Anbernic RG Nano Review: Is It Worth £60 For Its Size? (2026 UK)

There are moments in hardware reviewing when you open a box and just laugh. Not out of mockery, but sheer disbelief. Picking up the Anbernic RG Nano was one of those moments. It’s smaller than a Zippo lighter. It feels less like a games console and more like something that fell out of a Christmas cracker, albeit a very expensive, beautifully engineered one. It is, without exaggeration, an astonishing feat of miniaturisation. It has a full-colour screen, a D-pad, four face buttons, shoulder buttons, and a USB-C port, all housed in a cold-to-the-touch CNC aluminium shell. And it fits, comfortably, in the coin pocket of a pair of jeans.

But the central question, the one that hangs over this entire review, is brutally simple: can you actually play games on it? In a world where devices like the Miyoo Mini Plus and Anbernic’s own RG28XX offer vastly more comfortable and capable experiences for a similar price, is the RG Nano’s party trick of being impossibly small enough to justify its £60 price tag in 2026? As a tiny metal rectangle that lives on a keychain, the answer is far more complex than a simple yes or no. It’s a device that elicits joy and frustration in almost equal measure.

For some, this will be the ultimate expression of a pocketable retro device, a piece of collector’s hardware that also happens to play Super Mario Bros. 3. For many others, it will be an ergonomic nightmare, a £60 experiment that quickly finds its way into a drawer. Let’s break down exactly where this At £60, it occupies a strange position in the market — too expensive to be a novelty, too compromised to replace anything you already own. That tension runs through everything about it.

Unboxing and First Impressions: A Triumph of Miniaturisation

Anbernic understands presentation. The RG Nano arrives in a small, dense, premium-feeling box that hints at the quality within. Sliding it open reveals the tiny console nestled in a foam cutout, looking more like a piece of jewellery than a gaming device. Beneath it, you find a surprisingly nice braided USB-A to USB-C cable designed as a keychain loop, a small instruction manual, and… that’s it. It’s minimalist and effective. The keychain cable is a clever touch; it’s Anbernic’s way of telling you exactly how they envision you using this device – always with you, attached to your keys or a bag.

Lifting the Nano out of the box is the main event. If you’ve ordered one of the coloured variants (Community testing of the vibrant purple model), the anodised finish is the first thing that strikes you. It’s flawless. The aluminium shell is cool and weighty, giving it a density that defies its miniscule dimensions of 7.1cm x 4.3cm. There is absolutely zero flex, creak, or give anywhere on the chassis. It feels like a solid billet of metal. This is where a significant portion of that £60 cost has gone. Compared to the plastic feel of a Miyoo Mini or even Anbernic’s own budget devices, the Nano feels like it’s from a different, more luxurious category of product. It immediately recalls the Game Boy Micro, another famously tiny console that prioritised premium materials and form factor above all else.

Powering it on for the first time is another little moment of magic. The tiny 1.54-inch screen springs to life with surprising brightness and colour, and the FunKey OS front-end boots in seconds. The single speaker on the back, whilst tinny, is clear enough to deliver those familiar 8-bit chimes. The initial reaction is pure delight. It’s a beautifully made object, a conversation starter. The sheer novelty factor is off the charts — it’s hard not to spend a good ten minutes just turning it over, marvelling at how they managed to fit a D-pad, ABXY buttons, Start, Select, and two shoulder buttons onto a surface area smaller than a credit card. The first impressions are overwhelmingly positive, driven by the superb build quality and the sheer audacity of its design. The nagging question of practicality, however, starts to creep in almost immediately.

Build Quality and Ergonomics: The Elephant in the Room

Let’s be clear: the build quality of the Anbernic RG Nano is exceptional. It is, without question, one of the most solidly constructed handhelds in this class, regardless of size. The CNC-milled aluminium alloy body is perfectly finished, with chamfered edges that catch the light and prevent it from feeling sharp in the hand. The buttons are equally tiny but have a satisfying, firm click with no wobble. The D-pad, despite its diminutive size, has a decent pivot and pulls off diagonals in games like Street Fighter Alpha 3 (on the GBA port) more reliably than expected. The shoulder buttons are simple nubs on the top edge, but they are milled from the same metal and have a short, positive click. The volume rocker on the side is tight, and the USB-C port is perfectly aligned. From a purely manufacturing standpoint, it’s a 10/10.

But build quality and ergonomics are two very different things. And this is where the RG Nano’s design philosophy collides with the physical reality of human hands. Playing this device is an exercise in compromise. For short bursts of five to ten minutes, it’s manageable. You adopt a sort of ‘pinch’ grip, holding the device with your fingertips and using the tips of your thumbs to press the buttons. For any game that requires simple directional inputs and a single button press—think Tetris, Dr. Mario, or a simple turn-based RPG—it’s surprisingly functional. It’s the kind of device you pull out in queues or on the tube for a quick game of Pokémon Pinball, and it’s perfect for that exact scenario.

The moment you try to play anything more complex, the house of cards collapses. Games that require holding a button to run whilst simultaneously pressing another to jump (every Mario game ever made) become a contortionist act for your thumb. Games requiring frequent use of the shoulder buttons, like Metroid Fusion on the GBA, are borderline unplayable. Your index fingers have to curl around the top in an unnatural way to press the tiny metal nubs, all whilst your thumbs are trying to maintain a stable grip on the face. After about 15 minutes of playing Mega Man X, cramping sets in for most adult hands; anyone with larger hands can likely forget about it entirely. This isn’t a device for long, comfortable gaming sessions. It’s a device for snatching a few minutes of gameplay when no other option is available. The premium feel of the metal actually works against it here; its slippery surface makes it harder to grip than a textured plastic would have been.

The Screen: A Postage Stamp of Pixels

The display on the Anbernic RG Nano is a technical marvel in its own right. It’s a 1.54-inch IPS panel with a resolution of 240×240. On paper, that sounds incredibly low, but when shrunk down to this size, it results in a surprisingly high pixel density. Individual pixels are not easily discernible, giving games a very clean, sharp look. The colours are vibrant, the contrast is decent for an LCD, and the brightness is more than sufficient for playing indoors or on public transport. Viewing angles are also excellent, which is more of a novelty than a necessity, as you’ll be the only person able to see it.

The 1:1 square aspect ratio is an interesting choice. It means that most classic systems, which typically output in 4:3 (like the SNES and Mega Drive) or other non-square ratios (like the Game Boy’s 10:9), will be displayed with black bars, either on the top and bottom (pillarboxing) or sides (letterboxing). The FunKey OS gives you options to stretch the image to fill the screen, but this distorts the picture horribly and is not recommended. The best experience comes from systems with near-square resolutions, like the original Game Boy, where the image fills most of the screen without significant borders. Games like Link’s Awakening DX or Wario Land look fantastic, with the small black bars being barely noticeable.

The screen’s biggest, and arguably fatal, flaw is its physical size. For simple, bold sprite-based games, it’s adequate. Platformers, puzzle games, and shoot-’em-ups are generally legible. But the moment you load up a game with any significant amount of text, the RG Nano becomes an exercise in frustration. Playing a JRPG like Chrono Trigger or Final Fantasy VI is almost impossible. The text is so minuscule that you have to hold the device uncomfortably close to your face and squint to read dialogue boxes or navigate menus. This single issue rules out an entire genre of games. It also makes in-game HUDs in action titles difficult to parse. Trying to keep track of your health and ammo in Contra III on the SNES is a real challenge. While the display is technically impressive for its size, offering far better colour and clarity than, say, an original Game Boy, its utility is severely limited by its dimensions. It’s a beautiful window, but you have to press your nose right up against the glass to see through it.

Performance and Emulation: What Can It Actually Play?

Inside the tiny aluminium chassis of the RG Nano is an ARM Cortex-A7 processor running at 1.2GHz. This is not a powerhouse chipset by 2026 standards, but for a device this small, it’s surprisingly capable within its limits. It’s essential to set your expectations correctly. This is an 8-bit and 16-bit machine, with a few notable exceptions. If you’re hoping for flawless PlayStation 1 or Nintendo 64 emulation, you need to look at much larger, more powerful devices like the AYN Odin 2 or even a budget-friendly Retroid Pocket.

Here’s a breakdown of community testing across various systems:

8-bit Consoles (NES, Master System, Game Gear, PC Engine)

Flawless. Every game from these systems ran perfectly. Super Mario Bros. 3, The Legend of Zelda, Sonic the Hedgehog (Master System), Bonk’s Adventure—all of them played at full speed with no audio issues. These simpler systems are the RG Nano’s bread and butter, and frankly, they are the best fit for its tiny screen and controls. The bold, chunky sprites and simpler control schemes work well within the device’s physical limitations.

16-bit Consoles (SNES, Mega Drive)

This is where things get more complicated. The Mega Drive library runs exceptionally well. Community testing of classics like Sonic 2, Streets of Rage 2, and Gunstar Heroes, and they all ran at a locked 60fps. The SNES, however, is a different story. The majority of the library runs fine. Super Mario World, F-Zero, and A Link to the Past were all perfectly playable. The problems arise with games that used enhancement chips. Star Fox, with its Super FX chip, is an unplayable slideshow. Yoshi’s Island (Super FX 2) suffers from significant slowdown and audio crackle. Even a game like Kirby’s Dream Land 3, which used the SA-1 chip, has noticeable performance dips. You’ll be able to play about 80% of the SNES library, but you need to be aware that some of the most iconic titles will struggle.

Handhelds (Game Boy, Game Boy Color, Game Boy Advance)

Game Boy and Game Boy Color are, as you’d expect, perfect. They look fantastic on the small, sharp screen. Game Boy Advance is mostly very good. 2D titles like Metroid Fusion, Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow, and Advance Wars run at full speed. The more demanding 3D-style games, like Doom or Duke Nukem Advance, can have some minor frame drops but are generally playable. The GBA library is a great fit for the Nano, although again, the ergonomic challenges of using the shoulder buttons remain.

PlayStation 1

This is the absolute ceiling of the device’s capabilities, and it’s a very low ceiling. Anbernic claims PS1 compatibility, and technically, some games do run. Simple 2D games like Castlevania: Symphony of the Night are mostly playable, albeit with some audio stutter. But the moment you try a 3D title, performance plummets. Crash Bandicoot is a stuttering mess. Gran Turismo 2 runs at what feels like 10-15fps. Final Fantasy VII‘s opening cinematic is unwatchable. You might find a handful of simple 2D PS1 games that work, but you absolutely should not buy the RG Nano if PlayStation is a priority. It’s best to consider it a 16-bit and-below machine. If you’re looking for a great portable for PS1, our guide to the top 3 PS1 JRPG handhelds under £120 is a much better place to start.

For its size, the performance is admirable. But in the context of the wider market in 2026, it’s decidedly low-end. The key is to load it with games that are not only within its performance capabilities but also suited to its form factor.

Software and User Experience: FunKey OS in Disguise

The Anbernic RG Nano runs a custom version of Linux with a front-end that is, for all intents and purposes, a lightly skinned version of the open-source FunKey OS. This is a very good thing. FunKey was designed specifically for tiny, low-powered devices like the FunKey S, and its design philosophy translates perfectly to the Nano. The user interface is clean, simple, and incredibly snappy. From a cold boot, you’re at the main menu in about five seconds.

The core experience revolves around a simple carousel menu. You scroll left and right through your emulated systems, each represented by a clean icon. Entering a system menu brings up your list of games (your ROMs). There’s no box art scraping or complex theming here; it’s just a text list. This minimalism is a strength on such a small screen, as it keeps everything fast and legible. Navigating menus with the tiny D-pad is responsive and intuitive. The system settings are straightforward, allowing you to adjust screen brightness, volume, and a few other basic parameters.

One of the standout features inherited from FunKey OS is the brilliant auto-save-state function. When you’re in a game, pressing the power button doesn’t turn the device off; it instantly puts it into a deep sleep mode and creates a save state. When you press the power button again, it wakes up in less than a second and drops you right back where you were. This is a game-changer for the Nano’s intended use case. It means you can play for 30 seconds while waiting for a coffee, tap the power button, put it in your pocket, and then instantly resume later. It makes the device feel much more like an appliance and less like a computer, which is exactly what you want for quick, opportunistic gaming sessions.

Adding games is as simple as it gets. You connect the Nano to your computer via USB-C, and the included microSD card mounts as a standard drive. You then just drag and drop your legally-owned ROM files into the corresponding folders (e.g., ‘NES’, ‘SFC’, ‘GB’). The device handles the rest. The stock OS is perfectly functional, but there is a small community developing custom firmware which can add new emulators or features, though it’s not as robust as the communities around Miyoo or other Anbernic devices. Beyond gaming, the Nano also includes a simple music player and a clock function, transforming it into a tiny MP3 player or a desk clock. These are nice little extras, but the core focus is rightly on emulation. The software is a definite highlight: it’s fast, stable, and perfectly tailored to the hardware’s strengths and limitations.

Battery Life: How Long Can This Tiny Thing Last?

A device built for ultimate portability lives and dies by its battery. Crammed inside the RG Nano’s tiny frame is a 1050mAh battery. Given the power-sipping processor and the minuscule screen, longevity expectations are reasonably high. Anbernic officially quotes a battery life of around 2.5 to 3 hours, which community testing suggests is a little conservative.

In the real world, performance is respectable, though not spectacular. With the screen at around 75% brightness and the volume at a moderate level, the device consistently delivers just over 3 hours of continuous gameplay from a full charge on Game Boy Advance titles. These are the most demanding systems it can comfortably run. On less intensive systems like the NES or the original Game Boy, that figure stretches closer to 4 hours. This is more than enough for its intended use. You’re not going to be playing the RG Nano for three hours straight due to the ergonomic challenges, but it means you can dip in and out for dozens of short sessions throughout the day without needing to worry about charging.

The standby time is also excellent, thanks to the efficient sleep mode. Left in a bag for three full days, woken occasionally for a few minutes of play, it still holds charge. This reliability is key. There’s nothing worse than pulling out a portable device for a quick game, only to find the battery has drained while it was idle. The Nano doesn’t have this problem. It feels dependable, always ready for a quick session.

Charging is handled via the USB-C port at the bottom. A full charge from empty takes around 1.5 to 2 hours. There’s a small LED indicator that glows while charging and turns off when it’s full. One small but welcome feature is that the device is perfectly playable while charging, so if you’re near a power source, you’re never out of the game. Overall, the battery life is a solid point in the Nano’s favour. It’s not going to win any endurance awards against larger handhelds with giant batteries, but it provides more than enough power to fulfil its role as an ultra-portable, always-on-you gaming companion.

Who Should Actually Buy the Anbernic RG Nano in 2026?

This is the most critical section of this review because the Anbernic RG Nano is absolutely not for everyone. In fact, it’s for a very specific type of person, and if you don’t fall into one of these categories, you should almost certainly spend your £69.99 elsewhere. Let’s be explicit about who this device is for, and who should avoid it.

You SHOULD buy the Anbernic RG Nano if:

• You are a collector of unique hardware. The RG Nano is a marvel of engineering and design. It’s a beautiful object, a conversation piece, and a testament to how far miniaturisation has come. If you love quirky, well-made gadgets and want to add something genuinely unique to your collection, the Nano is a fantastic purchase. It looks great on a shelf.
• You value ultimate, uncompromising portability above all else. If your goal is to have a gaming device that you can literally attach to your keys and forget about until you have a spare five minutes, this is it. It’s smaller and more durable than any other viable handheld on the market. For the commuter who wants to play a quick round of Tetris on the platform, it’s perfect.
• You want a ‘fidget toy’ that also plays games. The cool metal, the clicky buttons, the tiny size… the RG Nano is an incredibly satisfying object to just hold and fiddle with. The fact that it can also play thousands of retro games is almost a bonus. If you’re looking for something to occupy your hands that isn’t just a lump of plastic, the Nano fits the bill.
• You mainly play simple 8-bit games or puzzle titles. If your retro gaming tastes lean towards NES, Game Boy, and simple arcade ports, the Nano’s limitations are less of an issue. These games are often perfectly suited to short bursts and don’t rely on complex controls or tiny on-screen text.

You should NOT buy the Anbernic RG Nano if:

• This will be your first or only retro handheld. Absolutely not. For the same price or just £69.99-£20 more, you can get a Miyoo Mini Plus or an Anbernic RG35XX that will provide a VASTLY superior gaming experience in every single way: screen size, comfort, performance, and community support. The Nano is a secondary device, a specialist tool, not a daily driver.
• You have large hands or suffer from hand cramps. The ergonomics are punishing. If you find even a Game Boy Advance SP to be a little cramped, the Nano will be unusable for you. It is designed for fingertips, not hands.
• You enjoy text-heavy games like RPGs. Do not even consider it. Reading text on the 1.54-inch screen is a genuine chore and will ruin your enjoyment of any role-playing game. Stick to devices with at least a 3.5-inch screen for this genre.
• You are primarily interested in playing SNES or PlayStation 1 games. While it can play some games from these libraries, its performance is inconsistent on the SNES and very poor on the PS1. It is not a reliable device for these platforms. You’ll be disappointed by the performance limitations.

In essence, the RG Nano is a luxury item. It’s a second or third handheld for the enthusiast who already has a more practical device and is now looking for something extraordinary and unique. Approached with that mindset, it’s a success. Approached as a primary gaming console, it’s a failure.

Value for Money: Is £60 Too Much for a Novelty?

At approximately £60 on Amazon UK, the Anbernic RG Nano is in a fiercely competitive price bracket. This is not an impulse purchase for most people, and its value proposition is entirely dependent on what you prioritise. If you judge it purely on a performance-per-pound basis, it’s poor value. For just £55, Anbernic’s own Anbernic RG28XX offers a much more powerful processor that can handle a wider range of SNES games and even some Dreamcast and N64 titles, all with a larger screen and a more comfortable horizontal layout. For around £70, the legendary Miyoo Mini Plus gives you a gorgeous 3.5-inch screen, fantastic ergonomics, and a massive community developing custom firmware. Both of these are objectively “better” gaming devices.

But that’s missing the point of the Nano. You aren’t paying £60 for raw power; you are paying for the engineering, the materials, and the form factor. The cost is in the CNC-milled aluminium shell, the custom-made tiny components, and the sheer R&D required to shrink a playable console down to this size. It feels like a premium product, in a way that its plastic-shelled rivals do not. It feels like a watch or a high-end torch, not a toy.

So, is it worth it? If you have £60 to spend on your one retro handheld for the year, then no. It’s a terrible value proposition. You are paying a premium for a compromised experience. Your money is far better spent on the RG28XX, the Miyoo Mini Plus, or the Retroid Pocket 2S. However, if you are an established enthusiast who already owns a larger, more capable device for serious gaming sessions, the question changes. In that context, are you willing to pay £60 for the most portable, most beautifully crafted micro-handheld ever made? For a device that serves as a fantastic keychain, a fun talking point, and a perfectly capable machine for 10-minute bursts of 8-bit gaming? For that specific buyer, the answer is yes. It’s a luxury, a novelty, and an indulgence. It’s not a sensible purchase, but it is a delightful one. You’re buying it for the joy of owning it, not just for the games it plays.

Ultimately, the value is in the eye of the beholder. It’s a solution to a problem that few people have, but it’s an incredibly elegant and well-executed solution. For its niche, it justifies its price through sheer craftsmanship and uniqueness.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can the Anbernic RG Nano play PS1 games?

Technically, yes, but in practice, no. The Allwinner K3S processor is not powerful enough for reliable PlayStation 1 emulation. Whilst some very simple 2D games might run at a playable, if imperfect, frame rate, the vast majority of the 3D library is unplayable. You will experience severe slowdown, graphical glitches, and audio stuttering in titles like Crash Bandicoot, Gran Turismo, or Metal Gear Solid. It should not be purchased with the intention of playing PS1 games. If PS1 is your focus, you’d be far better off with a slightly more expensive device like those in our guide to PS1 handhelds.

Is the Anbernic RG Nano screen too small for RPGs?

Yes, absolutely. The 1.54-inch screen, while sharp and colourful, is simply too small to display the amount of text found in role-playing games like Final Fantasy, Chrono Trigger, or Pokémon. Reading dialogue, navigating menus, and checking stats requires you to hold the device unnaturally close to your face and will likely cause eye strain. The Nano is best suited for action, puzzle, and platforming games with minimal on-screen text. If you are an RPG fan, a device with a 3.5-inch screen like the Miyoo Mini Plus is the minimum you should consider.

What is the battery life of the Anbernic RG Nano?

The Anbernic RG Nano has a 1050mAh battery. Community testing data consistently shows approximately 3 to 4 hours of continuous gameplay on a single charge. The exact time depends on the system being emulated (e.g., Game Boy will last longer than Game Boy Advance) and the screen brightness. This is more than enough for its intended use as a device for quick, short gaming sessions. The standby time is also excellent, lasting for several days thanks to an efficient sleep mode.

Anbernic RG Nano vs Miyoo Mini Plus: Which is better?

For almost everyone, the Miyoo Mini Plus is the better device. It has a much larger, more usable 3.5-inch screen, far superior ergonomics for comfortable play, a more powerful chipset, Wi-Fi connectivity, and a massive community for custom firmware like OnionOS. The RG Nano’s only advantages are its significantly smaller size and its premium metal build. If your absolute top priority is having the smallest possible device, the Nano wins. For an actual, enjoyable gaming experience, the Miyoo Mini Plus is the clear winner and a much better value for money. You can find our full Miyoo Mini Plus review here.

What custom firmware is available for the Anbernic RG Nano?

The Anbernic RG Nano’s software is based on the open-source FunKey OS project. As such, there are community-led custom firmware options available, most notably a project that ports the full FunKey OS experience with more features and emulator cores. These can offer improved performance, better customization, and support for additional systems. However, the development community for the Nano is much smaller than for more popular devices like the Miyoo Mini Plus or Anbernic’s RG35XX line. The stock firmware is very good and stable, so installing custom firmware is not a necessity for a good experience.

Is the Anbernic RG Nano a good gift for a retro gamer?

It depends entirely on the person. If the retro gamer in your life is a collector who appreciates unique, well-made hardware and novelty gadgets, they will probably love the RG Nano as a quirky addition to their collection. However, if they are looking for a primary device to play games comfortably for long periods, this is a very poor choice. It’s a high-risk gift unless you know they specifically appreciate miniature electronics. A safer and more practical gift would be a more mainstream and ergonomic handheld like the Anbernic RG28XX or Miyoo Mini Plus. You can check the latest price on Amazon UK → to see if it fits your budget.

How do you add games to the Anbernic RG Nano?

Adding games is extremely simple. The RG Nano uses a microSD card for storage. You simply connect the device to your PC or Mac using the included USB-C cable. The microSD card will appear on your computer as an external drive. On this drive, you will see a series of folders named after consoles (e.g., ‘FC’ for Famicom/NES, ‘SFC’ for Super Famicom/SNES, ‘MD’ for Mega Drive). You just need to drag and drop your legally-acquired game ROM files into the correct folder. Once you disconnect the device, the games will appear in the menu, ready to play.

Does the Anbernic RG Nano have Wi-Fi or Bluetooth?

No, the Anbernic RG Nano does not have any wireless connectivity. There is no Wi-Fi for updates, box art scraping, or netplay, and there is no Bluetooth for connecting wireless headphones or external controllers. All game transfers must be done by physically connecting the device to a computer via USB-C. This simplicity is part of its design, keeping costs and power consumption down, but it’s a key feature missing when compared to slightly more expensive devices like the Miyoo Mini Plus.

What to Read Next

If you found this review useful, here are a few other articles on tiny handhelds and great value devices you might find interesting:

• GKD Pixel Review: Worth £90, or Too Small for UK Retro 2026? — See how the Nano’s all-metal design compares to another premium, vertical micro-handheld.
• Trimui Brick Review: A True Game Boy Micro Successor for 2026 UK? — A look at another tiny device, this one a homage to the beloved Game Boy Micro, offering a different take on pocketability.
• Anbernic RG28XX Review: Is It Worth Sub-£60 in 2026? — Find out what happens when you take similar money to the Nano but prioritise performance and comfort over sheer size.

Conclusion: An Engineering Marvel, A Gaming Compromise

The Anbernic RG Nano is a fascinating device that’s genuinely worth celebrating. It pushes the boundaries of what’s possible in a retro handheld and stands as a testament to Anbernic’s manufacturing prowess. The all-metal build is sublime, and the sheer novelty of carrying a fully-fledged emulator on your keychain never truly wears off. It’s a delightful object to own and show to people, guaranteed to elicit gasps of disbelief.

However, as a gaming machine, it is deeply and fundamentally compromised by the very thing that makes it special: its size. The cramped controls and minuscule screen make it unsuitable for long play sessions and completely rule out entire genres of games. It excels in five-minute bursts but becomes a literal pain to use for anything longer. For the £60 asking price, you can buy several other handhelds that offer a far better, more comfortable, and more versatile gaming experience.

The RG Nano is not a product to be recommended to the general retro gaming audience. It’s a niche device for the collector, the gadget-lover, and the person who prizes portability above all else. For that small sliver of the market, it is a triumph. For everyone else, it’s an expensive, beautiful curiosity. Now that you understand the absolute limit of how small a handheld can be, the next logical question is what is the sweet spot? Just how big does a device need to be for comfortable, long-term play without sacrificing portability?

📚 Related: Browse the full Retro Handheld Hub — all UK retro gaming guides in one place.

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This article was produced with AI assistance and reviewed by the editor. See our Editorial Standards.