The Anbernic RG477V: Is This the Ultimate Vertical Handheld?
For a long time, if you wanted a "Game Boy style" vertical handheld, you had to settle for lower power. You could play SNES and GBA perfectly, but once you hit the PlayStation 2 or GameCube era, the frame rates would tank. The Anbernic RG477V officially changes that narrative.
The Screen is the Star
The first thing you notice—and arguably the main reason to buy this—is the 4.7-inch LTPS display. It uses a native 4:3 aspect ratio, which is the "holy grail" for retro enthusiasts because it fills the entire screen for classic consoles without any black bars or awkward stretching. At a 1280x960 resolution and a buttery-smooth 120Hz refresh rate, everything from Super Mario World to Metroid Prime looks incredibly sharp and fluid.
Power to Spare
Under the hood, Anbernic packed in the MediaTek Dimensity 8300 chipset. This is a massive leap forward. In our testing, it absolutely "rips" through the 6th generation of consoles.
PS2 & GameCube: Most titles run at 2x or even 3x resolution with zero slowdown.
3DS & Wii: Very playable, though you might occasionally hit the limits of Android driver optimization.
The "Bonus": It can even dip its toes into some lighter Nintendo Switch and PS3 emulation, which is unheard of for a vertical device.
Design and Feel
The design is polarizing but premium. It features a full-glass front that looks like a modern smartphone merged with a classic DMG. It’s a "big boy" for sure—noticeably larger than the older RG405V—but the added width actually makes it more comfortable for those with larger hands.
The Hall Effect joysticks are a welcome inclusion (no stick drift!), though the lack of analog triggers might be a slight letdown for hardcore racing game fans. That said, for 95% of the retro library, the "clicky" digital triggers feel great.
The Verdict
Starting around $239.99, the RG477V isn't the cheapest entry in the market, but it is undoubtedly the most powerful vertical handheld you can buy right now. If you’ve been waiting for a device that looks like a classic handheld but performs like a modern mid-range phone, this is the "endgame" vertical.
