The TrimUI Brick Takes Inspiration From The Analogue Pocket

It won't play physical carts, though

by Damien McFerran Yesterday, 11:30am

The TrimUI Brick Takes Inspiration From The Analogue Pocket 2 — *Image: TrimUI*

Thanks to its wide range of FPGA cores, support for physical carts and fetching Game Boy-style design, the Analogue Pocket remains one of the most popular retro-gaming handhelds on the market right now.

Taking that into account, it's not all that surprising that rival companies have copied the design for their own devices. TrimUI, for example, has just announced the Brick, a device which takes a lot of inspiration from the Pocket (thanks, Retro Handhelds).

The overall design is very similar, and you've even got the 'stepped' back (minus a cartridge slot, as this runs entirely on software emulation) and the three function buttons on the front. One new thing the TrimUI offers is an RGB light at the top of the device.

Powered by an Allwinner A133 Plus chipset and boasting a 3.2 inch 1024×768 IPS display, the TrimUI Brick isn't pulling up any trees when it comes to power, but could be a solid purchase for people looking for an Analogue-style experience on a budget.

The TrimUI Brick Takes Inspiration From The Analogue Pocket 1 — *Image: TrimUI*

[source retrohandhelds.gg]

Damien has been writing professionally about tech and video games since 2007 and oversees all of Hookshot Media's sites from an editorial perspective. He's also the editor of Time Extension, the network's newest site, which – paradoxically – is all about gaming's past glories.

1
JonathanChapman
Yesterday, 3:42pm

No offense to the author, but this doesn't have anything to do with the Analogue Pocket (and doesn't seem to be inspired from it). It's emulation, it doesn't take a cart, the dpad and buttons look different (it has 3 lower buttons in a different position), the screen form factor is different. I guess it comes in black and white and it's somewhat slim with a narrow bezel (unlike the Game Boy Pocket that all of these inherit design from). But are we going to call everything that looks like a Game Boy pocket Analogue-Pocket-like now?

The RGB light at the top is also a negative feature for me personally. Other than that, it looks okay and I hope the feel of the buttons is equal to a Game Boy and isn't tactile domes.

2
Razieluigi
Yesterday, 3:52pm

@JonathanChapman Oh, come on. The overall physical design is extremely similar to the Pocket, which is obviously what the author was referring to.

It looks far more like an Analogue Pocket than a GameBoy Pocket, which is why he made that comparison.

3
JonathanChapman
Yesterday, 3:53pm

@Razieluigi If I got very very drunk I might mistake the two in the dark. Maybe that's why they added the RGB light. To make sure I wouldn't accidentally pick this up in that state.

4
-wc-
Yesterday, 11:19pm

@JonathanChapman

it's obvious to everyone (else) that this is deliberately going for the same general look. when you have to point out that the function buttons are slightly different, you arent making a great case. 👍

5
Scollurio
12:14pm

I don't know. When I see this I think "modern DMG" and not "Analogue Pocket". Because this design has been done to death and while I love TrimUI and my old GB, the shoulder buttons in this form factor give me handcramps.

Still waiting on a OG GBA formfactor device for everything Nintendo and some better CFW the RG-ARC-S for everything Sega.

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