Ayaneo has taken to Indiegogo with their new Air handheld game console. the company claims that its new product is the first ultra-thin set-top box with Windows and an OLED screen. The dimensions of the device are 224 x 89.5 x 26.7 mm with a mass of 395 g. To better understand the size of the set-top box, it should be noted that the dimensions of another well-known device – Steam Deck – are 298 x 117 x 49 mm with a mass of 669 g, and Nintendo Switch OLED – 175 x 104 x 50.7 mm with a mass of 315 g.
True, Ayaneo also has a version of Air Pro, the thickness of which is increased to 29.6 mm, and the weight is 450 g.
The novelty is available in many different configurations. The base version, which can be ordered through a crowdfunding campaign for $500, is equipped with a Ryzen 5 5560U APU, 8 GB of RAM, and a 128 GB SSD. There are versions with the same APU, but with 16 GB of RAM and an SSD up to 1 TB. There is also a modification based on the Ryzen 7 5825U with 32 GB of RAM and an SSD from 512 GB to 2 TB. The top console can be purchased for $1,000.
In any case, the performance of any version will be significantly lower than that of the Steam Deck and consoles based on the Ryzen 6000U.
It is interesting that, according to preliminary estimates of experts, retail prices will differ slightly from the prices within the framework of the fundraising campaign.
The rest of the options include a 5.5-inch OLED screen with Full HD resolution, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.2, a 28 or 38 Wh battery, and a fingerprint scanner (however, it is not available in the basic version).
The Indiegogo campaign has already raised around $255,000, nearly four times the amount the manufacturer is asking for.
When were handheld consoles invented?
The prototype of the first portable consoles can be considered various desktop and portable electromechanical devices, which were simple games. One of the first battery-powered games is Cragstan’s, Periscope-Firing Range. It was released in 1951 and contained a simple mechanism: you had to press the Start button, after which a filmstrip with ships appeared on the screen. After that, you had to press Fire – and red lights lit up under the ships, accompanied by a loud sound. No points, no sunken ships, no indications of an attack – just noise and light.
A few years later, in 1976, the American company Mattel decided to combine an LED screen with an electronic game into a small device, the size of a calculator. Thus, two sports games appeared: Auto Race and Football, which became a great success for the company. Today, there is also an Auto Race game – and it looks rather primitive. The player’s task is to be at the top of the screen 4 times, bypassing other cars in three lanes. However, at that time it was a real breakthrough: a completely digital game without moving mechanisms (except for controls and power) with a display and sound effects.
In 1989, the first handheld game console with a color screen, the Atari Lynx, was released. The screen supported 4096 colors and the ability to rotate to “180” for the convenience of left-handers. Games were delivered in the classical form – in the form of cartridges. The console supported online play modes for up to 17 people, although most games only supported 8. In addition to being the first gaming system with a color screen, the Atari Lynx was also the first backlit system.
Today, practically unlimited possibilities are available to people – and in addition to game consoles, you can have an interesting time without leaving your home – for example, using sports betting online.