Anbernic RG DS Plus offers larger screens and lower price for DS emulation

Anbernic's RG DS Plus arrives less than a year after the original RG DS, positioning itself as a refined take on portable Nintendo DS emulation. Priced at $95, the device features two 4.3-inch displays with 1024 x 768 resolution, offering perfect integer scaling for DS games.

The hardware maintains the same Rockchip RK3568 chipset as the original model but reduces RAM from 3GB to 1GB. Anbernic removed the right analogue stick and touch functionality from the top display, but included a capacitive stylus that slots into the right side of the device. The stylus shows slight latency but registers accurately around 99 percent of the time, though using an official Switch stylus (available in Japan) reportedly improves responsiveness.

The larger form factor brings notable ergonomic improvements. The RG DS Plus measures roughly the same as a DSi XL but feels noticeably more comfortable for extended play thanks to rounded edges replacing the bevelled corners of the original model. The hinge locks at any angle and feels solid in use. The D-pad and buttons replicate the original DS controls effectively.

The shift to a Linux-based OS from Android enables the RAM reduction while maintaining performance. DS emulation excels on the device using either the stock NNDDSS emulator or DraStic, which ships with custom firmware options like GammaOS Nano. The RG DS Plus handles N64, Dreamcast, and PlayStation emulation but struggles with PSP games.

Battery life reaches approximately six hours per charge from the 4000mAh battery, though the device lacks fast charging support. The removal of internal storage means the OS runs from the first microSD card, with a second slot available for additional game storage.

Compared to the original RG DS, the Plus model loses RAM, Android OS, a second analogue stick, and internal storage. It gains larger displays, better ergonomics, native stylus support, and a lower price point. For DS gaming specifically, the device represents a genuine improvement in comfort and usability.