If you get nostalgic for the days of the Nintendo DS, then the Ayaneo Flip might just be the console you’ve been waiting for. It features the classic clamshell design, complete with a second bottom screen on the bottom half. It’s also a powerful Windows gaming handheld ready for anything from modern games to emulated classics. Starting at $701, it’s on the expensive side but offers a uniquely portable design you won’t find anywhere else.
Specifications
Current Price: Starting at $741 (IndieGoGo)
Ayaneo Flip DS - Design and Highlights
Ayaneo has been one of the leading names in Windows handhelds for some time and no longer needs a full introduction. If you have explored this space, then there is a very good chance that you know of it already. Ayaneo has released many different models, perhaps more than any other manufacturer at this point, and has explored a number of different form factors, playing with ergonomics, nostalgia, and other elements that might make a given handheld the perfect fit for certain types of users. In that pursuit, it has also fine-tuned its product design and releases some of the nicest Windows gaming handhelds there are.
The Ayaneo Flip DS is its latest entry, this time capitalizing on the classic Nintendo DS. It features the same foldable clamshell design with a second bottom screen. It's quite a bit thicker but it needs to be to accommodate the powerful PC hardware and cooling system within — Nintendo never had to contend with that! There are also a number of changes to accommodate its new foldable design. And while it clearly is designed for a particular kind of user, it also feels the most portable of any of Ayaneo's handheld so far.
There is reason for excitement with this release beyond just the design. The Flip is the company's first to support a 120Hz refresh rate display. It's also the first to include an option for the new AMD Ryzen 8840U. The latter won't benefit you much in gaming as it's mostly just an AI update, But it is on the cutting edge of mobile processors and will offer better performance for AI integrated tasks. The 120Hz screen, however, certainly benefits the gaming experience and makes the whole system feel smoother to actually use.
The Flip comes in two versions, each with the option of the 7840U or 8840U. The former will save you $40 if you don't care about the AI enhancements. The first version is the one we were sent, the DS or Dual Screen. The second version is the Flip KB, which replaces the second screen for a physical keyboard. The second screen is neat and genuinely useful but if you plan to do much typing, the Flip KB will be the better option for this form factor.
Like past models, Ayaneo is releasing this with a wide range of potential configurations and price points. Available in white or black, both versions can be ordered with 16GB of memory and 512GB of storage, 32GB and 2TB, or 64GB and 2TB. Curiously, there is no 1TB option. They’re available for $739 and $779 for the base model, $999 and $1,039 for the middle tier, and $1,239 and $1,279 for the highest configuration if purchased during the Early Bird period on IndieGoGo (available now). After this point, standard retail pricing will be $100 more for the beginning and middle tiers and $120 dollars more for the highest spec config.
While you can have a great experience with any version, if you’re planning on playing modern, demanding games, there’s real value in increasing to 32GB of system memory. Ayaspace, the handheld’s configuration app, allows you to designate your own VRAM pool from the system’s DRAM, so more physical memory means that you can better balance RAM with VRAM and achieve higher performance in games. Our sample was this middle tier and will be more than enough for most users that aren’t planning to use memory intensive apps outside of games.
The Flip DS comes with all of the hallmarks of a modern Ayaneo handheld. It features configurable Hall Effect joysticks and triggers. Tactile face buttons and a well-designed D-pad. There’s a built-in gyroscope for motion aiming, haptic feedback, and full configuration for navigating Windows within the Ayaspace app, including custom shortcuts and additional hotkeys using the second screen for things like muting your volume or putting the system to sleep.
The unit features a 28-watt TDP, which matches the Ayaneo Slide I covered back in January. It’s a bit lower than the 33 watts of the Ayaneo 2S or the Ally’s 30W SPL, 43W SPPT, or 53W FPPT but is sufficient to run even many new games at playable frame rates, especially if they support AMD FidelityFX Super Resolution. It also supports lower wattages down the three watts with presets for PC Office (5W), Retro Game (8W), Normal Game (12W), and AAA Game (25W). You can also create your own, maxing out the wattage and enabling CPU Turbo Boost for even better performance.
The screen is great. It gets exceptionally bright and is rated for 550 nits of peak brightness. Playing in direct sunlight isn’t an issue with this, so feel free to take the window seat on your commute. It features a 1080p resolution that looks crisp and vibrant on its 7-inch screen (314 PPI). Ayaneo rates it as covering 120% of the sRGB color volume and 100% of the sRGB color gamut and offers a deep 1200:1 contrast ratio. It’s not OLED, but it still looks great for a handheld. Ayaneo continues its track record on this one.
The 120Hz refresh rate has been a long time coming and is exceptionally nice. Games are noticeably smoother — if they can reach this frame rate — and even if they can’t, the responsiveness gained by displaying so many frames is great. The higher refresh rate allows for lower latency, which is especially important in competitive games like shooters.
Still missing, however, is any support for variable refresh rate. I was hopeful that AMD FreeSync would accompany the new display technology but it appears we are still left waiting.
The second display measures about 2.5 inches and has a 960x640 resolution. It still looks crisp given its resolution and is still a touchscreen but isn’t as bright and runs at 60Hz (in my experience, this doesn’t really matter given how you’ll be holding and using it). Windows recognizes this as a second display and provides you all of the normal options for orienting it or even swapping it to be the main display, though you’d never actually do so.
By default, it’s set to display a compact version of Ayaspace, which is practically very useful. You can change your TDP or fan settings with a tap, access a bunch of Windows shortcuts and features like taking a screenshot, putting the system to sleep, or enabling FSR, even in games that don’t support it. Tapping its dedicated button turns it into a quick trackpad for the mouse on the top screen, which is useful. Even better, though, is that, since it’s a genuine second monitor, you can also use it as a second display like a normal PC. You can have a YouTube tutorial running on the screen below which you play the game at the same time. Or Discord, chat, or any number of things. If you can do it on a desktop, you can do it on the Ayaneo Flip DS.
Moving onto the physical qualities of the design, this is truly the most unique Ayaneo the company has released yet. The clamshell design necessitated some major changes in order to close flush. The joysticks and D-pad now sit in concave recesses to keep them from touching the screen when the unit is closed. The joysticks and face buttons are also shorter, which makes the former have less throw.
The layout is also a bit different. We still have the Xbox layout overall, but the volume buttons, fingerprint reader, and power button have now been moved to the bottom when they were previously on the upper edge. There is also a dedicated button for changing the function of the screen, matching Xbox buttons on the bottom left, and a dedicated button for Ayaspace as well as a custom shortcut eye on the right.
Along the top of the console are your trigger and bumper buttons. Two additional customizable bumper buttons are positioned just inside of the main bumpers and can be mapped to shortcuts or in-game commands. In the center is a microSD card slot for expandable storage, two USB4 ports, and an Oculink port. Both sets of bumpers, as well as the face buttons, use metal dome switches for crisp tactile feedback. The headset jack is on the bottom, right next to left and right slots for the stereo speakers and the built-in microphone.
Around the back is a large vent to help dissipate heat. Even though it’s thicker than a DS, it’s important to remember that this is essentially a gaming PC, shoved into a tiny chassis, and that heat can build up quickly, so proper venting is important. Other vents are placed along the top edge of the handheld behind the hinge. This works to blow heat out and away from you. It doesn’t go directly on your hands but you’ll notice it if you’re playing in your lap. The fan gets somewhat noisy at full load but nothing unlike any other Windows handheld out there currently.
Ayaneo has a great track record with its ergonomics and that carried through here. The grips are rounded and contoured to allow you to comfortably hold it securely. They’re also replaceable. By default, textured grips are installed but can easily be swapped out for smooth ones. The screen has several notched angles that it wants to snap to, from straight up, in the middle, to completely flat, so you can hold it in whatever way is most comfortable for you and still have a perfect view of the screen. The button placement is also very good, at least for my size hands. I’m right in the middle when it comes to size and consider myself fairly average, so I suspect most users will find it familiar and comfortable to use and navigate with.
Overall, I like it, though the shorter joysticks definitely have an impact on the playability of some first-person shooters. With that in mind, let’s get into my actual use impressions after having it for a while.
The final element is battery life. The Flip DS comes with a 45 watt hour battery. That’s enough for between one and two hours of play with a modern, pretty game at decent settings, though it varies game by game. Retro or simple indie games will last longer. Higher settings AAA games will last less. Unfortunately, this isn’t a handheld I’ve felt comfortable leaving the house without a charger. Thankfully, it uses a small GaN brick and standard USB Type-C cable, which doesn’t take up much space and you may already be carrying one anyway.
Ayaneo Flip DS - Use Impressions and Performance
My biggest takeaways after spending several weeks with the handheld are as follows.
- This is the most portable of any Windows handheld I’ve used, including the Vita-like GPD WIN4
- Other performance is pretty much the same as every 7840U handheld and just about identical to the Slide
- The joysticks are short. Like, short short, and shooters aren’t great with them
- It begs to play retro games. If you’re not emulating on this handheld, you’re missing out
- I didn’t think I would use the screen but now kind of love it
- Typing can be tough
Let’s break those down:
It’s the most portable handheld so far
One of the things I’ve always done with my other Windows handhelds is put them in a case. An expensive system like this needs protection. The problem is, that adds bulk. None of them are pocketable with a case, and if you’re going with something that’s not designed to fit it like a glove like the official cases, they take up a lot of space in a bag.
The Flip DS doesn’t have that issue at all. You simply fold it up and go. No need to worry about the screen. It’s the most carefree Windows handheld out there right now and, at least without a case, is one of the easiest to travel with. And because of that, I’ve also found myself more likely to get it out and use it through the day. It’s a lot easier to pop it open and play when you don’t have the mental barrier of getting it out, setting it up, etc. Maybe that’s just me. But when it’s already out and I can just press one button and go, there’s less of a mental block to making the most of it.
The performance is the same as the Slide (and most other 7840U handhelds)
At this point, the performance of the 7840U is well established and we’ve found that, by and large, handhelds that use it perform about the same (so long as thermal throttling doesn’t become an issue). It really doesn’t with the Flip, though its 28 watt TDP does result in a small dip in the most demanding games compared to the Ayaneo 2S or the Ally.
So, what does that mean? If you’re willing to adjust settings and use features like FSR, you can easily play newer games like Baldur’s Gate 3 between 30 and 60 FPS. Helldivers 2 was able to run just above 30 FPS at 1080p and between 45 and 50 at 720p. With a screen size of 7-inches, turning down to 720p makes a massive difference and games can still look quite good. I’ve been playing through Red Dead Redemption 2, certainly not new but downright gorgeous, and can play stably at 45 FPS. I even loaded up WoW and was around 40 FPS on high settings. I now need to investigate a controller mod I’ve been hearing about.
For reference, this is the graph I used with the Ayaneo Slide. The results are all within a frame or two, which is within the margin of error for difference.
This also means that the Flip can be used as a full-fledged PC with a docking station. And, in fact, I find that it provides the best experience so far. You simply set it to stay awake when the lid is closed, and it becomes a little brick, not unlike a mini PC. And with 8-cores and 16-threads of Ryzen behind it, it runs remarkably well, even if you’re doing light work in Photoshop.
I wasn’t able to test it, but from what I gather, the 8840U is pretty much identical in gaming performance, so the results should be the same across generations.
The joysticks are short and it makes a difference
I understand why the joysticks had to be shorter, I do, but it makes aiming harder. With less throw, I really have to go into the Master Controller menu and adjust sensitivity and dead zones to your preference to bring my accuracy back. Even still, I found myself using gyro aiming more than prior models for lining up shots. It works but it doesn’t feel the best because of the joystick height.
This is really only an issue for first-person shooters. Action games, platformers, and RPGs were fine in my testing. It’s the twitch-based action of intense FPS titles where it feels cumbersome.
This is a dream retro game machine
Which really makes it feel like it was designed for retro games. I’m sure the Nintendo DS aesthetic has something to do with that impression, but with the shorter joysticks, I found myself wanting to use the D-pad more, exactly as I would with a SNES or, well, a DS. While MMORPG doesn’t condone piracy, if you have backups of classic games you own, this provides a great experience. They look good, run great right up to many Nintendo Switch titles, and with the support of most emulators, can save state to quickly stop, put the system to sleep, and pick up right where you left off. Plus, with that second screen, DS and 3DS games can be emulated truer to their original intended form. I personally found it to be one of the best experiences for these games than I’ve ever had.
The second screen is pretty great
I’ll level with you. Outside of emulation, I was a little worried the second screen would be a gimmick. But in practice, the default configuration menu is genuinely useful. With that open, you hardly ever have to interrupt your game to bring up Ayaspace. It’s something I used to do pretty much every time I would play for one reason or another and this completely changes that.
I’m also impressed with how configurable it is. The second screen can act as a launcher for different games and applications of your choosing. Add to that access to all of the shortcuts and you also don’t need to worry about the hardware Windows actions as much either (the onscreen keyboard and Aya button still come in clutch, though).
I’m also a bit of a YouTube addict, so being able to throw up my Watch Later playlist in the background is pretty sweet. It’s much better than putting it on my phone and leaving an earbud in. Like I mentioned in the previous section, it’s a whole second monitor and can be used for anything you would usually use one for.
Hoving the screen to the top has an unexpected side effect, however…
Typing is now significantly more difficult
On previous models, the main screen was positioned directly between your hands. It was convenient to use the touch keyboard. I even tended to like it more than the built-in keyboard on the Slide at times. But with the Flip’s screen now being above, you have to completely let go with at least one hand to peck out letters. I’ve found that sliding the console down and holding it unnaturally high when I need to type helps, but suffice it to say, this isn’t the Ayaneo you should go for if you think you’ll need to type more than occasionally. In that case, the Flip KB or Slide are good alternatives.
Final Thoughts
After spending a while with the Ayaneo Flip DS, I have to admit that it surprised me. I didn’t expect to like it as much as I do. The ease of travel and use goes a long way to make up for its slightly lower TDP and the need to carry a charging brick. At around $700 for the base version, you’re getting a similar hardware configuration to the ROG Ally in a significantly more portable form factor. There are trade-offs, but like all Ayaneo handhelds so far, the Flip DS is targeted at a particular kind of user. In this case, it’s one who wants a compact portable that they don’t need to worry about throwing in a bag and that can make use of the second screen, and one that isn’t very interested in competitive shooters on the go.
For my part, I really enjoyed this device and would love to see more iterations on it in the future.
The product described in this article was provided by the manufacturer for evaluation purposes.
