How does Nintendo DS look on the Anbernic RG405M?

Nintendo DS is a tough fit on the Anbernic RG405M — expect significant black bars and wasted screen space. The Anbernic RG405M is a traditional landscape handheld with a 4" IPS display running at 720×720 (1:1). The best integer scale is 2×, which fills 38% of the screen. Since this is not a perfect integer fit, some scaling interpolation is applied.

Emulation rating: great. Good NDS performance The Anbernic RG405M runs on the Unisoc Tiger T618 (Cortex-A75 + A55 Octa-core 2.0GHz) with 4GB LPDDR4X of RAM, which is more than enough for Nintendo DS emulation.

Battery life is rated at 4-6 hours (4000mAh), though emulation load varies by title. Wi-Fi is available for netplay and RetroAchievements.

Setup tips for Nintendo DS: DraStic is the fastest Android option; melonDS offers better accuracy. Screen layout matters: side-by-side works on wide screens, vertical stacking suits portrait or clamshell devices. Touch-heavy games like Kirby Canvas Curse need a touchscreen or stylus workaround. Dual-screen devices like the AYN Thor have a natural advantage here.

Platform notes: Dual screen 256x192 each. Requires creative layout solutions on single-screen devices.

Nintendo DS outputs at 4:3, while the Anbernic RG405M has a 1:1 screen. This creates black bars on all sides.

Nintendo DS is one of the more demanding platforms to emulate. 4GB LPDDR4X of RAM and the Mali-G52 MP2 GPU deliver good results on most titles.

At $169, the Anbernic RG405M is a premium handheld. The extra cost buys you a high-resolution display and enough power to handle Nintendo DS with room to spare for enhancements.

At 4", the screen strikes a good balance between portability and readability for Nintendo DS. Most games are comfortable to play at arm's length.

Other devices with great Nintendo DS compatibility include the Anbernic RG Cube.