GammaOS Nano v1.4.4 (Anbernic RG DS) Release Notes

Patreon Exclusive Release
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/GammaOS
Password for GammaOS Insider tier supporters: join the Discord server and link your Patreon or Ko-fi account to your Discord profile. The password is posted in the supporter channel.
Server: https://discord.gg/ZVHaPy5aRG
Channel: https://discord.com/channels/1462793774752202899/1537514436112162846
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This release will become publicly available to non-supporters at a later date. The password will be posted on Patreon.

Release Date: 3 October 2026.

What's new in v1.4.4

This is the first RG DS release since v1.4.1, so it carries everything from v1.4.2, v1.4.3 and v1.4.4. The kernel is now built from source for this device, which is where most of the hardware fixes below come from.

Low latency audio on the RG DS. The RG DS gets the low latency audio path the RG DS Plus has had since v1.4.2, cutting the delay between a game and its sound. It works with headphones too: plugging or unplugging headphones in the middle of a game moves the sound across and switches the speaker off or back on. The speakers also no longer pop when sound starts.
The two screens run in step at exactly 60 Hz. The panels ran at 59.85 Hz, which dropped one DS frame every six or seven seconds, and the two screens were about a frame apart. Both now run at 60.000 Hz and start each frame together, so a game spanning both screens no longer tears at the hinge.
Faster charging, kept within the hardware's limits. The charger now takes up to 3 A from a 5 V / 3 A capable supply instead of the 1.5 A Anbernic shipped, so a charge from empty takes roughly half the time. The current is managed against the power chip's own die temperature sensing throughout the charge, stepping down if the chip approaches its rated limit and back up as it cools. The status LEDs follow the charge state again.
Boot logos. Each screen now shows its own boot logo the right way up, instead of the same picture on both with one of them upside down.
Screen Calibration. Display > Screen Calibration sets brightness, contrast, saturation, hue and red, green and blue levels for each screen separately, with a live preview. It is applied by the display controller itself, so it also reaches DS games in DraStic-nano, and it holds from the boot logo on.
DraStic-nano since v1.4.1: 3D rendering on the GPU with hi-res 3D, per-game settings, undo for quick saves, a fast-forward speed limit, 38 RetroArch LCD and CRT shaders, your own cheat files, a System settings page (nickname, birthday, language, colour, Slot-2, clock), microphone fixes (no more chopping or distortion, and the game's gain is honoured), and game fixes for Hotel Dusk and Pokemon Ranger.
Hide games without deleting them. A game's options gain Hide Game; Game Settings > Hidden Games brings them back.
System updates can no longer leave a device that does not boot. From v1.4.4 on, every partition an update writes is read back and checked, a bad write is retried and repaired, the bootloader and boot partitions are saved first and put back if writing them fails, and an update that cannot complete stops with an error instead of rebooting into a half-written device. The update to v1.4.4 itself is still installed by the updater of the version you are on; see Updating below.
Powering off after trying ROCKNIX. A device that had booted ROCKNIX once went completely dark on every reboot or power off afterwards. v1.4.4 ignores and clears the leftover power setting ROCKNIX leaves behind, found and confirmed on the RG DS.
microSD cards that would not read. Some cards left the device unable to use them, or read back silently corrupted data, because their fast transfer mode never calibrated properly. A card that fails the fast mode now steps down to a slower mode that works.
Touch works the moment the device wakes, and the right stick no longer bounces when held at an extreme.
Home and apps: an ES-DE theme engine that renders themes the way ES-DE does, Syncthing built in, a Boxart Folder on the SD card, vertical arcade folders, PICO-8 carts in the PICO-8 system, app icons no longer turning black after using an app, apps no longer closed while their file picker is open, Network Shares fixes for SMB, WebDAV and FTP over TLS, and Select+Volume no longer changing the volume along with the brightness.

The complete lists are in the changelog:
https://github.com/TheGammaSqueeze/GammaOSNext/wiki/GammaOS-Next-Changelog#v144-october-2026
https://github.com/TheGammaSqueeze/GammaOSNext/wiki/GammaOS-Next-Changelog#v143-september-2026
https://github.com/TheGammaSqueeze/GammaOSNext/wiki/GammaOS-Next-Changelog#v142-september-2026

Updating from v1.4.1

Your games, saves and settings are kept on every route below. Use the build you are already on (Core to Core, Full to Full); switching between builds needs a fresh install.

Update card that keeps your data (recommended). Write the image below to any microSD card of 8 GB or more with Rockchip SD Tool v1.3.0 or newer, choosing Update card, keep user data in the write mode list, then boot the RG DS from the card once. The device installs every partition of the new firmware, including the bootloader and recovery, and comes back up with your data in place. Remove the card afterwards.
https://github.com/TheGammaSqueeze/rockchip_sd_tool/releases
Over the air. v1.4.4 is also offered at Quick Menu > Settings > System Update > Update via Internet (or Update via Storage Media with the OTA zip on the root of internal storage). The update is installed by the updater of the version you are on, and the v1.4.1 updater could fail part way through writing the bootloader and recovery, which this package carries. That is why the update card is the recommended route from v1.4.1. OTA packages:
https://updates.gammaos.net/anbernicrgds/1.4.4/RG_DS_GammaOS_Core_v1.4.4-OTA.zip
https://updates.gammaos.net/anbernicrgds/1.4.4/RG_DS_GammaOS_Full_v1.4.4-OTA.zip
A plain Firmware update card (the fresh install below) is only needed for a new install, to switch builds, or to recover a device that no longer boots. It erases everything on the device.

Which build should I choose?

All three boot into GammaOS Nano by default; the difference is the Android underneath, which you reach from Quick Menu > Power > Boot Android.

Core (recommended): GammaOS Nano with no Google apps and a super lightweight Android underneath. Fast, lean and built for boot-to-play. Choose this unless you specifically need the standard Android interface or Google services.
Lite: GammaOS Nano on top of the standard Android build without Google apps. Heavier than Core; pick it if you want the regular Android interface and apps underneath but do not need Google services.
Full: GammaOS Nano on top of the standard Android build with Google apps (Play Store, Google sign-in). It is much heavier and slower. The first time you boot into Android the controls are unresponsive for the first few minutes, and Google Play Services then takes around half an hour to finish updating, during which the device runs hot and slow. This is normal for the Full build; let it settle.

There is no NO_OC_UV variant this release. The overclocked kernel now picks its voltage from the chip's own factory grading, keeping the stock voltage on weaker parts.

This is a whole new GammaOS

GammaOS Nano is not a launcher, it is a whole micro-OS built on top of Android. It grabs the panel the instant you power on and paints a full console-style home (the RG DS boots into the DSi System Menu theme by default), but underneath it is deeply integrated with the low-level Android system and the device hardware: DRM-direct rendering straight to both panels, an early-boot audio engine that sounds before the rest of the system is even up, native power and sleep management, and direct control of the two screens. There is no heavy Android launcher loading in the background, no bloat, and no waiting. It boots straight to a console-style experience that is fast, lean and built for a controller first.

Known Issues

The Core and Lite builds ship with NO Google Services. This is a deliberate design choice for maximum performance, battery life and a clean boot-to-play experience. If you need the Play Store or Google sign-in, use the Full build, and be aware it is heavier and slower.
Full build first boot: the first time you switch into Android, the controls are unresponsive for the first few minutes and Google Play Services takes around half an hour to update, during which the device runs hot and slow. Leave it to settle.
On a cold boot the bottom screen may occasionally come up with wrong colours or wrong positioning. This comes from the device bootloader not handling two screens consistently at power-on and is harmless: once booted, turn the bottom screen off and back on and it corrects itself.
DraStic RetroAchievements currently supports Softcore mode only. Hardcore mode is pending approval from the RetroAchievements team, which can take up to around 6 months if they agree to it.
Performance improvements are mainly for NDS/DraStic. Don't expect 3DS titles to run any better.

What GammaOS Nano Gives You

GammaOS Nano gives you three complete home themes (the RG DS boots into the DSi System Menu theme by default, and you can switch to PS3 XMB or Minima at any time), the built-in DraStic-nano DS player with GPU-accelerated hi-res 3D, low-latency audio on speakers and headphones, per-game settings, undo for quick saves, a fast-forward speed limit and 38 RetroArch LCD and CRT shaders, plus RetroAchievements (Softcore) and Quick Resume, the dual-screen Control Center for single-screen apps, custom and looping video wallpapers (including separate wallpapers per screen), an in-game overlay on a power-button hold, reworked sleep and wake, and self-contained music, video and photo players, a controller-first web browser, IPTV and Internet Radio, system-wide Network Shares (SMB/NFS/WebDAV/FTP) with Syncthing built in, a global search, and the PSP Go slide clock. Switch to native Android any time from Quick Menu > Power > Boot Android.

Learn More About GammaOS Nano

A full guide to everything GammaOS Nano can do, its themes, players, settings and hidden features, is here:
https://thegammasqueeze.github.io/GammaOSNano-WIKI/

Before You Download

Each build ships as one split archive in two parts. Download both parts of the build you want, plus the flashing tool:

Core build (recommended):

RG_DS_GammaOS_Core_v1.4.4.7z.001
RG_DS_GammaOS_Core_v1.4.4.7z.002

Lite build (standard Android, no Google apps):

RG_DS_GammaOS_Lite_v1.4.4.7z.001
RG_DS_GammaOS_Lite_v1.4.4.7z.002

Full build (heavier, Google apps):

RG_DS_GammaOS_Full_v1.4.4.7z.001
RG_DS_GammaOS_Full_v1.4.4.7z.002

Flashing tool: the Rockchip SD Tool v1.3.0 or newer for Windows, Linux and macOS: https://github.com/TheGammaSqueeze/rockchip_sd_tool/releases
It writes the installer card, verifies every block it writes, retries bad ones, and tells you plainly when a card is failing instead of leaving you with a card that silently does not work.

microSD card: any card of 8 GB or more will do. It only carries the installer and is free to reuse afterwards; GammaOS itself runs from the RG DS's internal storage. Games can live on a card in the device as usual.

Extract

Extract the .001 of your chosen build with the .002 in the same folder, using the password from the supporter channel. You will get a single Rockchip image, for example RG_DS_GammaOS_Core_v1.4.4.img.

Install (Windows, Linux and macOS)

The RG DS runs GammaOS from its internal storage; the card you write is an installer the device boots from once. Full installation steps are available here:
https://github.com/TheGammaSqueeze/GammaOSNext/wiki/GammaOS-Next-Installation#anbernic-rg-ds

Do NOT write the image with DD, Win32DiskImager, balenaEtcher, Rufus or Raspberry Pi Imager. They make a card the device cannot use. Only the Rockchip SD Tool writes a working update card.
Insert the microSD card with a reliable card reader. If a write fails, try another reader or adapter first.
Launch the Rockchip SD Tool, choose the .img you extracted, choose the card, and in the write mode list choose Firmware update card (or Update card, keep user data if you are updating an existing GammaOS install). Click Write and wait for verification. On macOS open the app the first time with right-click, Open (it is not notarized).
Power the RG DS off, insert the card and power on. The device boots from the card into recovery and installs GammaOS onto its internal storage. Leave it alone until it finishes; it takes a few minutes.
When it has powered off or rebooted on its own, remove the card. The first boot takes a few minutes while the system sets itself up.

Note: a plain Firmware update card erases everything on the device. Copy anything you want to keep off it first.

Overview

GammaOS Nano v1.4.4 for the Anbernic RG DS, based on Android 14 / LineageOS 21, in three builds: a lightweight Core build (no Google Services, recommended), a Lite build (standard Android without Google apps) and a heavier Full build (standard Android with Google apps). All three boot straight into GammaOS Nano, a native console-style home built for handhelds, with a fast boot-to-play experience, three full home themes, the DraStic-nano DS player with GPU 3D, low-latency audio on speakers and headphones, and RetroAchievements, a dual-screen Control Center, and custom and video wallpapers. Switch to native Android any time from Quick Menu > Power > Boot Android.

Full Changelog

The complete, detailed changelog for v1.4.4 is available here:
https://github.com/TheGammaSqueeze/GammaOSNext/wiki/GammaOS-Next-Changelog#v144-october-2026

Support

For assistance or feedback, please open an Issue here:
https://github.com/TheGammaSqueeze/GammaOSNext/issues

Credits

Thanks to lordsparklebottom (Discord) for the device undervolting.

Thank you for supporting GammaOS development and helping improve GammaOS Next for the Anbernic RG DS.

TheGammaSqueeze/GammaOSNext v1.4.4-ANBERNICRGDS GammaOS Nano v1.4.4 (Anbernic RG DS) Release Notes on GitHub