yaneo has opened preorders for its latest quirky creation, the AM01S mini PC, and it’s already proving popular. The device has blown past its crowdfunding goal on Indiegogo—raising more than double its target within hours—thanks to a mix of retro-inspired design and surprisingly serious hardware. Prices start at $499, with shipments expected to follow after the campaign ends.
What makes the AM01S stand out immediately is its hinged 4-inch touchscreen. Unlike most compact PCs that try to stay invisible on a desk, this one leans into personality. The small panel flips from 0 to 90 degrees, letting the unit sit flat or upright, and can act as an auxiliary Windows display. It’s the kind of feature that’s equal parts novelty and practical—perfect for quick monitoring or light interaction without an external monitor.
Inside, though, this isn’t just a toy. The mini PC is powered by AMD’s Ryzen AI 9 HX 370, a 12-core, 24-thread processor paired with Radeon 890M graphics built on RDNA 3.5. Ayaneo claims the GPU offers around 20% more performance than earlier integrated solutions, enough to handle modern 1080p gaming and creative workloads. It supports fast DDR5-5600 memory and PCIe 4.0 SSDs, while a dual-fan cooling system with heat pipes—and even a dedicated SSD fan—tries to keep the 65W chip in check.
Perhaps more significant is the inclusion of a 50 TOPS NPU, signaling that the AM01S isn’t just a gamer’s toy but also a machine built with AI workloads in mind. Local LLM inference, AI-enhanced creative software, and other machine learning tasks should benefit from faster on-device processing.
Connectivity reinforces its professional tilt: dual 2.5G Ethernet ports, USB4, and magnetically attached port covers that hide unused connections for a cleaner look. The CNC-machined aluminum body adds durability, while design touches like removable covers give it a mix of functionality and minimalism.
Of course, ambitious crowdfunding projects often hit snags, and sustaining high performance in such a small chassis could be a thermal balancing act. Still, early demand suggests Ayaneo has tapped into a sweet spot—combining the charm of a retro mini PC with the muscle of a workstation-class chip.
