Yeah the shoulder buttons alone killed my interest. I really just want something in the form factor of the Miyoo A30 with more power so I can have a truly pocketable device that can play all my retro games.
@@KogaHarine Like for Real, how could they F'up this Handheld THIS badly!? All they needed to do was make a Micro Version of the RG351P or PlayGo aka Miyoo Max with a 3:2 screen and people like me would have instantaneously bought it.
I'm not sure if I'm the minority here, but I personally don't use sound in public places at all. So the missing headphones jack feels just like the rest of the devices I use.
Man you did an amazing job getting those shots of the screen. I had a heck of a time getting clearer footage because the glossiness kept making my camera go bonkers! Awesome review as well 😘
@@cine-ish I did actually test using a circular polarizer and it wasn't particularly helpful in this situation. Polarizers can also cause issues with seeing what's on the screen.
This is the first BassDerek review I've watched. He's got solid production values and a chill demeanor. I thought this was an excellent review. I get what AYANEO were trying to accomplish with this handheld. I don't at all understand how they screwed up the wired audio situation; but, everything else they did looks like a win. I love that it runs Android because I can see myself using it as a DAP for streaming music at work - saving some battery on my phone. Am I going to buy one with my own money? I don't know. The external size is both its biggest benefit and biggest curse. On one hand I can get handhelds with much more impressive screens and processors for the same or less money. On the other, the best handheld is the one you've got with you. By that metric my R36S is often the greatest handheld in the world. This unit appears to be the right size and shape to be easily front pants-pocket-able while still packing a reasonable performance punch.
I wish either Pocket Micro had a better chip to handle PS2 or RP5 mini was 3:2. I am not buying either. Imo 1:1 and 3:2 are the best aspect-retro for retro handheld.
I tested this, unfortunately that update is not on this device at this time. The G3x Gen2 has a different USB spec so that may or may not be possible here.
This looks like very nice device. Here’s my problem with this device. It might be perfect for GBA but $200 for 3 inch screen Jenkee software and it doesn’t even have a 3.5 MM headphone jack that’s a hard pass for me. for 200 bucks you can get a much better spec RP mini
I feel like i nit pick these devices too much, for example: if it where a "litte bigger here" or had "this there"... etc. so it eventually becomes a desktop pc lol. These "Pocket handhelds" are perfect for "pocket adventures", like going to the bench seats in whatever store because i was volunteered to go shopping with the "significant other" lol hahaha muhahaha! p.s. - great review! thx
Can you please double check USB-C headphone/earbuds/doingle DACs positively do not work without disabling the built in controller? Cause that would suck big time.
I want this .. I love my gb mocro. But with limited budget I just can't decide between this and retroid pocket mini. I really wish this had an OLED screen.
I would trust Retroid more than AYANEO at this point. And this is coming from someone who has multiple products from both companies. Retroid sells replacement buttons and analog sticks, something I have yet to see from AYANEO.
Between them the mini is better. Faster processor, larger screen, higher resolution, and OLED. Micro will be great for GBA. Mini will handle everything else better for the most part.
Scrolling through the comments section of Ayaneo micro reviews and the amount of "handheld enthusiasts" that fail to understand what a homage is, let alone what a GameBoy micro is, is astounding. Mostly post 2000s born crowd.
Interesting 🤔 Tech Dweeb had Cube games running pretty good. F-Zero specifically Edit: Okay now I understand he was running it on the max performance profile to get that kind of performance. Now I'm curious about battery life with those settings.
Ah I will need to test! The Micro is on its way back to me now (check our Derek's deep dive review on our channel if you haven't, he covers a lot of ground!)
Over time, we learned that we didn't have to settle for such a shitty design though, there's literally no benefit to the design of this device beyond style over function, they are clearly banking on people buying this as a display piece rather than the high-end gba workhorse it could have easily been with a better design.
Kudos for showing genshin on how it looks in a small screen. For having near identical screen size to retroid pocket mini, looking forward to that. The Helio G99 is biggest drawback to this, it's a budget chipset.
I backed this based on the marketting but the reviews quickly made me refund. It's like the worst aspects of a larger and smaller device in one at a premium price. Usually I don't think it matters but here I'm waiting for people who paid for the device to review it before considering getting one. As I feel like I'd also like it and be enamored by "build quality" if I received it for free as well, but completely not worth the current price with what it offers and what its lacking.
❌smudge magnet ❌no usable usb functionality ❌Small, but still big compared to mini/micro devices ❌Difficult to open up ❌Shoulder buttons don't reach the corners ❌No native controller support for android $200. Who is this for?
@@Sleth0theoriginal0 My points exactly! Also ❌ Brick-like Ergonomics ❌ Flat and near smooth D-pad (That's near flush with the shell) ❌ Tiny Face Buttons ❌ THE SHOULDER BUTTONS!!! ❌ Flat and Thin Body ❌ $200!? $200!!? You want all that at once Aya Neo!!!?
“No native controller support for Android” The Pocket Micro supports gamepad input for all Android applications that support gamepads. Genshin Impact specifically does not support gamepad input on ANY Android device.
I haven’t experienced latency in even the cheapest of Bluetooth headphones for years. Especially with handhelds where the travels is measured in inches instead of feet. All said though great review very well thought out.
I hate it when reviewers say it's a pre-production sample. No, it's not. These Chinese companies never change anything after the reviews come out. These are boutique small batch production run. What is shown here is at best the final device. At worst, the reviewers got handpicked devices with sightly better quality.
While I LOVE the screen (gba is my favorite console of all time), and a device with this screen is sorely needed, they made it ugly AF. I dont understand why they made it ao angular and ugly ( i understand they are aping the micro but it looks way worse than the micro, and the micro was arguably the worst of the 3 gba form factors). The headphones are also a big bummer. 4x integer scaling is a godsend for gba lovers, but so many other choices on this device just make me scratch my head. Our needs are simple. It needs to do everything the original did, better. Theyve added active cooling and joysticks but dont have a dedicated headphone jack or port? Give me a freakin break. I want to love this device so bad because of the focus on the gba and the screen, but they really botched this one.
@@degrengolada2360 I have hacked my 3DS XL. But I don't know the ergonomics and screen never did it for me. And I'm interested in playing GCN on the go.
Because they are more reliable and dont need batteries. Also, if you care about lag, they have none. Why on earth in 2024 would you not understand wired devices have advantages over wireless?
@@viridionwaves That is the dumbest shit I ever heard lol. If u don't have electricity you aren't powering your device, my ear buds last 100 hours lol. The audio latency isn't even perceivable to the human brain lol.
What's *your* thoughts on the Micro?
@00:59 you notice that? $30 more juuuuust for the color! Calling it a limited edition. For paying $30 more, I don't want anything limited!
The fact this Handheld has Brick-Like Ergonomics and Subpar Shoulder Buttons at the price of $200 makes this Handheld an instant non-purchase for me.
Yeah the shoulder buttons alone killed my interest. I really just want something in the form factor of the Miyoo A30 with more power so I can have a truly pocketable device that can play all my retro games.
@@KogaHarine Like for Real, how could they F'up this Handheld THIS badly!? All they needed to do was make a Micro Version of the RG351P or PlayGo aka Miyoo Max with a 3:2 screen and people like me would have instantaneously bought it.
RP Mini is looking like a better buy for less than their RRP too, how unfortunate
Small battery too
Not to your taste then. It's a modern GBM, that's all there is to it.
No headphone jack ... C'mon...
No USB c for headphones either. Unless you're willing to give up having buttons
makes this a complete non-starter imo.
This got me out
Whatt?? I didn't know that. Really sucks. Might work with bluetooth headphones, but still sucks
I'm not sure if I'm the minority here, but I personally don't use sound in public places at all. So the missing headphones jack feels just like the rest of the devices I use.
Man you did an amazing job getting those shots of the screen. I had a heck of a time getting clearer footage because the glossiness kept making my camera go bonkers!
Awesome review as well 😘
Thank you! I definitely had to be very particular with placement of my key light on this one.
@@TechDweeb I'm glad you're enjoying this Handheld.
Fun fact, if you use a circular polariser it removes reflections
@@cine-ish I did actually test using a circular polarizer and it wasn't particularly helpful in this situation. Polarizers can also cause issues with seeing what's on the screen.
I wonder how this device compares to the Retroid Pocket Mini.
This is the first BassDerek review I've watched. He's got solid production values and a chill demeanor. I thought this was an excellent review.
I get what AYANEO were trying to accomplish with this handheld. I don't at all understand how they screwed up the wired audio situation; but, everything else they did looks like a win. I love that it runs Android because I can see myself using it as a DAP for streaming music at work - saving some battery on my phone.
Am I going to buy one with my own money? I don't know. The external size is both its biggest benefit and biggest curse. On one hand I can get handhelds with much more impressive screens and processors for the same or less money. On the other, the best handheld is the one you've got with you. By that metric my R36S is often the greatest handheld in the world. This unit appears to be the right size and shape to be easily front pants-pocket-able while still packing a reasonable performance punch.
Thank you!
I'm still hoping that they will fix the usb-c audio thing. Seems possible to do.
No headphone jack, that really sucks. I'll pass on this one.
Great device otherwise though!
Looks sweet, but my eyes are too old for a 2-inch screen 😅
it's 3.5"
It’s a 3:2 ratio 3.5inch screen
It's such an eye candy device. It's a great novelty device but if you're srsly gonna use it... the no headphone jack is definitely a deal breaker
I wish either Pocket Micro had a better chip to handle PS2 or RP5 mini was 3:2. I am not buying either. Imo 1:1 and 3:2 are the best aspect-retro for retro handheld.
I am a stark raving GaneBoy Micro fan. This is the design I have been waiting for in retro handhelds.
Can't wait to get mine, the GBM is my favorite handheld so this here is absolutely perfect!
For Dead Cells you need to switch to the Ayaneo controller layout. That is if this device has got the latest update the Pocket S had recently.
@@Zerokimchii Hello I just watched your Strato video.
I tested this, unfortunately that update is not on this device at this time. The G3x Gen2 has a different USB spec so that may or may not be possible here.
Ayaneo said the update for this device is currently in the works to bring this feature to it
This looks like very nice device. Here’s my problem with this device. It might be perfect for GBA but $200 for 3 inch screen Jenkee software and it doesn’t even have a 3.5 MM headphone jack that’s a hard pass for me. for 200 bucks you can get a much better spec RP mini
I feel like i nit pick these devices too much, for example: if it where a "litte bigger here" or had "this there"... etc. so it eventually becomes a desktop pc lol. These "Pocket handhelds" are perfect for "pocket adventures", like going to the bench seats in whatever store because i was volunteered to go shopping with the "significant other" lol hahaha muhahaha!
p.s. - great review! thx
Great little handheld and the controls, inc shoulder buttons, are spot on.
Shoulder buttons are definitely not as bad as I thought they’d be. I imagine it depends heavily on what kind of games you play.
@retrohandhelds had a good go on Doom and no issues. But you're right, this will mostly be SNES, GBA and MD for me.
The design reminds me of the old GP2X Wiz from back in the day.
Gba catalog is absolutely my jam but just cant justify that price point for it…and no OLED at that price is wild.
Can you please double check USB-C headphone/earbuds/doingle DACs positively do not work without disabling the built in controller? Cause that would suck big time.
Interesting, the first thing I thought when I unboxed this handheld is that it’s heavy
Man I love 3:2 but this device just isn't for me. Thanks Derek. Great job 🙂
I want this .. I love my gb mocro. But with limited budget I just can't decide between this and retroid pocket mini. I really wish this had an OLED screen.
I would trust Retroid more than AYANEO at this point. And this is coming from someone who has multiple products from both companies. Retroid sells replacement buttons and analog sticks, something I have yet to see from AYANEO.
Between them the mini is better. Faster processor, larger screen, higher resolution, and OLED. Micro will be great for GBA. Mini will handle everything else better for the most part.
Mini will be a better choice imo.
ofc retroid man....
Thanks for the advice everyone!
PS2 in my pocket, and that sleek design...
nah...too small screen, i prefer my rg cube
@@overoula I like small screens but I am the minority here really with all of these devices it’s each to their own
Scrolling through the comments section of Ayaneo micro reviews and the amount of "handheld enthusiasts" that fail to understand what a homage is, let alone what a GameBoy micro is, is astounding. Mostly post 2000s born crowd.
@@patrickgorzela it looks nothing like a gameboy micro buddy
Candy bar devices my love ❤ Great video!
Thanks!
Interesting 🤔 Tech Dweeb had Cube games running pretty good. F-Zero specifically
Edit: Okay now I understand he was running it on the max performance profile to get that kind of performance. Now I'm curious about battery life with those settings.
Ah I will need to test! The Micro is on its way back to me now (check our Derek's deep dive review on our channel if you haven't, he covers a lot of ground!)
@@retrohandhelds will do - thanks! 👍
People complain about the shape, yet spent countless hours playing NES with a controller with.....you guessed it, the exact same shape.
Over time, we learned that we didn't have to settle for such a shitty design though, there's literally no benefit to the design of this device beyond style over function, they are clearly banking on people buying this as a display piece rather than the high-end gba workhorse it could have easily been with a better design.
Good spot on the headphones! That absolutely sucks.
Some nice aspects to this device but too flawed for me. Hoping the Retroid Pocket Mini turns out good.
Is cardinal snapping a software/firmware issue or a hardware issue?
Kudos for showing genshin on how it looks in a small screen. For having near identical screen size to retroid pocket mini, looking forward to that. The Helio G99 is biggest drawback to this, it's a budget chipset.
If money not an issue i will buy this for nostalgic😅
Does it support video out?
Awesome video, what’s the name of the shader you used at 23:39?
The two shaders are lcd-grid-v2 and retro-v2
Seriously, no headphone jack?!? Everything looks overkill and awesome. Was seriously considering this until I heard no headphone jack.
I would have bought this if it weren't for its horrible battery life. My RG-Cube runs at least 5 hrs running my PS2 / Gamecube
Can you use the joystick instead of the d-pad for GBA games?
If you map it in retroarch, yes
I like it thy should make larger one
ordered
Rp5 or rp5 mini ftw
I backed this based on the marketting but the reviews quickly made me refund. It's like the worst aspects of a larger and smaller device in one at a premium price.
Usually I don't think it matters but here I'm waiting for people who paid for the device to review it before considering getting one.
As I feel like I'd also like it and be enamored by "build quality" if I received it for free as well, but completely not worth the current price with what it offers and what its lacking.
the look is so so.
The perfect game boy advance device is a Game Boy Advance
All these years, all these devices...and the old psp remains the best GBA for me.
Need mod for joystick more low profile
❌smudge magnet
❌no usable usb functionality
❌Small, but still big compared to mini/micro devices
❌Difficult to open up
❌Shoulder buttons don't reach the corners
❌No native controller support for android
$200. Who is this for?
@@Sleth0theoriginal0 My points exactly!
Also
❌ Brick-like Ergonomics
❌ Flat and near smooth D-pad (That's near flush with the shell)
❌ Tiny Face Buttons
❌ THE SHOULDER BUTTONS!!!
❌ Flat and Thin Body
❌ $200!? $200!!? You want all that at once Aya Neo!!!?
“No native controller support for Android” The Pocket Micro supports gamepad input for all Android applications that support gamepads. Genshin Impact specifically does not support gamepad input on ANY Android device.
$200 for a GBA player???Naaaaaa....I'm good
$200 is way too much for this thing.
I haven’t experienced latency in even the cheapest of Bluetooth headphones for years. Especially with handhelds where the travels is measured in inches instead of feet. All said though great review very well thought out.
Thanks! Everyone has different tolerance for audio latency. I might be picker than most.
That thing is huge and calls itself micro 😂
The name is more an homage to the GB Micro. I wouldn’t call it huge though.
Overpriced sadly 😮
For a device that's made to play all of the games in the shoulder-button eras, the design is atrocious.
Not good. Add a jack and make the triggers better...
I hate it when reviewers say it's a pre-production sample. No, it's not. These Chinese companies never change anything after the reviews come out. These are boutique small batch production run. What is shown here is at best the final device. At worst, the reviewers got handpicked devices with sightly better quality.
@substance90 yep I can literally have the device sent to me in China next week. So they ain't changing shit.
I needed to hear this because I was skeptical that they're shipping prototype for early bird prices, lol. This makes sense
That's a hard no for me...
Too small screen. Over priced for what it is. No headphones jack. I'll pass
While I LOVE the screen (gba is my favorite console of all time), and a device with this screen is sorely needed, they made it ugly AF. I dont understand why they made it ao angular and ugly ( i understand they are aping the micro but it looks way worse than the micro, and the micro was arguably the worst of the 3 gba form factors). The headphones are also a big bummer. 4x integer scaling is a godsend for gba lovers, but so many other choices on this device just make me scratch my head. Our needs are simple. It needs to do everything the original did, better. Theyve added active cooling and joysticks but dont have a dedicated headphone jack or port? Give me a freakin break. I want to love this device so bad because of the focus on the gba and the screen, but they really botched this one.
At this point buy 3DS.
@@degrengolada2360 I have hacked my 3DS XL. But I don't know the ergonomics and screen never did it for me. And I'm interested in playing GCN on the go.
@@degrengolada2360 tbh 3DS has a shit screen
The 3DS can't play PSP, N64, Dreamcast, Sega Saturn, GameCube, or PS2 games though.
@@Pridetoons it can play n64.
What are you talking about? Completely different handhelds that do completely different things
The fact that it runs on the G99 doesn’t make it a premium device
No oled no party
Why in 2024 do people still care about wire headphones so much?
Because they are more reliable and dont need batteries. Also, if you care about lag, they have none. Why on earth in 2024 would you not understand wired devices have advantages over wireless?
@@viridionwaves That is the dumbest shit I ever heard lol. If u don't have electricity you aren't powering your device, my ear buds last 100 hours lol. The audio latency isn't even perceivable to the human brain lol.
I hate Android on gaming handhelds.
Hey, what's the racing game.playing at 20:20?
"San Francisco Rush 2049"
I have fond memories of playing the SF Rush games with my dad on N64 as a kid.