Ayaneo Pocket Air could get power boost with Snapdragon chip

The Ayaneo Air Pocket could feature the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset on certain SKUs, according to a leak acquired by Dexerto.

The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is currently the hottest system-on-chip for Android devices. It’s a blazing-fast SoC, with an incredible performance rate. It’s capable of handling almost any game that comes its way, and it could be featured in the upcoming Ayaneo Air Pocket, according to leaks acquired by Dexerto.

Positioned as Ayaneo’s entry into the Android space, the Air Pocket currently sports a MediaTek Dimensity 1200, which is no slouch. However, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is still considerably faster than the MediaTek SoC.

After the Ayn Odin 2 revealed that it’d be one of the cheapest devices on the market to house the Snapdragon SoC, it appears Ayaneo is now responding.

In an email Dexerto received, it was revealed that Ayaneo is seriously considering upgrading the Pocket Air to a Snapdragon Gen 2 chip, alongside the MediaTek SKU.

The two versions would sell side by side, presumably similar to how Ayaneo currently sells its 2S, GEEK, and other handhelds. While the Air Pocket is yet to go up for preorder via Indiegogo, there’s still time for the potential Snapdragon variant to be added or launched later.

Ayaneo potentially plans Snapdragon version of Pocket Air handheld

Ayaneo

It’s claimed that Ayaneo plans to share more towards the end of August. The Pocket Air has mostly been shown in conjunction with retro systems, emphasizing the emulation capabilities of the Ayaneo handheld. With the Snapdragon Gen 2, this will be able to handle even the toughest of games.

There’s currently no price attached to the Pocket Air, but Ayaneo will have tough competition as the Ayn Odin 2 is planned to launch at $299, around $500 cheaper than the cheapest mobile housing it right now. The company is also releasing the Ayaneo Kun, a much more powerful gaming handheld combining the best bits of the Steam Deck, and more.