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| The Anbernic RG Vita in its white finish. |
Popular tech YouTuber The Phawx has dropped new details about the just-announced Anbernic RG Vita, shedding light on the handheld’s capabilities—and its limitations—days after the device debuted alongside a "Pro" variant. While Anbernic itself remains silent on official specifications, The Phawx’s early insights give retro gaming enthusiasts a clearer picture of what to expect.
The Heart of the Handheld: A Familiar Chipset
Taking to social media, The Phawx provided a key technical revelation. According to his post on X, the standard RG Vita model will be powered by the Unisoc Tiger T618 system-on-chip.
This confirms that Anbernic is opting for a known, mid-range chip rather than newer alternatives like the Tiger T820 or MediaTek’s Dimensity 8300. For those familiar with the retro handheld scene, the Tiger T618 is a recognizable player.
You can see The Phawx’s original post confirming the chipset here: Cary Golomb on X
Built on a 12nm process, the Tiger T618 features an octa-core CPU setup with two ARM Cortex-A75 performance cores and six Cortex-A55 efficiency cores, all capable of reaching up to 2 GHz. Graphics are handled by a Mali-G52 MP2 GPU, which can boost to 850 MHz. It’s a proven design for budget-friendly Android-based handhelds.
gggI have the nonpro model and this is the T618
— Cary Golomb (@carygolomb) February 8, 2026
Vita mean life!
— Cary Golomb (@carygolomb) February 8, 2026
The Anbernic RG Vita has arrived and I can't believe they went with a different DPAD
That's practically sacrilege! pic.twitter.com/U0QimODCSv
Performance Expectations: Grounded in 2023’s Tech
In practical terms, this chipset choice firmly places the RG Vita’s performance tier alongside handhelds that launched in 2023. The Tiger T618 is the same processor found in devices like the Powkiddy X28, the Retroid Pocket Flip, and the popular Retroid Pocket 3+.
Even within Anbernic’s own lineup, this is familiar territory. The Tiger T618 already drives the RG405V and RG405M (currently priced around $169.99 on Amazon), meaning the RG Vita will offer a similar performance envelope.
Check the current price and specs of the Anbernic RG405M on Amazon: Anbernic RG405M on Amazon
The Irony in the Name: Vita Emulation Not Feasible
The most poignant detail from this revelation is one of irony. Despite its name and design inspiration drawn from Sony’s PlayStation Vita, the RG Vita will not be powerful enough to emulate the Vita itself. The PlayStation Vita (PS Vita) remains a challenging system to emulate, requiring more graphical and CPU horsepower than the Tiger T618 can provide.
This means the handheld will be better suited for emulating classic consoles from the PS1, Dreamcast, Nintendo 64, and PSP eras, along with native Android gaming.
Design Notes and Release Timeline
The Phawx also expressed a point of disappointment regarding the RG Vita’s design: the apparent lack of a traditional Vita-style d-pad. This could be a notable omission for purists who loved the Vita’s distinctive, clicky directional pad.
On a positive note, the fact that review units are already in the hands of creators like The Phawx suggests that Anbernic is moving quickly. A global release for both the RG Vita and the higher-end RG Vita Pro is highly likely before the end of the month.
The Bottom Line
The Anbernic RG Vita is shaping up to be a solid, if unsurprising, entrant in the mid-range retro handheld market. By utilizing the well-understood Tiger T618, it promises reliable performance for a wide swath of retro systems, though it falls short of living up to its namesake. For gamers primarily interested in pre-PS2 era emulation, it could be a compelling option, especially if priced competitively against its sibling, the RG405M.
All eyes are now on Anbernic to announce official pricing, availability, and the specifications of the more intriguing RG Vita Pro model.