The Anbernic RG40XX V is the vertical, 4-inch member of the RG40XX family — the one designed for people who grew up holding a Game Boy and never quite got comfortable with horizontal handhelds. This review works out where the $95.99 price tag is justified and where it falls short.
We don't receive review units. Specifications below come from Anbernic's own listing, and every subjective judgement is attributed to the outlet that tested the device.
Price: $95.99 at LitNXT. Buy the Anbernic RG40XX V at LitNXT →
Quick verdict
If you want a vertical Game Boy-shaped handheld with a bigger 4-inch screen and enough horsepower for everything through PS1, the RG40XX V is the best $90 option in 2026. Skip it if you want PSP, Dreamcast, or GameCube emulation — for that, jump to the Anbernic RG406V instead.
Key features and design
The RG40XX V's selling point is restraint — Anbernic took the proven H700 chip from the cheaper RG35XX line, scaled the screen up to 4 inches, and stretched the chassis vertically. The result is essentially a thicker, longer Game Boy Pocket with modern button additions.
The bigger-screen-on-the-same-chip strategy pays off where it should: GBA, GBC, NES, SNES, and PS1 all get meaningfully more screen real estate for the same silicon. The panel is where reviewers agreed most readily. Retro Dodo's Brandon Saltalamacchia wrote that "the colours really pop," and DroiX called the picture quality "very impressive" for a small-bezel 640×480 IPS.
Controls held up better in testing than the spec sheet suggests. Saltalamacchia was direct about the d-pad — "sturdy, reliable, and feels smooth" — and found the button layout comfortable apart from the analogue stick, which sits where your thumb doesn't naturally fall.
Specifications at a glance
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| CPU | Allwinner H700 quad-core ARM Cortex-A53 |
| GPU | Mali G31 MP2 |
| RAM | 1GB LPDDR4 |
| Screen | 4.0-inch IPS, 640×480, full lamination |
| Storage | Dual MicroSD (OS + Games) |
| Battery | 3,200mAh Li-polymer, up to ~6h depending on system |
| OS | Stock Linux + GarlicOS support |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi, HDMI out |
| Dimensions | Vertical, ~190g |
| Price | $95.99 |
Performance by system
Reviewers converged on the same tier line: everything through PS1 is comfortable, and everything past it is a compromise.
- GB / GBC: No issues. The 4-inch backlit panel and vertical layout are a straightforward upgrade on the original unlit hardware.
- NES / SNES / Genesis: DroiX found 8- and 16-bit systems ran "fine without any issues."
- GBA: Full speed. This is the era the H700 was picked for.
- PS1: DroiX reported the "PS1 era works great" via DuckStation.
- N64 / Dreamcast: DroiX described performance here as "hit and miss" — expect to pick your titles rather than assume the library.
- PSP: Mixed. DroiX got demanding titles running only with frame skipping, so treat PSP as a bonus rather than a reason to buy.
- GameCube: Not supported in any practical sense at this tier.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- 4-inch laminated IPS is the biggest screen at this price tier, and the one thing every reviewer praised
- D-pad well received — Retro Dodo called it "sturdy, reliable"
- Dual SD slots make firmware experimentation easy
- Up to roughly 6 hours from the 3,200mAh cell, depending on system
- GarlicOS support is mature
Cons:
- 640×480 resolution is fine but not sharp — RGB30's 720×720 is crisper for pixel art
- Single speaker is loud, but Retro Dodo noted "slight sound blockage" depending on how you hold it
- Analogue stick placement is the one control Retro Dodo singled out as awkward
- Not powerful enough to be relied on past PS1
What the reviewers found
We haven't tested this device, so here is the published coverage and where it agrees and disagrees:
- Retro Dodo (Brandon Saltalamacchia, September 2024) — 7.3/10. Praised the display and the d-pad; the overall verdict was deliberately unexcited: "This device isn't going to blow your socks off." His framing is that it's another competent vertical in a crowded field rather than a leap forward.
- DroiX (DaveC, September 2024) — impressed by the 4-inch panel, quotes up to 6 hours from the 3,200mAh battery, and is clear that N64, Dreamcast and PSP are all compromised.
The dissent worth taking seriously is Retro Dodo's: if you already own an RG35XX-class handheld, the RG40XX V is a bigger screen on the same silicon, not a new capability tier.
How it compares
| Model | Form | Screen | Best for | Price | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RG40XX V (this device) | Vertical | 4" 640×480 | Game Boy nostalgia, PS1-era | $95.99 | LitNXT → |
| RG34XX | Horizontal (GBA shape) | 3.4" 720×480 | GBA, sharper screen | $57.11 | Anbernic → |
| RG35XX Plus | Vertical (smaller) | 3.5" 640×480 | Same era, smaller pocket | $89.99 | LitNXT → |
| Powkiddy RGB30 | Square | 4" 720×720 | Pixel-art purists, GB/GBC/SNES | $99.99 | LitNXT → |
| RG406V | Vertical Android | 4" OLED | PSP, Dreamcast, GameCube | $239.99 | LitNXT → |
Should you buy the Anbernic RG40XX V?
Yes if:
- You want a vertical 4-inch handheld for everything up to PS1
- $90 is the sweet spot price-wise
- You're fine with GarlicOS / community firmware
Skip it if:
- You want PSP/Dreamcast/GameCube — go to the RG406V
- You want a sharper square screen — the RGB30 is better for pixel art
The RG40XX V is the straightforward answer for anyone who wants "a Game Boy but bigger and modern." It isn't flashy — Retro Dodo's "it's just… good" is a fair summary — but at this price that's not a criticism so much as a description.
Buy the Anbernic RG40XX V at LitNXT → — listed at $95.99. Check the current price and any active discount on the product page before ordering.
Browse more handhelds in our Anbernic device guide or compare every device on the devices page.
