Ayaneo Flip DS & KB Canceled Mid-Production — Limited Units Available, No Further Releases Planned

At the start of last year, Ayaneo launched a crowdfunding campaign for its unique clamshell handhelds, the Ayaneo Flip DS and Flip KB, powered by AMD Ryzen. We shared initial impressions of the Flip DS within a month. However, it’s now clear that the device’s production has unexpectedly been halted.

Despite promising initial feedback and ongoing enhancements, such as upgrading the internals from the ROG Ally Z1 Extreme-equivalent AMD Ryzen 7 7840U to the Ryzen 7 8840U, Ayaneo announced on February 25 this year that no more units of the Ayaneo Flip would be produced. They informed current backers to request a full refund by March 27 or proceed with a product trade for another Ayaneo device, though trading would require addressing any price differences.

This sudden cancellation is a letdown for supporters who eagerly awaited their devices post-crowdfunding. Numerous reviews had already surfaced online, and some backers did receive their handhelds. It’s disappointing that Ayaneo couldn’t meet the total demand, especially given their usual success with crowdfunding. This situation reinforces the point that backing a crowdfunding project is more of an investment than a guaranteed purchase.

As someone who has followed this journey, it’s hard not to feel disheartened. The Flip DS, as I mentioned before, seemed like an ideal modern-day successor to the beloved Nintendo DS and 3DS.

Featuring a dual-screen design and potent internals capable of emulating the Nintendo Switch while smoothly running AAA PC titles, the Ayaneo Flip DS truly stood out in the handheld market. It promised functionalities like second-screen multitasking or real-time system adjustments. At that juncture, the market was saturated mainly with devices that were either too similar to the Steam Deck or ROG Ally but at a higher cost or with fewer features, except for a few notable exceptions with standout controllers or displays.

Regrettably, not every promising venture reaches fruition. On the brighter side, the few existing Ayaneo Flip DS and Flip KB models already in possession of early backers or YouTubers now become attractive as rare collectibles. However, acquiring one would likely demand a hefty price, given their newfound rarity.