A New GBA SP-Inspired Clamshell Handheld That Can Play Dreamcast and PSP Games Is Coming
Here comes the second wave of clamshell handhelds.
Gaming handhelds, especially restored/modded Game Boys and lookalikes, are having their moment, but it’s still rare to find an affordable remake of the classic Game Boy Advance SP. To address that, Anbernic may be working on a handheld that can live up to the glory we saw with Nintendo’s 2003 clamshell.
A leaked video from X user GameboyJuntaro shows off what appears to be the unannounced Anbernic RG35XX SP. As the name suggests, it seems to be based off the Game Boy Advance SP design and has a better CPU that lets it emulate more demanding games than Pokémon Ruby and Emerald.
Besides this Anbernic leak, we’re eagerly awaiting the Miyoo Mini Flip, which also sports a clamshell design inspired by Nintendo’s iconic handheld. With two clamshell handhelds on the horizon, these companies are paying attention to what the retro handheld community wants. We just have to wait for the official announcements and complete tech specs to come out.
A Joystick-Free Clamshell
According to the leaker, the RG35XX SP should run off the same processor as the existing RG35XX Plus and RG35XX H, meaning an Allwinner H700. With that chip, the RG35XX SP should be able to emulate consoles up to the PlayStation, Nintendo 64, and Dreamcast. Looking at the leaked video, it looks like Anbernic will continue the lineup with a 3.5-inch display with a 640 x 480 resolution.
Transparent tech lovers can rejoice, Anbernic is likely revisiting see-through design with the RG35XX SP since the leak shows a transparent blue colorway. Unlike the Miyoo Mini Plus, Anbernic’s clamshell handheld will not have dual joysticks. In terms of staying true to the Game Boy Advance SP, the RG35XX SP looks much better without joysticks. However, this could mean running into some clunky movement when it comes to playing some 3D PS1 or N64 titles.
Just like the concerns with Miyoo’s upcoming clamshell, we’re hoping Anbernic has designed a sturdy hinge for its handheld. After all, this is an issue that even major brands like Samsung and Google have struggled with in the past with their foldable phones.
It looks like Anbernic slapped a chunky logo onto its upcoming clamshell handheld.
Not Officially Revealed Yet
Considering the RG35XX SP will be Anbernic’s first clamshell gaming handheld, we’re not sure how it will be priced. Anbernic generally leans towards the budget side of gaming handhelds, so we’re expecting the RG35XX SP to fall somewhere around the $65 starting price range, similar to the RG35XX Plus and H.
Anbernic hasn’t officially announced the RG35XX SP, but the company is known for releasing handhelds quickly. The company just revealed the updated RG35XX 2024 model last week. If we’re going off the leaked video, the RG35XX SP looks almost ready to start shipping since it was shown running a custom OS. We wouldn’t be surprised if Anbernic announces something in the coming weeks.
