Research links violent video games to higher sympathetic activity and higher diastolic blood pressure than calm titles. Picture Grand Theft Auto or… Call of Duty: Mobile as you drop into New Vision City, reach for a Kinetic Armor Overcharger, and spot a full squad shooting at you from both sides. First- or third-person shooters hit your pulse hard, and that’s where the Anbernic RG G01A gamepad comes in. It tracks your heart rate, but it’s more than a “health” controller. Let’s explore what the hype is about before the RG G01A launches.
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Anbernic’s first gamepad, the RG P01, packed Hall effect triggers and joysticks at a budget territory. The Chinese retro handheld manufacturer still keeps quiet on the RG G01 pricing, though the upgrades suggest a higher tag. For reference, the RG P01 hit pre-orders in late 2024 at $14.99, before settling at a regular retail price of $17.99.
As for timing, Anbernic says the RG G01 is “coming soon,” with no release date available at the time of writing.
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You can look forward to a few upgrades with the RG G01, such as a front color display with a curved shape and a built-in heart rate sensor. I see the heart rate tracking tied to the 2.5D IPS smart screen as the RG G01’s main draw.
The controller can spot adrenaline spikes during intense play and signal when it’s time to ease up. You can check your pulse in real time on the screen and even receive an alert when your heart rate jumps.
Talking about the RG G01, I can’t help but think of Nintendo’s Wii Vitality Sensor, first shown at E3 2009. People were both curious and confused back then. The device aimed to measure your pulse and biometric response, but Nintendo has stayed quiet about it ever since. Hopefully, the RG G01 doesn’t meet the same fate.
The RG G01 connects over Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz wireless, or a USB-C cable, so you can pick the setup that works best for you. It’s compatible with Steam, Linux, Windows, Android, iOS, and all current Nintendo Switch consoles.
You get a six-axis gyroscope for motion-controlled games, “Purple Kirin electro-inductive joysticks,” and dual-mode triggers with switches that shorten travel for faster response. That travel-limiting switch on the triggers is something the RG P01 didn’t have. From what I’ve read, the P01 often struggles with latency, especially in fantasy JRPGs. That’s one area the RG G01 looks ready to fix.
Just thinking about the Anbernic RG G01, I can imagine it tracking my heart rate during intense gaming sessions. The idea of real-time feedback makes me curious to see how it performs in action. I like that it promises to blend gameplay with an awareness of the body’s response.
If the RG G01 can deliver meaningful feedback without fading into obscurity, it could offer a glimpse of what the next generation of gaming controllers might become.
Grigor Baklajyan is a copywriter covering technology at Gadget Flow. His contributions include product reviews, buying guides, how-to articles, and more.