AYANEO Retro Mini PC AM02

Published on February 10, 2026

The AYANEO Retro Mini PC AM02 is one of the most visually distinctive mini PCs on the market, drawing direct inspiration from the classic Nintendo Entertainment System to create a machine that doubles as a conversation piece and a capable computing platform. Powered by the AMD Ryzen 7 7840HS (or the newer 8845HS in some configurations) with integrated Radeon 780M graphics, it handles everything from productivity tasks to retro emulation and light AAA gaming at 1080p. What sets it apart from the crowded mini PC field is a functional 4-inch touchscreen embedded in the top of the chassis, allowing real-time system monitoring and TDP adjustments without touching a keyboard. The front panel hides its primary I/O behind a spring-loaded door activated by a red button, completing the console illusion. Whether you want a dedicated living room emulation station or simply a desktop machine that sparks joy every time you look at it, the AM02 delivers a blend of nostalgia and modern performance that few competitors attempt.

Pros and Cons of the AYANEO Retro Mini PC AM02

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AYANEO Retro Mini PC AM02 Comparison Chart

	AYANEO Retro Mini PC AM02	AYANEO Retro Mini PC AM02	AYANEO Retro Mini PC AM02
Price	List Price: Amazon Prices: Check Price on Amazon	List Price: Amazon Prices: Loading prices...	List Price: Amazon Prices: Loading prices...
Version	32GB/1TB/AMD Ryzen 7 7840HS	32GB/2TB/AMD Ryzen 7 7840HS	32GB/1TB/AMD Ryzen 7 8845HS
Perfomance Rating	9.0	9.0	9.0
Operating System	Windows 11 Home	Windows 11 Home	Windows 11 Home
Processor	Octa-core 3.80 Ghz (max 5.10 Ghz) AMD Ryzen 7 7840HS	Octa-core 3.80 Ghz (max 5.10 Ghz) AMD Ryzen 7 7840HS	Octa-core 3.80 Ghz (max 5.10 Ghz) AMD Ryzen 7 7840HS
GPU	Integrated AMD Radeon 780M	Integrated AMD Radeon 780M	Integrated AMD Radeon 780M
RAM	32 GB DDR5 SO-DIMM, 2-channel (Dual-channel DDR5-5600MHz)	32 GB DDR5 SO-DIMM, 2-channel (Dual-channel DDR5-5600MHz)	32 GB DDR5 SO-DIMM, 2-channel (Dual-channel DDR5-5600MHz)
Internal Storage	1 TB NVMe SSD	2 TB NVMe SSD	1 TB NVMe SSD
Dimensions width x length x thickness	5.75 x 5.28 x 1.89 inches (146.05 x 134.11 x 48.01 mm)	5.75 x 5.28 x 1.89 inches (146.05 x 134.11 x 48.01 mm)	5.75 x 5.28 x 1.89 inches (146.05 x 134.11 x 48.01 mm)
Weight	1.19 lbs (0.54 kg)	1.19 lbs (0.54 kg)	1.19 lbs (0.54 kg)
WiFi	Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax)	Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax)	Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax)
Bluetooth	Bluetooth 5.2	Bluetooth 5.2	Bluetooth 5.2
Ethernet	2 Ethernet ports at 2.5 Gbps	2 Ethernet ports at 2.5 Gbps	2 Ethernet ports at 2.5 Gbps
HDMI	1 Full-Size HDMI Port	1 Full-Size HDMI Port	1 Full-Size HDMI Port
DisplayPort	1 DisplayPort (DisplayPort 1.4)	1 DisplayPort (DisplayPort 1.4)	1 DisplayPort (DisplayPort 1.4)
VGA	No VGA Ports	No VGA Ports	No VGA Ports
USB Ports	2 USB 2.0, 2 USB 3, 1 USB 4, 2 USB-C	2 USB 2.0, 2 USB 3, 1 USB 4, 2 USB-C	2 USB 2.0, 2 USB 3, 1 USB 4, 2 USB-C
Thunderbolt Ports	No	No	No
Internal SATA Ports	No SATA ports	No SATA ports	No SATA ports
Card Reader	No Card Reader	No Card Reader	No Card Reader
Headphone Jack	combo	combo	combo
Fanless	No	No	No
VESA Mount	Yes	Yes	Yes
In the Box	AYANEO AM02 Mini PC, 100W GaN PD power adapter, USB-C power cable, HDMI cable, user manual, 2 miniature screwdrivers, screws, AC power adapter with regional plugs.	AYANEO AM02 Mini PC, 100W GaN PD power adapter, USB-C power cable, HDMI cable, user manual, 2 miniature screwdrivers, screws, AC power adapter with regional plugs.	AYANEO AM02 Mini PC, 100W GaN PD power adapter, USB-C power cable, HDMI cable, user manual, 2 miniature screwdrivers, screws, AC power adapter with regional plugs.
Expandability	Dual DDR5 SO-DIMM slots supporting up to 64GB DDR5-5600MHz RAM. One M.2 2280 PCIe 4.0 x4 NVMe slot supporting drives up to 8TB. RAM and SSD are both user-upgradable.	Dual DDR5 SO-DIMM slots supporting up to 64GB DDR5-5600MHz RAM. One M.2 2280 PCIe 4.0 x4 NVMe slot supporting drives up to 8TB. RAM and SSD are both user-upgradable.	Dual DDR5 SO-DIMM slots supporting up to 64GB DDR5-5600MHz RAM. One M.2 2280 PCIe 4.0 x4 NVMe slot supporting drives up to 8TB. RAM and SSD are both user-upgradable.

Detailed Insights into the AYANEO Retro Mini PC AM02

The AYANEO AM02 measures 5.75 x 5.28 x 1.89 inches and weighs just 1.19 pounds, making it remarkably compact even by mini PC standards. The entire chassis is designed as an homage to the NES, right down to the front-loading door that pops open when you press a red button on the top panel. Behind that door you’ll find two USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A ports, a USB4 Type-C port, and a 3.5mm combo audio jack, while the rear panel provides two USB 2.0 Type-A ports, HDMI, DisplayPort 1.4, dual Ethernet jacks, and a USB-C port dedicated to power input. The cooling system relies on four copper heat pipes and a dedicated fan that keeps the 7840HS running within safe thermal limits even at a 45W TDP, though reviewers note the fan becomes audible during sustained gaming sessions.

At the heart of the AM02 sits the AMD Ryzen 7 7840HS, an 8-core, 16-thread processor with a base clock of 3.8 GHz that boosts up to 5.1 GHz. The integrated Radeon 780M GPU with RDNA 3 architecture provides enough graphical muscle for modern titles at 1080p on medium settings and excels at retro emulation up to PS3 and Switch-era systems. In real-world testing, reviewers achieved an average of 74 FPS in Horizon Zero Dawn at 45W TDP and playable frame rates in demanding titles like Elden Ring and The Witcher 3. The AM02 also comes in an upgraded variant with the Ryzen 7 8845HS, which adds dedicated AI processing via the Ryzen AI NPU while maintaining the same core count and clock speeds. Both processors score approximately 28,800 on PassMark’s CPU benchmark, placing the AM02 firmly in the upper tier of mini PC performance.

Connectivity is a strong suit for the AM02, starting with WiFi 6E (802.11ax) and Bluetooth 5.2 for wireless needs. The dual Ethernet setup pairs a 2.5GbE Intel I226-V controller with a 1GbE Realtek port, making this an appealing choice for network-attached storage or home server duties alongside its primary role. Storage expansion is handled through a single M.2 2280 PCIe 4.0 x4 NVMe slot that supports drives up to 8TB, and the dual DDR5 SO-DIMM slots accept up to 64GB of DDR5-5600MHz RAM. The USB4 port on the front supports eGPU enclosures for users who want to push beyond the integrated graphics, adding a level of future-proofing uncommon in this form factor.

Reviewer Insights on the AYANEO Retro Mini PC AM02

ETA PRIME

ETA PRIME called the AM02 “one of the coolest mini PCS to ever hit the market,” highlighting its ability to control performance directly from the built-in touchscreen display. His testing focused heavily on gaming performance at various TDP settings, finding the Radeon 780M handled titles like Horizon Zero Dawn at 74 FPS average and ran emulators for demanding platforms without issue. He was particularly impressed by the thermal design, noting the system stayed under throttling limits even at 45W sustained load.

The teardown portion of the review revealed easy internal access for RAM and storage upgrades, with ETA PRIME praising the engineering of the four-copper-pipe cooling solution. He noted that “we can actually control the performance directly from this display,” calling the touchscreen integration a genuine differentiator rather than a gimmick. His only criticism centered on early software limitations, with some subscreen features still in development at the time of his review.

Russ from Retro Game Corps

Retro Game Corps approached the AM02 primarily as an emulation machine and was thoroughly impressed with its capabilities. He praised the retro aesthetics, noting “the most obvious and obviously best thing about this thing is the Retro Vibes,” and confirmed it handles demanding emulation platforms including Wii U, PS3, and Xbox 360 at playable frame rates. His Cinebench scores confirmed impressively strong multi-threaded performance for a device of this size.

The review also highlighted the clean Windows 11 installation shipping with “no bloatware no viruses or any bull crap,” which he considered a welcome departure from many competitors. He did note the fan becomes audible during high-performance gaming loads and pointed out limited rear-panel USB connectivity as a minor inconvenience.

Wulff Den

Wulff Den gave the AM02 a rare perfect score, declaring “I’m giving it my first ever 10 Doos out of 10.” The review focused on the AM02’s versatility, testing it across gaming, emulation, video editing, and general office work. He was particularly impressed by the cartridge door mechanism and the touchscreen’s ability to cycle through performance profiles on the fly.

The review confirmed excellent emulation results including PS1 games at 4K upscaling resolution, and strong performance in modern titles like Elden Ring. Wulff Den highlighted the cooling system’s four copper pipes and 45W fan profile as key to sustained performance, though he noted the AYA Space software could use better formatting for settings access.

Tech Tesseract

Tech Tesseract tested the AM02 with a focus on its viability as a living room gaming setup, comparing the experience to connecting a console to a TV. He described the style as “off the charts,” noting it resembles “an old VHS player or Nintendo Entertainment System.” Performance testing confirmed that “most of the time you’re going to be bottlenecked at the GPU instead of the CPU,” indicating the Ryzen 7 7840HS has headroom to spare in this chassis.

He raised a practical concern about the top-mounted touchscreen, observing that it loses much of its appeal when the unit sits across the room under a TV. He also noted audible fan noise during heavy tasks, commenting “we could hear the fan of the Mini PC” even over game audio. His recommendation focused on the USB4 port’s eGPU support as a key upgrade path for users who want more graphical performance down the road.

PC Gamer

According to PC Gamer, the AM02 is a “super-compact, delightful design” that finds its calling as a living-room emulation station. The review praised the mechanical front hood and overall build quality, noting “it’s a pint-sized homage to the original Nintendo Entertainment System.” However, they observed that thermal and size constraints prevent the 7840HS from reaching its absolute peak performance, calling it “a shame you can’t access the absolute top-end of the 7840HS’ capabilities.”

Engadget

Engadget’s James Trew emphasized the AM02’s blend of retro and contemporary design, noting “the AM02 strikes a good balance between retro and contemporary design so it fits well in my adult living room.” He appreciated the USB-C power delivery making it more portable than many rivals and the dual RJ45 ports for future-proofing. His main criticism centered on the 4-inch touchscreen being “currently more of a novelty” due to software bugs and the impractical need to be near the device to use it.

Liliputing

Liliputing delivered one of the most detailed hardware reviews, confirming the quad-copper-pipe cooling system keeps the AM02 running quietly during typical use, though fan noise does increase under sustained heavy loads as other reviewers noted. The review praised the included 100W GaN fast charger with an additional USB-A port and highlighted the effective cooling design using “four copper heat pipes.” The review confirmed the AM02 “lives up to each of those claims” regarding vintage aesthetics, innovative screen, and high-performance configuration. Minor criticisms included the all-plastic case construction and the Windows 11 Home license instead of Pro.

Across all reviews, the unanimous praise focuses on the AM02’s design execution and the touchscreen as a genuinely innovative feature, even if its practical utility varies by setup. The most consistent criticism is that thermal constraints prevent the Ryzen 7 7840HS from delivering its full potential, and the fan noise during heavy loads is a recurring observation. Reviewers generally agree the AM02 is best suited for emulation, indie gaming, and users who value aesthetics alongside performance.

Conclusion

The AYANEO Retro Mini PC AM02 occupies a unique position in the mini PC market as a machine that leads with design without sacrificing meaningful performance. Its NES-inspired aesthetic, functional touchscreen, and capable Ryzen 7 hardware make it an excellent choice for retro emulation enthusiasts, living room gaming setups, and anyone who wants a desktop computer that doubles as a showpiece. The dual Ethernet ports, USB4 with eGPU support, and user-upgradable RAM and storage add practical value beyond the visual appeal.

That said, users who prioritize raw performance per dollar or need a workhorse for sustained heavy workloads should consider alternatives that extract more from the same processor through better cooling solutions. The touchscreen loses much of its value if the unit is tucked behind a TV, and the limited rear USB-C connectivity may require a hub for users with many modern peripherals. Those who want a more conventional mini PC with similar specs but lower cost should look at options from Beelink or GEEKOM.

For those comparing options, see our Mini PC Comparison Chart to find the best match for your needs.

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