At the beginning of last year, Ayaneo kicked off a crowdfunding campaign for its innovative clamshell handheld devices, the Ayaneo Flip DS and Flip KB, both powered by AMD Ryzen. We were excited to share our early impressions of the Flip DS soon after the campaign launched, but unfortunately, the device’s journey has been unexpectedly cut short.
Despite the promising updates and the powerful upgrade of its internals—shifting from a ROG Ally Z1 Extreme-equivalent AMD Ryzen 7 7840U to the more advanced Ryzen 7 8840U—Ayaneo delivered a shock on February 25th. They announced they were halting production of the Ayaneo Flip range, giving backers until March 27 to request a refund or opt for a different Ayaneo handheld model, though the alternative choices might require paying any difference in price.
This cancellation is a letdown for those who anticipated the device after contributing to the crowdfunding campaign. It’s especially disheartening since reviewers have already gotten their hands on the Flip units, and some backers reportedly received theirs too. Ayaneo has a track record of successfully navigating crowdfunding efforts, so this situation underscores the reality that supporting a campaign is more akin to investing in a possibility than purchasing a guaranteed product.
Personally, I find this outcome quite unfortunate. The Flip DS, particularly, was shaping up to be an excellent follow-up for fans of the Nintendo DS and 3DS systems, which was highlighted in our earlier reports.
Its dual-screen design coupled with powerful hardware capable of emulating the Nintendo Switch and running AAA PC games—in addition to offering potential for multitasking with its second-screen capabilities—positioned the Ayaneo Flip DS as a standout device. This was in a market that largely consisted of pricier or underwhelming variations of machines like the Steam Deck or ROG Ally, aside from a few exceptions boasting outstanding controllers or displays.
Alas, not all innovations get their time to shine. On the bright side, the existing units of the Ayaneo Flip DS and Flip KB that have made it to YouTubers and a few early backers are likely to become coveted collector’s pieces. But acquiring one could mean parting with a hefty sum, given their rarity now that no more are slated to be made.
