$500 aluminum version of the Analogue Pocket looks like the Game Boy’s final form

Analogue has released multiple variations of the Analogue Pocket, a Game Boy-style handheld console that uses an FPGA chip to play old cartridges and game ROMs, but so far all of those designs have mimicked the regular Pocket’s black (or white) plastic shell.

The company’s latest pocket might appeal more to people who prefer the sturdiness and durability of anodized aluminum over the cheap practicality of plastic. July 15The company: Limited production of all-aluminum analog pocket console The consoles will be available in four colors: white, gray, black, and a Game Boy Advance-style indigo blue. The company says that “every component” of these consoles is “fully CNC machined from aluminum,” including not only the frame but all the buttons.

This new material comes at a cost, however: Aluminum pockets sell for $500 each, more than double the $220 for regular plastic pockets.

The aluminum Pocket runs the exact same software as the standard plastic one and is compatible with the same cartridges and accessories. Analogue’s site doesn’t compare the weight of the aluminum and plastic Pocket consoles, but intuitively we’d expect the metal one to be heavier. The aluminum console will start shipping from July 17th.

When the Pocket first launched in late 2021, supply chain disruptions and increased demand led to months of backorders for early models. Since then, things have improved a bit. Analogue stores aren’t always open to buy, but the basic black and white plastic model is regularly restocked. Analogue has also released multiple special editions of the handheld, including: Glow in the dark plastic and A series of colorful models The memories Nintendo’s hardware refresh of its mid-’90s “Play It Loud!” For the original Game Boy.

I really liked the pockets Original ReviewFirmware updates since launch have significantly improved the hardware’s performance. In summer 2022, Analogue added OpenFPGA support to Pocket, allowing the FPGA chip to emulate consoles like NES, SNES, and Sega Genesis beyond the portable systems Pocket was designed to emulate. An update at the end of 2023 allowed third-party emulation cores to use their own display filters, which can recreate the look of traditional CRT televisions and other displays.

Updates have also fixed several bugs in the system, the most recent being version 2.2, released in March, which primarily added support for the Analog Pocket Adapter Set, allowing other types of vintage game cartridges to be inserted into the Pocket’s cartridge slot.