Anbernic RG40XX H Review: The Final H700

Anbernic is having trouble. I'm genuinely surprised that there isn't already another Anbernic handheld on the horizon as I settle down to write my evaluation of the RG40XX H. The RG Cube and the RG40XX H were released around one month apart. Considering that the RG35XX SP was released a month ahead of the Cube, such speed is too quick.

Nevertheless, I've been using the RG40XX H for a few weeks now, and I like it a lot. So, let's get started and examine the RG40XX H in more detail to see what it has to offer and if you should consider it.

RG40XX H: The Basics

Despite sharing the same H700 chip, the RG40XX H is essentially the successor of the RG35XX H. It's another horizontal handheld, as the name implies, and this is just the way things are going. In keeping with it, we have a 4-inch IPS screen with a 4:3 aspect ratio and a resolution of 640 x 480.

In addition to the two microSD card slots on the bottom, the Allwinner H700 comes with 1GB of LPDDR4 RAM. Along with a mini HDMI port, Anbernic also included a USB-C charging port on top of the 40XX H. Regarding battery life, our 3,200mAh cell has a six-hour rated lifespan and supports USB-C to USB-C charging.

In the meantime, the price starts at $69. There are three colour options. You will receive a 64GB microSD card with that, but 64GB+128GB or 64GB+256GB variants are also available.

RG40XX H: Design and Ergonomics

I assumed I had accidentally received another RG Cube when I initially saw the RG40XX H. You can see where I'm coming from, even though it wasn't the case. At least ergonomically, it's a flat RG Cube if you cut off the bulbous grips and replace the left thumbstick with the D-Pad.

I was concerned that I wouldn't be able to play games for any actual amount of time because my hands were prone to cramping. I can only tolerate the annoyance for so long, which is a common occurrence with vintage handhelds. I was able to play for a lot longer than I had anticipated, though, so Anbernic's choice to make the RG40XX H more rounded than something like the RG35XX H paid off.

It is the D-Pad that irritates me the most. It simply isn't good. Something felt strange when I tried to play Crystalis, which is one of RH's July Game of the Month titles. Even though I knew which way I was pushing the D-Pad, moving my character felt nearly random.

When you push in one way and then wiggle your finger slightly, there are little movements. I'll attempt to go straight up, but I wind up going diagonally instead. It is obviously quite annoying and has the potential to eradicate the experience. I wish Anbernic had continued using the D-Pad from the RG Cube or RG35XX SP.

Other than that, though, everything functions as promised. Upon further reflection, I wish Anbernic had used the Cube's button arrangement for the RG40XX H. Well, anything.

RG40XX H: Performance and Gameplay

We now have a clear understanding of the capabilities of the Allwinner H700. The RG40XX H is, after all, the sixth handheld with this processor. For those who don't know, however, this implies that you may play games up to the Dreamcast with a small amount of PSP and Saturn games mixed in.

However, since you won't enjoy yourself, I strongly advise against attempting to push the boundaries. You won't be let down as long as you know what to anticipate. Of course, that means no Chains of Olympus, but I did play a lot of MLB The Show '06 in honour of the upcoming Home Run Derby and All-Star Game.

Hearing that Stubbs was having some trouble with overheating was the only other thing that made me a little nervous. Stubbs even put a thermal pad on the SoC since it was so painful. Similar observations were made by Jalanimal, who noted that "the back gets quite hot, especially in the lower corner."

I may be the lucky one, but my RG40XX H hasn't heated up all that much. It does become a bit warm, but not enough to cause my hands to become uncomfortable or to require me to place a thermal pad on the processor.

A Few Words About Ports

Recently, Anbernic has been in some hot water. The continuous story of the RG Cube and light bleed comes first. After that, the business released a significant update for its handhelds that the H700 powered.

Being an upgrade to 64-bit Linux, this ought to have been a high moment for Anbernic. By doing this, it made it possible to play even more games with our beloved PortMaster. Instead, because the update contained some pre-configured ports, Anbernic was caught in the middle. Therefore, flash the update, go to the Ports area, and launch Shredder's Revenge or Stardew Valley.

As part of a broader statement, the PortMaster team swiftly condemned Anbernic's actions, providing the following:

In addition to undermining the efforts of game producers, sharing unlicensed copies jeopardizes the integrity of initiatives like PortMaster. Fair use and respect for intellectual property are essential to our community, and any actions that violate these principles will not be accepted.

If the files show up on your handheld, I advise deleting them from the RG40XX H. After that, buy the games and install them correctly by following the instructions on the PortMaster website.

Finally, but just as significantly, help the developers.

RG40XX H: Custom Firmware

We weren't expecting a lot of custom firmware possibilities because the RG40XX H was just released. But we already have compatible versions of Knulli and mine in the last week or two.

Additionally, there is a modified version of the stock Anbernic OS that can be flashed if you prefer not to deal with beta (or even alpha) firmware. Considering that the RG40XX H utilizes the H700 SoC, updates from muOS and other developers won't be far off.

RG40XX H: Final Thoughts

I struggled to find the right words to write this review. The RG40XX H is merely an alternative to what we already have, not that it's awful. Yes, you could say that about most handhelds, but I'm sick of hearing that. If Anbernic didn't publish anything fresh every month, I might have a different opinion, but who knows?

I'm still leaning toward stating that the RG40XX H is worth it if you're in the market for a new handheld. In the end, it's an improved RG35XX H, which is already a fantastic handheld. Even still, if you already have the 35XX version, there isn't enough here to justify getting one.

I'm more enthusiastic about Anbernic's future. Maxzhou88 claims that the RG40XX H is the final Anbernic handheld with the H700 SoC. This should lead to the release of handheld devices with improved performance. I hope that doesn't mean that Anbernic's handhelds that cost less than $100 will no longer be available.