Anbernic RG DS Plus: Quick Look

Plus, but cheaper

The Anbernic RG DS Plus is a follow-up to the original Anbernic RG DS, with larger screens, improved ergonomics, better speakers, and a lower price.

It’s a Linux-based dual-screen handheld designed primarily around Nintendo DS emulation, although Android support is possible through GammaOS Nano.

The RG DS Plus is actually a pretty good DS handheld.

Unfortunately, there’s one major problem for me: it’s huge.

That doesn’t make it a bad device, but it does make it a difficult recommendation for someone like me who wants a DS replacement that actually resembles the size of a DS Lite instead.

What’s New?

The RG DS Plus costs about $5 less than the original RG DS, which makes the naming slightly confusing considering this is technically the “Plus” model.

The biggest change is the displays.

The original RG DS had two 4-inch 640×480 screens, while the RG DS Plus upgrades those to two 4.3-inch 1024×768 60Hz displays.

The processor remains the same, although RAM has been reduced from the original model to 1GB.

I didn’t notice any meaningful difference from the RAM reduction during my testing.

Anbernic also removed the right analog stick, leaving only one stick on the left side.

The RG DS Plus still includes Wi-Fi and Bluetooth and has a 4,000mAh battery.

The device is available in black, blue, and pink, which I find to be a downgrade compared to the original RG DS colors.

It’s Really, Really Big

The biggest issue with the RG DS Plus is the size.

This thing is huge.

It’s actually larger than the AYN Thor despite being considerably slimmer.

The Thor is obviously a much more capable device, but it’s still surprising to see a dedicated DS handheld that’s physically larger.

Compared with an actual Nintendo DS Lite, the difference is even more obvious.

The DS Lite is basically the form factor I want from something like this.

The RG DS Plus is nowhere close.

The same applies when comparing it to a New Nintendo 3DS.

Those devices have a much smaller footprint while still providing the dual-screen experience.

Now, if you don’t care about the size, this isn’t necessarily a problem.

The larger body does give you more room for your hands, and the RG DS Plus is actually quite comfortable.

But for me, the size is a dealbreaker.

I’m looking for something that replaces a DS Lite, not something that’s substantially larger than one.

If Anbernic could take everything they’ve done here and shrink it down to something closer to a DS Lite or New 3DS, I’d be extremely interested.

Controls

The controls are mostly good, although there are a few things I don’t love.

D-Pad

The D-pad is relatively light and loose with a clicky feel.

It’s accurate enough and I had no major problems using it, although it’s not one of my favorite Anbernic D-pads.

For a clamshell device with this layout, there are also some unavoidable compromises with the available space.

Overall, though, it gets the job done.

The Left Stick

The remaining analog stick is basically useless to me.

It’s slippery, has very little travel, and doesn’t feel particularly good.

Anbernic removed the right stick from the original RG DS, but honestly, I would have preferred if they removed both.

The DS doesn’t need analog sticks, and removing them entirely would have allowed Anbernic to simplify the design and potentially make the device smaller.

The stick is there if you need it, but I can’t imagine many situations where you’ll actually want to use it.

Face Buttons

The face buttons are generally fine, although there is one small ergonomic annoyance.

The ridge around the controls sits quite close to the buttons, and depending on how you hold the device, your thumb can occasionally hit it while pressing the Y button.

It’s not a major problem, but I’d prefer a little more space around the controls.

Start and Select are positioned along the bottom, which works fine.

The Built-In Stylus Is Too Small

One of the selling points of the RG DS Plus is the built-in stylus.

It’s a nice idea, but unfortunately the stylus itself is very small.

It’s basically the same size as the stylus from a DS Lite, which makes sense from a design perspective.

The problem is that I used a DS Lite when I was a kid, and my hands aren’t the same size anymore.

For me, holding this tiny stylus isn’t comfortable.

I prefer using a longer stylus that I can hold more like a normal pencil.

That’s particularly important when playing games that make heavy use of the touchscreen, like Elite Beat Agents.

The touchscreen itself works well, so the problem isn’t really the touch input. It’s the physical stylus size.

This will obviously be personal preference, and some people won’t have any issue with the included stylus.

For me, though, it ends up staying inside the device.

Ergonomics Are Actually Good

Despite the size, the RG DS Plus is surprisingly comfortable.

It’s fairly light and doesn’t feel excessively top-heavy.

The larger body actually gives your hands plenty of room, and using the D-pad and face buttons is comfortable.

I find the back a little larger than I’d personally prefer, especially when trying to use the shoulder buttons and triggers for hotkeys, but overall the ergonomics are good.

The shoulders and triggers are digital and don’t stick out very far, which also helps keep the device relatively slim.

It’s just unfortunate that the device is so large overall.

Proper USB-C to C Charging

One of the more welcome changes is proper USB-C to C charging.

Anbernic’s Linux handhelds have historically been frustrating when it comes to USB-C compatibility.

Some require specific older USB-C cables or chargers instead of working normally with modern USB-C chargers.

The RG DS Plus finally seems to have proper USB-C charging.

I’ve tested it with multiple cables and chargers and haven’t run into those compatibility issues.

You can use a high-power USB-C charger and the device will simply draw what it needs.

Unfortunately, what it needs isn’t very much.

The RG DS Plus charges at roughly 7.5W, and a full charge takes around three hours.

Battery life is around four hours in my testing, or roughly 3 hours 45 minutes of DS gameplay.

So you’re looking at approximately four hours of use followed by approximately three hours of charging.

The charging compatibility is excellent. The charging speed isn’t.

DS Performance Is Excellent

This is ultimately what matters most, and the RG DS Plus does a very good job here.

The original RG DS had problems running Pokémon Black 2 at full speed, which was particularly embarrassing for a DS handheld.

The RG DS Plus initially had the same issue when I first received it.

Thankfully, Anbernic has released software updates since then, and the performance has improved significantly.

Pokémon Black 2 now runs at full speed, and throughout my testing I haven’t encountered any DS games that had problems running.

At native resolution, DS games run properly.

The included Anbernic DS emulator called NNDDSS is relatively basic, with options for things like fast-forward limits, dynamic 3D, shaders, audio, and mapping controls.

It isn’t an especially feature-rich emulator, but it doesn’t need to be.

For the purpose of playing DS games, it works.

The Screens Are Made for DS

The two 4.3-inch 1024×768 screens are perfectly integer-scaled for Nintendo DS.

That’s exactly what you want from a dedicated DS handheld.

The colors look good and the resolution works extremely well for the system.

There is some ghosting and motion blur from the 60Hz panels, but it’s relatively minor.

The bigger problem is viewing angles.

Both screens are positioned at different angles, which means you’re never looking at both displays from exactly the same angle.

Even a small change in how you hold the device can cause noticeable changes in brightness and contrast.

My wife was actually the first person to point this out because she described it as giving the screen a strange “3D effect.”

That’s a pretty accurate description.

As you move the device slightly, the screens can appear to darken or change considerably.

It took me some time to get used to, and it’s one of the bigger weaknesses of the display.

That said, when you’re actually playing DS games and holding the device in a consistent position, the screens are perfectly usable.

Touchscreen Performance Is Good

The touchscreen is another area where the RG DS Plus performs well.

Games like Elite Beat Agents work properly, and I haven’t noticed any significant touch latency.

The same applies to The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks.

The stylus tracks your movements closely enough that I don’t have any concerns about playing touchscreen-heavy DS games.

So while I don’t like the included stylus, the touchscreen itself passes the test.

That’s important because a DS handheld with poor touchscreen latency would be essentially useless.

Better Speakers Than the RG DS

The RG DS Plus also improves the audio compared with the original RG DS.

The original model had some strange crackling and interference issues, including a noticeable hum in certain situations.

I haven’t experienced those problems on the RG DS Plus.

The speakers sound better, and the device doesn’t have the same interference issues when charging or using the speakers.

That’s another meaningful improvement over the original.

Stock Linux Software

The RG DS Plus comes with Anbernic’s Linux-based operating system.

The interface is fairly straightforward.

You have sections for DS games, favorites, history, RetroArch, applications, search, and settings.

There are also a few basic applications such as a music player, video player, ebook reader, and PDF reader.

If you’re buying this specifically as a DS handheld, most of that probably doesn’t matter.

One limitation is that there is currently no RetroAchievements support in the stock operating system.

There also isn’t much in the way of multitasking.

That’s fine if you want a dedicated DS replacement.

If you’re looking for a more flexible dual-screen Android device, the stock operating system isn’t really designed for that.

GammaOS Nano

GammaOS Nano is the more interesting option if you want to do more with the RG DS Plus.

The custom firmware can replace the stock Linux experience with Android and opens up more possibilities for the dual-screen setup.

That could allow for better multitasking and more flexible use of the second display, along with access to Android applications and emulators.

For someone who wants this to be more than a simple DS machine, GammaOS Nano is something worth watching.

But if all you want is a cheap DS handheld, the stock software does the job.

The Best Cheap DS Handheld?

Despite all of my complaints, I actually like the RG DS Plus.

The size is a dealbreaker for me, but that’s because I’m specifically looking for something closer to the size of a DS Lite or New 3DS.

If you don’t care about the size, the RG DS Plus is a very good DS handheld.

The screens are properly scaled, DS games run at full speed, touchscreen latency is good, the speakers are improved, the ergonomics are comfortable, and the device costs under $100.

That’s a pretty compelling combination.

The RG DS Plus is also clearly better than the original RG DS.

The screens are larger and higher resolution, the device is cheaper, the speakers are better, USB-C charging actually works properly, and Anbernic’s software updates have fixed the performance problems I encountered initially.

Final Thoughts

For me, the ideal version of this device would take everything Anbernic has done with the RG DS Plus and put it into a DS Lite-sized shell.

That would be fantastic.

But that’s not what we have.

What we have is a very large DS handheld that happens to be surprisingly comfortable and very capable at actually playing DS games.

If you’re specifically looking for a cheap DS replacement and don’t mind the size, I think the RG DS Plus is one of the best options under $100.

If you’re like me and want something closer to an actual DS Lite or 3DS form factor, I’d still be waiting for something smaller.

But as a cheap dedicated DS machine, the RG DS Plus is definitely a success.