(Reposted with text)

I just got my RG Rotate (Metal version) this morning! Purchased it on AliExpress about 3 hours after orders opened. Thought I’d give my impressions, skipping all the usual stuff you can get from major reviews and trying to hit the points that were missed or ignored.

Why I Swapped the Trimui Brick Hammer

I originally bought the Trimui Brick Hammer to serve as my EDC handheld, hoping it could double as a Digital Audio Player (DAP). While the Brick’s ability to quickly pick up and play is unmatched, it was absolutely worthless as a music player. Bluetooth support is almost non-existent, USB audio lacks volume control when using NextUI, and loading files over the network was a massive pain.

When Anbernic advertised the RG Rotate, it seemed like EXACTLY what I wanted: Android-powered, a faster processor, and an even smaller form factor. I sold my Brick Hammer immediately and bought the Rotate on AliExpress on opening day.

First Impressions & Form Factor

The first thing I noticed is how nice it feels in the hands when closed. It’s incredibly easy to palm and navigate one-handed. Operating the device feels just like using a phone, so if you’re used to Android, doom scrolling feels right at home.

Out of the box, it comes with 11 GB used out of 32 GB (9 GB for the OS, 1 GB for pre-installed emulators and apps). I’m not even going to bother with an SD card; 20 GB of free space is more than enough for my core rotation of music and retro games. Android feels snappy, and Wi-Fi and Bluetooth all just work—unlike on the Brick.

The Display

The display looks bright and holds up great at all viewing angles. I’ll admit the Brick's screen feels a bit sharper due to its higher DPI. The Rotate's 3.5” 1:1 screen means you get roughly the same 4:3 image size as the 3.2” Brick. On the Rotate, a 4:3 image scales to 3.1”, so screen real estate isn't actually any better unless you utilize 8:7 with overscan for NES and SNES. However, because this is a 1:1 panel, 3:4 vertical games and square-aspect systems (like Neo Geo Pocket and GB/GBC) look much bigger.

The Bluetooth Audio Situation

Let’s talk about Bluetooth audio, which is inherently laggy. If you want true low-latency wireless audio, you typically need both the Android device and the headphones to support aptX LL (Low Latency), and even then you are looking at some delay (>50ms). The RG Rotate uses Bluetooth 5.0, so there is no native aptX LL support. If you have low-latency wireless headphones and want to experiment, you could try a Bluetooth 6.0 dongle, but the resulting latency can be a roll of the dice. If you want the absolute lowest wireless latency, you’ll have to get dedicated 2.4GHz gaming headphones with their own specific USB dongle, which can bring latency down to ~15ms.

For my setup, I used a pair of TWS earbuds with a dedicated game mode: the Moondrop Space Travel 2 Ultra. In gaming mode, they advertise a 55ms latency, and honestly, I don't think you can do much better than that over standard Bluetooth.

With the ST2, audio lag goes from an unbearable ~500ms in music mode to almost imperceptible in game mode. The lag is technically still there, but it's not enough to bother me while gaming.

Wired Audio (The Zero-Latency Route)

If you want absolutely 0 latency, you need a dongle. I highly recommend the classic Apple USB-C to 3.5mm dongle. It’s cheap, accessible, and sounds excellent. If $10 is still too rich for your blood, the JCALLY JM6 (non-Pro) can be found for under $10 on AliExpress. Avoid generic, unbranded USB dongles; stick with proven brands like Apple and JCALLY. Pair one of those with a Truthear Gate or 7Hz x Crinacle Zero:2, and you have a killer budget entry into the audiophile world. The sky is the limit here—if you want to fall down that rabbit hole, check out r/iems.

No analog stick? No problem. Bluetooth controllers pair easily with no noticeable latency, and the device handles my endgame audio setup beautifully!

I hope this helps anyone who has been sitting on the fence after watching YouTube reviews and worrying about audio lag.

Pros

• Compact: Amazingly pocketable.
• Great Value: Excellent performance-to-price ratio.
• Android OS: Flexible app ecosystem.
• 1:1 Display: Perfect for vertical arcade shooters.

Cons

• D-pad: Not my favorite (personal preference, as I lean toward softer rubber membranes).
• L2/R2: Pretty much useless during gameplay unless you swap them out for the taller variant buttons.

My Setup

• Handheld: Anbernic RG Rotate (Arctic Silver)
• TWS: Moondrop Space Travel 2 Ultra
• Dongle: Apple USB-C to 3.5mm
• Controller: GameSir G8 Plus
• DAC: Chord Mojo
• IEM: Sennheiser IE800
• GAME: 1st screen: Dragon Blaze(Arcade), 3rd screen: Tenchu: Wrath of Heaven(PS2)

Edit: Added game info.

[effacé]