Pocket computer
for play, work, and tinker.
ESP32-S3, 2.8″ IPS display, swappable controls, headphone jack, and a built-in App Store. Open source, no distractions.
A little machine
with a big imagination.
Games, music, notes, tools — it suits all of your needs. Ships with an open source C library so you can build whatever comes next!
Plays comfortably up to SNES and Sega Genesis. NES, Game Boy Color, Sega Master System, and more all run flawlessly on the ESP32-S3.
Port of Celeste from PICO-8. Speedrun one of the best platformers ever made on a device that fits in your pocket.
Download games and apps over Wi-Fi without a USB cable. Browse, click install, reboot. We're building a thriving indie community around it.
Plays MP3 and WAV from the SD card with cover art. Listen through the built-in speaker or plug in headphones for private listening.
Notes stored on the SD card. Syncs with Notion, Obsidian, or any REST API over Wi-Fi. Turns the device into a focused writerdeck.
Grid-based app launcher inspired by the Wii and 3DS. Battery percentage, time, and all your apps in one place.
Built to be hacked.
This is a device you actually own. And we encourage you to customize it however you like!
Yes, it plays games too.
Like, a lot of games. You can play classics like the NES, Game Boy Color, SNES, Sega Genesis, DOOM, Quake, and Celeste. Plus there is a vast library of indie games made by the community, specifically for Pocketbyte!
DOOM
Come on, we had to include this
Sega Genesis
Breathtaking graphics
Game Boy Color
Classic 8-bit, now in color
SNES
Your favourite retro games
Celeste (PICO-8)
A mountain worth climbing
Small machine.
Serious specs.
Every component was hand-picked for the best balance of performance, battery life, and premium feel.
C library on GitHub. Write apps in C with ESP-IDF.
Magnetic pin connector. Gamepad, keyboard, or your own design.
Browse and install community-built apps over the air.
Display
320×240px, sunlight-readable, amazing viewing angles, premium feel
Processor
Dual-core Xtensa LX7 32-bit CPU @ 240MHz
Memory
Don't worry, RAM prices won't affect Pocketbyte :)
Storage
Supports up to 32GB for games, saves, and user data
Battery
Hours of gameplay + USB-C charging
Controls
Infinite custom controllers via the modular extension port
Audio
Crisp audio for any game or song. Yes it has a headphone jack :)
Connectivity
Wi-Fi for data transfer and Bluetooth LE for multiplayer & accessories
Dimensions
About the size of a credit card
SDK
Full docs and utilities included — use the tools you like best
Snap on
a new idea.
The bottom half detaches so you can swap controls in seconds. Switch between a Gamepad, a Blackberry-style Keyboard, or a module no one has imagines yet. One connector. Lots of strange, useful possibilities.
Pull gently and the module releases. No tools needed.
Magnets guide the new module into place. Pins handle data and power.
Enjoy your new input scheme!
Build your own
games, apps, and firmware.
The firmware and C library are fully open source on GitHub. Write games, build apps, port emulators. The expansion port is fully documented so you can design your own DIY modules.
The official PocketByte C library lets you write, compile, and flash your own games and apps. Arduino-compatible. Full source on GitHub, built on ESP-IDF with FreeRTOS.
The modular connector pinout, protocol, and mechanical specs are published. Design your own input modules — keyboard, sensor board, custom controller — without needing to reverse engineer anything.
Write in C
Our official C library works with ESP-IDF and FreeRTOS. Full source is on GitHub — fork it, hack it, ship it.
Publish to the App Store
Upload your game or app over Wi-Fi. No app store fees, no approval process. Just build and share.
Join the community
Other creators share tools, templates, and game source code on Discord. Learn from what others have built.
Latest Videos
Build diaries, game ports, and deep dives into pocket-sized engineering.
I Built a Modular Pocket Computer to Escape Modern Tech
⚡Join PCBWay today and get $5 of FREE CREDIT! → https://pcbway.com/g/wRO909 Pocketbyte is a modular pocket PDA & game console I've been working on since 2024. Use it to play games, take notes, and listen to music, all without distractions.
Jul 20, 2026
I Ported Celeste to Pocketbyte (Open Source ESP32-S3 Handheld)
Pocketbyte is a modular pocket PDA & game console. Use it to play games, take notes, and listen to music, all without distractions.
Jul 4, 2026
ESP32-S3 Open Source Handheld Plays Music!
🎵 Pocketbyte, the open-source pocket computer, plays music now! DevKits now have a mono speaker + a stereo headphone jack. (Take that, Apple) The music player app featured in this video allows you to play MP3 or WAV files, view cover art, and much more. 👉 Learn more at https://pocketbyte.co 👥 Join our Discord server https://discord.com/invite/6gWzPWpY5w #digitalminimalism #musicplayer #handheldconsole.
Jun 20, 2026
Join the community
Come hang out with makers, gamers, and anyone who likes pocket-sized tech.
Discord
The heartbeat of Pocketbyte. Get help, share builds, find playtesters, and hang out with the core team.
Long-form discussions, showcase posts, and community voting on the next features to build.
YouTube
Tutorials, showcases, and product announcements. Subscribe to follow the build journey.
GitHub
Check out our code, file issues, and submit PRs. The C library, firmware, and apps are all open source.
16 y/o maker from Canada
I'm from Toronto, and I've been messing around with electronics for over six years.
Back in 2023, I wanted a hackable, portable device for playing and making games. So I had the idea to create a small game console that later evolved into a pocket PDA. I made a neat concept called the FlamingoBoy, but all it ever became was a small side project.
In December 2024, I realized I wasn't the only one who wanted an minimalistic device like this, so I created Pocketbyte! Not just for myself but for every hobbyist, tech enthusiast, and retro game enjoyer out there.
I hope you'll find the same joy from Pocketbyte as it gave me.
Learn to code on real hardware.
Pocketbyte is designed to be the best first device for learning embedded programming, game development, and electronics. No breadboards, no soldering iron required — just a USB cable and curiosity.
- Beginner-friendly SDK
Get started with our example projects and step-by-step tutorials that take you from “Hello World” to a playable game.
- Real-world skills
C programming, GPIO, I²C, SPI, display drivers — the same concepts used in professional embedded engineering.
- Visual feedback
Every line of code you write has an immediate visible result on the screen, buttons, and speaker — no abstract sandbox.
Classroom-ready
Pocketbyte is an excellent tool for teaching game development, programming concepts, and hardware fundamentals. The open source C library lets students explore every layer of the stack — from bare-metal register access to high-level game logic.
Language
Framework
RTOS
Display
Common questions.
What is Pocketbyte?
Pocketbyte is an open source pocket computer. Think of it like a modern PDA: it plays games, runs apps like notes and music, and you can write your own software for it. It's modular too, so you can swap controllers and add new hardware modules.
What can I do with Pocketbyte?
Play games (indie titles and retro emulation), take notes, listen to music, run community-built apps, or write your own using our C library. You can also design custom hardware modules that plug into the bottom port.
What's so special about the module system?
The module system allows you to completely change what Pocketbyte can do. Gaming controls? No problem. Keyboard for note taking? You can connect that too. Pocketbyte is the first handheld in the entire world to ever feature a system like this.
Do I need to know how to code to use it?
Not at all. You can use Pocketbyte out of the box. If you decide you want to make your own games, you can follow our beginner-friendly tutorials and join our active Discord community to get started.
What kind of games can it run?
Pocketbyte is designed for 2D and even some 3D games. Think arcade shooters, RPGs, platformers, rhythm games, and cozy farming sims. You can also run emulators to play thousands of retro games (DOOM, Game Boy, NES, Sega Genesis, etc.).
Is it really open source?
Our C library is open-sourced under the Apache 2.0 license and is freely available on both GitHub and the Espressif Component Registry. At this time, hardware files are not available.
I am an educator. Why should I use Pocketbyte with my students?
Pocketbyte is an excellent educational tool for teaching game development, electronics, and programming. The open-source nature allows students to learn at every level, from code to hardware.
How do I load games onto the device?
You can download games in the PocketbyteOS App Store once you connect to Wi-Fi. You can also load games onto your microSD card if that's your style.
When will the DevKits be available?
Limited edition DevKits are launching soon for early adopters and developers. Join our Discord server to get notified about availability and early access pricing. Your opinion matters! Your feedback on the DevKits will shape the next revision of the product.
How much will DevKits cost?
There is no official price at the moment, but it will likely be under $200 CAD. This is actually significantly cheaper than similar products which are usually $300 minimum.
Where can I get support?
Our Discord server and Subreddit is where you can get help and ask questions. We're active on both, but Discord is usually faster-paced whereas Reddit is more long-form. Feel free to join our Subreddit instead or shoot us an email at contact@pocketbyte.co
Opening this summer.
First batch is limited. Join the newsletter to keep up to date.