Anbernic RG Vita Pro Review: A Vita Shape With A Different Mission

The PlayStation Vita still has a special kind of glow around it. Sony's last true handheld was not a sales success, but it helped point portable gaming toward the shape we now take for granted: a wide candybar body, two analog sticks, a clean glass front, and a feel that was closer to a modern device than a toy-like pocket console. The Nintendo 3DS had its own identity, but the Vita looked more like the future of handheld gaming. That is why a device called the Anbernic RG Vita Pro naturally raises hopes before it even turns on.

That name needs a big note beside it. The RG Vita Pro is not a replacement for the PlayStation Vita, and neither is the smaller related device in this line. Even the more capable Pro model cannot play most of the Vita library. Anyone buying one with the dream of retiring an original Sony handheld will come away disappointed. The better way to look at it is as a modern retro handheld with a Vita-like outline, a widescreen display, and enough power to handle many systems below the Vita with confidence.

Seen on those terms, the RG Vita Pro has a lot going for it. It mostly works because of its own qualities, not because it perfectly revives Sony's machine. It feels polished in the hand, has strong controls, offers both Linux and Android 14, and is especially good at bringing PSP games back to life. The harder part is timing. Retro handhelds have moved quickly, and the price sits close to stronger devices. A year ago, this kind of package would have been easier to recommend without so many caveats.

Design And Feel

The body is surprisingly comfortable for something with no real ergonomic grips. There are divots on the back, but unlike the ones on the original Vita, they are decorative rather than functional. Even so, the flat shape does not feel awkward in normal play. The all-glass front gives the device a more expensive look than the $150 price suggests. It is the kind of design touch that makes the handheld feel cleaner and more premium, though it also brings the obvious worry: this is not something you want to drop.

The controls are very much in Anbernic's usual lane, which is a good thing overall. The D-pad uses a soft membrane, so anyone hoping for the clicky feel of the Vita's own D-pad will not get that here. The face buttons have a pleasing amount of resistance, and the layout uses Nintendo-style ABXY labels. That choice is likely because PlayStation's familiar shape icons are tied up in trademarks. In day-to-day use, the controls come across as dependable and comfortable rather than flashy.

The shoulder buttons and triggers are a more mixed story. Their size is good, and they are easy enough to reach, but they are very clicky. This has become a recurring Anbernic trait, with shoulder buttons that can sound louder than they need to on a small handheld. It is not a deal-breaker when playing alone during the day, but it becomes more noticeable in a quiet room. For late-night play in bed, the noise can feel too sharp for something meant to be cozy and portable.

Software Setup

The RG Vita Pro includes two microSD card slots for a practical reason: it can dual-boot between Linux and Android 14. Out of the box, it starts in a simple Linux setup. That side of the device is functional, and games load quickly, but the interface feels plain and not fully refined. Anbernic has released more than three dozen handhelds over the last six years, yet its own operating system experience still feels like an area where the company has not quite found a confident style.

The good news is that the handheld does not demand deep tinkering just to get started. Whether using Linux or Android, the basics are already configured. Emulators come pre-installed, and in many cases opening the emulator once is enough for things to work as expected. There may still be small setup jobs, such as pointing an emulator to the right game folders or BIOS files, but the heavier lifting is handled by default. For a device aimed at retro players, that matters a lot.

Inside, the RG Vita Pro is built around the RockChip RK3576 with 4GB of RAM. This is the first gaming handheld to ship with that chip. On paper, it sits in a respectable lower-mid-range space. Benchmarks place it ahead of some budget handhelds such as the Mangmi Air X, but behind Anbernic's own T820-based models, including the RG Slide and RG 476H. That means expectations should stay grounded. This is not trying to be the most powerful handheld in its price neighborhood.

PSP is where the RG Vita Pro feels most at home. The screen shape and power level line up well with Sony's earlier handheld, and the result is a very satisfying way to revisit PSP games. Every PSP game tested ran smoothly at 3x upscaling, and many could be pushed to 4x. That makes the device feel less like a Vita substitute and more like a modern PSP-friendly handheld with a clean display, solid controls, and enough headroom to make old games look sharper.

Battery life also helps the device make a strong case for itself. Around five hours of PSP gameplay on a charge is excellent for this kind of handheld. Charging performance is another pleasant surprise, especially by Anbernic standards. Going from 10% to 90% took roughly 70 minutes, which is faster than average for the company. Those numbers make the RG Vita Pro feel practical, not just attractive. It can handle a real play session, then get back near full power without taking all evening.

The awkward truth is PS Vita performance. This is the part the name makes impossible to ignore, and right now it is not good enough. Some lighter Vita games can start and run for a while, but that does not mean they are dependable; crashes can still happen. The problem is tied more to Vita3K than simply to the hardware, because that emulator is not as mature as many older-system emulators. Things may improve later, but for now the advice is simple: keep an actual PlayStation Vita for Vita games.

Playing on a larger screen is another area where the RG Vita Pro stands out. It supports video output through USB-C and through the micro HDMI port along the top of the device. That is not common in this price range, since many budget chipsets offer no video output at all. For players who like docking a handheld for a quick session on a TV or monitor, this gives the device a little extra flexibility. It is one of the features that makes the hardware feel more complete than its price might suggest.