TL;DR The AYANEO Flip 1S is a clamshell handheld with dual-screen and keyboard variants.
It runs Windows, with a Ryzen 7 8840U or Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 chipset.
Pre-orders start today at $779, with shipping expected in August.
AYANEO has really made a name for itself in the boutique gaming handheld space, and its latest release is another fascinating device. It’s part Nintendo DS, part gaming laptop, and it’s officially available for pre-order starting today.
The AYANEO Flip 1S is a clamshell handheld that comes in two different designs: one with two screens, and one with a built-in keyboard. Both have full controls for handheld gaming, and both run Windows with AYANEO’s special software to enhance the experience.
The main screen on both devices is a sizeable 7-inch 144Hz OLED panel. The smaller screen on the dual-screen model is a 3:2 4.5-inch LCD panel, which is likely the same one found on the AYANEO Pocket ACE from earlier this year. The keyboard model swaps the second screen for a small RGB keyboard.
This Nintendo DS-style handheld has more power than an ROG Ally.
Both devices have a full suite of controls, including medium-sized TMR joysticks. This newer technology brings all of the advantages of Hall effect sticks, with even better accuracy and resolution. They even have a small optical finger mouse, although it doesn’t look as comfortable to use as the Steam Deck’s trackpads.
There are also two options for chipsets, with cheaper models sporting the Ryzen 7 8840U and more expensive models rocking the Ryzen AI 9 HX 370. The former is available with 16 or 32GB of LPDDR5X RAM, and the latter comes with 32 or 64GB of RAM. Both are available with either 1 or 2TB of storage, expandable via a microSD card slot.
Those chipsets use significantly more power than other popular gaming handhelds like the ROG Ally or Steam Deck, and the 45Wh battery is unlikely to give more than a few hours of gameplay at the highest settings. It does have 65W PD charging, but this might be more suited to couch gaming than a truly portable machine to throw in your go bag.
That said, the two-screen design is great for not just PC games, but also Nintendo DS, 3DS, and Wii U emulation. Wii U emulation in particular is far better on Windows than Android, which will make this a much better experience than a Retroid Pocket 5 with the new extra screen add-on.
The AYANEO Flip 1S DS and KB are available now for pre-order, with prices starting at $779 during the crowdfunding campaign. The top-specced model will run you $1559, but it unlocks the option to choose the gray Retro Power and Starry Yellow colorways. Shipping is expected to start in August.
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