Ayaneo Pocket Vert Retro Gaming Handheld Gets A Great Pre-Launch Discount

Ayaneo Pocket Vert is here, and if you hop on the bandwagon soon enough, you can get it for as low as $269 USD for the 8GB RAM + 128GB storage configuration, or $349 for the top-end 12GB RAM + 256GB storage config (or $369 if you want it in red). The vertical retro handheld market has been heating up in the past few years, but the Pocket Vert is aimed squarely at the FPGA-based Analogue Pocket specifically, down to sharing the same 3.5-inch 1600x1440 IPS LTPS screen.

However, the Pocket Vert does have a slightly smaller form factor, and since it's based on a higher-end Android chipset (Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1) than the Analogue FPGA limited to roughly Game Boy Advance-tier games, there's a lot more you can play on this device. If you were compelled to, you could even treat it like a PlayStation Portal and stream games from your console or PC with the requisite Android apps. However, the onboard emulation is great too, allowing for broad emulation of sixth-gen home consoles (Dreamcast, PS2, GameCube) and even broaching into seventh-gen with Wii, PSP, and Nintendo 3DS emulation. There's four shoulder buttons and a touch surface that can be utilized for dual analog, so this is overall a much more versatile device despite its resemblance to Analogue Pocket.


The real appeal of this form factor is handheld gaming, and that high-resolution screen is actually a perfect match for Game Boy and Game Boy Color—a resolution that allows a perfectly-sharp 10x integer scale over those handheld's original 160x144 resolution. The CNC metal materials and high-res display match the Analogue Pocket's premium feel for those classic titles, but the higher-echelon internal spec grants Pocket Vert an undeniable advantage for those who don't care for lugging cartridges or leaning on FPGA hardware emulation.

If it sounds compelling to you, especially for the discounted early bird price, the Ayaneo Pocket Vert's Indiegogo page is open now. Add-ons include a tempered glass screen protector, a cleaning cloth, a leather storage bag, and a protective case. The tempered glass and cleaning cloth combined will run you just under $11, the protective case costs just under $12, and the storage bag demands a hefty $33.21 additional fee.

Image Credit: Ayaneo