AYANEO Pocket MICRO GBAtemp review
Hardware
Product Information:
- Official Store: https://www.ayaneo.com/product/AYANEO-Pocket-Micro
After releasing a number of handheld gaming PCs, AYANEO seems to have shifted its focus to retro gaming and Android handhelds for the time being. After the launch of the classy Pocket S, AYANEO started a campaign for the Pocket MICRO, one of their devices in the REMAKE line. This Android-based device, inspired by the Game Boy Micro and NES controller, is now shipping to early backers and we will take a closer look at it in this review.
AYANEO Pocket MICRO contents and specs
Currently, the Pocket MICRO is still available to pre-order via the Indiegogo campaign and starts at €175/$189 for the 6GB+128GB model. The unit provided is an early prototype of the 8GB+256GB model and comes with the following items:
The device’s specs can be found below:
Specs details courtesy of AYANEO
A modern take on pocketable handhelds
While the AYANEO Pocket MICRO draws inspiration from the Game Boy Micro’s pocketable handheld ethos, its design is closer to that of an NES controller. There are even colour schemes that match the latter and this design feels right at home on a handheld aimed at retro gaming.
As with AYANEO’s other products, the Pocket MICRO stands out with a premium build quality. Its aluminium alloy frame, sleek body, quality input buttons and a flush screen with no bezels attest to this. I often just hold the device in my hands to marvel at the company’s exquisite craftsmanship as it is such a refined product.
I am also particularly fond of the Pocket MICRO for its pocket design. These days, handhelds tend to be on the larger end of the spectrum and don’t fit in one’s pocket. The Pocket MICRO lives up to its name as it is indeed pocketable with a dimension of 156 x 63 x 18mm. Weighing only 233g also makes it easy to use and carry around.
It’s indeed comfortable to use, with the buttons easily accessible and these deliver satisfying feedback in use. However, I do miss having some grips for a better hold and having a rubberised back panel would have helped with this.
Another missing feature on this handheld is a headphone jack. Sure, these are becoming increasingly rare on modern devices, but as a console aimed primarily at retro gaming, being able to plug in headphones would add to the nostalgic appeal.
One improvement that this device could use has to do with the placement of the speaker outlets. While they do deliver quality sound, their positioning at the far ends of the device’s underside isn't the best. This is because they can occasionally be covered with the palms while gaming and having them closer to the centre would address this issue.
Other than the Pocket MICRO itself, the company also sells dedicated storage cases. There is a soft pouch and a more premium-looking leather one. They both fit the Pocket MICRO snuggly and provide decent protection. I personally prefer the leather case for its classy looks and is also a unique option for handhelds. That said, AYANEO hasn’t made these accessories available for sale at the time of writing and their pricing is unknown.
Gaming on a souped up Game Boy Micro
Powering the AYANEO Pocket MICRO is the MediaTek Helio G99 chip. Geekbench 6 scores rank it among the lower tier but this is to be expected for the retro gaming focus of the device.
As a device running on Android 13, you can run Android games on it. Titles like Evoland 2, Dead Cells and Sword of Convallaria are actually good fit for the Pocket MICRO considering their 2D, retro-inspired aesthetics. However, I wouldn’t recommend getting this device to play the latest 3D and demanding Android games considering its small screen and specs.
That said, it is perfect for its main purpose: GBA emulation. With a resolution of 960 x 640 and a 3:2 screen ratio, the Pocket MICRO delivers a pixel perfect GBA experience. The G99 processor handles every GBA game you throw at it smoothly and you can further tune the visuals with shaders. The 3.5” IPS display delivers crisp and fluid gameplay for an immersive experience. This is further supported by the flush, bezel-less screen that has become a recurring feature of AYANEO recent devices.
Whether it’s playing Golden Sun, Tekken Advance or Final Fantasy Tactics Advance, the AYANEO Pocket MICRO has delivered the best GBA emulation experience I’ve had. The stunning visuals, hardware quality and Nintendo layout combine to elevate that experience. In my opinion, it’s better than the Anbernic RG351, which also packs a 3:2 aspect ratio, thanks to the superior hardware and refined software.
Of course, the handheld can also handle other systems but the GBA aspect ratio means there will be black bars around the screen. You can expect to emulate consoles focusing on 2D games to work without any issues. 3D games can also be emulated on the device. For example, Dreamcast’s Crazy Taxi 2 and Dead or Alive 2 both played at 60fps. For Gamecube, Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes at 2x resolution ran at 25-30fps, while Twilight Princess ran at around 25fps at 1x resolution.
More demanding systems would struggle and need some settings tweaks. PS2 at 1x resolution with mild underclocking would perform at around 25-30fps for Ratchet & Clank and at around 20fps Shadow of the Colossus. There was some crackling audio that had to be contended with. For the Switch, Cult of the Lamb played at around 15fps, while Cuphead’s performance varied between 30-60 fps, with drops during animation heavy sequences.
These performances are reflective of the device’s ‘Balance’ mode. You can give it a boost by toggling between different performance modes thanks to the AYASpace software. The latter is a handy addition to monitor performance and control some of the device’s settings.
AYANEO Pocket MICRO: an excellent, niche retro gaming handheld
While the performance of the AYANEO Pocket MICRO isn’t that great for more demanding systems, it does achieve what it set out to do: GBA emulation. At that, this handheld really excels thanks to its pixel perfect aspect ratio and excellent hardware that elevates the experience.
Anything else that it can emulate should be seen as an extra add-on; and I wouldn’t necessarily recommend it for emulating Gamecube or PS2. This is because the AYANEO Pocket MICRO is a niche device with a peculiar 3:2 aspect ratio that is really meant for GBA games. The specs might be a bit overkill for only GBA emulation and the price could be kept down with a weaker chip, but the extra performance that the Helio G99 offers is welcome nonetheless. From my experience, the AYANEO Pocket MICRO is the best device for GBA emulation to date and it won’t disappoint if you are looking for one.
Verdict
- Pixel perfect GBA emulation
- Retro-inspired design
- Premium hardware
- Classy optional leather case
- No headphone jack
- Speaker outlet placement
- Lack of grips
