AYANEO is unveiling its latest product line, the Flip series, which embraces a clamshell design for handheld gaming systems. Embracing this design allows for a more compact size by eliminating the need for the controller grip to accommodate a central screen. Despite the common trade-offs of increased thickness and reduced portability, AYANEO appears to have addressed these concerns with their innovative Flip series.
Introducing the Flip DS and KB series, showcasing unique devices with options for either a dual-screen (DS) or a full physical keyboard (KB). These gaming handhelds are equipped with an AMD Ryzen APU based on Zen4/RDNA3 architectures, coming in Phoenix Point (7840U) or Hawk Point (8840U) variants. Both models operate at 28 watts, boasting 8 Zen4 cores and 12 RDNA3 Compute Units. To maintain optimal temperature, a custom vapor chamber cooling design with a single fan is employed for efficient processor cooling.
As per AYANEO, the system is set to include LPDDR5X-6400 memory. It will be offered in memory configurations of 16GB and 32GB, and storage options include 512GB or 2TB, with no mention of a 1TB version.
The main display boasts a 7-inch size and a 120 Hz refresh rate, incorporating an IPS-based panel with a resolution of 1920×1080. To address concerns about screen closure during gaming, AYANEO has implemented an automatic screen locking system that securely positions the screen at 120, 150, and 180-degree angles. In the DS version, a secondary 3.5-inch screen with a resolution of 960×960 (3:2 aspect ratio) complements the setup, also utilizing an IPS panel. The Flip series features hall sensing joysticks with hall triggers, an optical finger mouse, and a full keyboard.
For gamers looking to enjoy demanding titles while on the move, the Flip series accommodates both USB4 and OCuLink. AYANEO seems to be incorporating OCuLink into all their new systems, indicating a promising future for this standard. Notably, the company has not yet unveiled their own external GPU option.
The crucial detail, pricing, has been unveiled. The initial cost for these systems is $699, reflecting the early bird pricing for the keyboard version. This configuration comprises 512GB of storage and 16GB of onboard memory. Users can choose to upgrade to 32GB of memory and 2TB of storage for an additional $260.
Notably, the keyboard version appears to be around $40 less expensive than the dual-screen variant. The shift from Ryzen 7 7840U to Ryzen 7 8840U APUs introduces an additional tier of pricing segmentation, with the newer AMD APU commanding a $40 higher price. The upgraded APU primarily features a faster NPU (AI accelerator), which is expected to have no impact on gaming.
As per the press release, AYANEO KB and DS models featuring Ryzen 7 7840U are scheduled to begin shipping in March 2024, whereas devices with the 8840U will be available by the end of April 2024.
Via Indiegogo