Ayaneo makes some solid gaming handhelds, and this time, it’s working on an Android-based handheld for mobile gamers. The Ayaneo Pocket S2 brings a bunch of improvements, but while we knew about its existence for a while now, the release date was unknown. Good news — the company has just announced it, and the handheld is closer than you think.
The CEO of Ayaneo confirmed that we can expect a May 2025 launch for the Pocket S2, although he didn’t disclose an official date. Still, with May being one day away, we’re at most a month away from the launch of the handheld — and it seems to deliver some interesting upgrades.
The Ayaneo Pocket S2 is an Android-based handheld, so it won’t quite rival the likes of the Asus ROG Ally X or other Windows-based consoles. Still, it’ll be powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon G3 Gen 3 chip, which marks an upgrade over the previous version; plus, that chip does set its sights on some of the lower-end PC handhelds, so we might see some interesting rivalry in that part of the market.
Aside from the Snapdragon insides, the Ayaneo Pocket S2 will serve up a 6.3-inch 1440p display combined with improved cooling solutions, with a new, “ultra-large” heatsink and an improved fan. Ayaneo also promises a much larger battery capacity, but there have been no specifics as to the kind of battery we can expect to see. The handheld will also come with Hall effect joysticks, and Ayaneo’s CEO promises a “more comfortable feel” and “more sensitive controls.”
One thing I’m wondering about is how much the handheld will cost, as the previous model, the Pocket S, launched at $339. I wouldn’t be surprised if the various upgrades the company’s packing into the new device would result in a price hike; $400 feels like a reasonable target. More details are bound to emerge as we get closer to the launch.
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