Handheld PC gaming consoles have been all the rage since the Asus ROG Ally launched in 2023, but before the Ally and before the Nintendo Switch, there was the Game Boy. The original Game Boy launched in 1989, but what if it hadn’t launched? What if it had launched in 2024 instead? Let me introduce you to the AYANEO Pocket DMG.
This Game Boy-like device is a new take on the old handheld gaming design philosophy. AYANEO packs modern specs, including a glossy OLED display, into a system that supports the classic two-button, D-pad design. Now it adds two more buttons, a joystick, and a touchpad. Yes, AYANEO isn’t playing around with modernizing the Game Boy.
Interested? Here’s everything we know so far about the AYANEO Pocket DMG.
AYANEO Pocket DMG: Price and release date
Unlike many vaporware products in the industry, the AYANEO Pocket DMG has an actual release date—or at least a window. It is scheduled to launch in October 2024.
As for the price, you should head over to AYANEO’s Indiegogo page now. AYANEO is offering over $100 off any configuration of the AYANEO Pocket DMG. Currently, the configurations and prices are listed as follows:
- AYANEO Pocket DMG – 8GB + 128GB = $339 ($449)
- AYANEO Pocket DMG – 12GB + 256GB = $419 ($529)
- AYANEO Pocket DMG – 16GB + 512GB = $499 ($609)
- AYANEO Pocket DMG – 16GB + 1TB = $589 ($699)
These prices are quite high, especially considering that handhelds like the Nintendo Switch cost $299.
However, keep in mind that the AYANEO Pocket DMG runs on Android and is therefore more versatile than the Switch.
AYANEO Pocket DMG: Design
The AYANEO Pocket DMG makes me lather because of the nostalgic design, improvements, and retained portability of such an iconic device.
You have the basics: four front buttons and a four-way pad. The additional joystick is a blessing and the touchpad to the right of it is a next-generation innovation.
The back of the AYANEO Pocket DMG makes things even more exciting. Hidden in the middle, just below the round vent, are two shoulder buttons. In between them, there appears to be another button that acts as two inputs, the equivalent of an L2 and an R2 button.
There’s also a lot going on on the sides. On the left there is a volume rocker that can be assigned different functions as required. There are also customizable buttons for four inputs on the left and right.
So how portable is it exactly? Well, it weighs 0.61 pounds and measures 3.6 x 5.94 x 0.590.88 inches. It’s a little boy, and I love it.
There is a USB Type-C port and a microSD card slot.
AYANEO Pocket DMG: Specifications
| Price | Starts at $339 (originally $449) |
| CPU | Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 |
| Graphics card | AdrenoA32 |
| R.A.M. | 8GB, 12GB, 16GB |
| storage | 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB |
| Advertisement | 3.92-inch, 1240 x 1080, 419 PPI, 500-nit OLED display |
| battery | 6000mAh battery |
| Size | 3.6 x 5.94 x 0.59~0.88 inches |
| Weight | 0.61 pounds |
| Operating system | Android13 |
I was initially worried that we would get outdated specs in this shiny new product, but AYANEO is using the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon G3x Gen 2, which will be officially launched this month in AYANEO’s Android gaming handheld, the Pocket S. Since it’s so new, we don’t know how it will perform.
Still, we do know what the display will look like. With a 3.92-inch 1240 x 1080 OLED display at 419 PPI, the AYANEO Pocket DMG offers a pretty sharp panel for such a small screen. AYANEO also claims that it will reach up to 500 nits of brightness and cover 104% of the NTSC color gamut, which is a wider color spectrum than traditional sRGB.
AYANEO doesn’t provide any battery life figures, but claims that the 6000mAh battery “ensures a long battery life.” Considering the Nintendo Switch has a 4310mAh battery, it would be nice to have a handheld gaming device that lasts longer than the ~3 hours I usually get with my Switch.
AYANEO Pocket DMG: What can we play?
I’m so excited to see what the AYANEO Pocket DMG looks like in action. It’s pretty darn expensive, even at its lowest price ($339). But since it’s an Android device, the potential is seemingly endless. You don’t get original games from AYANEO like you would with a Nintendo console, but you do have the huge selection of the Google Play Store.
And don’t even get me started on how many retro games have been ported to the Play Store. I’ve slowly but surely worked my way through the Dragon Quest games (I’m currently on IV), but that experience is undoubtedly enhanced by the AYANEO Pocket DMG.
Physical buttons will always beat a touchscreen. And to top it all off, imagine playing Xbox cloud games on the AYANEO Pocket DMG. You don’t have to deal with a crappy touchscreen, nor do you have to pull out a full Xbox controller. Plus, with the AYANEO Pocket DMG’s Wi-Fi 7, you get a reliable, fast connection, so you don’t have to worry about lag (more than normal, that is).
I can’t wait to see how the AYANEO Pocket DMG plays, so stay tuned and you might see me playing around with it.
