AYANEO has unveiled its latest flagship Android handheld console, the Pocket S2, promising a significant leap forward in performance, design, and user experience to satiate all your gaming needs. In a recent online live stream, CEO Arthur Zhang showcased the highly anticipated device, revealing a host of upgrades.
Building on what came before in the Pocket S series, the Pocket S2 maintains a slim and lightweight profile while undergoing significant upgrades across the board. These tweaks include enhanced performance, advanced thermal management, an upgraded screen, extended battery life, improved grip comfort, and increased control precision. It's clear that AYANEO aims to become the premier platform for playing Android games, and this device could deliver on that promise.
High performance here comes courtesy of the continued partnership with Qualcomm, resulting in the Pocket S2 being the first device to feature the cutting-edge Snapdragon G3 Gen 3 gaming platform. This new chip delivers a 30% increase in CPU performance and a 28% boost in GPU performance compared to the previous generation.
AYANEO's alliance with Qualcomm extends to ensuring games play as well as possible, working closely with game studios, developers, and open-source communities to optimise the Snapdragon G series for a wide range of titles. The Pocket S2 now boasts game compatibility on par with the regular Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 smartphones, allowing for high-quality graphics settings in Android games. If you're used to mobile gaming, this should leave the average smartphone in the dust.
The Pocket S2 also features support for the Turnip driver (which isn't a turnip in a motor), leveraging the power of the Snapdragon G3 Gen 3 to become the most powerful device currently supporting it. This results in smoother and more stable frame rates in specific game titles, which would also help with emulation.
Ergonomics are central to the Pocket S2's design. Its slim, CNC-machined full-metal frame incorporates a newly developed high-efficiency cooling system, optimised at both the material and structural levels. Innovative motherboard and cooling architecture designs bring the fan closer to the mainboard, utilising larger heat fins and copper plates for improved heat dissipation – so it should never get too toasty to play.
Addressing concerns about the metal frame becoming hot, a specialised thermal insulation layer has been added between the frame and the motherboard, ensuring a comfortable grip even during the sweatiest and longest sessions.
The device features an upgraded 6.3-inch 2K IPS True-Tone display with a 16:9 aspect ratio, providing a wider field of view and excellent colour performance for both modern and retro games. The bezel-less mirror display, featuring fully laminated curved glass, contributes to an immersive visual experience and a premium aesthetic.
The Pocket S2 doesn't break the mould with its design, instead following in the footsteps of the previous iteration but building on it effectively. Colour options, including Obsidian Black and Ice Soul White, return with crystal buttons, offering a premium feel that should look good in the hand.
Enhanced trigger buttons with anti-slip textures provide a more stable and responsive control experience, whilst retaining AYANEO’s flagship control configuration. According to the company, this includes high-precision joysticks and triggers with no drift or dead zones, along with optimised trigger press feel and customisable linear/button modes.
The AYANEO Pocket S2 looks to offer a fusion of powerful hardware, refined software, and elegant design, and certainly a step up from your average smartphone gaming experience. More details will be revealed at the official launch, where we will hopefully gain a better understanding of when this device will be released, as well as its price.
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