Ayaneo launches Konkr Pocket Block vertical handheld for $89

More than four months after unveiling the Konkr Pocket Block, Ayaneo has now officially launched the handheld. The Konkr Pocket Block was officially revealed in May during a product sharing session. While we expected a full launch would happen shortly afterwards, that wasn't the case as Ayaneo turned its attention to another handheld, the Game Boy Advance-inspired Konkr Pocket Advance.

Ayaneo describes the Konkr Pocket Block as a premium vertical pocket Android handheld, which is surprising as that description should be reserved for the Pocket Vert, which not only has a premium build and better specs, but also has a significantly higher price tag than the Konkr Pocket Block.

The Konkr Pocket Block has a 3.33-inch LCD panel with a 960 × 720 resolution and a 4:3 aspect ratio like the Pocket Air Mini (available on Amazon for $159.99). Powering the Konkr Pocket Block is the Helio G85 processor, the same SoC inside the GameMT PSK5000.

Ayaneo will offer the Konkr Pocket Block in two configurations — a 2GB LPDDR4X RAM version with 32GB of storage and a 3GB LPDDR4X RAM variant that has 64GB of storage. There's a microSD card slot for adding more storage. 

Ayaneo's new handheld doesn't have a cooling fan like the Konkr Pocket Advance, instead Ayaneo says it features a heat spreader. However, the lack of a cooling fan allows for a slimmer device compared to devices like the Retroid Pocket Classic (available on Amazon for $145). The Konkr Pocket Block packs a 3,500mAh battery capacity. It also has a classic D-pad ABXY buttons with a rubber membrane, shoulder buttons, and a handful of customizable buttons. 

Other features of the handheld include Bluetooth 5.0, Wi-Fi 5, stereo speakers, an audio jack, a USB-C port for data transfer and PD charging, and a single linear motor. It runs Android 12 out of the box with Ayaneo's AYASpace, AYAHome launcher, and AYASetting pre-installed.

The Konkr Pocket Block is available in Cube Purple, Original Grey, and Atoms White which has a translucent design. The handheld has a starting price of $89 for the 2GB RAM version and $109 for the 3GB RAM version. The handheld is available to buy now, and Ayaneo is offering buyers a $10 early bird discount for a limited time. This means you can get the Konkr Pocket Block for $79 or $99, depending on the configuration. Ayaneo says shipping begins at the end of October.

In China, the Konkr Pocket Block is cheaper — the base model with 2GB of RAM and 32GB of storage is priced at CNY 499 (~$74/€65), while the 3GB RAM version with 64GB of storage is CNY 599 (~$89/€78). Ayaneo says there's no early bird price for those in China since the handheld already costs less than the international version.

There are two accessories for the Konkr Pocket Block — an $8.9 HD tempered film and a $13.9 storage bag that has a wrist strap — and like the device, they are available to buy on the manufacturer's website.