Anbernic Shows RG DDS Dual-Screen Handheld Playing 3DS, Xbox and PS3 Games

The RG DDS pairs a 4.7-inch, 1,200x720 top screen with a 4-inch, 960x720 bottom display. Both match the aspect ratios used by the 3DS, and both offer three times the resolution of Nintendo’s original panels, which Anbernic says makes it easier to scale up emulated games. The handheld runs on a Qualcomm Snapdragon G2 Gen 2 chipset and carries a 6,000mAh rechargeable battery. It also includes built-in vibration feedback and an extendable stylus stashed inside the body.

The design closely mimics the 3DS, with one addition: an extra analog thumbstick on the lower right for playing 3D games that require a pair of them. It also carries forward the small button found next to the top right corner of the New 3DS’s touchscreen, but assigns it a different job. Instead of serving as a camera controller, the button works as a shortcut for accessing AI features that Anbernic has yet to reveal.

Anbernic is not attempting to recreate the 3DS’s glasses-free 3D effect, and the RG DDS skips the 3D screen entirely. Full performance details are not yet known, and the company has not disclosed the price or how aggressively it plans to compete with devices such as the Ayaneo Pocket DS, which currently starts at $579.

Anbernic’s earlier dual-screen models, the RG DS and RG DS Plus, both start at under $100 and were designed as replacements for the Nintendo DS rather than the 3DS. Ayaneo has been selling dual-screen handhelds for several years, while Anbernic entered the category only recently.