Over the last few years, I’ve become fascinated by mini PCs. As a concept, they make a lot of sense: If you want to emulate, say, Dreamcast or Super Nintendo, the last thing you’re going to want to do is drop close to $1000 on a mid-range gaming PC that’s going to take up a fair amount of space.
That’s the hook of the mini PC boom. They’re almost the anti-PC in that regard. Gone is the size and cost, and what you’re left with – if done right – is a device that’s capable of impressive feats on a smaller scale.
That’s where the AYANEO Retro Mini PC AM01 comes in. Two versions of the device are available, and for the purpose of this review, I went with the AMD Ryzen 3 3200U model rather than the AMD Ryzen 7 5700U version. Why’s that? Simply because as a retro gaming guy, this device is not only cheaper, it’s also perfect for most and what many will want it for.
If you’d prefer to listen to this video or would like to see the Retro Mini PC AM01 in action, check out the video from yours truly below.
Specs.
It goes without saying, the AMD Ryzen 3 3200U isn’t cutting-edge. It’s an older chipset that isn’t suitable for modern AAA gaming. That’s not a problem, though. With prices starting from $199, this device isn’t designed to rival mid-range PCs or even something more portable like the Steam Deck.
Think of the Ryzen 3 3200U as a more budget-friendly chipset that may not be capable of running Cyberpunk 2077, but will be able to breeze through a lot of different emulators, indie games, and a decent whack of older PC games.
What’s interesting here is despite the low-spec nature of the 3200U, AYANEO knows what it’s doing. RAM comes in at 8GB or 16GB and can be upgraded all the way up to 32GB if you decide to, and the Retro Mini PC makes use of a fast M.2 2280 PCIe 3.0 SSD. TDP can also be increased up to 35 watts.
Why does that matter? That’s because AYANEO has done everything to make sure users can get every last bit of juice out of the 3200U, resulting in a system that in practice is much more powerful than most would think.
Design.
I know the word “Mini” is in the name of the device, but it’s worth talking about just how small this thing is. It’s only 132 millimeters by 132 millimeters with a height of just 60.5 millimeters. It’s small enough that it fits under a TV monitor or even on the TV stand itself if you want to. In short, unlike a gaming PC, it’s not going to take up much space.
AYANEO has also been smart with the placement of ports so you can stand it up if you prefer that to laying in down. On the front of the device, you’ll find a USB-C-in port and the 3.5-millimeter headphones jack. Flip the Retro Mini PC over and you’ll spot the main power port, a single USB-A 2.0 flanked by a whopping three USB-A 3.2 Gen2, as well as a 1000Mbps ethernet port, display port, and an HDMI out. And yes, having three 3.2 USB ports is as great as it sounds. Transfer speeds are delicious.
As I previously mentioned, the device is upgradeable for those who want to push it further, and AYANEO has made it really simple to mod. Inside of the four feet on the back are four Philips-head screws. Unscrew them and use a pick to pop the back off and you’re inside the device. It’s that simple.
Those little legs I mentioned also do a solid job of keeping the main back vent clear. That said, there are also vents on three of the sides, so the chances of completely blocking the airflow are going to be super low.
Features.
How well does Windows 11 run on a smaller device? Surprisingly well, and it’s made all the more fluid by the AYASpace software, although it’s not without its problems.
For those new to AYANEO devices, AYASpace is AYANEO’s custom interface that runs over the top of Windows 11. If you sync up an Xbox controller, AYASpace lets you control the entire system with the controller. That’s pretty cool in action as it gets rid of the need for a mouse and keyboard. That said, I wish it could be more customizable.
Let me give you an example. AYASpace uses the left stick to control the mouse, and it operates on an acceleration protocol. I.e. the longer you hold a direction the faster it moves. That means instead of getting used to one speed and using muscle memory to adjust how far you press the left stick, you’re constantly waiting for the mouse to go from slow to slightly quicker to get to where you need to be.
You also can’t use a PS5 controller with DS4Windows and manually map your own settings as AYASpace overrides the profile.
AYASpace on the whole still needs some work, but it’s also very close to being brilliant. Pressing a combo of up on the d-pad, R1, and R2 brings up the Steam Deck-like quick action menu. It’s here you can access different profile, change the TDP and framerate, and a host of other Windows settings. This is a solid idea, and one that’s only hindered by needing to press the combo a second time to close it, which may result in changing a setting as you do so.
I’m very aware there are several areas AYANEO needs to work on to let AYASpace reach its full potential. But, compared with something like Armoury Crate on the ASUS ROG Ally, what AYANEO is building is far, far superior, and offers users more of what they actually need at the click of a button.
Emulation Performance.
I am very impressed with the performance so far, which isn’t something I was expecting. The Retro Mini PC isn’t going to be playing Cyberpunk 2077 anytime soon. I tried. It took 10 minutes to get to the main menu.
I was able to play several older PC games and recent indie games like Vampire Survivors without any issues, though. And that’s the point! It’s the r\etro Mini PC; a device designed for emulation enthusiasts who want high-end power in a budget package.
Make no mistake, this thing is high-end when it comes to emulation. I do need to stress, though, the emulators themselves are likely to be the biggest issue here, simply because very few of them have been designed to work with this specific device.
How well do games run on the Retro Mini PC? Switch is currently out of the question, but it wasn’t as bad as I was expecting. New Super Mario Bros. chugged along at a sluggish 20 frames per second, which isn’t great, but the fact it can hit that framerate on the device is impressive nonetheless.
The next test was Wii U games, which again worked better than I was expecting. I was able to get Mario Kart 8 running at close to 60 frames per second by dropping the resolution to 720p and changing shadows to low in Cemu. Breath of the Wild may be pushing it, but lighter Wii U games are likely to work if you’re willing to drop the resolution somewhat. Just keep in mind, if you don’t have a pre-made shader cache, every game will occasionally lag while a shader cache is created. Once I got all the shaders for a track in Mario Kart 8, it ran without any stutters, though.
Everything PSP-wise I threw at the device worked at 720p, with some games even managing to hit 1080p at 60 frames per second. It’s the same for GameCube.
PS2 proved a little more problematic, but I’d wager that’s down to PCSX2 rather than the device. Some games run without any issues, in full HD, while others need underclocking to hit the 60 frames target.
3DS emulation is pushing it, and this is very much down to individual game compatibility with Citra, but I was able to get some games running at full speed with an increased resolution. Just be sure to turn v-sync off in the settings as having it on causes suttering.
Dreamcast, as with everything else, also runs beautifully.
Honestly, when it comes to performance, the Retro Mini PC legit punches above its weight. It’s not as powerful as the Steam Deck, but if you want something to hook up to a TV that packs in some serious power and won’t take up space, the Retro Mini PC is a solid, cheaper alternative.
Note: If you don’t want to configure each emulator on the Retro Mini PC, check out my guide to getting EmuDeck installed on Windows devices and it’ll do it all for you.
Verdict.
As someone who has used a Raspberry Pi 4 for years, I always wanted a Windows-based device that packs in more power. The Retro Mini PC is just that. Although it’s twice the cost of the Raspberry Pi 5 and all the extra you need to make it into a PC, that extra cost justifies itself tenfold: Windows 11 and AYASpace beat Linux, and the extra power lets the Retro Mini PC emulate more systems.
It’s not perfect, of course, but the minor gripes and annoyances aren’t enough to get in the way of everything this device does well. If you want high-end power that doesn’t break the bank, the AYANEO Retro Mini PC comes very easy to recommend.
How I Tested.
To test out the Retro Mini PC, I spent 40 hours testing out a range of different emulators and a host of PC games across different requirements to get a clear picture of what the device is and isn’t capable of. This also included testing games I knew wouldn’t work like Cyberpunk 2077 to see what happened and if it caused any problems.
I also left the device powered on for long periods of time to see if there were any thermal issues or if any of the parts would cease functioning.
Review unit provided by AYANEO. To learn more about our review policy click here. | Alternatively, click here to find out why you can trust me.
