Day one at MWC 2024 Barcelona was exciting, as we got to go hands on with a lot of beautiful and innovative gadgets. The devices that are exhibited at the event, show us what to expect in the coming months in terms of technological innovation. Among the various booths we got to visit, we found something really interesting at TECNO’s 2024 MWC booth.
No, I am not talking about the TECNO Dynamic 1— the robot dog. I agree that the robot looked innovative (much like the Xiaomi robot dog), but there was another interesting device, tucked in the corner of the booth. This was a portable gaming controller with an AR headset.
Obviously, I had to go and try it out to see what the fuss was about.
Before I talk about my hands on experience, let me give you some background on the product.
What is the TECNO Pocket Go?
The TECNO Pocket Go is a handheld gaming device set featuring a controller that houses powerful gaming hardware and companion AR glasses that act as the display. It is lightweight and easy to carry around. In fact, TECNO claims it is the world’s first gaming set that combines a Windows handheld with AR glasses. To put it simply, TECNO has added the hardware of a gaming handheld into a controller style device, which is then connected to the AR glasses.
With the two devices combined, you can practically start gaming from anywhere you want. Be it a simple bean bag, your sofa, or even a subway station (of course, not recommended)!
If you missed it, we have covered the specs of the TECNO Pocket Go in our launch article. Read that if you are interesting in the specifications.
Let’s take a closer look at each of the two parts of the Pocket Go, to better understand how they work together.
Pocket Go Controller
The Pocket Go handheld is slightly heavier device than a regular controller. Like any other handheld, it contains all the hardware for running a full-fledged PC. But TECNO claims it is 50% smaller and 30% lighter than standard gaming handhelds, with a form factor, similar to a smartphone. Presumably, the lack of an integrated display contributes to this ergonomic advantage.
TECNO reveals the hardware inside is the newest game CPU with eight cores, sixteen threads, and turbo speeds of up to 5.1 GHz. A PC-Level Large Cooling Fan and three copper lines further help the Pocket Windows Handheld get rid of heat effectively, which leads to its amazing performance of up to 35W. With a 50Wh battery that can be replaced, gamers can enjoy a long battery life that lets them play games without stopping.
While I was at the booth, I could see the staff members quickly swap the batteries on board to continue the gaming experience for the attendees. Unfortunately, I still don’t know how long each battery lasts with regular gameplay.
Pocket Go Vision AR Glasses
The companion to this handheld is the AR Pocket Vision headset.
The 0.71-inch Micro-OLED screen on Pocket Go’s AR Pocket Vision headset makes it feel like you are watching a 215-inch TV from six meters away when you wear it. The small device gives players a wide view and a quality viewing experience that feels like being in a movie theater. The headset also has diopter settings that can be changed up to 600° to accommodate users with different visual needs. So you can remove your prescription glasses and adjust the screen in each eye for the perfect viewing experience.
TECNO Pocket Go Hands on Experience
Enough about the specs, let’s talk about the experience now.
The TECNO Pocket Go handheld is comfortable to hold and has enough width to get a really good hands on feel. While I am not a gamer, my colleagues from our Chinese review team, Paco and Will, who are avid gamers, tried out the device, and approves the design. The buttons and the joystick were comfortable to navigate the gameplay, and the experience felt quite intuitive.
While the handheld device is the real brain of the Pocket Go, what really drives the gameplay experience is the Pocket AR Vision headset. It would only be slightly bigger than your traditional glasses, and come in an all black, stylish finish. TECNO staff added that in the future, you would have the option to completely cover the glasses to block out the surroundings for an even better gaming experience.
In the demo, I could play Cyberpunk 2077, and the gameplay as well as the sound experience felt immersive. It took me a while to adjust to the large screen, possibly due to the adjustments I had to make to the screens for my prescription numbers. However, within a few seconds, my eyes got used to the large screen. So in less than a minute, I was invested in the game, which had good quality visuals and smooth graphics rendering.
Check out our hands on video below.
TECNO Pocket Go: Final Thoughts
I can see how such portable AR gaming headsets could gain popularity in the coming months. Its like carrying a 200-inch screen for your gameplay, right in your pocket. Now, you see why this is called the TECNO Pocket Go!
While TECNO is marketing this as a gaming handheld AR headset, the practical applications of such a device are endless. You have enough power in the handheld to make it a portable workstation as well, something that you might have already seen in the Apple Vision headset. With the right accessories, I am expecting a lot of different applications for such a device.
For more MWC coverage, check out our MWC 2024 hub here or visit our YouTube channel.
