Gaming handhelds are making quite the trend in the video game industry these days, from small DIY gadgets the size of key fobs to hulking computers crammed in a questionably portable form factor. But with the exception of the more expensive handheld PCs, the vast majority of these handheld consoles are made of plastic, at least for their bodies. Plastic, after all, is durable, lightweight, resilient, and, more importantly, cheap, and the products made with it sometimes come out feeling that way too. Once in a while, however, someone gets the idea to turn a geeky device into a glamorous product, like this aluminum-clad version of the Pocket Analogue that makes it one of the most stylish, let alone distinctive, gaming handhelds to grace the market today.
Designer: Analogue
It has been years since Analogue pulled off what can probably be considered a miracle in this industry. It launched what looks like a homage to the Game Boy, one that can actually play original Game Boy cartridges, that hasn’t hit any legal roadblocks considering how popular it is. Over the years, it has launched various limited editions of the Analogue Pocket, but this Aluminum Edition is its most ambitious one yet.
Precision CNC’d from solid billet 6061 aluminum, the limited edition Analogue Pocket Aluminum looks and feels more like a designer product than a functional gaming device, one that’s just meant to honor the original and be put on display but not used. That wouldn’t be much fun, of course, and thankfully this is not the kind of product that Analogue is putting out. It’s the same gaming experience offered by any Analogue Pocket, except now in a chassis that’s designed to really outlast those games.
If Analogue had left the Aluminum edition unfinished, it would have resulted in a striking and unique industrial aesthetic. But for those who still prefer a pinch of style and class, the limited-run gaming handheld is being offered in four anodized colors. Natural is as closest as you’ll get to that raw aluminum look, while Noir (Dark Gray) and Black both offer subdued hues. Bluish Indigo, on the other hand, stands out the most and is probably reminiscent of the transparent Atomic Purple case of the Game Boy Color.
Given its name, it probably shouldn’t come as a surprise that the Analogue Pocket Aluminum Limited Edition will be, well, limited. There’s no word on how many units will be made, but the $499.99 price tag and difficulty of machining a block of aluminum suggest there won’t be much. Judging by how fast previous limited editions disappeared, this will probably be gone before you know it.
