Ayaneo has been known for high-end handheld gaming that often carries premium price tags, but the company is now aiming squarely at retro gaming fans and casual players who don’t want to spend big to get a solid portable console. After a series of teasers, Ayaneo has finally lifted the curtain on its Pocket AIR Mini, revealing specs, pricing, and a launch plan that signals its first serious play for the budget handheld gaming crowd.
The Pocket AIR Mini packs a 4.2-inch display with a 4:3 aspect ratio and a 960 × 1280 resolution. Ayaneo claims this specific aspect ratio is perfect for point-to-point upscaling of classic systems, promising perfect 4x upscaling for PlayStation 1 and Nintendo 64 games, and 2x upscaling for Dreamcast titles.
This screen choice is designed to cut down on the black borders you often see when emulating classic systems on modern, widescreen devices. The handheld also includes Hall effect sticks in a symmetrical layout. On the software side, it ships with Android 11. The screen refreshes at 60Hz and reaches up to 500 nits of brightness.
Under the hood, Ayaneo chose the MediaTek Helio G90T chipset. The base configuration arrives with 2GB of RAM and 32GB of storage, a deliberate choice to hit a specific, budget-friendly price. For performance, it uses an active cooling system to prevent throttling, and its 4,500mAh battery supports 18W wired charging for quicker power-ups.
Compact build and precision controls in a 290g frame
Ayaneo / X
But specs are nothing without the feel. Ayaneo designed the Pocket AIR Mini to be, well, mini. It’s compact and weighs in at a mere 290 grams. Despite its size, it doesn’t skimp on controls, featuring a full suite of hall effect joysticks and triggers for precision that lasts.
Now, for the part everyone’s been waiting for: the price. Ayaneo is rolling out multiple pricing tiers to entice early buyers. The base model starts with a limited-time price of just $70. That will increase to an early-bird price of $75, and eventually land at a final retail price of $90.
For those who want a little more power, the 3GB of RAM and 64GB of storage model will be available for a limited-time price of $80, rising to an early-bird price of $85, and a final retail price of $100. This is an aggressive move that puts the Pocket AIR Mini well below what’s been typical for a lot of Ayaneo’s releases and makes it one of the most affordable Android handhelds on the market right now.
Pre-orders are set to kick off in mid-October for international customers, and if you sign up on the official page, you can snag a free screen protector. The company is expected to start shipping units next month.
