Discover Mangmi Pocket Max, an Android handheld with modular, swappable buttons and a magnetic system. Customize D-pad and ABXY layouts; release date TBA.
© Mangmi
Mangmi continues to lift the curtain on its upcoming handheld, Pocket Max, and this time the spotlight is on an unusual control scheme. The company has confirmed that the console will feature modular buttons that can be swapped around—a move that, according to Mangmi, debuts on Android handhelds.
Pocket Max will use a magnetic mounting system for its controls. Users will be able to remove and replace the D-pad and the ABXY cluster, installing alternative modules with different layouts or even trading the cross-shaped pad for a touch panel. In the materials published by the company, Mangmi demonstrates the swap itself, emphasizing that it takes only seconds and requires no tools.
The company hasn’t yet specified which modules will be available at launch or whether third-party makers will be able to offer their own variants. Even so, the very idea of control customization looks especially appealing to players who jump between genres—from retro classics to modern action. The ability to tailor the hardware to the game often matters more than another spec bump, and this approach feels like a smart bet.
Modular controllers aren’t entirely new to the handheld scene. For instance, the Windows-based Ayaneo 3 also offers swappable control elements, including analog sticks. Mangmi, however, stresses that Pocket Max will be the first Android console to adopt such a system.
The company also confirmed that Pocket Max will be sold directly through the official website rather than via crowdfunding platforms. The release date remains unannounced, though Mangmi has already revealed the device’s processor, display characteristics, and color options. Clear timelines and a full list of modules would help set expectations, but for now the core idea speaks for itself.