A modern, inexpensive Game Boy handheld?

We thought the Ayaneo Pocket Vert was one of the best handhelds for Game Boy emulation, due to the familiar form factor and premium design. However, the price of this device was also quite high. Now, it looks like another Game Boy-style AYANEO handheld is on the way.

Images and user manual show a Game Boy-style handheld with a few differences compared to the Pocket Vert. For one, it looks like it’s made of plastic instead of the Vert’s metal-and-glass combo. Previous handhelds offered an AYANEO function key between Start and Select, while the Pocket Block has an AYANEO key below the screen, as well as a Menu button between Start and Select. Otherwise, we can also see a USB-C port and a 3.5mm headphone jack at the bottom.

The AYANEO Pocket Block User Guide explains more details about the handheld’s design and various I/O options. It’s confirmed to have a microSD card slot and two customizable buttons on the left (mapped to the Xbox and back buttons by default), power and volume keys on the right, and a pair of speakers on the bottom corners.

We were also able to confirm the existence of the handheld through an FCC filing. This listing includes the above user guide with both exterior and interior photos. And one of the internal photos confirms a battery with a rated capacity of 3,500mAh. This is much less than the Pocket Vert’s 6,000mAh capacity. The attached test report (see fifth image) also mentions what could be a 3,500mAh battery, 10W wired charging, and Bluetooth 4.1.

In any case, the plastic design and switch to a much smaller battery suggest that the AYANEO Pocket Block can be a budget handheld. In contrast, the Pocket VERT has a recommended price of $269. Should we expect the Pocket Block price to be under $100? Well, the RAM crisis has caused a massive increase in handheld prices, so you probably shouldn’t hold your breath. But still our fingers are crossed regarding budget pricing.