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What you need to know about the AYANEO Pocket DMG retro gaming handheld

AYANEO Pocket DMG Announced
AYANEO Pocket DMG Announced

Over the weekend, AYANEO had a presentation to announce their lineup of forthcoming products. The AYANEO Pocket DMG is AYANEO’s first vertical retro handheld gaming console. Inspired by classic vertical handheld machines, this device combines a nostalgic design language with AYANEO’s minimalist and elegant style. The Pocket DMG is according the AYANEO, a unique and finely crafted vertical retro handheld console.

[UPDATE 21st July 2024] The prices and shipping date have been announced for the AYANEO Pocket DMG

  • AYANEO Pocket DMG-8G+128G £265 GBP £352 GBP (24% off) $2,661 HKD / $340 USD
  • AYANEO Pocket DMG-12G+256G £328 GBP £414 GBP (20% off) $3,289 HKD / $421 USD
  • AYANEO Pocket DMG-16G+512G £391 GBP £477 GBP (18% off) $3,917 HKD / $501 USD

The DMG is expected to start shipping from October 2024.

Balanced Size and Hand Feel

AYANEO has optimized the Pocket DMG’s design to achieve a balance between overall size and comfort. The team has refined the body design to enhance the handheld experience, ensuring it feels comfortable in your hands.

AYANEO Pocket DMG views
AYANEO Pocket DMG design

The body frame of the AYANEO Pocket DMG features a chamfered design with a soft arc transition at the bottom R corner and the back’s contact points. This ergonomic consideration, combined with advanced UV spraying technology, provides a comfortable and durable gaming experience.

High-Quality Screen

AYANEO Pocket DMG display
AYANEO Pocket DMG display

To deliver a high-quality screen experience, AYANEO has partnered with the original manufacturer to equip the Pocket DMG with a 3.92″ 1240×1080 resolution OLED screen, boasting a 419 PPI. This offers a sharp and vibrant display for vertical handheld consoles.

The high-definition, vibrant OLED screen ensures that retro games appear vivid and detailed.

Performance

AYANEO Pocket DMG processor
AYANEO Pocket DMG processor

The AYANEO Pocket DMG features the second-generation Snapdragon G3x Gen 2 gaming platform and a powerful active cooling system. This combination handles both retro and high-performance mobile games, providing a smooth gaming experience.

Control Design

Departing from the tradition of dual joysticks, the AYANEO Pocket DMG introduces a left joystick + touchpad design. This maintains visual balance and a simple front layout, offering a distinct control experience.

AYANEO Pocket DMG controls
AYANEO Pocket DMG controls

The left joystick meets the needs of various games and daily use, while the larger, well-positioned touchpad enhances control, especially for FPS and other games.

Key Experience

AYANEO Pocket DMG touchpad
AYANEO Pocket DMG touchpad

The AYANEO Pocket DMG features shoulder keys with a «coastline» design, integrating ergonomic curves for a comfortable shoulder key experience. The key feel is consistent with AYANEO’s standards, including scroll wheel keys and other retro-inspired elements, all conveniently located.

Conclusion

The AYANEO Pocket DMG is a high-performance vertical handheld console with thoughtful design, robust performance, and a user-friendly experience. It will be interesting to see at what price point this handheld will be. We know from the AYANEO Pocket S that the price was noticeably higher than the AYN Odin 2 for example. They do have different generations of processor, but is all the power in the newer generation actually required for this design of handheld?

Let us know in the comments what you think about the AYANEO Pocket DMG. Do you like the design, what do you think the price will be? Will you consider buying it?

Bringer of videos, text and images! AKA the social media guy at DroiX. Massive retro gaming fan and collector, with a far too large collection of consoles and computers from 1970's to modern.