As big as a bar of chocolate: this could be one of the best compact handhelds of 2025

Compared to Steam Deck and Co., this handheld is particularly compact – but still powerful.

Ayaneo has unveiled the new Pocket Ace: a retro handheld with Android operating system and particularly fast hardware.

Why it matters: Most gaming handhelds today are very large and require a bag if you want to play with them on the go. Small handhelds like the Ayaneo Pocket Ace are much better suited for mobile gaming thanks to their compact form factor, as long as the Android operating system is sufficient for your needs.

Case and form factor: The Ayaneo Pocket Ace is an extremely compact gaming handheld that is about the size of a bar of chocolate. It measures 176 x 82.5 x 18.4 millimeters, which means it should even fit in large pants pockets.

• The design is angular, but the back offers a flat grip for better ergonomics.
• The handheld comes in three colors: black, white, and “retro.”
• Front-firing speakers are built in.

Display: Unlike its sister model, the vertical Pocket DMG, the screen does not use an OLED panel. Instead, a 4.5-inch IPS screen with a 3:2 aspect ratio is used. This is somewhat unusual for a gaming handheld, which is why black borders are displayed in many games. Ayaneo probably chose this aspect ratio in order to display as many different image formats as possible in full screen.

• The resolution is 1,620 x 1,080 pixels, which results in 433 ppi. Content should therefore be displayed with razor-sharp clarity.
• The sRGB color space is covered at 130 percent.
• The maximum brightness is 550 nits. This is slightly brighter than the Steam Deck with an LCD screen (400 nits).

Performance: Inside the Ayaneo Pocket Ace is hardware that is roughly on par with flagship smartphones.

• The processor is a Qualcomm Snapdragon G3x Gen2. This is slightly faster than a Snapdragon 8 Gen2 (for example, Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra).
• It can consume a maximum of 15 watts and is actively cooled by a fan. Unlike many smartphones, this should ensure better performance stability.
• The RAM is up to 16 GB (LPDDR5X).
• The fast UFS 4.0 standard is used for storage. The largest configuration offers 1 terabyte.

Controller features: Hall effect sensors are used for the analog sticks, promising durability and greater precision.

• Such sensors are also used in the analog trigger buttons. The D-pad uses membrane switches, reminiscent of older consoles such as the SNES.
• The shoulder buttons, on the other hand, use tactile micro switches.
• Rumble motors are built in, which Ayaneo claims are particularly precise.

Battery: Inside the compact device is a large 6,000 mAh battery. This can be charged with a charging power of 40 watts.

Software: The device runs on Android 13 as its operating system. It also comes with the Aya Space software, which allows you to change various settings. These include performance and button assignments. The manufacturer provides OTA updates, but it is not clear for how long.