Ayaneo’s new Nintendo DS-inspired Steam Deck rival has some impressive specs

Following the big Nintendo Switch 2 launch last week, Ayaneo has decided to fully unveil its latest Nintendo DS-inspired handheld after hinting at its screen features last month. The Ayaneo Flip 1S DS, a follow-up to the company’s Flip DS device from 2024, sports plenty of impressive specs that could make it the spiritual successor to the Nintendo DS and a new rival for Valve’s Steam Deck.

In a post on the social media site X, Ayaneo published the almost-full specs of what its upcoming Flips 1S DS is capable of:

Compared to the specs of the Flip DS from 2024, the details above represent a huge hardware improvement, such as an AMD Ryzen Al 9 HX 370 CPU, two USB 4 ports, an M.2 2230 PCle 4.0 SSD, and the two screens, with the main OLED display being 7 inches, able to display a resolution of 1920*1080 at 144Hz. After teasing the two displays last month, we’ve been waiting with bated breath to see what the Flip 1S DS is capable of, and it doesn’t disappoint.

As we suspected, the handheld’s specs put it on par with the Ayaneo 3 with its OLED display and the same AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 CPU, but in a form factor that caters to those who want a dual-screen handheld. With that in mind, it could be a future entry for our guide to the best handheld consoles, going toe-to-toe with the likes of the Asus ROG Ally X and the Lenovo Legion Go.

There’s also the benefit of the Flip 1S DS coming with Windows 11 pre-installed, so you can play your favorite Steam Deck games on the main screen while using the second screen to watch videos, streams, and more. It makes the handheld a viable Steam Deck alternative, but Ayaneo is yet to confirm the release date and price for the Flip 1S DS. If the Ayaneo 3 is anything to go by, it could be pretty expensive, but we’re hoping to get the full details before too long.

In the meantime, take a look at our in-progress Nintendo Switch 2 review that could help you sway your decision if you’re still holding out on buying one. Or, if you’re looking for more old-school-style devices, see our list of the best retro handhelds.