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KT Pocket KT-R1: Android gaming handheld moves closer to release with MediaTek Helio G99 SoC, 5,000 mAh battery and 1080p display

The KT-R1 is KT Pocket’s first gaming handheld, as its name implies. (Image source: KT Pocket)
The KT-R1 is KT Pocket’s first gaming handheld, as its name implies. (Image source: KT Pocket)
KT Pocket is now ready to introduce the KT-R1, a budget gaming handheld with a 3:2 display for native Game Boy Advance scaling. KT Pocket offers the KT-R1 in numerous configurations and will begin selling the handheld globally in early 2023 from US$169.

KT Pocket has announced the KT-R1, an Android gaming handheld two years in the making. While the gaming handheld market is more saturated than it was when the KT-R1 surfaced in December 2020, the device still has a few distinguishing features. It is worth noting that KT Pocket claims to have been close to releasing the KT-R1 previously, but this finally appears to be the case.

Specifically, the KT-R1 will be orderable from KT Pocket’s website on December 10. At launch, the device will start at US$169, for which KT Pocket includes a plastic shell, 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of storage. Alternatively, there is a metal shell version for US$279, shown below by The Phawx, which also has 8 GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage. Please note that both models support expandable storage.

(Image source: KT Pocket)
(Image source: KT Pocket)

At the heart of all units lies the MediaTek Helio G99, a 6 nm chipset based around two ARM Cortex-A76 CPU cores, six Cortex-A55 CPU cores and a Mali-G57 MP2 GPU. For context, we have already tested the MediaTek Helio G99 in the Moto G72POCO M5 and the Redmi Pad. Theoretically, the SoC should be powerful to emulate PlayStation 2 games, although the KT-R1’s 3:2 display is better suited for Game Boy Advance titles.

The KT-R1 also has a 5,000 mAh battery, which KT Pocket claims should last 6-10 hours between charges, depending on the games being played on its 4.5-inch and 1,620 x 1,080-pixel display. Moreover, the KT-R1 ships with Android 12, plus Bluetooth 5.2 and WiFi 5 connectivity. Please see KT Pocket’s website for more details or The Phawx’s video for an overview of the KT-R1’s battery life, build quality and performance.  

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > News > News Archive > Newsarchive 2022 12 > KT Pocket KT-R1: Android gaming handheld moves closer to release with MediaTek Helio G99 SoC, 5,000 mAh battery and 1080p display
Alex Alderson, 2022-12- 9 (Update: 2022-12- 9)