AYANEO’s new Game Boy Advance clone is more affordable than expected

TL;DR

• AYANEO’s Game Boy Advance-inspired KONKR Pocket Advance is available to preorder now, starting at $89.
• The handheld is powered by MediaTek’s Helio G90T, the same chip found in the AYANEO Pocket Air Mini.
• The Pocket Advance boasts a 3.5-inch 960×640 display, a 4,000mAh battery, Android 12, active cooling, and more.

If you’ve been waiting for AYANEO’s latest Android handheld to finally arrive, now’s the time to get your wallet ready. Oh, and the good news is that your wallet won’t be getting much lighter than previously expected!

AYANEO’s Game Boy Advance (GBA) clone, which was first teased early in July, is finally available to pre-order. It’s called the KONKR Pocket Advance, and we finally have in-depth information about it.

The console starts at $109 for the 3GB+32GB option and $129 for the 4GB+64GB configuration. Early buyers, however, can take advantage of promotional pricing, which brings those prices down to $89 and $109, respectively.

The KONKR Pocket Advance retains the original GBA’s skeleton with some clear physical changes. There are extra buttons that run across the top of the device, complete with new “X” and “Y” action buttons and function buttons. The handheld is overall bigger, with thinner bezels and a larger display. It’s 2026, so of course the device boasts a USB-C port for charging and an active cooling system to prevent overheating.

There’s also a microSD card slot for storage expansion and a 3.5mm headphone jack for those who prefer wired audio.

The Pocket Advance runs on Android 12 with MediaTek’s Helio G90T serving as the brain of the operation. This is the same chipset found in the AYANEO Pocket Air Mini, so users can expect very similar raw performance. The new handheld, however, doesn’t boast the Air Mini’s screen size and analog sticks, so don’t expect seamless PS2 or GameCube emulation. This isn’t a compromise — the Pocket Advance is built for people looking to emulate retro, D-pad-focused games.

Specs that truly matter

The Pocket Advance’s battery is a little smaller than the Air Mini’s, though considering the smaller screen, this shouldn’t really be a concern. The new device runs on a 4,000mAh cell that should still provide plenty of retro gaming runtime.

The new handheld maintains the GBA’s 3:2 aspect ratio, albeit with a bigger screen, going from 2.9 inches to 3.5 inches. Resolution naturally takes a bump, going up to 960×640. This means that the Pocket Advance can render GBA games at 4x their native resolution.

The handheld is available in three colors: Navy, Coral, and Grey. If you preorder your handheld now, expect it to ship at the end of August. If you’re still on the fence, just note that the Pocket Advance will cost you $20 more once the promotional preorder period ends, making the affordable retro handheld a little less affordable.

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