AYANEO Pocket Vert Might Be Sleekest Handheld of 2025 with Body Machined from Single Block of Aluminum

The AYANEO Pocket Vert may have debuted a bit too late in 2025, but it adds a new spin to the vertical form factor that retro gamers love. This device has a studry feel in the hands thanks to its metal body, which was CNC’d from a single block of aluminum. The edges are elegantly softened, and the diamond-cut shoulder buttons provide a touch of comfort while maintaining the clean lines. It comes in black, white, or red finishes, and measures 86mm wide, 143mm tall, and 20.5mm thick.

The screen measures 3.5 inches diagonally and has a resolution of 1600 x 1440 pixels and a refresh rate of 60 Hz. The maximum brightness is 450 nits, and the pixel density is a good 615 PPI. Games from the original Game Boy look sharp and vibrant on this machine, and the LTPS panel renders colors correctly.

The layout retains the traditional vertical format, with a responsive D-pad on the left and four face buttons on the right. The shoulder triggers are smooth and precise, and there is a scroll wheel on the side to control the volume. When you press on the glass, a hidden touchpad functions as a virtual analogue stick, which you can configure to single-stick, dual-stick, or mouse mode.

Inside, a Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 processor keeps everything together. It has either 8GB or 12GB of RAM and up to 256GB of storage (which can be expanded to 256GB via microSD), and it emulates Dreamcast, GameCube, and PS2 at resolutions well beyond what the outdated systems could handle. Looking at the gameplay clip, you can see titles like The Wind Waker and Metal Gear Solid 2 running at 3x or more upscaling, with frames per second generally limited to 60. Native Android games work just as well, and the device can stream newer games from the cloud.

A 6,000mAh battery should last you through long game sessions without issue. Active cooling keeps things cool, even if the fan can be obnoxious when it switches to full performance mode. Stereo speakers emerge from the bottom, producing great sounds. You get Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2, a 3.5mm headphone connector, and a USB-C port capable of 4K video output.

AYANEO built the Pocket Vert on Android 14 and included some custom software to make it easy to map buttons and access quick settings. The power button has a fingerprint sensor for added convenience and security. It’s available now in China, with a global release planned through Indiegogo soon. Pricing starts at around $240, with international prices ranging from $249 to $279, depending on what configuration you go for.
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