Pocket S2: Ayaneo hopes to redefine Android gaming handheld space with 'latest Qualcomm flagship chipset'
Ayaneo is wasting no time in fleshing out its Pocket series with a slew of new models. Initially, the company started the month by releasing the Pocket Micro Classic, which serves as a cheaper option to the Pocket Micro. Shortly afterwards, it lifted the lid on the Pocket Ace, an entirely new device it claimed would offer 'top-tier performance'. Now, it has teased the Pocket S2 ahead of its full announcement in a few days' time.
A successor to last year's Pocket S, it looks like the Pocket S2 retains the same design as its predecessor. For example, the Pocket S2 appears to feature a slim design and an Xbox control layout, as well as a third set of shoulder buttons. While Ayaneo has not revealed any specifics yet, it has hinted that the Pocket S2 will showcase a new 'flagship' chipset produced by Qualcomm.
In other words, the Pocket S2 will likely leverage a successor to the Snapdragon G3x Gen 2 that powers the existing Pocket S. No details about this new chipset have surfaced yet. However, the Snapdragon G3x Gen 2 is already powerful enough to handle demanding tasks like Nintendo Switch emulation. Ultimately, driver optimisation rather than raw performance has held the Pocket S and Snapdragon G3x Gen 2 back to date.
As a result, the Pocket S often performs about as well or worse than the Ayn Odin2 (curr. $449 on Amazon), despite the latter's reliance on the technically inferior Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. The Ayaneo Pocket S2 will make its full debut on March 17 during the Game Developers Conference 2025 (GDC 2025) in San Francisco, which runs until March 21.
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