Both the RG-556 and the RG Cube run Android 13 on the same UNISOC Tiger T820 chip, carry nearly identical $175 and $170 price tags, and top out around PlayStation 2 emulation, so the choice between them comes down almost entirely to physical design. The RG Cube's unconventional square form factor sets it apart visually, while the RG-556 follows a more traditional horizontal layout — a straightforward preference call for buyers who are otherwise getting equivalent hardware.
| RG-556 | RG Cube | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $175 | $170 |
| Brand | Anbernic | Anbernic |
| Released | 2024 / 03 | 2024 / 06 |
| Type | Horizontal | Horizontal |
| OS | Android 13 | Android 13 |
| Performance | ||
| Chip (SoC) | UNISOC Tiger T820 | UNISOC Tiger T820 |
| CPU | Cortex-A76 / Cortex-A55 4x / 4x | Cortex-A76 / Cortex-A55 4x / 4x |
| GPU | Mali-G57 MP4 | Mali-G57 MP4 |
| RAM | 8 GB LPDDR4X | 8 GB LPDDR4X |
| Storage | Internal 128 GB UFS 2.2, External MicroSD | Internal 128 GB UFS 2.2, External MicroSD |
| Cooling | Heatpipe, Fan, Ventilation cutouts | Heatsink Fan Ventilation cutouts |
| Power tier | Mid-range | Mid-range |
| Display | ||
| Screen size | 5.48 inch | 3.95 inch |
| Screen type | AMOLED Touchscreen | IPS Touchscreen |
| Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 720 x 720 |
| Refresh rate | 60 Hz | 60 Hz |
| Pixel density | 400.53 PPI | 257.78 PPI |
| Aspect ratio | 16:9 | 1:1 |
| Body & battery | ||
| Battery | 5500 mAh | 5200 mAh |
| Weight | 331 grams | 256 grams |
| Dimensions | 223 mm x 90 mm x 15-25 mm | 153 mm x 86.3 mm x 18 - ? mm |
| Shell | Plastic | Plastic |
| Colors | Transparent Blue, Black | Beige White, Radiant Purple, Gray, Black |
| Ports & connectivity | ||
| Wireless | WiFi 5, Bluetooth 5.0 | WiFi 5, Bluetooth 5.0 |
| Video out | USB-C video out Bottom facing | USB-C video out Top facing |
| Charging port | USB-C Bottom facing | USB-C Top facing |
| Audio out | 3.5mm Headphone Bottom facing | 3.5mm Headphone Top facing |
| Speakers | Dual Stereo Bottom facing | Dual Stereo Bottom facing |
| RG-556 | RG Cube | |
|---|---|---|
| Game Boy / Color | A | A |
| NES | A | A |
| Genesis / Mega Drive | A | A |
| Game Boy Advance | A | A |
| SNES | A | A |
| PlayStation 1 | A | A |
| Nintendo DS | A | A |
| Nintendo 64 | A | A |
| Dreamcast | A | A |
| PSP | A | A |
| Sega Saturn | A | A |
| GameCube | B+ | B+ |
| Nintendo 3DS | B | B |
| Nintendo Wii | B+ | B+ |
| PlayStation 2 | B | B |
| Switch | D- | D- |
| Wii U | F | F |
| PlayStation 3 | F | F |
Bottom line: The RG Cube is the cheaper option at $170.
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