Anbernic RG DS gets a brand new Linux OS, and you don't need to uninstall Android

Anbernic has released handhelds that ship pre-installed with either Android, Linux, or both as is the case with the RG Vita Pro. However, what is unusual is for it to launch a device with one operating system, and then release a different operating system later that users can manually install, which is what it has done with the RG DS.

The Anbernic RG DS ships with Android 14 out of the box. Unfortunately, the software experience leaves a lot to be desired such that people have to resort to installing a custom firmware such as GammaOS. Now, Anbernic has released a Linux OS for the RG DS, that users can install without erasing the preinstalled Android OS.

The features of the new Linux OS as well as how to install it on the RG DS (available on Amazon for $124.99) has been detailed in a video. According to the video, users can flash the new OS onto a microSD card with a capacity of at least 64GB. Once done, simply insert the microSD card into the device, and it will boot into Linux instead of Android. To switch back to Android, power off the device, remove the microSD card, and power it on again.

The new Linux OS has three themes — DS Dark, DS Light, and Classic — and it brings features such as independent screen brightness adjustment, ability to swap the content on each screen, custom fonts, and a new button test interface.

Also, when playing a single-screen game, the secondary screen of the RG DS will display a corresponding icon for the platform such as a PlayStation controller for PS1 games or a Game Boy Advance when playing a GBA game.

The new OS is available to download in the source link below. It also includes the software needed to flash the OS onto a microSD card.