Ayaneo has finally lifted the lid on its KONKR Pocket Advance GBA clone handheld, and early bird pre-orders start at $89. Yes, that's steeper than its main rival, the Anbernic RG34XX, but now that the handheld maker is done posting a million teasers and has given the portable a full reveal, it's clear to me that the price is pretty great.
Just before pushing the live button on KONKR Pocket Advance pre-orders, Ayaneo graced us with a follow-up live stream. The retro handheld maker had previously drip-fed eager players with tidbits of specs and specifically angled shots, but a sharing session on Friday and the latter presentation fully reveal the portable and its abilities.
Looking for a new GBA right now?
If you're on a tighter budget and aren't willing to wait for Ayaneo's new GBA, Anbernic has you covered with the RGB34XX for under $70, and it even has a clamshell version for around $69 if you prefer the GBA SP. Just keep in mind a refreshed version of the latter is coming, though, so it might be worth waiting.
Starting at $89 ($109 without an early bird discount), the base model comes with 3GB RAM, 32GB storage, and a MediaTek Helio G90T chipset. Yes, that's the chip used by the Ayaneo Pocket Air, and while it won't be punchy enough to become a full-blown portable PS2, it has the guts to run a chunk of its library while easily handling plenty of other retro consoles and portables leading up to the sixth generation.
If you'd prefer some extra memory headroom and a bit extra storage, you can upgrade to the 4GB/64GB model for $109. The rest of the specs and perks remain the same, as you're still getting a 3.5-inch LCD display, a 4,000 mAh USB-C rechargeable battery with Power Delivery, rumble, a gyroscope, and active cooling. All models also run Android 12, meaning opting for the cheaper portable won't restrict you to just Linux like with some portables.
I know this will be more pressing to some of you than fancy specs, but both Pocket Advance models come in Navy (Indigo), Coral (Spiced Orange), and a gray colorway with NES vibes. I'd be lying if I said the orange version doesn't have me in its clutches, and releasing a variant that references a Japanese-exclusive GameCube is the sort of move I respect.
For under $100, or even slightly over when early bird discounts end, I can really get on board with the KONKR Pocket Advance. Paying that bit extra above existing portables with GBA vibes will grant you a bit more oomph for platform flexibility, as while it's clearly suited to non-3D romps before analog sticks became mandatory, jumping into anything from GBA and SNES classics to beefier GameCube and PS2 romps isn't off the table.
I was bracing myself for ludicrous Pocket Advance pricing given that gaming tech is falling victim to RAMageddon. Even my affordable go-to portable, the Super Pocket, had to take price hikes on the chin, and budget portable MSRPs have absolutely been creeping up throughout 2026. My hope is that Ayaneo can get this GBA clone out the door without any shenanigans, as launch availability for the Ayaneo Pocket Micro 2 was pretty scrappy.
Swing by the best retro controllers if you're seeking a fresh pad for your console.
