Nostalgia is one hell of a drug .
Ayaneo is on a journey to make us all relive the simpler , early day of tech aspart of its ‘ Remake ’ serial . Their handheld gambling systems have the most buzz , but the one I was most concerned in was the Retro Mini PC AM01 , with obvious ties to the original Macintosh . It ’s aimed at wakeful play and everyday calculation , all with a retro vibration that flair up the generic world of mini PC pattern . It ’s more than just a widget , though the master appeal is the retro joy this little personal computer bring .
Specs and pricing
256 GB / 512 GB / 2 TB PCIe Gen 3 SSD2.5 - column inch SATA SSD support
3xUSB - A 3.2 Gen2
1xUSB - A 2.0
DisplayPort 1.4
Wi - Fi 6 , Bluetooth 5.2 ( Ryzen 7 5700U )
WiFi 5 , Bluetooth 4.2
right on now , you’re able to only buy the Ayaneo Retro Mini personal computer AM01 fromIndiegogo , with limited units up for snap . Depending on your penury and preferences , there are various configurations to choose from , with two CPU options : AMD Ryzen 7 5700U and Ryzen 3 3200U.
you could get it in a barebones configuration , too , if you have your own RAM and storage . Pricing starts at $ 200 for the Ryzen 3 3200U roll up with 8 GB Aries and a 256 GB SSD . The most high - ending alternative have the Ryzen 7 5700U , 32 GB RAM , and a 1 TB SSD is sell at $ 421 .
Design
Ayaneo deserves full credit for dedicating itself to the design and incorporating intricate detail into this mini - PC . The classifiable creamy textured charge card shell , the might release designed like a switch , and the definitive air vents all contribute to the appeal . It bears enough resemblance to the original Macintosh that prepare it instantly recognisable . It ’s the smallest details of the design that sell the aesthetical , and I whole bought it .
It rightfully stands out , despite taking a tiny bit of blank space on your desk , measuring 5.1 inches in duration and width with a height of 2.38 inches . For comparison ’s sake , the Retro Mini personal computer AM01 has a smaller footprint than the Mac mini but is a bit taller and stumpy . The point is that it should easily fit under your monitor or even around your TV if you think to use it as a multimedia PC .
Not that you ’d want to hide it , of form . Showing off that you ’re running an intact microcomputer experience out of this endearing little chassis is half the fun .
Ports and internals
There ’s proper ventilation on the side and the bottom , along with a nice pick of ports . At the back are three full - size USB Type - A ports with 3.2 Gen 2 speed , a single USB 2.0 porthole , HDMI 2.0 , Display Port 1.4 , an Ethernet manual laborer , and a barrel charging embrasure . At the front , there ’s also a USB Type - C 3.2 Gen 1 port wine and a 3.5 mm audio combo squat .
I was also impressed with Ayaneo ’s approach towards publicity . Apart from the common set of software documentation , the mini PC comes with a levelheaded bunch of add - ons and accessories that make the integral experience worth the asking cost .
Not only do you get stickers and magnets , but the mini PC come with an HDMI 2.0 cable , swappable regional plugs for the wall charger , a spare set of turnkey , and even two tiny screwdrivers with plastic spudgers .
There ’s flexibility in terms of service and upgradability , too . The bottom screening can be taken off by removing four screws in each street corner that also hold the prophylactic feet in berth . It ’s a fairly simple outgrowth , and the bundled screwdriver and spudgers total in ready to hand . The cooling resolution cover most of the mainboard ; hence , the RAM and memory are on the other side .
To get memory access , you need to remove three small nooky that hold the mainboard into place , keep abreast by a few soft cables . It is also crucial to read the manual of arms before you start pry around .
There are two memory slots ( SODIMM - type ) that support DDR4 RAM , which is notably trade pretty stingily at the moment . In terms of storage , there ’s a PCIe M.2 2280 slot and the pick of installing a 2.5 - column inch SSD with all the necessary cable television and mounting plate included in the package . Like most laptops , the Wi - Fi module can also be supplant or upgraded on the AM01 .
Now , that ’s something you ca n’t do on a Mac mini , that ’s for certain .
The reexamination unit sent to me included a single peg of 8 GB DDR4 3200MHz retention and a 512 GB PCIe Gen 3 SSD made by Phison . Now Gen 3 SSD speed are n’t terrible , but the included drive could ’ve been better . It offered consecutive read and indite speeds of up to 2,400MBps and 1,250MBps in CrystalDiskMark , go forth some headroom for a faster crusade .
Performance
The troupe intelligibly says that this political machine is not intend for modern games , rather the hardware is suitable for office study , passing multimedia system and cyberspace browsing as well as retro console game emulation . The unit I got include the more knock-down Ryzen 7 5700U , which features an 8 - core CPU that can turbo up to 4.3GHz and integrated Radeon artwork with 8 - cores and 1900MHz clock speed .
Sure , it is n’t the firm compare to today ’s standards , but the chip is fairly reliable . Ayaneo has tweak the power rating so it can press up to 35W , which , in my opinion , should be plenty for what this machine is intended for .
To get a sense of the operation the AM01 offers , I update the drivers along with all the late Windows 11 updates before running some basic benchmark tests . Within a few hr , I realized that 8 GB of RAM was just not cutting it . The scheme was visibly slow down down when opening more than two or three practical program and running them side by side . The just thing is that I could demote the remembering up to 16 GB by adding another 8 GB stick for only $ 20 .
Ayaneo AM01 ( Ryzen 7 5700U + 16 GB RAM )
Ayaneo AM01 ( Ryzen 7 5700U + 8 GB RAM )
HP Envy x360 15 ( Ryzen 7 5700U )
9,818
7,384
8,880
1,230
1,228
1,260
6,943
4,384
7,128
1,590
1,527
1,195
3,601
2,085
1,447
4,724
3,852
2 Fukkianese , 5 sec
1 min , 58 sec
65.39 GIPS
52.61 GIPS
By double the RAM , I saw a obtrusive boost in performance , which was also evident in the various benchmark tests I carried out . I also compare the results of the AM01 with an elderly model of the HP Envy x360 15 powered by the same Ryzen 7 5700U processor . Comparing the answer , it was pretty evident that you may expect the performance of AM01 to be as good as a two - twelvemonth - honest-to-god thin and light laptop . Simply put , the AM01 is an effective everyday microcomputer that you could use for everyday work , let in web browsing , catching up on email , and even a bit of light photo and video editing .
The hardware is no match for modern gambling titles , but I was curious about its capabilities and rifle ahead with some popular single . Starting withRise of the Tomb Raiderat the lowest graphics preferences , the mini - personal computer tried its best to deliver a consistent 30 fps . Next , I fire upCyberpunk 2077 , which I know is a bit of a stretch , but to my surprisal , the game deal to debase even though I could barely get nigh to 10 fps .
At 1080p resolution with low graphics configurations , I got jolly tight to 60 fps in competitive shooter titles likeApex LegendsandCounter - Strike 2 , which is just about acceptable . EvenGTA Vmanaged to run around 50 - 60 FPS at humbled preferences . If you intend to play indie games or popular rubric from a few geezerhood ago , the AM01 should be able-bodied to hold on its own .
Retro gaming
Here is where the mini - PC truly excels , and as a incentive , I beget myself a crash course on how to live over my childhood . While I was already aware of the simplicity of love Graeco-Roman console game on a innovative PC , testing the AM01 lead me down a captivating rabbit hole .
After a middling chip of research , I installed LaunchBox , an exceptional piece of software catering to all gaming indigence . It efficiently organizes and categorizes installed plot and fetches game metadata , boxwood book binding , lover fine art , screenshots , Word , and more from its extensive database . The standout feature is that LaunchBox seamlessly integrates RetroArch within the software package . For the uninitiated , RetroArch is a powerful frontend for various emulators , reserve you to run classic games on a microcomputer with simpleness .
After muck around with different configurations and grabbing the right biz ROMs , I cocker in games like the originalGod of Warthat debut on the PlayStation 2 , the complete Dragon Ball Z Tenkaichi series , and a hoi polloi of Super Mario and Pokemon titles . LaunchBox and RetroArch inherently support various controllers , including the Xbox Series X / S accountant , which was my option of controller .
Another interesting use case of this mini PC is cloud cyclosis . Microsoft ’s Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and Nvidia ’s GeForce Now enable game cyclosis from distant waiter or else of swear on local processing superpower . If you already have a gambling PC or a SteamDeck , you’re able to use Steam to enable remote play and savor the late gaming titles on a magnanimous screen .
AyaSpace
The AM01 comes with Windows 11 preloaded if you go for the fashion model with include storage and memory . I was pleased to see the fellowship did not add any bloatware and went with a clean installation . The only two things you will see are the usage retro wallpaper and the company ’s system tune up software forebode AyaSpace , which has been borrowed from their handhelds .
AyaSpace offers a range of arrangement ascendancy , like letting you flip between various functioning profile presets , limit your fps ( skeleton per second ) in games , air sports fan speeds , set up your controller , and much more . The app ’s home page acts as a launcher that gathers all of your games into a individual situation . to boot , there ’s a pocket-size floating gismo that you may enable if you wish to constantly keep an eye on your CPU and GPU temperatures . This doodad is also handy to draw out a compact version of AyaSpace to get at important system of rules configurations .
While I find out the utility very useful and crucial for using this mini - personal computer , it still ask some polishing . There have been instances when it freezes randomly or does n’t apply a certain performance profile . Having said that , I encountered a few app updates recently , which fundamentally testify the company ’s commitment to iron out out matter .
Our take
The Ayaneo Retro Mini PC AM01 is an excellent mini PC that excels as a desktop replacement . evidently , the look of the equipment is the main draw play , but it has the operation to back it up , too . There are sempiternal possibilities for ways to practice this in your home .
you may use it as a dedicated work political machine , a retro gambling console , a cloud stream twist , an HTPC ( Home theater PC ) , or even a NAS ( internet Attached Storage ) . The compact sizing also bring the opening of direct it almost anywhere in your home , office , or even a backpack while traveling . On top of that , it offers a distinguished retro design , is passably priced , starting at just $ 200 , and even has scope for memory and memory board expansion .
Of course , you have to know what you ’re getting . This is n’t amini PC for high - end gaming operation . For that , look into the Intel NUC 12 Enthusiast Mini personal computer ( or the forthcoming Asus model ) , or just invest in any of the modern handheld consoles . But for what the Ayaneo Retro Mini personal computer AM01 claims to be , it ’s a winner .
