The portable console market has expanded at an unprecedented rate, and that is easy to see. In just a couple of years, Chinese manufacturers have gone from selling their products on AliExpress without any fanfare, to holding large conferences like those of Xiaomi and Apple with their new products. This is how AYA Neo has presented its new devices today, among which are some that we already knew such as the console with two screens like the Nintendo DS .
Thanks to the success of its Android- and Windows-based consoles, AYA Neo now has the luxury of expanding, creating more original devices that are part of smaller niches. We have the best example with its new Retro Mini range , made up of the manufacturer’s first personal computers.
Of course, these couldn’t be ordinary computers; Like other devices from the brand, they are clearly influenced by retro aesthetics, and are based on two of the biggest technological launches in the history of the sector: the Macintosh and the NES.
retro computers
Starting with the AYA Neo Retro Mini PC AM01, the design of this computer is clearly inspired by Apple’s first Macintosh , the system launched in 1984 that really elevated the apple brand as a real alternative in the growing computer market. personal.
It is something that is more noticeable with the device standing up, although it can also be placed lying down; The black part at the top is reminiscent of the Macintosh screen, although it is actually a piece of decorative plastic. The logo also uses the rainbow, just like Apple’s original design. Backlit we also find the famous smiling face of the first versions of macOS; In short, we hope that AYA Neo has good lawyers and has taken appropriate measures to avoid legal problems.
The design is not only beautiful, it is also very small and can be easily transported; It only requires the power cable and connecting to a screen or television via HDMI to work, although it also has four USB ports and an Ethernet port if we do not want to use Wi-Fi. Despite appearances, this is a computer with Windows 11 preinstalled, and in that sense the experience should not be very different from that of a laptop.
The comparison to a laptop makes sense when we look at the hardware. You can choose between two AMD processors, the Ryzen 7 5700U and the Ryzen 3 3200U ; The first should allow you to play some current titles, while the second will be ideal if price is the priority and we only want a computer to work and play classic titles.
The second model in the range is the AYA Neo Retro Mini Pc AM02, which is clearly inspired by Nintendo’s first console designed for the West, the NES . The colors have changed, as well as the position of the buttons. Perhaps more interesting is the screen integrated into the upper part, although it will not be used to play games, but rather to display information such as the time.
A very curious detail is in the small door that in the original console would hide the slot to insert the cartridges, and which here hides the USB and sound ports . Although the company has not given details, everything indicates that the AM02 will use the same hardware as the AM01.
The AM01 will be the first model to hit the market, with a launch scheduled for the second half of November, while the AM02 does not yet have a specific date and its production will probably depend on the success of the first model. Prices are yet to be determined.
