Handheld gaming consoles have seen a resurgence in popularity in recent years as the demand for gaming on the go continues to grow. At the same time, a whole new category of AR glasses has emerged, enabling a visual experience that is unique to you.
With that in mind, why not combine the two into one gaming setup? This is what the Chinese company Tecno has brought to life with the Pocket Go, its new portable Windows pocket computer.
Here, a pair of futuristic-looking smart glasses work in tandem with an Xbox-style controller, although it looks more like a large smartphone than something you’d use with Microsoft’s console. It’s also much lighter than the Steam Deck and Asus ROG Ally.
At MWC 2024 in Barcelona, I tried out the Pocket Go for a game of Cyberpunk 2077. My expectations weren’t particularly high, but this short demo left me very impressed.
Much of this centered around the glasses, known officially as the “AR Pocket Vision” headset. Their design is a bit unusual and will surely turn heads if used in public, but they felt very comfortable on my face.
Anyron Copeman / Foundry
Despite a screen of only 0.71 inches, wearing the glasses is deeply immersive. This puts you in the center of the action, which is perfect for a first-person title like Cyberpunk. Detail and clarity are excellent, with physical controls helping to keep everything in focus.
Even with its slightly unusual design, the controller (dubbed “AR Pocket Windows Handheld”) is very intuitive and easy to use. If you’ve used a recent console controller, this one will be relatively familiar to you.
Anyron Copeman / Foundry
Together, they deliver an immersive gaming experience that rivals the best of a handheld device. Cyberpunk 2077 is a notoriously demanding game, but it looked fantastic on Pocket Go. Gameplay was smooth and lag-free, while the response to any controller button press was almost instantaneous.
I would be very curious to see how this performs with other games. Since the Pocket Go runs Windows, it should have access to the same wide variety as any other Windows handheld.
However, Tecno has another trick up its sleeve. Not only does the Pocket Go have a generous 50Wh battery, but it can easily be removed and replaced whenever you want. Tecno says you can expect to get at least two hours of gaming on a single charge, but you could easily make it last all day if you bought enough spare batteries.
Anyron Copeman / Foundry
However, if you live in the US or UK, it will probably be almost impossible to get one. Tecno has not confirmed the price or availability of the Pocket Go, but the company is not active in Europe or North America.
I hope this changes soon, as the company clearly has some innovative ideas.
