Anbernic’s next controller adds a screen and heart rate monitoring | The VergeSkip to main contentThe homepageThe VergeThe Verge logo.The VergeThe Verge logo.TechReviewsScienceEntertainmentAIPolicyHamburger Navigation ButtonThe homepageThe VergeThe Verge logo.Hamburger Navigation ButtonNavigation DrawerThe VergeThe Verge logo.Login / Sign UpcloseCloseSearchTechExpandAmazonAppleFacebookGoogleMicrosoftSamsungBusinessSee all techGadgetsExpandLaptopsPhonesTVsHeadphonesSpeakersWearablesSee all gadgetsReviewsExpandSmart Home ReviewsPhone ReviewsTablet ReviewsHeadphone ReviewsSee all reviewsAIExpandOpenAIAnthropicSee all AIVerge ShoppingExpandBuying GuidesDealsGift GuidesSee all shoppingPolicyExpandAntitrustPoliticsLawSecuritySee all policyScienceExpandSpaceEnergyEnvironmentHealthSee all scienceEntertainmentExpandTV ShowsMoviesAudioSee all entertainmentGamingExpandXboxPlayStationNintendoSee all gamingStreamingExpandDisneyHBONetflixYouTubeCreatorsSee all streamingTransportationExpandElectric CarsAutonomous CarsRide-sharingScootersSee all transportationFeaturesVerge VideoExpandTikTokYouTubeInstagramPodcastsExpandDecoderThe VergecastVersion HistoryNewslettersExpandThe Verge DailyInstallerVerge DealsNotepadOptimizerRegulatorThe StepbackArchivesStoreSubscribeFacebookThreadsInstagramYoutubeRSSThe VergeThe Verge logo.Anbernic’s next wireless controller adds a screen and heart rate monitoringComments DrawerCommentsLoading commentsGetting the conversation ready...TechCloseTechPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All TechGadgetsCloseGadgetsPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All GadgetsGamingCloseGamingPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All GamingAnbernic’s next wireless controller adds a screen and heart rate monitoringYou can program button combos for the RG G01’s four customizable back buttons directly on the controller.You can program button combos for the RG G01’s four customizable back buttons directly on the controller.by Andrew LiszewskiCloseAndrew LiszewskiSenior Reporter, NewsPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by Andrew LiszewskiJan 23, 2026, 3:11 PM UTCLinkShareGiftIf you buy something from a Verge link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics statement.The RG G01’s screen is potentially far more useful than its pulse sensor. Screenshot: YouTubeAndrew LiszewskiCloseAndrew LiszewskiPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by Andrew Liszewski is a senior reporter who’s been covering and reviewing the latest gadgets and tech since 2006, but has loved all things electronic since he was a kid.Anbernic has announced its second wireless controller through a teaser video on YouTube highlighting its features. The company’s first gamepad, the RG P01, offered features like Hall effect triggers and joysticks for just $18. Pricing for the new Anbernic RG G01 hasn’t been revealed, but it may be more expensive due to several upgrades, including a curved color display on the front and a heart rate sensor.The RG G01 won’t be the first controller with a built-in screen. Companies like Turtle Beach already offer them. While a display adds to the cost, it lets gamers adjust settings, program macros that automatically trigger a series of button presses, and remap controls, without having to leave a game and connect to a mobile or desktop app. The RG G01 has four customizable buttons on the back that can be reconfigured using the display.Switches on the back of the RG G01 shorten the travel of its triggers, and there’s four customizable buttons. Screenshot: YouTubeThe heart rate sensor, located on the side of the controller’s grip, is a questionable addition given very few games use that data. Screenshot: YouTubeAs for the heart rate sensor that appears to be integrated into the RG G01’s grips? Its functionality is questionable. Nintendo announced a heart rate-tracking accessory for the Wii at E3 2009 called the Vitality Sensor that could have potentially incorporated a player’s pulse into games, but it was cancelled. Anbernic’s RG G01 will display your heart rate on the controller’s screen and it has a pulse alarm, but there’s no details on what exactly it will warn you about.The RG G01 will include both Bluetooth and 2.4GHz wireless connectivity, and the option to tether to a device with a USB-C cable. It’s fully compatible with systems running Steam, Linux, Windows, Android, iOS, and Nintendo’s various Switch consoles. There’s a six-axis gyroscope for playing games with motion controls, “electro-inductive capacitive joysticks,” and dual-mode triggers with switches that limit their travel for faster response times – a feature that was noticeably missing from the Anbernic RG P01.Anbernic only says the controller is “Coming Soon!”Follow topics and authors from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates.Andrew LiszewskiCloseAndrew LiszewskiSenior Reporter, NewsPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by Andrew LiszewskiGadgetsCloseGadgetsPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All GadgetsGamingCloseGamingPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All GamingTechCloseTechPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All TechMost PopularMost PopularClaude Code is suddenly everywhere inside MicrosoftSony announces its first turntables in yearsEpic and Google have a secret $800 million Unreal Engine and services dealThe state attorneys general are as mad as you areWhy nobody’s stopping GrokVideoThe Verge DailyA free daily digest of the news that matters most.Email (required)Sign UpBy submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice. 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Anbernic’s next wireless controller, the RG G01, introduces a novel design incorporating a curved color display on the front alongside a heart rate monitoring feature. This represents a significant advancement beyond the company’s initial gamepad, the RG P01, which focused on features like Hall effect triggers and joysticks. The RG G01’s display enables gamers to adjust in-game settings, program macros for rapid button sequences, and reconfigure controls directly, without the need for external device connections. The controller boasts four customizable back buttons, adaptable through the display interface. Mechanical switches on the back of the device shorten the trigger travel, aimed at enhancing responsiveness.

A notable addition is the integrated heart rate sensor located within the controller’s grip. While such sensors have previously appeared in gaming peripherals, like Nintendo’s cancelled Vitality Sensor from 2009—designed to incorporate a player’s pulse into games—the practicality and integration of such technology within contemporary gaming remains debatable. Anbernic’s implementation utilizes the display to show the player’s heart rate data, and includes a pulse alarm, though specifics regarding the alarm’s triggers are currently unavailable.

Connectivity options for the RG G01 are comprehensive, including both Bluetooth and 2.4GHz wireless, alongside a USB-C tethering capability. This broad compatibility extends to major gaming platforms, encompassing Steam, Linux, Windows, Android, iOS, and Nintendo Switch consoles. Further enhancing gameplay, the controller features a six-axis gyroscope for motion-controlled games, “electro-inductive capacitive joysticks,” and dual-mode triggers – with adjustable travel for quicker reactions. The manufacturer states this design choice was motivated by a desire to remove it from the previously released Anbernic RG P01.

Anbernic has indicated that the controller’s release is imminent.