The Ayaneo Pocket S Mini retro console is here, and it actually ships right now

Usually, when Ayaneo, the Chinese handheld console maker, announces something cool, there’s a lot of waiting involved. Things kick off with a crowdfunding campaign, and the actual product lands in the market after a really long time.

However, with the new Pocket S Mini, the company is doing something unexpected; you can actually buy it right now. Let’s dive in.

A unique 4:3 display and much more

The Pocket S Mini is a compact Android handheld built specifically for retro gaming. While the company has a bunch of offerings that can do that, this one’s a little different with its 4:3 aspect ratio.

See, if you’ve ever tried playing old PlayStation or Super Nintendo games on a modern widescreen handheld, you’re usually treated to black bars on the sides. But Pocket S Mini addresses that problem directly with a 4.2-inch LCD screen running at 1280 x 960 pixels.

Under the hood, you’re getting a Snapdragon G3x Gen 2 processor. That’s Qualcomm‘s chip designed specifically for handheld gaming, and it’s got enough power to handle demanding Android titles alongside all the emulation you can throw at it. The whole thing runs on Android 14, so you’ve got access to the full Play Store if you want it.

ALSO READ: Ayaneo announces a ridiculously fancy Game Boy

Ayaneo went pretty hard on the build quality too. There’s a full metal frame with a glass front panel covering everything, and the joysticks use Hall effect sensors. These are more advanced sticks that don’t develop drift over time like traditional sticks.

As for the pricing, the base model with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage starts at $319 (roughly Rs 29,234) during the early bird period. Bump that up to 12GB and 256GB and you’re looking at $399 (~Rs 36,553). The top tier configuration with 16GB and 512GB runs $479 (~Rs 43,882). There’s a catch with the coolest colourway though. That “Retro Power” finish, which looks like an NES, is only available at the highest spec level. You can purchase via Ayaneo’s website right now.

These lower prices stick around until the end of February before rising. Early buyers also get a gift pack with a carrying case, some joystick caps, stickers, and a cleaning cloth.

The handheld itself is pretty compact at 167.1 x 77.9 x 18.5mm and weighs about 305 grams. You’ve got a 6,000mAh battery keeping things running, stereo speakers, and a USB-C port that supports DisplayPort output if you want to play on a bigger screen. There’s also a microSD slot for expanding that storage.