Analogue has a pricy new aluminum Pocket that could do some damage if thrown

Analogue’s new version of their Pocket console is now available on their storefront. This version of their FPGA console is made of aluminum, so if you decide to wield it like a brick, whatever it hits will take more damage than it does.

Aside from materials, the new version of the Analogue Pocket is functionally the same as their plastic counterparts. It appears as though it’s compatible with all the accessories. However, it’s made of sterner stuff. Solid billet 6061 aluminum, to be exact. Whatever that is. It’s metal and it plays Game Boy games; that’s the important part.

What will most likely give you pause is the $499 price tag. That’s more than twice the price of a standard-issue model, which is already quite the luxury purchase. To be fair, Analogue’s FPGA consoles are targeting the higher-end market of retro console consumers. If the price seizes your heart functions, there are plenty of lower-end options out there. At least with it being made of sturdy aluminum, it will probably last a while. You could think of it as a new family heirloom. Something you can pass down to your favorite child or underling.

They also did the aluminum treatment a long time ago for the Analogue NT.

I’ve nearly bought an Analogue Pocket a few times, but I always stop when I start to think about the additional purchases I’d need to make. I don’t really play handheld very often, and if I want to play a Game Boy game, I’d probably just use my Super Game Boy. So, if I wanted to get used to it, I’d need to buy a dock separately. Then I’d want the adapter so I could play my Atari Lynx and Game Gear games, and at that point, after shipping, I’m past the $500 range, and that’s USD rather than my typical Canadian Loonies.

Don’t get me wrong, I think Analogue makes fine consoles. I have an Analogue Duo for my Turbografx-16 and PC-Engine games, and it’s pretty great. I just have a lot of financial obligations that prevent me from making these sorts of extravagant purchases very often.

If you’re down for an extravagant purchase, you can order the Analogue Pocket Aluminum Edition on their website now. It comes in Natural, Noir (French for black), Black (English for noir), and Indigo.