The AYANEO Pocket Play is bringing back a form factor that has been dormant for nearly 15 years. This Android smartphone features a slide-out game controller that transforms it from a standard touchscreen device into something resembling a dedicated handheld console. The design echoes the Sony Xperia Play from 2011, but with hardware that reflects just how far mobile technology has advanced since then.
Under the hood, the Pocket Play runs a MediaTek Dimensity 9300 processor, an octa-core chip with four Arm Cortex-X4 and four Cortex-A720 cores paired with Immortalis G720-MC12 graphics. The 17.3 cm (6.8 inch) OLED display pushes a 2400 x 1080 resolution at 165 Hz, and AYANEO has included active cooling with an internal fan to prevent thermal throttling during extended gaming sessions. The device also supports LPDDR5 memory at speeds up to 9600 MT/s.
The slide-out controller includes a D-pad, action buttons, shoulder triggers, and dual touchpads that function as virtual joysticks or touch surfaces for mouse input. An X-axis linear motor provides haptic feedback. Additional features include USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C with DisplayPort 1.4 output, a microSD card reader, stereo speakers, dual rear cameras, and a fingerprint sensor built into the power button. The device will be available in black, red, white, and grey.
AYANEO has opened sign-ups for notifications when its Kickstarter campaign goes live. Pricing and detailed specifications have not been announced.
