Ayaneo is officially selling its retro mini PC, the AM01, outside of its crowdfunding campaign via its website. The AM01 mini PC is reminiscent of the Macintosh Classic and is available in multiple configurations. The AM01 is much smaller than the Macintosh Classic, but it's packed with features and can be purchased with a memory configuration of between 8 and 32GB and primary SSD storage options of up to 1TB.
Ayaneo updated its AM01 mini PC a few weeks ago with the Ryzen 7 5800U variant. The AMD Ryzen 7 5800U is an older CPU — launched in 2021 — and is based on the Zen 3 architecture featuring on-chip Radeon Vega 8 graphics. Only time will tell if the company will provide a newer version of this retro-looking mini PC with updated CPUs.
The AM01 mini PC offers a 2280 M.2 port using PCIe 3.0 bandwidth and an SATA port for secondary storage, dual DDR4 SO-DIMM ports, and CPU options of Ryzen 3 3200U, Ryzen 7 5700U, or Ryzen 7 5800U (listed in specs but not currently sold on the site). It's cooled by a 35-watt fan with an aluminum heatsink with four copper heat pipes. Its dimensions are 5.2 x 5.2 x 2.38 inches (132 x 132 x 60.5mm), and it has plenty of I/O options.
| CPU | AMD Ryzen 7 5800U/ 5700U | AMD Ryzen 3 3200U |
| Memory | 8 / 16 / 32GB DDR4 | 8 / 16GB DDR4 |
| SSD | Bare System has no memory of hard drive | |
| 256GB / 512GB / 1TB (AMD Ryzen 7 5800U version without 8GB+256GB configuration | 256 / 512 GB | |
| 1x M.2 2280 PCIe 3.0 slot / Support NVMe and SATA SSD | ||
| 1x SATA III Interface / Support 2.5” SSD and HDD (bracket required) | ||
| Connect | Wi-Fi 6 / BT 5.2 | m.2 2280 | Wi-Fi 5 / BT 4.2 | m.2 2280 |
| 1000Mbps on onboard NIC with remote wake-up support | ||
| Interface Type | 1x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type C (Data Only) | |
| 3x USB-A 3.2 Gen2 | ||
| 1x USB-A 2.0 | ||
| 1x HDMI 2.0 | ||
| 1x DP 1.4 | ||
| 1x 3.5mm Headphone Jack | ||
| 1x RJ45 Gigabit Ethernet Port | ||
| 1x DC Power Connector | ||
| Heat Dissipation | 35-Watt large size high pressure turbo fan | |
| Four copper tube heat dissipation module total aluminum fin area 60008.0 mm²” | ||
| Power Rating | 12v 6A / 7A (Depending on specific model) | |
| Size | 132 x 132 x 60.5mm (including feet, 64.5mm) | |
| Weight | Standard edition: 486g / Barebone edition: 466g | |
| OS | Windows 11 64-bit Home Edition/ Barebone |
The pricing is fairly attractive, with the highest-spec options retailing at $449 including shipping, though customs charges may vary depending on country. Also, you may not receive full warranty support, depending on country. There are, of course, other mini PCs to consider — the main selling point of the AM01 is its Macintosh-themed design. If you're just looking for a mini PC, Asus' NUCs are a local option.
That said, if Ayaneo's successful Indiegogo campaign proved anything, it's that users are willing to pay for a fun retro design despite potential trade-offs — nostalgia is always a great way to get people to buy something.
