OneXSugar gets demoed live — watch the dual-screen Android handheld transform into a Switch and a 3DS

OneXSugar
(Image credit: OneXPlayer)

OneXPlayer is no stranger to handhelds; they're one of the pioneers of the portable gaming handheld market that really took off with the release of the Steam Deck. Now, the company is back with its latest release, the OneXSugar — a crazy new device that runs Android but embodies some of Nintendo's best consoles ever. Today's update brings a much-needed first look at the device in action.

ONEXSUGAR: The World's First Transformable Dual-Screen Gaming Handheld 🎮 - YouTube ONEXSUGAR: The World's First Transformable Dual-Screen Gaming Handheld 🎮 - YouTube
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Snapdragon G3 Gen 3 powering the OneXSugar

(Image credit: Qualcomm)

Coming back to the handheld, the OneXSugar features a 6.01" main display paired with a 3.92" secondary screen that can flip out to form the aforementioned DS. You can also use the secondary display on its own if you prefer a more compact experience. This versatility of a big screen, small screen, or dual-screen config is what makes the handheld utterly unique.

We're unsure whether these are OLED screens or standard IPS. Same goes for the refresh rate and resolution of the device, but the video below does show that it at least has a removable D-pad that would allow the device to have face buttons on the left side, similar to a Switch. There are also RGB rings around the joysticks, and the large screen has relatively small bezels.

For diehard Nintendo fans, this might remind you of the Nintendo XDS concept that made the rounds back in 2015 around E3. The iconic video showed a PSP Go-style handheld reminiscent of retro Nokia phones with a flip-up screen that would sit at an angle accompanied by controls on either side. The OneXSugar sort of takes that idea and runs laps with it.

The design of the device is a mishmash of utilitarian and minimalist. From the angle pictured below, it almost looks like a mirrorless camera grip with its depth. We can see a slight curve in the bottom with a hinge mechanism visible at the top for flipping out the small screen. Overall, you could bet that this handheld won't be waterproof.

OneXSugar

(Image credit: OneXPlayer)

Due to the fact that the OneXSugar rocks an Arm-based chip and ships with Android out of the box, it's not intended for serious PC gaming. You could probably emulate them, and the community will be eager to get Windows up and running on this thing, but don't look for a more innovative alternative to a Steam Deck in this handheld. Console emulation, though? That should be a walk in the park, especially for the very handhelds this is made to shadow.

The OneXSugar has recently gone live on Indiegogo, where you can support the crowdfunding campaign to potentially get your hands on the device early. However, there are no pricing or availability details as of yet. The Indiegogo page simply has an email box that'll inform you when the handheld will actually launch. We expect the campaign to go live next month, but only time will tell.

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Hassam Nasir
Contributing Writer

Hassam Nasir is a die-hard hardware enthusiast with years of experience as a tech editor and writer, focusing on detailed CPU comparisons and general hardware news. When he’s not working, you’ll find him bending tubes for his ever-evolving custom water-loop gaming rig or benchmarking the latest CPUs and GPUs just for fun.