NES-a-like mini PC brings modern chips to the classic Nintendo case design — Ryzen AI 9 CPU, Radeon 890M iGPU should make it a decent all-round system

A Chinese device maker is teasing a new mini PC inside a chassis that bears more than a passing resemblance to the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). Acemagic’s blog and social media share images and a handful of specs for this AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 machine, which it has dubbed the Retro X5. The maker characterizes this mini PC as “an all-in-one solution created to simplify classic gaming,” which makes us wonder if it will come with Batocera Linux, SteamOS, or another non-Windows OS/UI.

We don’t know a lot about the hardware inside the Acemagic Retro X5 as yet. The Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 inside is a capable processor, though. It features a 4x Zen 5 performance cores and 8x Zen 5c efficiency cores for a total of 12 cores and 24 threads, running at up to 5.1GHz. Onboard is a decent iGPU in the shape of the Radeon 890M (RDNA 3+). This packs in 16 CUs and runs at up to 2.9 GHz. There’s an XDNA 2 NPU with 50 TOPS, too.

If we are thinking about PC gaming with this processor, it should easily overshadow the Steam Deck. However, you will be targeting higher resolutions on a desktop. Also, as a mini PC, the HX 370 should run without the thermal constraints typically experienced in handheld or laptop designs. Thus, the Retro X5 might push this processor to the upper part of the processor’s configurable 15-54W TDP range.

From the few images of the new mini PC we can see a USB-C, 2x Type-A, a 3.5mm audio jack, and a power button up front. We also know that the “Retro X5 supports expandable memory and storage, multiple display outputs, and high-speed connectivity,” as it says so on the blog. Hopefully, that means at least: twin SODIMM slots, twin M.2 SSD slots, HDMI, USB-C monitor connectivity, USB4 or USB5, OCuLink, and Ethernet, multiple extra ports along the back, and built-in Wi-Fi / BT.

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RetroPlay Box

It looks like Acemagic will try and differentiate its latest mini PC with some kind of launcher, dubbed RetroPlay Box, which you can see represented by swirling tiles in the Tweet embedded above. It could be an app that is pre-installed on Windows 11 – the least adventurous option.

There’s also the chance that Acemagic might go with a Linux-based OS to host its RetroPlay Box. It may save money on a Windows license by choosing SteamOS or Batocera Linux, for example. We shall have to wait and see.

Surfing the retro-wave

Acemagic is riding on the coattails of Ayaneo (and Nintendo) with its “inspired by iconic gaming consoles” design here. But, perhaps its timing, surfing the wave of retro-enthusiasm precipitated by Windows 11 disillusion, the rise of SteamOS, and yet another PC AAA gaming hardware cost crunch, will help it achieve better success.

The Acemagic Retro X5 is “coming soon,” according to the firm’s social media postings.

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