Now that millions of users worldwide are in the honeymoon period with their new Nintendo Switch 2 consoles, other gaming handheld manufacturers aren't slowing down, with Ayaneo finally revealing the launch date of its newest high-end Android gaming handheld, the Ayaneo Pocket S2. After drip-feeding fans since January with its design and hardware improvements, there's now a firm release date of June 18 for the handheld, surprising those who were thinking it was coming later this year.
Revealing the release date in a post on the social media site X, Ayaneo also stated a time of 8:00 AM (EST) the same day, suggesting that it plans to give the Pocket S2 a huge worldwide launch event. It's no surprise, considering the handheld's specifications. These include a 6.3-inch IPS borderless display with a 2560 x 1440 resolution, capable of up to 600 nits of brightness, which should make for fantastic visuals in the best mobile games. The CPU is a powerful Snapdragon G3 Gen 3, a first for an Ayaneo device and an Android gaming handheld overall, all powered by an 8,000 mAh battery.
The company still hasn't revealed how much internal storage the Pocket S2 has, nor the memory, but did confirm that it has LPDDR5X-8533 RAM. Fortunately, we don't have long to wait to see for ourselves what these other specs entail.
Despite the Pocket S2 looking similar to its predecessor, it features much-improved triggers for those high-intensity moments in games like Fortnite and PUBG Mobile. But it's what's under the hood that's taking our interest. Specifically, the Snapdragon G3 Gen 3, which Qualcomm claims offers a 30% improvement for the CPU and a 28% improvement for the GPU compared to its previous chip that powered the Ayaneo Pocket S. The company has been posting videos on its YouTube channel, like the one below, to showcase how powerful the S2 is, so we're even more intrigued to see how the chip performs in real-world use.
It's safe to assume that the Pocket S2 will be comparable in power to the AYN Odin 2, another gaming handheld that came out in 2024. But with the improved hardware and design for the Pocket S2, this could be a contender for our list of best retro handhelds very soon.
Until then, if you're looking for gaming on the go, take a look at our lists of the best gaming phones and the best Steam Deck alternatives. Or, if you're still tempted by the Nintendo Switch 2, check out our in-depth review of the new console.