2019 •Sega Genesis
A ROM hack/mod for Sonic the Hedgehog which changes Sonic for Shadow the Hedgehog. Although a previous mod with the same purpose exists, this one adds...
RG Vita Pro by Anbernic, Horizontal retro handheld, running Linux, Android 14, powered by RockChip RK3576, with a 5.5 inch display, priced around ?
Marketplace rows use affiliate-friendly links where available. Average price stays based on the console database, not live per-store pricing.
| Store | Price |
|---|---|
|
Amazon
Amazon search results
|
? |
|
AliExpress
AliExpress search results
|
? |
Affiliate disclosure and terms are linked in the footer.
Broad emulation range
RG Vita Pro lands in a crowded lane, which is exactly why the comparison with RG Vita, GAMEMT EX8, and GAMEMT E5 Ultra matters so much.
RG Vita Pro looks most interesting when you treat it as a specific answer to a specific kind of retro player, not as a mythical one-device-for-everyone machine.
Before the review gets opinionated, here is the clean spec picture. This table is the reality check that keeps the rest of the write-up grounded.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Brand | Anbernic |
| Release | Upcoming (Mid/Late March) |
| Form factor | Horizontal |
| Operating system | Linux, Android 14 |
| Overall performance | ??½ (Estimate) |
| SoC | RockChip RK3576 |
| CPU | Cortex-A72 / Cortex-A53 4x / 4x, 8 Cores, and 1.8 GHz - 2.2 GHz |
| GPU | Mali-G52 MC3, 3 Cores, and 1.0 GHz |
| RAM | 4 GB LPDDR4X |
| Display | 5.5 inch, IPS Touchscreen, and 60 Hz |
| Resolution | 1920 x 1080, 16:9, and 400.53 PPI |
| Battery and cooling | 5000 mAh and Heatsink Fan Ventilation cutouts |
| Storage and I/O | Internal 64GB eMCP, External MicroSD, USB-C x2 Top & Bottom facing, USB-C video out Top facing, and 3.5mm Headphone Bottom facing |
If this review pulls you in, the fastest next rabbit hole is RG Vita and GAMEMT EX8, because those are the products most likely to clarify whether RG Vita Pro is your real match or just your current curiosity.
The heart of the machine is the RockChip RK3576. CPU duties are handled by Cortex-A72 / Cortex-A53 4x / 4x. Graphics are handled by Mali-G52 MC3. Memory is listed at 4 GB LPDDR4X. The sheet rates the overall performance at ??½ (Estimate), or roughly 2.5 on the normalized scale.
The CPU side is described with 8 Cores, 8 Threads, and 1.8 GHz - 2.2 GHz, which is more useful than brand names alone because it hints at how much headroom the handheld should have before emulator tuning gets annoying. On the graphics side, 3 Cores, 1.0 GHz, and ARM helps sketch the ceiling for heavier systems, upscale experiments, and shader curiosity.
RG Vita Pro looks strongest with Game Boy (A), NES (A), Sega Genesis (A), Game Boy Advance (A), Super Nintendo (A), and PlayStation 1 (A), which gives the review something more tangible than a vague "good for retro" verdict.
The middle tier of compatibility, including Wii (C) and PlayStation 2 (C), is where the buyer needs some honesty. These are usually the systems that separate a casual dabbler from a user who is happy tweaking emulator settings, testing cores, or accepting the occasional rough edge.
RG Vita Pro does not yet have a clean average market price, which makes the buying case more fluid than the hardware itself. Price does not just change whether a device feels affordable. It changes what kinds of flaws buyers are willing to forgive.
Availability is part of the value story too. A strong handheld with sketchy storefronts or inconsistent launch timing can still become a frustrating buy.
Every handheld makes tradeoffs somewhere, even when the spreadsheet leaves them unstated. The smartest shortlist is usually the one that sees the flaw clearly and decides it is either acceptable or disqualifying before the credit card comes out.
RG Vita Pro is described with battery: 5000 mAh and cooling: Heatsink Fan Ventilation cutouts. Those are not background details; they shape noise, comfort, endurance, and whether the device feels eager to be used or mildly exhausting to keep fed. Audio is covered by Dual Stereo Bottom facing and 3.5mm Headphone Bottom facing, which matters for sofa play, travel, and late-night sessions when speakers and headphone output can quietly make or break the experience.
Physically, the device is outlined by Plastic and Black, White, Gray. This is where you start picturing whether it is truly pocketable, only jacket-safe, or clearly a bag companion. A handheld is only as portable as the friction it introduces. Too heavy, too hot, too awkward, and even strong specs start feeling theoretical.
The practical I/O story includes Internal 64GB eMCP, External MicroSD, WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.2, USB-C x2 Top & Bottom facing, and USB-C video out Top facing. These details matter because many retro buyers are also collectors, tinkerers, dock-and-TV players, or people with large libraries that need sensible storage and transfer options.
| Console | Angle | Price | Performance | Why Click Through |
|---|---|---|---|---|
RG Vita Anbernic | Brand Neighbor | TBD | 2 | horizontal layout. |
GAMEMT EX8 Unknown brand | Better Value | TBD | ??¾ | horizontal layout, rated ??¾. |
GAMEMT E5 Ultra Unknown brand | Closest Match | TBD | 2 | horizontal layout. |
RGB50 PowKiddy | Smaller Alternative | TBD | ?¼ | horizontal layout, rated ?¼. |
RG Vita Pro becomes much easier to judge once it is forced into the same room as RG Vita, GAMEMT EX8, and GAMEMT E5 Ultra. This is where a vague impression turns into a real buying decision, because each nearby rival throws a different kind of pressure on the table.
RG Vita Pro versus RG Vita is interesting because brand neighbor is the obvious angle. If RG Vita Pro feels almost right but not quite, RG Vita is the sort of nearby detour that can completely change the shortlist. More importantly, rG Vita Pro versus GAMEMT EX8 is interesting because better value is the obvious angle. GAMEMT EX8 sits close enough to RG Vita Pro to make the comparison meaningful, but different enough to sharpen the buying decision. Its overall rating is ??¾. In practice, rG Vita Pro versus GAMEMT E5 Ultra is interesting because closest match is the obvious angle. From another angle, if RG Vita Pro feels almost right but not quite, GAMEMT E5 Ultra is the sort of nearby detour that can completely change the shortlist.
The real benefit of this comparison set is not that it declares a single winner. It reveals which compromise profile feels least annoying over time.
RG Vita Pro pairs the hardware with 5.5 inch, IPS Touchscreen, 60 Hz, 1920 x 1080, 16:9, and 400.53 PPI. That is the kind of detail stack retro buyers should linger on, because a handheld can be technically capable and still feel wrong if the aspect ratio, sharpness, and scaling story are off. The screen protection is listed as Tempered Glass (OCA Laminated), a small clue that often hints at how polished or rough the front face might feel in daily use.
The controls are described with Cross Upper placement, Dual thumbsticks (L3/R3, Hall) Lower placement, 4 Buttons, L1, R1, L2, R2 Vertical, and Home, Back, Power, Reset, Volume+-. That matters more than many spec sheets admit, because the difference between a fun handheld and a fatiguing one often shows up in the D-pad, shoulder shape, and how naturally the thumbs settle into place. A device can run a game and still fail the vibe test if the controls feel like an afterthought.
The 16:9 aspect ratio adds another layer to the story. Retro gaming screens are never neutral. They reward some libraries, punish others, and always whisper a preference about how the device expects to be used.
RG Vita Pro is best framed as a machine for shoppers who want a focused retro machine with a clear role. This category rewards shoppers who know what kind of sessions they actually play, because not every strong device is strong in the same way.
The horizontal shape matters here because it changes comfort, portability, and the kind of nostalgia the device leans into. The fact that it runs Linux, Android 14 also affects what kind of setup work, app ecosystem, and tinkering ceiling buyers should expect.
The release timing listed as Upcoming (Mid/Late March) helps place it in context. Context matters because buyers are not comparing isolated products; they are comparing moments in the market.
RG Vita Pro leaves the strongest impression when you frame it as a recommendation for shoppers who want a focused retro machine with a clear role. That framing keeps the review honest and stops the verdict from sliding into generic praise.
Broad emulation range is not just a catchy label here. It is the cleanest shorthand for why this device deserves attention. The compatibility profile around Game Boy (A), NES (A), Sega Genesis (A), and Game Boy Advance (A) gives it a concrete identity.
If the device sparks your interest, the smartest next click is usually RG Vita, followed by GAMEMT EX8, because that is where the shape of the market around it comes into focus. The point is not to stop the reader from exploring. It is to make every next click smarter.
Games shown here match systems this handheld can run at a B grade or better.
2019 •Sega Genesis
A ROM hack/mod for Sonic the Hedgehog which changes Sonic for Shadow the Hedgehog. Although a previous mod with the same purpose exists, this one adds...
2023 •Super Nintendo
An unofficial horror mod for a castle level in Super Mario World. There are multiple endings for the player to discover.
2016 •Nintendo Entertainment System
Based on a hit internet phenomenon, 0-to-X is an addictive puzzler developed by nemesys. In addition to tile mashing fun, the game features an amazing...
2013 •PSP
Game details are still being synced from IGDB.
1999 •Game Boy
Congratulations! You now own your very own bowling alley, in the palm of your hand! Imagine going for a 7-10 split, or trying for that perfect game wh...
2011 •Nintendo DS
Featuring a wide variety of board, puzzle, logic, dice, card and table-top games, 100 Classic Games is the definitive collection of much loved classic...
2002 •PlayStation 1
100% Playstation Star allows players to create a musical group from the beginning. Then you assume various businesses as a producer, manager, composer...
2017 •Nintendo 3DS
100% Pasukaru Sensei: Perfect Paint Bombers is a colorful action game featuring over 180 characters across six continents. Players explore the Pasca w...
2011 •PlayStation 3, PSP
1000 Tiny Claws is the third PlayStation Minis game from developer Mediatonic.
2016 •Nintendo 3DS
"1000m Zombie Escape!" is an action game where you "run" away from a bunch of wandering zombies. You have to control a character that is so scared tha...
2012 •Nintendo DS
Full of teasing crosswords from the UK’s leading national newspapers, this new collection contains an incredible 1001 puzzles of all levels of difficu...