When you’re spending a lot of money on a handheld, I really recommend trying to get something that fits your needs and does most, if not everything, you’re looking for in that category. You wouldn’t want to buy more than one $500 handheld, right?
Uh, right? So when the Ayaneo Pocket DMG came out I had to wonder, with the Pocket S and Pocket Evo right beside it, do you really need this powerhouse G3X vertical? If you’re a Root Beer Canadian, probably. But if you’re someone looking at that nearly square screen thinking of purely Game Boy or Game Boy Color, probably not.
With that in mind, I wanted to ask myself. Just how much Game Boy does one man really need? And thanks to Ayaneo, who sent this to Stubbs for review and then proceeded to send it to me, I can answer this question myself.
Ayaneo Pocket DMG: Specs
Off the bat, if you’re buying from Ayaneo’s Indiegogo you’re looking at anywhere from $342 on the low end to $675 on the high end. Black and White are available on the lower SKUs, but the DMG is only on the top end.
- CPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon G3X Gen 2
- GPU: Adreno A32
- Screen: 3.92”, 1240×1080 OLED, 31:27 Aspect Ratio (basically 8:7)
- RAM: 8 – 16GB
- Storage: 128GB – 1TB
- OS: Android 13
- Connectivity: Wi-Fi / BT 5.3 / 1x microSD / 1x USB-C 3.2 Gen-2
- Battery: 6000mAh
- Dimensions: 151 x 91.5 x 22.3mm
- Weight: 278g
Hand Feel
When it comes to the design, I think Ayaneo knocked it out of the park with this one. At least in the DMG colorway. It’s very reminiscent of an old DMG, it’s modern looking, and they even landed that nice gray bezel around the high res OLED display. In hand, my thumbs fall right onto the D-pad and face buttons. While my index fingers try to slip off the awkward shoulder buttons, it’s all a premium feel. Which is expected at its premium price.
Controls
When it comes to the controls, it’s half good and half not as good. In terms of good? The face buttons, despite their low travel and light press, are very satisfying and nice to use. The D-pad follows the trend of minimal travel but is quite responsive. My Pico-8 Celeste tests aren’t as great here as Fake-08 is my only option, but completing a run became much easier after the first try.
The not-so-good? While L1 and R1 are fine, the triggers being digital on a device this pricey is a hard pill to swallow as that can cut out a number of native Android games. However, if this is your Game Boy, that won’t be too bad. The stick while responsive is a bit small, and I will always hate the soft-touch rubber feeling of it.
As for the trackpad? I actually kind of liked using it in the occasional twin-stick game to help me change camera position. But again, with modern games, it does fall flat. Oh, I forgot. The Power button may not be a control, but it’s way too easy to press on my part.
User Experience
I’m going to keep this short and simple. It’s a Snapdragon G3X Gen 2. It’s the most powerful chip in an Android handheld for now. You can cover everything up to Switch. The most concerning thing here comes from the aspect ratio. The nearly square screen basically makes me want to avoid all 16:9 content like the plague. This means no PSP, Vita, or Switch. And anything else that’s 16:9 is out of the running for me. But again. It’s a DMG handheld.
The Ayaneo software is getting there, but it still isn’t my favorite thing in the world. It gets the job done, and I’m happy it’s easier to access than on other handhelds I’ve gotten from them, but still. It could be better eventually.
The Alternatives
The big thing when it comes to the Pocket DMG is asking what else you could really get. Especially at a lower price. So when talking about it, there are a couple of categories worth mentioning, and those are down below.
FPGA
If you’re looking at the DMG specifically for Game Boy and Game Boy Color. What about an FPGA? You’ve got a couple of options in the form of the FPGBC for around $90, the Modretro Chromatic for $200, and the Analogue Pocket for $220. All before shipping and tax of course. To match that premium feel, you need to ignore the FPGBC. But if you’re looking at a premium Gameboy, the Analogue Pocket may be a better choice despite my personal gripes.
Not only can it play original cartridges, but it can also play a number of other systems through OpenFPGA cores. But it still comes with the downside of lacking all of the other systems the DMG may be able to cover as well. And for an extra $120 to go from a Pocket to the lowest-end DMG, maybe the extra functionality is worth it.
Linux Handhelds
The field for Linux handhelds is broad. Everything from a $20 shitbox up to a $250 shitbox. But if you’re looking for something to compete in that Game Boy scene against the Pocket DMG, there are a few options.
For square screens, I think the RGB20SX is the best option there. Great for those 8:7 systems and even Pico-8 all for $60-$70. Other than that though? 4:3 is the best bet, and right now I feel the most comparable options are the RG406V and the TrimUI Brick. Whether that’s for comfort and a single stick, or for just something that’s solid build quality with a high res screen.
Again though, the downside of not having access to things like the Google Play Store pop up again. But I argue PortMaster can more than make up for it in some regards, and the ease of setup on a Linux handheld really seals the deal for me. For simplicity’s sake, maybe you don’t need the Pocket DMG. A $50-$70 handheld could be it. But for anyone else, it’s the move.
Android Handhelds
You might be wondering why I put this category here. And so am I. The amount of dedicated vertical Android handhelds is essentially slim to none unless you want some limited-run Chinese handheld out there.
GammaOS Lite is an option, but not an out-of-the-box one. If you truly wanted a vertical Android handheld. Just for Game Boy, Game Boy Color, or other near-square aspect ratio systems. This is truly your best, and only option.
If this is the OS you want, do it.
Final Thoughts
What do I think? The Ayaneo Pocket DMG is a genuinely good handheld. If you knew what you wanted, and this did it. I’d say do it any day of the week. However, I don’t think you should buy the DMG model. At $675 you’re paying a decent markup for the colorway and an extra 512GB of storage.
After using the DMG, my recommendation is to just grab the base model. Maybe the 12GB version if you think you’ll need it. For a starting price of $423, you get basically the same experience for around half the total cost.
This truly is the ultimate vertical on the market. For some, it bests every option from FPGA to powerful Linux devices. For me, I have other handhelds I may prefer to go to. But this time it doesn’t feel like there’s a wrong answer. And for once that’s a good thing.
Just don’t buy every G3X handheld Ayaneo release this year. You may not have any money left after that.
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