This super-expensive Analogue Pocket is about to go on sale

digitaltrends.com:

A new limited-edition Analogue Pocket is on the way, and while it’s pricier than other editions, it might be a way to get the frequently out-of-stock handheld.

Analogue announced its aluminum edition Pockets on Friday, revealing that they’ll go on sale July 15 and ship two days later. The new Pocket will come in four colors: Natural, Noir, Black, and Indigo. And, as the headline suggests, it’s been “precision CNC’d entirely in aluminum,” according to the product page. That means it’ll likely be heavier than a regular pocket, but more durable.

It also means it’ll be more expensive. The limited-edition model will cost $500. For reference, the regular Analogue Pocket costs just $220 — so the aluminum one will cost more than twice as much. Other special editions have been pricier, but never by this much. And if you want to get any of the Analogue accessories, like the $100 to $130 dock, this will cost more than any current-generation console, and more than many handhelds on the market.

If you’ve tried to buy a Pocket before, you know the drill, but for the uninitiated, these will go out of stock fast — sometimes within minutes. The aluminum edition’s high price might mean the orders will come in slower than usual, but you’ll want to be online on at 11 a.m. ET/8 a.m. PT on July 15. Just head to the store page, wait for those checkout buttons to activate, and put in your order. Analogue added that once it’s out of stock, it’ll never be sold again.

The Analogue Pocket, which first released in 2021, is one of the best retro handhelds available if you want to play Game Boy, Game Boy Color, or Game Boy Advance cartridges. It uses a special FPGA chip that emulates console hardware. In this case, that means the aforementioned Game Boys, along with the Sega Game Gear, Neo Geo Pocket, and Atari Lynx (although some of these need optional attachments). You can also use it for emulation with just a little bit of tinkering.