ANBERNIC releases Linux firmware for RG DS handheld emulator

ANBERNIC’s RG DS just got something dual-screen handheld fans have wanted since day one: an official Linux firmware that could make the machine feel far less like a phone OS in a clamshell and far more like a handheld built for emulation.

The change is showing up on ANBERNIC’s own download pages, where the company now lists an RGDS System firmware entry and a separate RGDS-V1.16 package with a Google Drive link. That matters because it confirms this is not just a community experiment drifting around the edges of the device. ANBERNIC is hosting it itself, which gives the RG DS a second operating-system path right alongside the Android 14 setup it launched with.

That flexibility is a big deal on this particular hardware. The RG DS uses two 4-inch IPS displays at 640x480, with multi-touch and stylus support on both screens, and ANBERNIC says it can quickly shift key focus between the upper and lower displays or run dual applications in split-screen mode. On paper, that is exactly the sort of layout that should make Nintendo DS-style emulation feel natural. In practice, Android can still make owners fight through emulator settings, touch mapping, frontend juggling, and awkward screen arrangement. A Linux build changes the mood of the device immediately, especially for users who want a simpler, more appliance-like setup.

ANBERNIC’s own specs help explain why the RG DS drew attention in the first place. The handheld uses an RK3568 quad-core Cortex-A55 processor, ships with 3+32GB of storage, and carries a 4000mAh battery rated for about six hours. It is also marketed as supporting a wide spread of systems, including NDS, PSP, PS1, N64, GBA, GBC, GB, SFC, FC, MD, SMS, MSX, PCE, WSC, and other formats. ANBERNIC positioned it as its first dual-screen handheld when it debuted on Oct. 14, 2025, and pitched it as an under-$100 machine, a pricing angle that helped separate it from pricier rivals.

That contrast is part of the story too. AYANEO formally unveiled the Pocket DS on Aug. 18, 2025 as the world’s first clamshell dual-screen Android handheld, with a 7-inch 1080p 165Hz OLED main screen, a 5-inch 4:3 secondary panel, Snapdragon G3x Gen 2, and an 8000mAh battery. ANBERNIC’s answer was always the cheaper, more approachable option. With Linux now in the mix, the RG DS looks even more interesting: not just affordable, but open to the kind of firmware tinkering that can turn a curious dual-screen gadget into a daily driver.