When it comes to OLED displays in gaming, I was interested to find that the Anbernic RG405M handheld gaming device is now available for purchase at $167.99 on the company’s website. They offer it in two color options: black and a mint-colored grey. Additionally, customers can choose to order the device with a 128 GB or 256 GB microSD card, priced at $182.99 and $197.99, respectively. It’s not the greatest display (it’s no Nintendo Switch OLED), but it is more than enough for the retro games that people play on Anerbic’s platforms and it’s always interesting to watch the extent to which companies go to promote OLED products. Gamers are going to be the drivers behind OLED display adoption. That should trickle down into all segments of the market from handhelds to corporate IT.
Anbernic is a Chinese company. Its devices often run on Android or customized Linux-based operating systems, playing classical video games from various legacy gaming consoles via emulation. Anbernic has gained popularity among retro gaming enthusiasts due to their devices’ build quality, performance, and affordability. Some popular Anbernic models include the RG350, RG351, and RG351V.
| Feature | Anbernic RG505 |
|---|---|
| Processor (SoC) | Unisoc Tiger T618 |
| CPU Cores | 2x ARM Cortex-A75, 6x Cortex-A55 |
| CPU Clock Speed | 2 GHz |
| GPU | Mali-G52 (850 MHz) |
| RAM | 4 GB LPDDR4X |
| Storage | 128 GB eMMC, MicroSD card reader |
| Operating System | Android 12 |
| Wi-Fi | 802.11 ac |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 5.0 |
| Battery | 5,000 mAh |
| Battery Life | Up to 7 hours |
| Display | 4.95-inch OLED |
| Resolution | 640 × 480 pixels |
| Analog Sticks | Hall sensor analog sticks |
| Storage Expansion | MicroSD card slot |
As a company, Anbernic primarily focuses on leveraging existing technologies and components to create its devices. Its consoles use a combination of off-the-shelf components such as processors, RAM, displays, and storage. The software side often involves open-source or community-developed emulation platforms, such as RetroArch or EmulationStation.
While Anbernic may have some in-house engineering and design work related to their products’ mechanical and industrial design aspects, it is unlikely that they possess proprietary IP in terms of chipsets or core hardware components. The company’s strength lies in creating well-designed and user-friendly products that integrate existing technologies to offer an enjoyable retro gaming experience.
