AnberDeck: Popular Anbernic retro gaming handheld transformed into Linux terminal with DIY project

Anbernic has been releasing gaming handhelds at a steady rate for a while now, most recently with the RG35XX 2024 (curr. $62.99 on Amazon). The company has various other devices in advanced stages of development, whether that be the RG28XX or the RG35XX SP. However, it has yet to branch out into more niche products, which Redditor u/gthing has achieved with 'AnberDeck', a project that serves as a compact Linux terminal.

Rather than an entirely new device, the AnberDeck relies upon the RG353V that Anbernic released in late 2022. For reference, the RG353V combines a Rockchip RK3566 chipset with a small IPS display and a 3,200 mAh battery. According to u/gthing, they augmented the RG353v with a Blackberry BB9900, a keyboard from the Blackberry Bold Touch 9900 modified to add USB Type-C connectivity.

Additionally, the AnberDeck leverages a 3D printer to hold the BB9900, the files for which you can download from Tinkercard. Moreover, the AnberDeck requires the installation of ArkOS, a fork based around Ubuntu 19.10 aarch64. Ultimately, while not the most elegant of solutions, it could still prove a novel use of an older retro gaming handheld that may otherwise be relatively underused. Please see u/gthing's Reddit post for full build details.