TL;DR
- The AYANEO Pocket S Mini is on the market now to order, and it’s in inventory and able to ship.
- Earlier handhelds have confronted important delays in crowdfunding, so it is a welcome change.
- The premium 4.2-inch, 4:3 handheld has a robust G3x Gen 2 SoC and begins at $319 for the month of February, with a free reward pack.
AYANEO has accomplished the unthinkable. The corporate that has been the goal of so many transport complaints over time simply shadowdropped its newest Pocket S Mini handheld, skipping crowdfunding and pre-order durations altogether.
Okay, so it’s not fairly an entire shadowdrop, because the firm has teased the Pocket S Mini since September, however now we lastly have full specs and pricing. Because the title implies, it has the identical premium design language because the Pocket S, with an all-metal CNC body and an all-glass entrance. The 4.2-inch 4:3 LCD panel seems to be the identical one because the price range Pocket Air Mini (although the corporate guarantees it’s been improved), and it’s the perfect decision for retro video games.
The Pocket S Mini is a robust and compact retro gaming handheld, but it surely’s not low-cost.
Regardless of this, it encompasses a very highly effective Snapdragon G3x Gen 2 chipset, which ought to be highly effective sufficient to play demanding Android video games at max settings, and emulate each system that’s doable with present software program. It pairs this with 8, 12, or 16GB of RAM, although the latter is on the market solely with the costliest Retro Energy colorway.
The console adopts the unlabeled, clear buttons from the Pocket VERT. It additionally has two small sticks in an analogous format to the Pocket ACE, in addition to the identical chipset.
It is available in three variants: 8+128GB for $319, 12+256GB for $399, and 16+512GB for $479. These are the early chook costs, which can final till the tip of February. After that, costs soar by $80 for every mannequin. Nonetheless, early-bird purchasers will obtain a present pack that features a carry case, joystick caps, retro-gaming stickers, and a cleansing fabric.
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AYANEO has been beneath heavy criticism in latest months for delayed shipments on crowdfunding orders for the Pocket DS, Pocket AIR Mini, and KONKR Pocket FIT. Earlier this month, the corporate’s CEO revealed a “Service Enchancment Plan” to regain the neighborhood’s belief, and a part of that was transferring away from the crowdfunding mannequin. That is additionally the primary gadget that can launch in China and abroad markets concurrently, with inventory allotted equally between the 2.
The Pocket S Mini competes with different compact gaming handhelds, together with the corporate’s personal Pocket ACE, in addition to the all-metal ANBERNIC RG 477M and much more reasonably priced (and fewer highly effective) ANBERNIC RG 476H. Different highly effective compact handhelds, just like the AYN Odin 2 Mini, have been discontinued.
The Pocket S Mini was initially set to launch in March, however the firm has moved it ahead to ship earlier than the Chinese language New 12 months, when your complete nation successfully shuts down for a number of weeks. As such, Pocket S orders made after February 10 is not going to resume transport till after February 26. As well as, the corporate has briefly suspended gross sales of some of the hand held’s equipment to forestall additional transport delays.
You should buy the AYANEO Pocket S Mini on the corporate’s official web site beginning immediately. Early orders ought to ship throughout the subsequent 7-10 days.
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