2026-03-15

[March 2026 Update] Anbernic "RG Vita Pro" Details Announced, Retroid Raises Prices Due to Rising Memory Costs

In the first half of March 2026, the portable gaming PC and retro gaming console scene saw a combination of detailed announcements for next-generation devices and price adjustments due to market conditions. Anbernic released official footage of its new "RG Vita Pro," aimed at PS Vita emulation, revealing details such as a dual-OS configuration. Meanwhile, the harsh reality of hardware manufacturing has been highlighted as Retroid discontinues its flagship model and raises prices due to a global surge in memory costs.

Anbernic "RG Vita Pro" detailed specifications revealed, featuring Android 14 and Linux dual-OS

In early March, Anbernic released official footage of its new handheld, the "RG Vita Pro," revealing its detailed specifications. The device features a 5.5-inch IPS touchscreen (1920x1080 resolution) and is characterized by its dual-OS configuration, running both Android 14 and a 64-bit version of Linux.

Official demo footage shows the device running emulations for PS2, PS Vita, Wii, and GameCube, indicating a significant performance improvement over previous entry-level models. It supports Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0, and also features DisplayPort output (1080p) via the Type-C port and a TV mode via HDMI, allowing it to be used as a home console with an external monitor.

The battery capacity is 5000mAh, and the device is planned to be available in two colors: black and white. Pricing and release dates are "to be announced soon," and further official updates are awaited.

Retroid "Pocket 6" 12GB model discontinued, 8GB model price increased due to rising memory costs

Retroid, known for its high cost-performance in the retro gaming market, has made a difficult decision following fluctuations in the global semiconductor market. On March 1, the company announced that it would discontinue the 12GB RAM model of its latest device, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2-powered "Retroid Pocket 6."

Furthermore, for the 8GB RAM model (128GB storage) that will continue to be sold, the company implemented a $15 price increase from $229 to $244, effective March 2. The company cited "significant changes and price surges in the global memory market" due to increased demand for AI data centers as the reason for this price adjustment, explaining that it has become difficult to continue offering the 12GB model at a reasonable price.

Similar cost increases have been reported by other companies, raising concerns about a general upward trend in prices for portable gaming devices.

AYANEO "Pocket DS" data transmission concerns addressed by official statement as a bug, with a fix promised

Regarding the dual-screen handheld "Pocket DS" from AYANEO, some in the community raised privacy concerns, claiming that "screenshots were being saved without user consent and large amounts of data were being transmitted." In response, AYANEO issued a prompt statement by March 11, denying any intentional data collection.

According to the official explanation, the issue of accumulated screenshots was caused by a "software bug that prevented the clearing of the cache," and the images were only saved within the app's sandbox, with no uploads to external servers taking place.

Additionally, the company clarified that the unnatural data usage of approximately 12.5GB was a misunderstanding caused by the specification where data usage for all apps sharing the Android system UID (android.uid.system) is aggregated and displayed. The company is currently preparing an update to fix this cache bug and is working to alleviate user concerns.