A tiny retro handheld comes from China

The RG Nano from Anbernic is probably not particularly ergonomic, but it really fits in your pocket or can be used as a key ring. (Image: Anbernic)

Are current handheld consoles too big for you? A new device is now coming from China that takes the small form factor to the extreme.

Handheld consoles are back in fashion and today we have even more choices in this market than ever before. However, almost all of them have one thing in common: they are portable consoles, but not really pocket-friendly.

But on the contrary: New handhelds like the Steam Deck or the Asus ROG Ally require their own bags or even backpacks to carry them with them. A new, tiny handheld is now coming from China, which can even be worn as an accessory pendant on such devices.

A handheld console keychain

Anbernic is a Chinese manufacturer of retro handhelds on which you can play games from previous generations using emulators. Most of these consoles run with it Linux, Android or even both.

In a video, the company presented a new device that has one unique selling point: It’s tiny. Anbernic advertises the RG Nano even like an accessory that can be carried on a keychain or in a bag.

There is no concrete information on the technical data yet, but it is possible to at least derive which consoles could be emulated from the controls:

• Gameboy
• Gameboy Color
• Gameboy Advance
• NES
• SNES

Whether the computing power will be sufficient for the SNES and Gameboy Advance has not been clarified, but the shoulder buttons on the top indicate it.

There are also four action buttons, a directional pad, start and select and a USB-C port.

The device will be available in three colors and off Aluminium consist. Judging by the video, the display could have a screen diagonal of about 2 inches have. The manufacturer has not yet listed the new mini handheld on its own website and has not yet given a price. It would be conceivable that this around 50 euros could be because the better equipped sister model RG35xx, with better performance, costs about 70 euros.

An international release has not yet been announced either, but the other handheld consoles from Anbernic have also appeared with us so far.

Link to YouTube content

Possible alternatives that are not so tiny

If you’re looking for a vertical Gameboy-sized handheld, you don’t have to wait for the RG Nano or risk finger cramps.

Currently you can for less than 100 euros Miyo Mini Plus and the Anbernic RG 35xx buy, both of which should not only be more powerful, but also larger.

Other handheld formats can also be found among the retro handhelds. There they would be Retroid Pocket 3 Pluswhich looks like a shrunken Nintendo Switch and the Retroid Pocket Flipwhich looks like a Nintendo 3DS.

What do you think of the new RG Nano? An accessory on which you can also gamble in between or too small to be able to play games properly? And are you interested in retro handhelds and portable consoles in general? Would you like to read more articles about this in the future? Do you have experience with such emulation handhelds yourself? Write it to us in the comments!