Ayaneo has just pulled the curtains back on the Pocket DS, the world’s first dual-screen Android-powered gaming handheld – and it’s a real stunner.
Ayaneo Pocket DS: A Nod to the Nintendo 3DS
As the name hints, the Pocket DS takes heavy inspiration from the classic Nintendo 3DS. It features two screens, a clamshell design, and is built mainly with retro game emulation in mind. But don’t let that fool you – this thing is packed with high-end specs.
Ayaneo Pocket DS: Dual Displays, Built for Play
On the top, you get a 7-inch 1080p OLED display running at a silky 165Hz refresh rate, perfect for your main gameplay. The bottom half carries a 5-inch 1024 x 768 touchscreen with a 4:3 aspect ratio, which makes it ideal for extra menus, maps, and controls.
Power Under the Hood
Inside, the Pocket DS is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon G3x Gen 2 processor, paired with 16GB of RAM and up to 1TB of UFS 4.0 storage. That’s a ton of muscle for handheld gaming. Keeping it all running is a hefty 8,000mAh battery, complete with fast charging so you can get back into the action quickly.
Built for Comfort and Control
Ayaneo has clearly thought about feel and performance here. The build looks ergonomic, featuring Linear Hall-effect triggers on the back and TMR joysticks up front. Add in a six-axis gyroscope, and you’ve got motion controls for games that support it – which opens up some fun possibilities.
The One Downside…
The only real drawback? The Pocket DS is launching with Android 13, which is now three years old. Still, this shouldn’t be much of an issue for retro gaming fans since most emulators run perfectly fine on it – in fact, it might even help performance in some cases.
Ayaneo Pocket DS: Pricing and Availability
The Ayaneo Pocket DS is already up for pre-order on Indiegogo, starting at $439 (early bird) for the 12GB + 256GB model in black. Once it hits retail, that setup will go for $559.
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16GB + 512GB in black: $599 early bird / $619 retail
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16GB + 1TB in black: $599 early bird / $719 retail
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16GB + 1TB in limited edition grey: $639 early bird / $759 retail
Early backers can expect shipping to begin in October.
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