July 31, 2024 – AYANEO, a leading innovator in handheld gaming, today announced the launch of two new retro-inspired handhelds: the AYANEO Pocket DMG and the AYANEO Pocket MICRO. These handhelds showcase AYANEO's deep understanding of retro gaming culture and commitment to pushing the boundaries of what a retro handheld can be.

 

 

The AYANEO Pocket DMG blends classic design elements with AYANEO's signature minimalist aesthetic. Its ergonomic, compact form factor provides an exceptional handheld experience. The 3.92" OLED display delivers stunning visuals, while the Snapdragon G3x Gen gaming platform and 6000mAh high-density battery ensure peak performance and extended playtime. The innovative left joystick and dual-mode touchpad, combined with the comprehensive Master control system, offer immersive gameplay. AYASpace+AYAHome, AYANEO's proprietary software ecosystem, provides a seamless and customizable user experience.

 

 

The AYANEO Pocket DMG IGG Early Bird Price starts at $339, and the Retro Color Limited Edition 16GB+1TB IGG Early Bird Price is $589, with the first batch beginning to ship at the end of October.

 

 

The AYANEO Pocket MICRO faithfully recreates the classic pocket handheld design, incorporating flagship AYANEO features like a borderless display and CNC aluminum alloy frame. Its 3.5" 640P IPS display delivers a crisp and immersive gaming experience. The Pocket MICRO's compact size and smartphone-like portability make it the perfect choice for on-the-go retro gaming.

 

 

AYANEO Pocket MICRO IGG Early Bird Price from $189, Retro Colour Limited Edition IGG Early Bird Price from $249, the first batch will be shipped from Middle of September,2024.

 

 

Pocket DMG - The Pinnacle of Retro Vertical Handhelds

 

A Fusion of Classic Design and Modern Innovation

 

The AYANEO Pocket DMG embodies a global retro design, with its overall appearance and numerous design details paying tribute to iconic handhelds. Two years of meticulous optimization have resulted in a perfect balance of aesthetics and ergonomics.

 

 

Building on a foundation of classic retro design, the Pocket DMG embraces AYANEO's minimalist elegance, offering two classic color options: "Moon White" and "Arctic Black." Clever use of contrasting button colors adds a touch of vibrancy to the retro aesthetic.

 

 

 

The Pocket DMG will also be available in a limited-edition "Retro Color" version, crafted with more complex and costly processes. This special edition features a unique screen panel, classic color scheme, exclusive packaging, and accessories, making it a must-have for any gamer who cherishes the legacy of iconic handhelds.

 

 

 

The Pocket DMG boasts a compact and lightweight design that accommodates a larger screen without compromising grip comfort. Its 91.5mm width and 278g weight provide an unparalleled grip experience in a vertical retro handheld, suitable for both retro and modern mobile games.

 

 

The bottom of the device features a large radius R-corner design to prevent discomfort during gameplay. The core grip area, where the device rests in the palm, is crafted with a 3D curved surface for a more natural and comfortable grip. The rounded edges of the frame further enhance the overall grip experience.

 

 

The Pocket DMG prioritizes core control elements, dedicating the majority of its front space to the left joystick, touchpad, and button controls. The traditional Select and Start buttons are positioned on the bottom right to avoid interference. The right side features a retro-inspired striped design for a touch of nostalgia. The iconic AYANEO AYA button features a refined transparent crystal design with customizable RGB lighting effects, adding a unique visual element to the retro handheld.

 

 

The Pocket DMG also includes all the traditional function buttons and custom buttons, symmetrically distributed on both sides of the device for easy access without adjusting your grip. The iconic volume scroll wheel, a quintessential retro element, is seamlessly integrated, adding a finishing touch to the overall retro design language.

 

 

The MagicSwitch: A Multifaceted Wheel

 

The AYANEO Pocket DMG creates a series of innovative interaction designs for vertical handhelds, delivering a unique and novel experience. The scroll wheel is not just a volume control; it's AYANEO's first "MagicSwitch" multi-function button for vertical handhelds, offering four preset interaction modes: long press, press, scroll up, and scroll down.

 

 

A long press brings up a selection menu with functions such as volume adjustment, mute, brightness control, performance mode adjustment, and more. It can also be mapped to functions within reading apps or emulators, allowing for convenient navigation with up and down scrolling. This "magical" scroll wheel will support even more features in the future, providing players with unique and creative gameplay options.

 

 

The Coastline Shoulder Buttons

 

To revolutionize the shoulder button experience in traditional vertical handhelds, AYANEO drew inspiration from nature and incorporated ergonomic principles to design the elegant "Coastline" shoulder buttons for the Pocket DMG.

 

 

The "Coastline" shoulder buttons' graceful curves complement the device's minimalist aesthetic. The L1 and R1 buttons' natural downward slope aligns with ergonomic design, perfectly fitting the index finger and allowing for a natural grip.

 

 

Another clever design feature of the "Coastline" shoulder buttons is the division of the four buttons into three sections, creating a hidden L2/R2 button design. The L1 and R1 buttons are positioned further out for easy access during frequent use, while the longer L2 and R2 buttons are hidden between them, allowing for easy access with minimal finger movement. All four shoulder buttons are "Metal dome array" buttons, providing a crisp and responsive feel.

 

 

AYASpace will offer a one-touch swap function for L1/R1 and L2/R2, allowing players to customize their preferred button layout. The new custom button function provides powerful customization settings for all button and function keys, offering an experience comparable to professional mapping software.

 

 

AYANEO Pocket DMG: An Innovative Design with Hall Sensing Medium Joystick and Dual-Mode Touchpad

 

The AYANEO Pocket DMG, designed for both high-performance retro gaming and Android mobile gaming, introduces a groundbreaking innovation in vertical handhelds: a left joystick combined with a dual-mode touchpad. This design, born from a deep understanding of visual harmony and the demands of retro gaming controls, seamlessly blends aesthetic appeal, practicality, and user-friendly interaction, marking another significant leap in AYANEO's exploration of handheld design and user experience.

 

 

 

AYANEO's self-developed dual-mode touchpad defaults to right joystick mode, perfectly mapping the movement and pressure functions of a traditional right joystick. This ensures compatibility with all retro and modern mobile games. The larger surface area and haptic feedback provide a more immersive and liberating control experience compared to traditional joysticks.

 

 

The dual-mode touchpad also offers a mouse mode, simulating mouse cursor movement for a familiar and convenient experience similar to using a mouse with an Android phone or tablet. This enhances everyday system navigation and makes using AR glasses or screen mirroring even more seamless.

 

 

Furthermore, the Pocket DMG is the first AYANEO handheld to feature Hall sensing medium joystick, delivering a wider travel range and a responsive, drift-free control experience. Combined with refined feel calibration and the extensive settings in AYASpace, the Pocket DMG offers a significantly superior overall control experience in the vertical handheld category.

 

 

Stunning OLED Display for a Vivid Gaming Experience

 

AYANEO Pocket DMG continues AYANEO's pursuit of higher standards of screen quality. The Pocket DMG features a 3.92" 1240x1080 OLED display, co-developed with manufacturer. The 419PPI resolution delivers exceptional clarity and detail, while the OLED technology provides exceptional color accuracy and a peak brightness of 450 nits, setting a new standard for vertical retro handhelds.

 

 

The near 8:7 aspect ratio of the screen perfectly displays classic game visuals, and the OLED's ability to completely turn off pixels when displaying black ensures minimal light bleed when playing games with 4:3 or 3:2 aspect ratios, creating an immersive experience and conserving battery life.

 

 

With the stunning OLED display, the Pocket DMG elevates the visual experience for retro games, Android games, streaming, and cloud gaming, offering a distinct and enjoyable alternative to traditional horizontal Android handhelds. Players can relive the joy of handheld gaming from their childhood.

 

 

The Pinnacle of Vertical Retro Handheld Performance

 

The Pocket DMG, positioned as a premium vertical retro handheld, shatters traditional performance limitations. Powered by the Snapdragon G3x Gen 2 Gaming Platform, currently the most powerful platform in Android handhelds, the Pocket DMG effortlessly handles demanding retro games and high-performance 3D mobile games, delivering a unique and exhilarating vertical gaming experience.

 

 

The Snapdragon G3x Gen 2 platform's exceptional energy efficiency at low-to-medium frequencies allows the Pocket DMG to deliver sufficient performance for most retro games at less than 5W, eliminating the need for a fan and extending battery life.

 

 

 

As the performance pinnacle of vertical handhelds, the Pocket DMG utilizes a sophisticated structural design to pack a large-scale fan (identical to the Pocket S) and 48 cooling fins with a combined surface area of 13330mm² into its compact frame. A large exhaust vent on the top of the device further enhances thermal efficiency, achieving a 15W full-performance output comparable to the ultra-thin Pocket S flagship, enabling smooth gameplay for a wider range of titles.

 

 

This innovative cooling structure not only separates the core components from the grip area, maximizing the limited space within the device and enabling 15W performance, but also isolates the heat source from the grip, ensuring a comfortable gaming experience even during extended play sessions.

 

 

The Pocket DMG also boasts an LPDDR5X 8533Mbps high-frequency memory and a UFS 4.0 storage combination, ensuring seamless performance even under heavy loads and delivering an unprecedented level of fluidity for vertical handhelds.

 

 

 

Uninterrupted Gameplay with Extended Battery Life

 

Through nearly two years of continuous research and development, the Pocket DMG, with its 3.92" screen, achieves an impressive 6000mAh high-density battery, the largest battery capacity in any vertical retro handheld, thanks to a meticulous structural design and unwavering commitment to quality.

 

 

Combined with the screen and the energy efficiency of the Snapdragon G3x Gen 2 Gaming Platform, the Pocket DMG delivers exceptional battery life, exceeding expectations. The device also supports 25W PD fast charging, enabling quick recharging and maximizing the potential of its impressive battery life. Players can immerse themselves in their games without interruption.

 

Despite its impressive hardware, the Pocket DMG maintains a compact weight of 278g, making it a powerful and portable vertical gaming device.

 

 

High-Speed Connectivity for a Flagship Experience

 

The AYANEO Pocket DMG also offers a level of connectivity unprecedented in vertical handhelds. It features a Micro SD card slot with SD 3.0 speeds and a full-function Type-C port with USB 3.2 Gen 2 speeds and DP 1.4 support, ensuring fast and convenient data transfer and screen mirroring.

 

 

The Pocket DMG is also the first vertical retro handheld to support the latest high-speed Wi-Fi protocol, achieving a theoretical maximum speed of 30Gbps. Lower latency and improved stability, combined with the new Bluetooth 5.3 technology, offering lower latency, stronger interference resistance, and lower power consumption, deliver a more stable and seamless streaming and cloud gaming experience.

 

 

AYAHome + AYASpace: A Self-Developed Software Ecosystem

 

AYANEO's self-developed desktop launcher, AYAHome, and the AYASpace management app have been continuously upgraded in terms of UI design, interaction, and functionality. The AYANEO Pocket DMG, powered by the Snapdragon G3x Gen 2 Gaming Platform, will fully support current and future software upgrades and feature enhancements.

 

 

The AYANEO Pocket DMG is the first to support four-mode, all-scenario vibration, allowing players to freely customize between three distinct vibration modes: gamepad vibration, SoundTAPMagic sound vibration, and button vibration, alongside XInput vibration support. Advanced settings for vibration intensity and duration are also available, empowering players to craft a rich and personalized haptic experience.

 

 

The "Native" gamepad mapping feature now offers separate sensitivity settings for the joystick X and Y axes, further optimizing joystick precision and ensuring smoother camera movement. Moreover, the 1.5 version of "Native" gamepad mapping is currently under development, introducing significant improvements, including support for mapping directional skills.

 

 

The latest AYASpace update brings several optimizations to game library management, expanding support for more gaming platforms, enhancing game package import experiences, adding guidance prompts for platform errors, and improving overall loading and response speeds. These enhancements further elevate the player experience. A video preview feature is also on the horizon, allowing players to explore retro games in greater detail through video previews.

 

 

A new performance mode introduces a power-saving mode while providing granular control over CPU and GPU core frequencies for each performance mode. Similar to AYANEO's Windows handhelds, fan speed can be customized with user-defined strategies and algorithms, empowering tech-savvy players to tailor their performance experience.

 

 

AYASpace also introduces a device spoofing feature, allowing players to select from pre-defined device models or create custom configurations to emulate other Android devices, unlocking higher performance and graphics settings for a more immersive and visually stunning gaming experience.

 

 

AYANEO Pocket MICRO - The Pinnacle of Design and Craftsmanship in a Horizontal Retro Handheld

 

Honoring the Classics, Transcending the Classics

 

The AYANEO Pocket MICRO, with its horizontal design and compact body, pays homage to classic mini handhelds. Leveraging modern technology and the signature features of AYANEO's flagship handhelds, it delivers a comprehensive experience that surpasses the original, making it a refined plaything for retro handheld enthusiasts.

 

 

The Pocket MICRO seamlessly blends classic elements, ensuring a comfortable screen display and grip. With a larger 3.5" screen and a 63mm body width, it faithfully recreates the "always portable, always at hand" compact form factor. The slightly longer body provides a more comfortable grip, comparable to a slim smartphone, allowing you to pick it up and play a few rounds anytime, anywhere.

 

 

While paying homage to the classics, the Pocket MICRO embraces a minimalist design devoid of unnecessary elements. Every opening and button placement is perfectly positioned. The functional buttons and Micro SD card slot on the bezel echo the overall aesthetic, resulting in a sleek and elegant design as the ultra-slim flagship Pocket S.

 

 

Ergonomics are paramount. The Pocket MICRO's body frame and corners feature a subtle rounded edge transition, visually softening the sharp edges and providing a comfortable grip that won't feel harsh on your hands.

 

 

The four shoulder buttons are all Metal dome array switches with a crisp feel, and can be triggered from any position. Considering their frequency of use, the L1R1 buttons have a larger surface area to fully cover your fingertips, and are separated from the L2R2 buttons. The L2R2 buttons are also raised, making it easy to distinguish between the two sets of buttons by feel.

 

 

The Pocket MICRO also supports a one-button swap function for L1R1 and L2R2, catering to different player habits and finger lengths to meet individual needs.

 

 

CNC Aluminum Alloy Frame for Premium Quality

 

As a horizontal retro handheld, the AYANEO Pocket MICRO boasts captivating beauty and quality. This is thanks to the inclusion of the same CNC aluminum alloy frame technology found in AYANEO's flagship Pocket S, achieving a premium quality experience that traditional horizontal retro handhelds could only dream of.

 

 

The unique metallic sheen and texture highlight the Pocket MICRO's beautiful body lines. The anodized finish provides a matte texture for a luxurious tactile experience, while also strengthening the body structure for reliable enjoyment wherever you go.

 

 

Immersive Experience with a Bezel-less Full Screen

 

Premium quality extends beyond the CNC aluminum alloy frame. The Pocket MICRO's exquisitely elegant bezel-less full screen is truly eye-catching. By maximizing the screen-to-body ratio, it strikes a perfect balance between screen size and body size. The fully bonded glass panel delivers a refined and pure visual experience, eliminating the visual distraction of large bezels and providing players with a full, immersive screen.

 

 

 

To minimize the need for openings in the glass panel and maintain visual harmony, the Select, Start, AYA, and = keys are cleverly "embedded" within the rounded bezel, also serving as a tribute to the classic design of the original GBM.

 

 

With more demanding processing, the Pocket MICRO will be available in two standard color options: the deep and pure "Magic Black" and the vibrant "Soul Red," as well as a limited edition "Retro Grey" inspired by the classic NES console, featuring a premium glass panel with a classic color scheme.

 

 

IPS Display for Vibrant Colors

 

The AYANEO Pocket MICRO is equipped with a 3.5" 960x640 IPS display, delivering the industry-leading color and brightness performance. Importantly, its resolution is four times that of the GBA and its 3:2 aspect ratio is ideal for retro games. With a simple setting, you can enjoy full-screen, non-stretched 4X GBA game visuals.

 

 

Combined with the right shaders and Overlays, those infinitely fun games from your childhood can be reborn on the Pocket MICRO with even more stunning and vibrant colors and finer details, surpassing the original handheld experience and making up for those childhood regrets.

 

 

The Pocket MICRO not only offers the best GBA game visuals, but with the powerful Helio G99 processor, it can also handle more demanding retro games. A large, active cooling fan ensures that the device prevent downclocking during extended play sessions.

 

 

Excellent Battery Life for On-the-Go Gaming

 

Within its slim and portable body, comparable to a smartphone, the Pocket MICRO packs a 2600mAh battery, weighing only 233g, striking a perfect balance between overall size and weight.

 

 

For GBA games, it can easily provide over 6 hours of continuous gameplay. It supports 15W PD charging, enough to meet your daily gaming needs. Whether you're playing casually or traveling, you can enjoy the fun of gaming anytime, anywhere.

 

 

AYANEO Pocket DMG & MICRO Shipping Schedule

 

The specific shipping schedule for each version of the AYANEO Pocket DMG & MICRO is shown in the following chart.

 

 

A New Era of Retro Handhelds

 

The AYANEO Pocket DMG & MICRO represent a bold innovation and breakthrough for AYANEO in the realm of retro handhelds. They embody a love for classic games and handhelds, setting new standards in design and hardware, and demonstrating the power of deep customization and optimization in software ecosystems.

 

 

The launch of these two exquisite retro handhelds marks a new revolution in the retro handheld market, ushering in a new era. AYANEO will continue to innovate and deliver more exciting handheld products to players, ensuring that the magic of handheld gaming continues to captivate for generations to come.