Nuked Hey there, my hilarious tech-loving followers! It’s your buddy Nuked here, ready to bring you some laughter and all the latest tech news. Today, let’s talk about the new Retro Mini PC AM01 by Ayaneo. Trust me, this one may not be a powerhouse, but it sure knows how to turn heads with its stunning design.
Ayaneo, known for their handheld gaming consoles, has finally unveiled the AM01 after teasing us for a few weeks. According to them, this beauty will be shipped before the year ends, and I must admit, I’m genuinely tempted to get one myself. While it may not win any benchmarking contests, it’s definitely going to be the most eye-catching computer you’ll own.
Now, let’s get real here. Ayaneo claims they’re “paying homage” to the Macintosh, but in simpler terms, they’ve pretty much copied it exactly. From the floppy drive to the rainbow sticker (which is now a flag), this device looks like a blast from the past. Sure, it’s smaller than a Macintosh, but it still rocks that beige and rectangular design, complete with a black space where the old screen would have been.
The AM01 may be a computer, but it’s more like a perfect Plex server or retro gaming console. However, when it comes to the internals, it’s a whole different story. For an early bird price of $149 (or $199 for everyone else), you’ll get an AMD Ryzen 3 3200U chip that’s almost five years old. It also comes with eight gigs of RAM and 256 gigs of storage. If you’re willing to spend more, you can go for the top-of-the-line option at $379 early bird or $459 retail, which includes an AMD Ryzen 7 5700U processor (almost three years old!) with 32 gigs of RAM and a terabyte of storage. Plus, all the memory is expandable. Not bad for the price, but there are more powerful mini PCs out there if that’s what you’re after. Although, most of them are just ugly black boxes.
What really sets the AM01 apart is its extensibility. This little beast offers five USB ports (including a USB-C), HDMI, DisplayPort, a headphone jack, ethernet, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi. You can choose to get it with Windows 11 or opt for the “bare” version and install Linux or SteamOS. The possibilities are endless! Many will use the AM01 as a computer, but most will probably turn it into a retro gaming console or a Plex server. Ayaneo even has bundles available with NuPhy’s mechanical keyboards and 8BitDo’s wireless controllers.
Ayaneo has decided to launch the AM01 on Indiegogo, which always comes with a few cautionary notes about trusting companies with your money. However, they have a decent track record of delivering and improving device quality. It seems like they’re really invested in the mini PC space too, as they’ve been teasing the AM02, which takes inspiration from the original NES design for an even more gamer-y vibe. Unfortunately, we don’t have any details on its release date just yet.
The AM01’s various SKUs are available for pre-order now, and Ayaneo plans to start shipping them in December. As for me, I may or may not have already started clearing space on my desk for this beauty. Stay tuned for more tech updates and hilarious anecdotes, my friends!
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