The KONKR Pocket Advance is finally making it’s way into the hands of retro gamers everywhere. Taking clear inspiration from the design of the Game Boy Advance, the Pocket Advance brings us modern tech wrapped in a warm, retro-inspired shell.
I’ve only had the handheld for roughly a day. I’ll work on getting a proper review out down the line, but I wanted to share some quick first impressions on the KONKR Pocket Advance in the meantime.
KONKR Pocket Advance Specs
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Hardware | |
| CPU | MediaTek Helio G90T |
| GPU | Mali-G76 MC4 |
| RAM | 3GB LPDDR4X, 4GB LPDDR4X |
| Display | |
| Screen Size | 3.5-inch |
| Resolution | 960 x 640 |
| Aspect Ratio | 3:2 |
| PPI | 329.65 |
| Storage | |
| Internal Storage | 32GB, 64GB |
| External Storage | microSD |
| Battery | |
| Battery Capacity | 4000mAh |
| Charging Speed | PD Charging |
| Connectivity | |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 5 |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 5.0 |
| Ports | 3.5mm Audio Jack, microSD, USB-C |
| Controls | |
| Sticks | ❌ |
| Triggers | Digital |
| Shoulder Layout | In-line |
| D-Pad | Top Left |
| Audio | |
| Speakers | Stereo |
| Speaker Location | Bottom-firing |
| Physical | |
| Dimensions | 151.3 x 82.4 x 22mm |
| Weight | 224g |
| Form Factor | Horizontal |
| Software | |
| Operating System | Android 12 |
The Good Stuff
I’m a sucker for Game Boy Advance. I dedicated a whole section to it in my AYANEO Pocket Ace Setup Guide. So of course I was going to swing for the KONKR Pocket Advance, and it wasn’t hard to do at its starting price of $89.00 for the 3GB/32GB configuration. This is a great entry price for a handheld, especially coming from a company that usually has excellent build quality in their devices. Sure, it’s less than the Anbernic RG34XX, which currently sits at roughly $60, but more on that later.
I really enjoy the larger, flatter R1 and L1 shoulder buttons. My fingers fit more comfortably than they did on the RG34XX, and certainly better than the inline shoulder buttons on the AYANEO Pocket Micro. The larger D-Pad is also a welcome design choice. In fact, all of the buttons on the KONKR Pocket Advance – save for some clickiness in the L2/R2 and LC/RC buttons – are insanely quiet, making the Pocket Advance a great bedtime companion.
The Pocket Advance also has a nice weight balance to the device, and the plastic feels good with texture in all the right places. This is definitely a device I could play for long periods of time, and not have to worry about cramping hands and wrists. The screen is also perfectly serviceable, with a 960×460 resolution, and I didn’t notice any ghosting on my device.
I’ve mostly been playing Game Boy Advance games on this device, which makes sense given the aspect ratio and design choice. However, being that the Pocket Advance uses the same chip as the AYANEO Pocket Air Mini, we know that it is capable of some GameCube and PlayStation 2, depending on the titles.
Pretty much anything else below that will be able to mostly run at least at a native resolution, with more retro systems having little issue. Keep in mind that the Pocket Advance utilizes a 3:2 aspect ratio, so you’re going to end up with vertical black bars on the sides for 4:3 content.
I also finally decided to give Socket a try on the KONKR Pocket Advance, and this frontend feels made for this device. The tactile visual and physical feedback from having GBA cartridges load into your device just hits different. Socket stills needs to cook for a bit longer, as there are plenty of bugs actively being worked on. For example, I kept getting kicked out of RetroArch when I would put the device into sleep mode.
Yes, it is currently in Beta. Yes, you can only get it through a $6 monthly subscription from the developer’s Patreon. However, if you’re going to toss money at something, a solo-development passion project feels like a good place to start.
The Not So Good Stuff
I mentioned previously that the buttons are whisper-quiet on the Pocket Advance, very reminiscent of the Pocket Air Mini. However, the ABXY face buttons are almost too mushy; I often found myself having to press harder or longer for the inputs to register. While I appreciate a device with quiet buttons, missing inputs makes for unfun gameplay.
Furthermore, several community members have been reporting receiving their devices with slightly lifted screens, especially on the bottom-right corner. Thankfully, I did not experience this particular issue on my device. While QC issues are nothing new for AYANEO, it’s a bit disheartening to see them continue on the Pocket Advance.
Also, please stop putting out a new colorway every week or so. Just make them all available up front!
What About My RG34XX!?
The most obvious comparison is going to be against the existing Anbernic RG34XX, which is a retro handheld that already existed in the market and also looks like a Game Boy Advance. So, should you fork over the extra dough to get a KONKR Pocket Advance?
To put it bluntly, no. If you already have an RG34XX that you’re happy with, there is no immediate need to make the change to the Pocket Advance. Especially keep in mind that the RG34XX uses a Linux architecture, while the Pocket Advance uses an Android architecture. If you’re not a fan of Android, you’re not going to like the Pocket Advance. I personally have fallen out of favor with Linux devices, and I’ve gotten my Android setup steps down to a science, so I prefer the latter.
That being said, while I don’t think you need a Pocket Advance instead of an RG34XX, I will make an argument that I think you should. I think the Pocket Advance arguably has a better button layout and better build quality, and it also has a better screen, better battery, more RAM, and so on. You can certainly purchase or keep the roughly $30 cheaper RG34XX, but I believe it’s an inferior product to the Pocket Advance.
While slightly heavier, the Pocket Advance is also slightly narrower and wider, likely to accommodate that ever so slightly larger screen. I’m not entirely sure how AYANEO managed to do this, but I’m not complaining. The RG34XX does come in some fun colors that the Pocket Advance does not, but the Pocket Advance has some fun color options of its own.
What’s Next?
AYANEO’s CEO Arthur stated that the KONKR Pocket Advance has been a smashing success for the company so far. As more and more people continue to receive their devices, we’re bound to see some more interesting innovations and designs come out. Socket already feels like a perfect match for the Pocket Advance, and being on Android architecture feels like it opens more doors for new and exciting options down the road.
