2026-04-06

Portable Gaming Market Hit by Soaring Memory Prices, and Leak of ANBERNIC's Unique Flip Device "RG Rotate"

From late March to early April 2026, the global surge in memory prices has severely impacted the portable gaming PC and retro handheld market. Major manufacturers like AYANEO and Retroid have announced product discontinuations, suspension of pre-orders, and price revisions. Meanwhile, leaked information regarding ANBERNIC's new device, the "RG Rotate," which features a unique rotating screen, has captured the community's attention.

Market impact due to soaring memory prices (AYANEO, Retroid)

Since late March 2026, the rapid surge in DRAM and storage prices has dealt a severe blow to various portable gaming console manufacturers.

AYANEO has announced the suspension of pre-orders for the "AYANEO NEXT 2," a high-end Windows handheld powered by AMD's next-generation APU, "Strix Halo (Ryzen AI Max 385)." The model was originally priced at $1,999, but the company explained that component costs have nearly doubled, leading to a situation where continuing sales would result in losses. Additionally, the company announced that the Android handheld "KONKR Pocket FIT 8 Elite," powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite, will be discontinued after the next restock.

Similar effects have reached Retroid. The company has temporarily suspended production of the "Retroid Pocket G2," just five months after its release, canceled the 12GB RAM model of the "Retroid Pocket 6," and raised the price of the 8GB model to $244. Furthermore, the 4-button model of the "Retroid Pocket Classic" is expected to be discontinued once current stock is depleted.

In the portable gaming market, where low prices have been achieved by cutting profit margins, this surge in component costs is shaking the business model itself and is expected to impact future product lineups for these companies.

Leak of ANBERNIC's new device "RG Rotate"

Amidst the grim news across the market, leaked information about a highly unique unannounced device from ANBERNIC has emerged, becoming a hot topic in the community.

According to videos and high-resolution images circulated on Chinese social media and Reddit, the new device is expected to be named "RG Rotate." Its most notable feature is a rotating (flip-style) square display reminiscent of mobile phones from the 2000s. While it has a simple appearance consisting only of the screen when closed, it features a special gimmick where the display slides and rotates to reveal a D-pad and ABXY buttons underneath.

According to the leaked specifications, the device has a 2000mAh battery and is said to have the performance to run NINTENDO 64-class games. It also includes a built-in MP3 player function, a USB-C port on the top, and a microSD card slot and inline triggers on the sides.

For ANBERNIC, which has consistently released hardware with orthodox designs, this device represents a very challenging design. While its practicality remains largely unknown, there is high anticipation for its official announcement as a device that offers a new sense of playfulness for portable gaming consoles.