Anbernic’s New Controller Has a Screen and Built-In Heartbeat Sensor, for Some Reason

Anbernic, the company that has brought us a mountain of retro gaming handhelds over the last several years, is ready to get into high-end peripherals with a controller built for the cross-section of hypochondriacs and gamers. Not only does this controller have a built-in screen, but it also has heart rate sensors inside each controller grip, helping you identify when you’re getting a little too into the game you’re playing.

Keeping with its typical naming conventions, Anbernic is calling its first pro-level controller the RG G01. The RG in Anbernic’s nomenclature stands for “retro gaming,” though there’s little about this controller that recalls past screen-based control schemes like the old spaceship-shaped Sega Dreamcast controller. Anbernic’s gamepad uses two sensors on either side of the controller grips to measure heart rate and alert you if you may be playing too hard. This data shows up on a 2.5-inch IPS LCD screen shoved in the center of the gamepad. Don’t worry, that screen has uses other than just telling you if you need to calm down after a grueling session of Battlefield 6.

Is this controller solving some kind of problem with gamers having heart-related health incidents? A 2023 study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology looked at patients at the Mayo Clinic’s genetic heart rhythm clinic from 2000 to 2022 and found that heart-related medical incidents when gaming were extremely rare for people with genetic heart conditions. A controller like this may be able to help you if you’re concerned your heart rate is impacting performance. On the whole, the RG G01 suggests it’s more fun to watch your ECG (electrocardiogram) pump along while you try to not get stomped in your next Call of Duty match.

You already expect a high-end controller to have Hall effect or TMR (tunneling magnetoresistance) joysticks, though Anbernic is going a step further. It’s packing the RG G01 with Purple Kirin inductive joysticks, which use capacitive sensing. This measures a small electric current to detect movement and convert that into digital signals that the controller uses for movement. Unlike Hall effect, this type of stick doesn’t use any magnetic fields to detect stick orientation. The RG G01 has a touted 1,000Hz polling rate in both wired and 2.4GHz wireless modes, meaning it’s a fast controller for those who detest any latency in their controls.

© Anbernic; screenshot by Gizmodo

Otherwise, Anbernic’s new controller sports many of the same high-end features we’re used to, like 6-axis gyroscopes that are compatible with systems like Nintendo Switch 2. It also has two-stage trigger locks for when you want a full analog trigger or a rapid-fire sensation for first-person shooters. The back buttons are programmable with macros that could prove useful for fighting games. If you don’t find the screen all that appealing, the clear plastic shell lets you see the haptic rumble motors in action.

Honestly, it’s that small detail alone that sold me on the RG G01’s appeal, far more than the odd heartbeat sensor. It will come in white, gray, and yellow color schemes and should work on PC, Switch, Android, and iOS. The controller is “coming soon,” though as for price, it’s anyone’s guess. Anbernic’s only other controller, the RG P01, sells for $18. The RG G01 will likely cost more, though we doubt it will be anywhere near as expensive as Nintendo’s own $90 Switch 2 Pro gamepad.