Ayaneo schedules Pocket DS global launch event with pricing reveal but spells bad news for fans of Windows clamshell gaming handhelds
Ayaneo has shed new light on the state of clamshell gaming handhelds after a wave of recent announcements. To recap, the company started off the summer by releasing the Flip 1S in dual display and built-in keyboard form. Sold as the Flip 1S DS and Flip 1S KB, the pair can be configured with the AMD Ryzen 7 8840U or Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 just like the Ayaneo 3 before them (curr. $1,193 on Amazon).
Shortly afterwards, Ayaneo then unveiled the Pocket DS across two separate announcements. While the Pocket DS resembles the Flip 1S DS, the two sit within different product segments. On the one hand, the Flip 1S DS is the latest in a long line of Windows-based gaming handhelds. In an email shared with subscribers, Ayaneo has now confirmed that both Flip 1S models could be hard to come by after their Indiegogo campaign ends toward the end of September. The full quote from Ayaneo is as follows:
After [the] Flip 1S, we will not launch another clamshell Windows handheld for at least one year. Once all Indiegogo pre-orders are shipped, Flip 1S stock will be very limited, and not all SKUs will be available due to the high cost of its CPU.
If you've been waiting for this form factor – especially the rare dual-screen version – now is the time to secure yours at the early bird price on Indiegogo.
Miss it now, and your next opportunity could be a year away.
On the other hand, the Pocket DS sits within Ayaneo's more nascent Android gaming handheld division. After unveiling the device at the end of July, it has now indicated that the Pocket DS will be launching before September rolls around. As the teaser below shows, Ayaneo plans to host a Pocket DS launch event on August 18 from 12:00 onwards, during which it will also confirm the handheld's price and apparent highlights. Seemingly, the company hopes to fund the Pocket DS through Indiegogo just like the Flip 1S DS before it.
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