Today, AYANEO held a livestream showcasing the brand new Pocket Micro 2, a refresh on the original Pocket Micro with updated specifications, new "more comfortable" buttons, and added recessed joysticks to keep the portable form factor, making it one of the best premium portable horizontal retro handhelds on the market, states AYANEO.
It hasn't strayed too far from the original, yet keeps the sleek look that many of us appreciated. In this livestream, AYANEO has released a lot of new information, so let me break it down for you in a simple, easy-to-read manner!
New Features
It's clear this is not a "new" handheld, simply a refined, refreshed or in AYANEO's words, "reinvented" version of one of AYANEO's most adorable, premium devices. This comes with the same display that can emulate GBA at 4x native resolutions with some light upgrades to the build.
Such as new recessed TMR joysticks with LED backlights, split large-sized shoulder buttons that wrap around the corners this time, instead of sitting directly on top of the handheld. It comes with even more battery capacity, coming in at 3950mAh, which is a huge jump from the original's 2600mAh capacity (52% increase). It also comes with a 3.5mm headphone jack, which the original didn't have, and will be slightly heavier at 248g in comparison to 233g.
Internally, it comes with a Snapdragon 865 CPU and an Adreno 650 GPU, boasting 220% better performance in comparison to the original Pocket Micro, which is a mighty upgrade, however I feel like the original was overpowered anyway because any consoles above PS1 emulation look a little cramped on a 3.5: display, so I personally won't be using the specs to its full potential, even high-end Android games on here will look a little chlaustrophic, but hey, the power is there if you need GameCube, N64, and Dreamcast emulation.
Same Display
This may surprise you, but they have decided to keep the same display, and for good reason. Arthur loved the original display and believes it was not necessary to upgrade it as it can emulate many retro games well, including GBA at 4x native resolution, which he knows many gamers will use it for.
It's also likely that there are many screen sourcing issues right now, so keeping to something they know is probably a good business move, especially if they still have lots in stick, perhaps? But as mentioned in our review, the display is lovely, so it's going to go down well with retro gamers, I believe!
Official Specifications
- 3.5" 3:2 IPS Display (960 x 640)
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 CPU
- Adreno 650 GPU
- 6GB/8GB RAM
- 128GB/256GB Storage
- Android 13
- Metal Middle Frame
- 3950mAh Battery
- Recessed TMR Joysticks
- USB-C Charging
- 3.5mm Headphone Jack
- Weight: 248g
Colour Choices
The AYANEO Pocket Micro 2 will be available in Frosty White, Midnight Black and Stardust Purple, featuring colourful buttons and a purple body, inspired by the GC controller. Prices do vary, and no doubt AYANEO will release different editions in the future as they have done with the AYANEO Pocket Air Mini.
Exclusive Accessories
AYANEO has also teased some exclusive accessories for the Pocket Micro 2, such as a carry case, which, I may add, is great; I still use mine for the original, an eco-friendly stand, screen protectors, a micro fibre cloth and more.
Pricing & Release Date
The AYANEO Pocket Micro 2 will come in three different variants, and three different pricing structures, with a small discount for early birds, for example (conversions may vary slightly from CNY to USD):
- 6GB + 128GB = $235 for early birds and $265 retail (Midnight Black and Frosty White)
- 8GB + 256GB = $279 for early birds and $309 at retail (Midnight Black and Frost White)
- 8GB + 256GB = $309 for early birds and $339 at retail (Stardust Purple)
And to my surprise, the AYANEO Pocket Micro 2 is available to pre-order today, starting at $239 from their official website!
