RG28XX Impressions: Not For Meaty Claws

The new Anbernic RG28XX has arrived, and I've had time to put together my first impressions and thoughts. Imagine my surprise when I grabbed my mail and discovered a relatively noticeable and unexpected package sitting in the mailbox. After ten minutes of attempting to cut through the tons of packaging tape, I was met with a thin white box and what appeared to be a hard drive case.

For your information, Stubbs and Retro Tech Dad, two additional members of the RH team, have already received the Anbernic RG28XX and have expressed their thoughts. Zu apparently has one as well, and whenever it goes online, you'll see an embedded video. Zu gave his thoughts on the new RG28XX just in time.

There will be several colors available for the RG28XX; however, I chose the "Beige White." I'm a little jealous of the Creamsicle, even if it looks really lovely in person. I can't criticize because Anbernic does an excellent job with the contrast between the buttons and the shell.

My Miyoo Mini is the only handheld device with a screen smaller than 3.5 inches that I have used thus far. These days, it generally gathers dust, although sometimes I'll take it up to play with it. It goes without saying that my old eyes were still a little taken aback by the switch from the RG35XX 24 to the 28XX. At least it doesn't look bad, although I suppose that's the point with these incredibly portable handheld devices.

In the few hours since I received the 28XX, the most significant issue I've encountered is the obvious one. For my meaty paws, these buttons are absurdly little. I can use my right thumb to cover all four buttons and my left thumb to cover the D-Pad. Even though I can only play games with my fingertips, that's okay. But when it comes to prolonged gaming sessions, I'm concerned about my endurance.

Following the button trend, I don't know what Anbernic was thinking when she chose these triggers and shoulders. While L2 and R2 protrude farther than you might anticipate, L1 and R1 are almost flush to the shell. It will work depending on the games you want to play, but you'll need to adjust the button arrangement in the settings.

Okay, but what about actually playing games? Well, don't go near the "Game Rooms" in Anbernic. I want to convert the RG28XX into a Batarang because every game I try to play gets slower and slower. If you stick with the "RA Game" lineup, you'll be pleased.

I've been obsessed with playing Pokemon Pinball lately. Within less than a minute, it jumps from being smooth to acting like the Game Boy Color is the most challenging device to replicate. This gets me to my next problem, which is the absence of custom firmware.

The RG28XX features a vertical display, and several custom firmware options haven't been optimized for this. Anbernic is keeping this a secret even though the RG28XX is powered by the same Allwinner H700 as the RG35XX Plus/H and 2024.

Custom firmware is not currently compatible with this device. Anbernic's stock offering will have to do for you. I attempted to load both muOS and an alpha build of the next Knulli firmware for the benefit of future generations. However, neither firmware was able to boot the RG28XX. We won't have to wait long for anything better, though, if this community is one thing you can rely on.

That concludes my initial thoughts on Anbernic's most recent vintage handheld. Although the RG28XX has tiny buttons and no custom firmware choices, it does show more promise than I had anticipated. However, we will return shortly with a comprehensive review, so stay tuned for that.

Finally, you can purchase the RG28XX for yourself in the interim from Anbernic or AliExpress. It's usually $47.99, but during a 48-hour deal, you can save $5, making it only $43.99. Shipping will still be your responsibility, but at least there is a discount to help defray the expense.