The AYANEO Pocket S is probably the best Android handheld currently on the market. But it's not the easiest to recommend.
Whenever I sit down to review a device, one of the principal questions I try to answer is figuring out who a device is for. To me, it’s not enough to simply look at game performance and then call it a day. Most handhelds, no matter their specs, have a core raison d’être, and it is my job — as a reviewer — to figure out the primary purpose.
But this isn’t always an easy task. Sometimes you come across a device that, on paper, should have an obvious user base, but the more time you spend with it, the harder it gets to figure out for who this thing exists.
This is the case with the Pocket S, an Android-based handheld from AYANEO. Based on specs alone, recommending this device should be a no-brainer. It rocks a Snapdragon G3x Gen 2, which right now is the best chip you can find in an Android-based handheld. It comes with 12GB of memory (up to 16), starts at 128GB of internal storage (up to 1TB), and has either a gorgeous 1080p or a 1440p 6-inch screen. (My review sample has the 1440p panel, although I believe that at this screen size, 1080p is likely more than enough).
Performance-wise, there might be no better Android handheld on the market right now. It doesn’t matter what you throw at it, as long as it exists for Android, the Pocket S will run it. Emulating Nintendo Switch games at 720p (half the resolution of my 1440p panel) is not only doable but a better experience than on the Switch itself since it can run games even better than they run on the original hardware. PlayStation 2 games run at 2.5x the resolution without any hassles.
Older platforms like GameCube or PlayStation 1, as well as native Android games, run flawlessly on the AYANEO Pocket S. I haven’t had a single situation where performance was an issue. (As long as you are ok with installing experimental Mesa Turnip drivers. This chip is too new right now.)
The Pocket S is a beautiful device. With its aluminium body frame, a nearly bezel-less screen, and a solid glass front, it’s a device that just shouts quality — AYANEO have done a great job here. The D-pad, trigger and shoulder buttons, as well as the analogue sticks, are good. They are not perfect, and the D-Pad is a bit mushy, but they still offer a good experience, — especially, if you are not a reviewer comparing them directly to countless alternatives (which most people are not doing).
The ABXY buttons are however a tad small. It isn’t difficult to hit them, but they could definitely be on the bigger side. They might just be the smallest ABXY buttons on any device I currently own.
On top of the device, the Pocket S has a fingerprint sensor, and volume buttons, as well as two additional — one on the left, and one on the right — shoulder buttons. It has unfortunately only one bottom USB-C plug (I’d have liked one on the top too), but at least it can charge with up to 40 watts. Finally, there’s a microSD card slot on the left, and a toggle on the right which lets you quickly switch through three performance modes: battery mode, game mode, and max mode.
In my testing, while the max mode cranks everything (including fan noise) to the maximum, I haven’t really found a use case where you truly needed unleashed performance. Most often, setting the device to game mode was more than enough, with max mode being more of a nice-to-have than a must-use. So you’ll use that toggle I mentioned before to switch between battery and game mode.
Battery-wise, you can expect between 2 hours at the worst end (the Max performance mode) and nearly 10 hours of games at the best game experience (in the battery mode), depending on what you play, of course.
Currently one of my favourite ways to experience games on handhelds like these is through GeForce Now Ultimate, and playing games that way on the Pocket S barely sucks any energy. I was able to go several days before I decided to charge it again. This is definitely due to its 6000 mah battery.
The Pocket S is an incredibly high-quality device. It has a good heft to it, it feels great in hand, although because of its smaller size doesn’t have the best ergonomics. It is a very flat device with the only protrusion being the shoulder buttons.
It comes with a case, however, which fixes this protrusion concern by adding more grippiness to the form factor, but that means that you need to carry this grip case at all times if ergonomics are important to you.
Regardless, this device makes me wish AYANEO would just do a god damn smartphone already. I am convinced they could be on par with your Nothing phones and OnePlus phones of the world. Alas, that is currently not a goal of theirs, for a multitude of reasons, as their CEO Arthur Zhang recently confirmed directly with us.
As I alluded to at the beginning of this review, I find it difficult to place and ultimately recommend the Pocket S. It is definitely the best Android handheld currently on the market: it has the best performance currently available with good battery life in a beautiful package. Also, the software layer AYASpace has been getting updates after updates enhancing the experience even further, showing AYANEO’s plans to support this device in the future.
But the cheapest version of the Pocket S starts at $399, for 12 GB of memory, 128 GB of storage, and a 1080p screen. On the highest end, it’ll cost you $669 for 16 GB of memory, 1 TB of internal storage and a 1440p screen (there is also a special unmarked edition with the same specs at $749).
That is not only expensive when comparing it to other Android handhelds, but also in a world where the Steam Deck exists, since the 64 GB version of the Steam Deck is permanently discounted at $349 until they run out of inventory.
Then again, I know that the Steam Deck fits a completely different need than an Android-based handheld, but it is still something to keep in mind.
So, knowing everything we learned in this review: who is the AYANEO Pocket S for? Even though it’s a difficult one to answer definitively, here goes…
I think this device is primarily for someone who is looking for the best possible performance in an Android-based handheld with great battery life, and who enjoys high-quality craftsmanship, but doesn’t care about money. The Pocket S delivers on all these fronts.
I just fear there aren’t many of you.
But if you are that type of person (I envy you), you can get the Android Pocket S through Indiegogo.
