Ayaneo Pocket DMG, a GameBoy-Inspired Handheld, Launches Crowdfunding Starting at $339

Ayaneo has rolled out the Ayaneo Pocket DMG on IndieGogo, unveiling a GameBoy-inspired handheld that’s powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon G3X Gen 2 chip. This device is up for grabs with early bird pricing starting at an attractive $339 for the base model, which includes 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. The premium version costs $499, offering 16GB RAM and 512GB of storage, while a unique “Retro Color” limited edition is priced at $589 for early backers.

Thankfully, the Snapdragon chip onboard is more than capable of delivering a high-quality gaming experience at this price range. It can handle titles like Genshin Impact smoothly at 60 FPS. Plus, it supports console emulation, allowing gamers to enjoy classics from the GameCube and PlayStation 2 era, even with enhanced internal resolutions. That said, if you’re not planning to enhance an existing PC handheld setup, Valve’s Steam Deck might offer more gaming options for less money with its LCD.

The Ayaneo Pocket DMG manages to pack in a host of features, which are impressive considering its price and compact size. It includes hidden trigger buttons alongside the standard shoulder buttons, optional motion controls, and a versatile right touchpad. Together, these features provide all the necessary inputs for modern gaming, especially if you plan to stream from your PC. Even though the analog stick is on the smaller side, its hall-effect design should help prevent joystick drift over time.

Some people might think an OLED display is excessive for such a small screen, but it’s not unprecedented. High-end devices like the Analogue Pocket also use high-quality screens, though they prefer a sharp 1440p LCD. With the Ayaneo Pocket DMG, you get a 3.92-inch OLED display with a resolution of 1,240 x 1,080, capable of showing 104% of the NTSC color gamut and reaching up to 450 nits of brightness. Thanks to the quick response time of OLED screens, this device might be perfect for retro gaming, although it’s not vying to replace the Steam Deck OLED or more advanced PC handhelds for AAA gaming.

When it comes to emulation and Android gaming, the Ayaneo Pocket DMG stands out as a noteworthy, premium option. While the models with 12GB or 16GB of RAM—boasting LPDDR5X speeds up to 8,533 MT/s—might seem excessive since this isn’t a PC handheld, the growing demands of modern mobile games and emulation can be challenging. The best value for most users would be the entry-level model, eventually adding more storage with an SD card.

Lastly, the Ayaneo Pocket DMG boasts USB 3.2 Gen 2 through a Type-C connection that allows for up to 10 Gigabits of data transfer. It also supports the latest in connectivity with Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.3. While its wired connectivity isn’t groundbreaking, it suffices for transferring smaller games or files. The Wi-Fi 7 support, with speeds up to 30 Gigabits per second, is especially beneficial for services like Steam Remote Play.

Keep in mind, supporting a crowdfunding project doesn’t assure you’ll receive the finalized product. It’s similar to making an investment—you’re supporting the project with the hope it will succeed, rather than making a typical retail purchase.