AYANEO is a Chinese brand founded in March 2020 by the entrepreneur Arthur Zhang, specialising in high-end handheld consoles: pocket PCs running Windows on one side, and a Pocket range running Android built for emulation on the other. Here, everything is premium, from the chassis to the price tag, and it is a deliberate choice. Updated in August 2026.
Before AYANEO, Arthur Zhang had already founded Digital Tail in 2010 and then New Mobility in 2015. In March 2020, he launched the brand in a then almost empty niche: the Windows handheld gaming PC. The AYANEO Air of 2022 made an impression with its 5.5-inch OLED screen, which stood out against the Steam Deck despite a less powerful GPU. Then came the AYANEO 2, 2S and 3 generations, the large-format Kun and the clamshell Flip. Launches often go through Indiegogo campaigns, with recurring delivery delays that have become a familiar habit for fans. From 2023, the brand opened a second front with its Android consoles: the Pocket range, including the Pocket S, funded on Indiegogo in April 2024 and delivered from June 2024, then sold directly.
Two clearly separate families. On the Windows side: AYANEO 2, 2S and 3, the Air, the Kun and the Flip, machines designed for modern PC gaming, at laptop prices. On the Android side, the Pocket range targets emulation directly: Pocket S in a 6-inch horizontal format, Pocket Micro in a mini format for 2D gaming, Pocket DMG in a vertical format inspired by the Game Boy. The brand also makes retro-looking mini PCs (AM01, AM02). Simple rule for retro gaming use: stick to the Pocket range, the Windows models are oversized and far more expensive for that purpose. The range is expanding fast (Pocket EVO, Pocket ACE): take the time to read the reviews before giving in.
Pocket S (2024). The Android flagship: Snapdragon G3x Gen 2, a beefed-up variant of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, a 6-inch IPS screen up to 1440p, starting at 509 dollars at launch. Reviews praise emulation capabilities among the highest on the Android market, but criticise the flat, uncomfortable edges and the absence of OLED at that price.
Pocket DMG (late 2024). The luxury vertical model inspired by the Game Boy: a 3.92-inch touch OLED screen at 1240 by 1080 (419 ppi), the same Snapdragon G3x Gen 2, plus a wheel and a touchpad. Superb for 2D gaming; reviews note that the nearly square screen format forces bars on widescreen games, and that the wheel and the touchpad are of little use while playing.
Pocket Micro (late 2024). The mini console of the range, a small format with a premium finish designed for occasional 2D retro gaming, launched at the same time as the Pocket DMG.
AYANEO 3 (on the Windows side). The brand's technology showcase for PC gaming on the go; beside the point for pure emulation, but it explains the high-end image the whole Pocket range benefits from.
The perceived quality is real: carefully made screens, well-crafted chassis, finishes above the rest. The points to watch are just as real. First the price: for comparable emulation performance, a Retroid costs two to three times less; with AYANEO, you are paying for the design and the finish. Then the pre-orders: the brand's Indiegogo campaigns have a history of delays, so it is better to buy a model already in stock. Depending on the model, reviews also report controller issues and questionable ergonomics, such as the flat edges of the Pocket S. Finally, the brand says little about its after-sales network in Europe: at these prices, favour a reseller offering a local warranty. And as everywhere on the site, AYANEO consoles are sold without games or ROMs.
The brand deliberately positions itself at the premium end: carefully made chassis and finishes, OLED or high-resolution screens, high-end processors and small production runs. You are also paying for that niche positioning: the raw performance-to-price ratio is better elsewhere.
The Windows machines (AYANEO 2, 3, Flip, Kun) target modern PC gaming and cost as much as a good laptop. For retro, the Pocket range running Android is lighter, cheaper and more than enough for emulation.
No. Like every console on the site, they are sold without games or ROMs: you install your own legal copies on them.
Both take the vertical Game Boy format with a 3.92-inch screen at 1240 by 1080. The Pocket DMG is clearly more powerful and more luxurious, but costs several times the price of the Classic, which remains the sensible choice for 2D gaming.
The available models are gathered in our AYANEO consoles collection, which logically overlaps with the retro consoles over €350. To check whether a Pocket S or a Pocket DMG justifies the price gap against a Retroid, go through the comparison tool, and see the firmware compatibility page to find out which systems each machine supports.