Handheld maker Abxylute just unveiled a new $70 Dual OS portable with Android and Linux capabilities. The only issue is that while its price point is attractive, there are already options out there offering up better specs and a much nicer display, but its OG Xbox charm is sort of winning me over regardless.
Armed with a Rockchip RK3566 quad-core processor, 2GB LPDDR4 RAM, and 32GB storage, the Abxylute E1 isn't exactly a beast. Its 3.5-inch IPS 640 x 480 screen also feels a bit underwhelming, considering many of the best retro handheld contenders today are rocking higher resolutions, like the XX version of the Anberic RG Cube and the Ayaneo Pocket Air Mini, with its "world first 4.2-inch 4:3 high resolution display."
The real selling point with the Abxylute E1 is, naturally, its dual booting capabilities. Being able to instantly hop into Android means you can access streaming apps or specific Play Store emulators, all while hanging onto all the benefits of Linux emulation. The format is giving "Honey, I Shrunk the gaming handheld" vibes, with asymmetrical thumbsticks and full-size triggers striking a balance for contempoary and classic games alongside overtly retro elements.
I'm not trying to be mean, but the Ayaneo Pocket Air Mini feels like it already has the E1 beat for under $70. Abxylute's main portable pitfall here is its choice of screen, as while 640 x 480 is well-suited to cheap retro emulation, the fact that it isn't even a touchscreen is a letdown on top of the low resolution for Android use. I'm also not thrilled about the 3,000mAh battery, as I feel like getting up to five hours of playtime isn't exactly a brag.
Despite all of that, I actually love the Abxylute E1 's getup. It's bordering on a cheap PowKiddy clone, but it manages to look almost like a homage to the OG Xbox. More accurately, it looks like what my young self would have drawn if asked to make a first-gen Microsoft portable, and I'd argue it feels more in line with the brand than the ROG Xbox Ally X. Is that simply down to the menacing goo green LED strips and purposeless ridges on the shell? Maybe, but those pretty much culminate in the right kind of 2000s aesthetic.
Handhelds like the Abxylute E1 rarely ever stay at full price, and I'm keen to see what the actual going rate will be when it hits retailers. It could theoretically make a big impact if it drops to around $50, but given the current situation with US tariffs and other overhead impacts, that's perhaps an exercise in ambitious wishful thinking.
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