Decades after devices like the Sega Game Gear and iconic GameBoy changed video games forever, dedicated gaming handheld devices are making a comeback. While the Steam Deck wasn't the first of the new era, it certainly has had the most impact. New handheld gaming devices are regularly hitting shelves these days.
Ayaneo has carved out a place for itself among both Windows and Android gaming devices, and the Pocket S is one of its latest flagship Android devices. I've spent a few weeks with it and there's quite a lot to like, including high-end specs, top-tier performance and an impressive display. However, software quirks and a high price tag make it a tough sell.
What I like about the Ayaneo Pocket S
CNET / Jason Cockerham
If a handheld gaming device gets nothing else right, it needs to at least nail the feel and hardware. When you pick it up, it needs to feel solid in your hands. You want to know you'll be able to kick back for an energetic gaming session without having to worry about a bad grip or janky controls.
Thankfully, the Pocket S feels wonderful to hold. The form factor is exactly what you'd want from a portable handheld. It's solid, easy to grip and doesn't feel cheap or plastic at all. The buttons, joysticks and triggers all feel fantastic as well. They're clicky and responsive and I never experienced any drift or lag from anywhere. The Hall Effect triggers and joysticks are a nice touch as well. The metal rim and high quality plastic on the front and back also help it feel premium to hold.
Aside from the typical buttons and controls, the top houses a third Right and Left trigger, the volume controls, the power button with a built-in fingerprint sensor and the cutout for the fan venting. The right side houses a quick toggle switch to change performance modes. On the bottom are the speakers, air intake for the fans and a USB-C 3.2 port. There's a microSD card slot on the left side which supports cards up to 2TB, too.
CNET / Jason Cockerham
Ayaneo packed the Pocket S's hardware with the goal of giving the ultimate gaming experience. It's powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon G3x Gen 2 gaming chip which Ayaneo worked directly with Qualcomm on for over a year. It's similar in power to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip that powered most Android flagship phones back in 2023. Yes, it's a 2-year-old chip, but it still performed well in my testing -- every game ran without issues.
The base version of the Pocket S has 12GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, which isn't a huge amount of storage, but for an Android device with expandable memory, it's not bad. You can max it out with 16GB of RAM and 1TB of storage if needed.
... continue reading