Ayaneo Flip DS & KB Discontinued Mid-Production — Limited Units Available

Back in January of last year, Ayaneo kicked off a crowdfunding campaign for two of their innovative clamshell designs: the Ayaneo Flip handhelds, powered by AMD Ryzen. These were the Flip DS and Flip KB. Within just a month, we managed to get a sneak peek at the Flip DS, but sadly, the production of this intriguing device has now been unexpectedly halted.

The initial feedback on the device was pretty encouraging, especially with some beefed-up specs along the way. The internals got a boost from the ROG Ally Z1 Extreme-equivalent AMD Ryzen 7 7840U to the even more robust Ryzen 7 8840U. However, on February 25 of this year, Ayaneo made a sudden announcement that they would halt the production of Ayaneo Flip handhelds. They also informed backers that they had until March 27 to either request a full refund or swap their pledge for another Ayaneo handheld model, though they’d have to cover any price differences on their own.

This development is undoubtedly a letdown for those who had high hopes of owning one of these devices once the crowdfunding phase ended. Many reviews have already been published by various outlets after receiving Ayaneo Flip units, and a number of backers even got theirs. It’s a shame that Ayaneo couldn’t meet the expectations of all its crowdfunding backers. While Ayaneo usually does well with crowdfunding projects, this serves as a reminder for us that crowdfunding remains an investment with no guaranteed product delivery.

I really feel for those who were banking on this device. As mentioned in our earlier reviews, the Flip DS looked like an amazing option for anyone searching for a modern follow-up to the Nintendo DS and Nintendo 3DS.

The attractive dual-screen design, coupled with hardware strong enough to handle Nintendo Switch emulation and genuine AAA PC games, made the Flip DS stand out. It offered exciting capabilities like second-screen support for multitasking and real-time system tweaks, which set it apart from a market saturated with costly versions of the Steam Deck or ROG Ally—with only a few exceptions boasting impressive controllers or displays.

Alas, sometimes promising projects don’t reach their full potential. On the bright side, the existing Ayaneo Flip DS and Flip KB units, whether with YouTubers or early backers, could now become sought-after collector’s items. If you’re looking to get your hands on one, prepare to pay a premium, as they could become quite rare and valuable.