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The KONKR Pocket Block is a 3.33 inch 4:3 Android handheld that plays everything up to PSP well. It came out in Upcoming at $109. Inside is the MediaTek Helio G85 with 2 GB of RAM.
Who it's for
Buy it if
- You want to play everything up to PSP, plus some PS2.
- You want it in a jeans pocket: the front is 77.4 x 113.2 mm.
Skip it if
- You want 3DS games: it scores 50 out of 100, so many games struggle.
- You want N64 and 3D PS1 games on analog sticks: it has none.
KONKR Pocket Block videos
What it plays
Plays up to: PSP. Chip: MediaTek Helio G85.
Scores out of 100. 100 means the system runs at full speed with no known issues on this device. 80 or more plays well (green), 50 to 79 plays partly (yellow).
What the specs mean
4:3 screen
NES to PS2 era home consoles were 4:3, so they fill it. GBA and PSP games show bars above and below.
Based on: Display math: native screen shapes of each system
PS1 and N64 at exactly 3x
320 x 240 times 3 is the screen's own 960 x 720, so PS1 and N64 pixels stay perfectly even with no filter and no bars.
Based on: Display math: native resolution x whole-number scale = screen resolution
Same chip as 1 other handheld
The MediaTek Helio G85 also powers the One 35. The same chip means similar speed, though memory and cooling can differ.
Based on: Our handheld database (chip field)
Small battery for its class
Only 10 of 103 Android handhelds in our database have a smaller battery than this 3,500 mAh (the middle one has 5,000 mAh). The heavier the system you run, the sooner it runs out.
Based on: Our handheld database: battery of 103 Android handhelds
2 GB of memory rules out Switch
The Switch has 4 GB of memory of its own. An emulator has to hold all of it and Android on top, which does not fit here.
Based on: Hardware fact: the Switch has 4 GB of RAM
Digital triggers
The GameCube's triggers were pressure sensitive, and a few games use a light press, such as spraying while you walk in Super Mario Sunshine. Here the triggers are on or off.
Based on: Hardware fact: GameCube controller triggers are analog; this device is not listed with analog triggers
Shoulder buttons in a row
L1 and L2 sit side by side along the top edge instead of stacked. PS2 games that need L1 and L2 together mean sliding one finger between them.
Based on: Layout data (shoulder button layout)
No analog sticks
N64 games and later PS1 games were made for a stick. Here they run on the d-pad, which works for some and ruins others.
Based on: Layout data; N64 and PS1 DualShock games use analog control
DS on one screen
DS games show both screens shrunk side by side, or one big screen you swap. The touch screen stands in for the stylus.
Based on: Layout data: single screen with touch
Android 12
Besides emulators it runs Android games and game streaming apps, from your PC or the cloud.
Based on: Operating system data
Rating
How we score: what it plays 30%, how many players own and recommend it 20%, screen 15%, price compared with handhelds that play as much 10%, controls 10%, size and weight 10%, battery size for its chip 5%.
Good
- Plays everything up to PSP well
Not so good
- No analog sticks
- LCD screen, not IPS or OLED
- No video out
Screen fit
Screen: 3.33 inch, LCD, 4:3, 960 x 720.
| System | Original | Sharpest scale | Screen filled |
|---|---|---|---|
| Game Boy | 160 x 144 | 5x (800 x 720) | 83% |
| GBA | 240 x 160 | 4x (960 x 640) | 89% |
| NES and SNES | 256 x 224 | 3x (768 x 672) | 75% |
| Genesis | 320 x 224 | 3x (960 x 672) | 93% |
| PS1 and N64 | 320 x 240 | 3x (960 x 720) | 100% |
| DS, one screen | 256 x 192 | 3x (768 x 576) | 64% |
| PSP | 480 x 272 | 2x (960 x 544) | 76% |
Whole-number scales keep every pixel the same size. Bold rows fill the screen with a perfect fit. Screen 960 x 720.
Size
77.4 x 113.2 x 19.8 mm, 165 g. Fits a jeans pocket
- KONKR Pocket Block (77.4 x 113.2 mm)
- iPhone 15 (71.6 x 147.6 mm)
True scale, front view. Jeans pocket = front no bigger than an iPhone 15 Pro Max in a case (160 x 82 mm).
Specs
| Performance | |
|---|---|
| Chip | MediaTek Helio G85 |
| CPU | Cortex-A75 |
| Cores | 8 |
| Clock speed | 1.8 GHz - 2.0 GHz |
| GPU | Mali-G52 MP2 |
| RAM | 2 GB LPDDR4X |
| Cooling | Yes |
| Screen | |
| Size | 3.33" |
| Type | LCD |
| Resolution | 960 x 720 |
| Refresh rate | 60 Hz |
| Pixel density | 360 ppi |
| Aspect ratio | 4:3 |
| Touch screen | Yes |
| Dual screen | No |
| Controls | |
| D-pad | Cross, Upper placement |
| Analog sticks | No |
| Stick layout | No Thumbsticks |
| Shoulder buttons | Side By Side |
| Rumble | Yes |
| Gyroscope | Yes |
| Connectivity | |
| Storage | 32 GB |
| SD card | Yes |
| Wi-Fi | Yes (5) |
| Bluetooth | Yes (5.0) |
| USB-C | Yes |
| Video out | No |
| Headphone jack | Yes |
| Build | |
| Form factor | Vertical |
| Dimensions | 77.4 x 113.2 x 19.8 mm |
| Weight | 165 g |
| Battery | 3500 mAh |
| Shell | Plastic |
| Speakers | Bottom |
| Software | |
| Operating system | Android |
| Android version | 12 |
Questions
Can the KONKR Pocket Block play PS2 games?
Some. PS2 scores 50 out of 100, so it depends on the game.
Is the KONKR Pocket Block good for GBA?
GBA runs at full speed. At 4x it fills 89% of the screen with even pixels.
Does it have a headphone jack?
Yes.
How big is the battery?
3,500 mAh. The middle Android handheld in our database has 5,000 mAh.
Can it connect to a TV?
No, it has no video out.
Price and newer models
$109 at launch $60 to $120
Not out yet. The price may change at launch.
Similar handhelds
Specs and emulation scores from the retrocatalog.com handheld database. The score out of 10 is our own.