the same 3:2 screen shape, see our AYANEO Pocket Micro review.
Is the RG34XX still worth buying in 2026?
For a GBA-first handheld under $60, yes. Reviewers' verdicts have not moved, and the screen size remains the best match for the GBA library. The main caveat is now delivery time rather than the hardware: the local warehouses were out of stock when we checked.
Want more handheld reviews? Browse our full Anbernic device guide and Powkiddy device guide, or compare every handheld we've covered on the devices page.
