Acer's new DualPlay Mini is a handheld gaming PC that flips open into a mini laptop

This prototype handheld PC aims to combine gaming and productivity

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Forward-looking: In January, Gigabyte said it would only enter the handheld gaming PC market if it could stand out from competitors such as Valve, Lenovo, Asus, GPD, and Acer. While most handheld gaming PCs evoke the design of the device that popularized the hardware category, Valve's Steam Deck, some have tried unique gimmicks like Nintendo Switch 2-style Joy-Cons. Acer's latest concept attempts to combine gaming and productivity with a miniature 2-in-1.

While unveiling its latest standard handheld gaming PC at IFA last week, Acer also offered an early look at its DualPlay Mini concept, which aims to offer a gaming handheld and a mini laptop in one product. If the device ever receives a proper launch, Acer might have one of the smallest widely available 2-in-1s on its hands.

The DualPlay Mini switches between a standard handheld configuration, with sticks and face buttons on the outer shell, and a laptop by opening up and flipping the screen 180 degrees to expose a keyboard. Although Acer did not reveal its hardware specs, IGN reports that it runs Forza Horizon 6 smoothly and supports rumble. The keyboard is also large enough for users to play first-person shooters with a mouse and the WASD keys.

Acer's design essentially combines the look of GPD's Win Max handheld gaming laptops with the same company's 8-inch 2-in-1. The recently unveiled Win Max 3 brings AMD's Ryzen AI Max SoC to GPD's lineup of 9-inch laptops, tripling GPU performance compared to the 2025 model.

The Win Max has always blurred the line between handheld gaming PCs and laptops, featuring a clamshell design, a keyboard, joysticks, and buttons. However, the latest model upgrades from a 60Hz LCD screen to a 165Hz AMOLED while shifting the TDP window from 15-35W to 45-110W.

Magnetic covers conceal the sticks and buttons for a more professional appearance, while a robust processor and up to 128GB of unified RAM make the GPD Win Max 3 a capable local AI workstation. The only thing missing compared to Acer's prototype is a 2-in-1 configuration like the GPD Pocket 4's 360-degree screen swivel.

Meanwhile, Acer's new Predator Atlas 7 offers a more standard handheld gaming PC form factor, with an Intel Arc G3 SoC, 25GB of memory, a 7-inch, 120Hz 1080p screen, and Thunderbolt 4 support. Availability is set to begin in the fourth quarter of 2026.

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