Yes, the Pocket Super Knob 5000 is a real handheld by Android console maker GameMT. No, I still can't stop laughing like Bevis and Butthead, but I do want to highlight some of the portable's unique features if I can pull myself together for a few minutes.
Okay, let's dive into what the Pocket Super Knob wants to bring to the best gaming handheld scene. Highlighted by Retrohandhelds in a far more mature fashion, the Android portable arrives this April with a 5-inch 1080p display, MediaTek Helio G85 chipset, and of course, the aforementioned "Super Knob" on the right-hand side where a joystick would usually be (stop it).
Let's put the knob to one side for a second and talk about that chipset, as it's pretty similar to the upcoming Anbernic RG Vita. It's packing a Mali-G52 MC2 GPU and Cortex-A75 CPU, meaning it's not set to be the best retro handheld out there. Instead, it will be running retro consoles and portables up to the PSP, which should keep the price point reasonable.
It's worth noting that the Pocket Super Knob appears to be a hilarious rebranding of the previously announced GameMT EX5, or potentially a model variant. Both feature that "super knob" that looks like either a stove dial or something you'd see on that old Tomy Racing Turbo tabletop driving sim toy from the '80s.
I'd like to assume the knob has an actual purpose, and I guess it could end up working similarly to the Playdate and its side crank. If it's using a potentiometer, it could even serve as way to play Atari Peddle games like Breakout or Night Driver, but the colorful indicators on the side sort of suggest it's more like a throttle switch for racing games and sims.
Or, the Super Knob could just look different to stand out in a sea of emulation handhelds. The only thing I know for certain right now is that it's now going to be inseparable from its innuendo-fuelled branding, and that's a sure-fire way to bait immature handheld experts like myself into talking about what otherwise a fairly ordinary device.
Already got Valve's handheld? Swing by the best Steam Deck accessories and best Steam Deck docks to enhance your hybrid setup.
