Ayaneo shrank down the Game Boy form factor with its latest $89 handheld

The Konkr Pocket Block is now up for preorder and will start shipping in October.

Ayaneo

Ayaneo isn't exactly known for producing affordable gaming handhelds, but its Konkr sub-brand is starting to change that. Its latest device is the Konkr Pocket Block, a miniaturized homage to the Game Boy that starts at $89, but is currently available for preorder at $79.

For that price, customers get a vertical handheld with a 3.3-inch LCD screen and a 960 x 720 resolution for a 4:3 aspect ratio that caters towards emulating retro games. Inside, Ayaneo equipped the Konkr Pocket Block with a MTK Helio G85 chip that should handle up to PlayStation and Nintendo 64 titles, but could struggle with anything from PlayStation 2 or GameCube. Ayaneo rounded out the handheld with a 3.5mm audio jack, a microSD slot to expand storage, a USB-C port and Wi-Fi/Bluetooth compatibility.

Ayaneo

When Ayaneo first announced the Konkr Pocket Block, it was billed as the "world's first AI handheld," but the company hasn't detailed what AI-powered features will be available. The model with 2GB of memory and 32GB of storage will only be available in the gray color, while the version with 3GB of memory and 64GB of storage can be purchased in gray, purple and white, starting at $99. Ayaneo says the Konkr Pocket Block will start shipping by the end of October. If you're not interested in Ayaneo's entry-level model for vertical handhelds, the company also offers a more premium design through the Pocket Vert.