KONKR Pocket ADVANCE review - A pocket-sized GBA-focused Android gaming handheld

What is the KONKR Pocket ADVANCE?

The KONKR Pocket ADVANCE is a budget Android gaming handheld designed primarily for Game Boy Advance and classic retro gaming. As a gaming Android handheld, it features a MediaTek Helio G90T processor, 3.5-inch 960 × 640 3:2 display, active cooling and 4,000mAh battery. Its biggest strength is the display, which runs Game Boy Advance games at a clean 4× integer scale while keeping the familiar proportions of the original handheld.

KONKR Pocket ADVANCE Overview

We will start the KONKR Pocket ADVANCE review with an overview of it measures approximately 5.95 × 3.2 × 0.86 inches (151.3 × 82.4 × 22mm) and weighs around 224g (0.49 lbs). It is available in three colours: Navy, Coral and Grey. You can find it in our Android gaming handheld range.

On the front is a 3.5-inch touchscreen display with a 960 × 640 resolution, 3:2 aspect ratio and 60Hz refresh rate. The resolution is ideal for GBA because it is exactly four times the original 240 × 160 resolution, producing a clean, pixel-perfect image in supported emulators.

On the left side are the D-pad and Select and Start buttons. On the right are the four gaming buttons, along with two additional buttons for bringing up the KONKR overlay software and returning to the Home screen.

Along the bottom are a covered MicroSD card slot, a USB Type-C port for data and charging, a 3.5mm headphone jack and a volume dial.

The top side features left and right trigger buttons, with additional secondary LC and RC buttons. There are also macro buttons that can be configured in the software. Finally, there is a power button.

Comparisons with the original Game Boy Advance handheld

The KONKR Pocket ADVANCE is remarkably faithful to the original Game Boy Advance handheld. The Pocket ADVANCE is approximately 7mm wider, while being around the same height and depth. The original GBA weighs 140g (0.30 lbs), or around 212g (0.46 lbs) with a cartridge and batteries, so there is not a massive difference in weight.

Device	Dimensions	Weight
Original Game Boy Advance	5.6 × 3.2 × 0.96 inches / 144.5 × 82.0 × 24.5mm	212g / 0.46 lbs (with cartridge and batteries)
KONKR Pocket ADVANCE	5.95 × 3.2 × 0.86 inches / 151.3 × 82.4 × 22mm	224g / 0.49 lbs

The screen is larger, measuring 3.5 inches compared with 2.9 inches on the original. The biggest difference is that you can actually see the screen clearly: the original GBA required an external light source to be viewable.

The front and sides retain the classic design theme. I like that KONKR kept the headphone jack and volume dial in the same locations. There are a few changes, such as the power switch in the bottom left and the significantly different back and cartridge-slot area, but overall this is a great modern update to a classic design.

KONKR Pocket ADVANCE Technical Specifications

The KONKR Pocket ADVANCE features the MediaTek Helio G90T with an octa-core processor using A76 and A55 cores running at up to 2.05GHz. For graphics, there is an ARM Mali-G76 GPU running at up to 800MHz. For its size and price, this MediaTek Helio G90T handheld is aimed at efficient retro gaming rather than demanding modern 3D games.

Specification	KONKR Pocket ADVANCE
Operating system	Android 12
Processor	MediaTek Helio G90T
CPU	Octa-core, ARM Cortex-A76 and Cortex-A55 cores, up to 2.05GHz
GPU	ARM Mali-G76, up to 800MHz
RAM	3GB or 4GB LPDDR4X
Internal storage	32GB or 64GB eMMC 5.1
Storage expansion	MicroSD card slot
Display size	3.5 inches
Display type	LCD touchscreen
Display resolution	960 × 640
Aspect ratio	3:2
Refresh rate	60Hz
Pixel scaling	4× integer scaling for Game Boy Advance
Wi-Fi	Wi-Fi 5
Bluetooth	Bluetooth 5.0
USB port	USB Type-C, USB 2.0
USB functions	Data transfer and PD fast charging
Audio	Dual speakers
Headphone connection	3.5mm headphone jack
Controls	D-pad, ABXY buttons, L1/R1, L2/R2, LC/RC buttons, macro buttons
Volume control	Volume dial
Battery capacity	4,000mAh
Cooling	Active fan cooling
Dimensions	151.3 × 82.4 × 22mm
Weight	Approximately 224g / 0.49 lbs
Colours	Navy, Coral and Grey

Powering everything is a 4,000mAh battery with PD fast-charging support. In our battery-life test, we ran AnTuTu on a loop with full screen brightness, maximum performance mode and maximum fan speed. We got just under four hours, which is around the normal time for this type of workload. With average usage, battery life should reach the expected eight-hour range, depending on the games and emulators being used.

While running the battery-life tests, we also measured fan noise and temperatures. We saw barely audible fan noise on the Low setting, around 50dB on High and 60dB on Maximum. Leaving the fan on Low or High is perfectly fine, though. For temperatures, we saw around 44°C on the display and generally mid-30°C temperatures elsewhere, which is very cool.

System Benchmarks

To see how the KONKR Pocket ADVANCE performs in real-world testing, we compared its results across AnTuTu, Geekbench and 3DMark. These figures show how it stacks up against the more expensive AYANEO Pocket Micro, Retroid Pocket 4 and Anbernic ARC-D.

AnTuTu Benchmark

The KONKR Pocket ADVANCE scored 361,668 in AnTuTu, placing third behind the AYANEO Pocket Micro and Retroid Pocket 4. It scored around 12% lower than the Pocket Micro and 29% lower than the Retroid Pocket 4, although both alternatives are higher priced than the KONKR Pocket ADVANCE.

Model	Score
Anbernic ARC-D	113,718
AYANEO Pocket Micro	412,213
KONKR Pocket ADVANCE	361,668
Retroid Pocket 4	508,851

Geekbench 5 and Geekbench 6

In Geekbench, the KONKR Pocket ADVANCE scored 497 single-core and 1,610 multi-core in Geekbench 5, followed by 664 single-core and 1,816 multi-core in Geekbench 6. It ranked third in each test and remained relatively close to the more expensive AYANEO Pocket Micro.

Model	Geekbench 5 Single-Core	Geekbench 5 Multi-Core	Geekbench 6 Single-Core	Geekbench 6 Multi-Core
Anbernic ARC-D	154	461	N/A	N/A
AYANEO Pocket Micro	543	1,784	721	2,017
KONKR Pocket ADVANCE	497	1,610	664	1,816
Retroid Pocket 4	767	2,207	964	2,465

3DMark Slingshot and Wildlife Extreme

The KONKR Pocket ADVANCE achieved 3,410 in 3DMark Slingshot, placing third, and 380 in Wildlife Extreme, where it moved into second place ahead of the AYANEO Pocket Micro. These results are particularly competitive considering that the KONKR Pocket ADVANCE costs less than both higher-priced alternatives.

Model	3DMark Slingshot	3DMark Wildlife Extreme
Anbernic ARC-D	865	N/A
AYANEO Pocket Micro	3,574	347
KONKR Pocket ADVANCE	3,410	380
Retroid Pocket 4	5,208	598

Note: N/A indicates that no score was provided. Test conditions such as test date, Android build, benchmark versions, ambient temperature and test duration were not recorded in the supplied draft.

Android OS

The KONKR Pocket ADVANCE runs Android 12. We generally see handhelds running Android 13 or 14, but for this price range Android 12 is perfectly usable in most cases. However, some Android games on the Play Store may require a newer version of Android.

KONKR’s own home screen lists all installed apps, which works well enough. On a display of this size, you do not want the interface to become too overcrowded.

You also have AYASpace, which acts as a front end for launching game ROMs. It lacks screenshot scraping, which I think should be added. Other than that, it is a decent enough front end, although you can always install another launcher if preferred.

AYASettings covers all the settings for the device, including performance tweaking, controller setup, device spoofing, and software and firmware updates. It is useful having everything in one easy-to-find location.

Android Gaming

A couple of our go-to games, including Alien: Isolation and Metal Slug: Awakening, were not available to download because of the lower Android version. However, the rest were available to download and ran just fine, making the KONKR Pocket ADVANCE a capable Android gaming device for compatible titles but there are far better options out there.

Screen mapping is built into the AYANEO software. I found it a little tricky getting the icons to map to the correct on-screen locations because of the screen size, but it otherwise works fine.

Emulation Performance

This is a budget handheld with a lower-powered processor, so you can expect solid performance up to around the PlayStation 1 era for consoles. Let’s take a look at what it can do as a GBA emulation handheld and retro gaming handheld.

PlayStation 1

The DuckStation emulator can be upscaled to 2× with graphics tweaks while maintaining a solid frame rate. We did not see any issues, and only a handful of games require analogue sticks, so the lack of sticks is not a significant problem here.

Flycast

The Dreamcast emulator Flycast looks and runs great on the KONKR Pocket ADVANCE. You can increase the rendering resolution, use VGA output and apply other graphics tweaks. One small note is that more games require analogue sticks, so you may run into issues if the D-pad is also needed for another input.

PPSSPP

The PPSSPP emulator runs very well, and you can also increase the rendering resolution and make a few tweaks. As with Flycast, you may encounter controller issues in some games and need to redefine the controls to work with the D-pad.

Dolphin

We saw mixed performance with the Dolphin emulator. Our go-to games mostly ran fine, but you may need to enable frame skipping for more demanding titles.

The real target for the KONKR Pocket ADVANCE is systems before the PlayStation 1, especially the Game Boy Advance. With the 4× ratio display, GBA games fill the screen, and the GBA emulator can upscale the graphics for improved visuals. This display was made for it, and visually it is chalk and cheese compared with the original GBA display unless you have fitted an LCD mod.

Final Thoughts

The KONKR KONKR Pocket ADVANCE is an interesting device. It is aimed at the budget market, with a processor to match and a 3:2 aspect-ratio display targeted mainly towards the GBA.

In terms of performance, we found it able to handle compatible Android games reasonably well. For emulation, you can expect PlayStation 1 and PSP systems to run without major issues. Performance will be lower on anything beyond that. The 3:2 display can be limiting for systems such as the original Game Boy, where you will have some side borders, although wider 16:9 screens make that issue worse.

When you weigh up the price against what the KONKR Pocket ADVANCE can play, it offers decent value as a general budget Android handheld. Its biggest strength is that it was designed with GBA gaming in mind. If GBA is your primary platform of choice, there is no better retro handheld for it in this price range.

You can learn more about and order the KONKR Pocket ADVANCE from us at DROIX. It comes with a one-year warranty, and if anything should go wrong, we will take care of it rather than sending you back to China. Our Android gaming handheld category has more options if you want to compare devices.

Frequently asked questions

What is the KONKR Pocket ADVANCE?

The KONKR Pocket ADVANCE is a compact Android gaming console and portable Android console designed primarily for Game Boy Advance and classic retro gaming. It has a 3.5-inch 3:2 display, a MediaTek Helio G90T processor and active cooling.

Is the KONKR Pocket ADVANCE good for GBA emulation?

Yes. Its 960 × 640 resolution is exactly four times the original GBA’s 240 × 160 resolution, giving compatible games a clean 4× integer scale and a full-screen 3:2 presentation.

What systems can the KONKR Pocket ADVANCE emulate?

Based on our testing, it performs well with systems up to PlayStation 1, Dreamcast and PSP, while Dolphin performance is mixed. More demanding GameCube and later systems may require frame skipping, configuration changes or reduced expectations.

Does the KONKR Pocket ADVANCE have analogue sticks?

No. It uses a D-pad, face buttons, shoulder buttons and additional LC/RC controls. This works particularly well for GBA and older systems, but it can make some Dreamcast, PSP and GameCube games more difficult to control.

How long does the KONKR Pocket ADVANCE battery last?

In our demanding AnTuTu loop test, using full brightness, maximum performance and maximum fan speed, it lasted just under four hours. Average usage is expected to reach around eight hours, depending on the game or emulator.

What Android version does the KONKR Pocket ADVANCE use?

It runs Android 12. Most tested Android games ran correctly, although some titles were unavailable from the Play Store because they require a newer Android version.