2026-03-25

Anbernic Launches 'RG Vita' Series; AYANEO Suspends 'NEXT 2' Sales Due to Rising Component Costs

In the portable gaming PC and retro gaming scene, companies are seeing mixed fortunes. Anbernic has officially launched its new PS Vita-inspired devices, the 'RG Vita' and 'RG Vita Pro,' while a leak of an unannounced device featuring a novel rotating screen has generated buzz. Meanwhile, AYANEO has announced a temporary suspension of sales for its high-end 'AYANEO NEXT 2,' which was being crowdfunded, citing sharp increases in memory and storage prices. This article summarizes key topics from the last 10 days.

Anbernic 'RG Vita / RG Vita Pro' Officially Launched

Following last week's pricing announcement, Anbernic has begun sales of its new Android/Linux-based handheld consoles, the 'RG Vita' and 'RG Vita Pro.' The devices feature a design inspired by the PlayStation Vita and are available in two models with different specifications.

Key Specifications and Differences

RG Vita: Features a 5.46-inch (1280x720 resolution) touch display. It is powered by a Unisoc T618 SoC, 3GB of RAM, and 64GB of storage, running Android 12. It is positioned as an affordable entry-level model starting at $99.99.
RG Vita Pro: Upgraded with a 5.5-inch (1920x1080) display and powered by a Rockchip RK3576 SoC. It includes 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage, supporting dual-booting between Android 14 and Linux.

Both models are equipped with a 5,000mAh battery and joysticks with Hall effect sensors, promising comfortable control for retro game upscaling and PC streaming.

AYANEO 'NEXT 2' Sales Temporarily Suspended Due to Rising Component Costs

AYANEO, known for its high-end portable gaming PCs, has announced a temporary suspension of sales for the 'AYANEO NEXT 2,' which was currently being crowdfunded on Indiegogo.

Manufacturing Costs Exceed Retail Price

The company attributes this to the sharp rise in memory and storage prices since the Lunar New Year. Despite an aggressive base model price of $1,799, manufacturing costs have exceeded the retail price, and the company determined that further price increases were not practical.

Handling Existing Orders: Orders placed before the suspension announcement will be manufactured and shipped as scheduled.
Future Outlook: Long-term after-sales support and the provision of replacement parts are guaranteed. The company has suggested that sales may resume once component prices stabilize, but a specific timeline remains unclear.

Anbernic Device with a Square 'Rotating Screen' Leaked

While Anbernic continues to release new models, a video of an unannounced device with a unique form factor has leaked on the Reddit community (r/SBCGaming), becoming a hot topic among fans.

Gimmick and Target Audience

The device shown in the video features a square touch screen with a 1:1 aspect ratio and appears to have no visible control buttons at first glance. However, by pushing the edge of the screen, the display rotates (flips) to reveal a D-pad and ABXY buttons underneath, a gimmick reminiscent of the 2010s 'Motorola Flipout.'

Known Features: L/R buttons are located on the back, and the video shows an Android emulator running on the screen.
Market Positioning: There has been no official announcement, and the SoC and specific model number are unknown. However, it is attracting attention as a niche, highly collectible device specialized for retro games with near-square aspect ratios, such as those for the Game Boy or Neo Geo Pocket.