Review of Aokzoe A1: It's OK

I like playing games on the go in all its forms, but my true passion is PC gaming, and it always will be. This is the reason why I, along with many other gamers, find handheld, portable PCs like the Aokzoe A1 so alluring. How much of it, however, is merely hype? Is it possible for a little gadget to fulfill such a large promise? In our comprehensive Aokzoe A1 review, we will go deeply into the specs, performance, display, battery life, and more.

After reading our Aokzoe A1 review, if you decide this isn't the handheld for you, our list of the best portable gaming consoles has a ton of other powerful handhelds you can check out. Our Steam Deck review, ASUS Rog Ally review, and Ayaneo 2 review are also worth reading. To learn more about our tech-related procedures, you can also have a look at our how we test breakdown.

As we get into our Aokzoe A1 review, get your thumbs ready.

Advantages:

• Powerful graphics card
• Ability to play your entire PC games library on the go

Cons:

• Not ergonomic in design
• Mediocre screen
• Gets very hot
• Expensive

Availability and cost

Although the Aokzoe A1 is a little but powerful device, its cost is equally impactful. The MSRPs for each of the various models are as follows:

• 16GB+512GB – $1,079
• 16GB+1TB – $1,219
• 16GB+2TB – £1,399
• 32GB+1TB – $1,529
• 32GB+2TB – $1,529

The various Aokzoe A1 models have been on sale for 20–25% off since Aokzoe announced the new Pro portable. This has reduced the price of the top version to $1,259 and the lower version to $859. This puts it in a much more reasonable price range, and sometimes you may get a reconditioned machine for even less money.

Its primary rival, the Asus ROG Ally, is more expensive, beginning at $599, and the less capable but less finicky Steam Deck is even less expensive, so it faces some fierce competition in terms of cost.

The Aokzoe A1 is available for purchase on Amazon and the company's own website. Aokzoe ships anywhere in the globe in 7–10 business days for expedited delivery (FEDEX, DHL, USPS, etc.) or 15–25 business days for normal shipping (airmail, priority mail, etc.).

Although opinions appear to be divided on this, in our experience, the goods ships from a warehouse in China, so you may have to pay customs when you arrive. If anything goes wrong with your console, there are conflicting reports about customer service. While some users claim to have had prompt replacements or repairs sent to their systems, others claim to have had little assistance and contact.

Specifications

• CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 6800U, Zen 3+ framework / 8 cores, 16 threads / 4.7 Ghz single core max frequency
• Graphics: AMD Radeon 680M / RDNA 2 graphics framework 12 graphics cores / 2200 MHz graphics frequency
  RAM: 16GB / 32GB
• Storage: 512GB / 1TB / 2TB, plus room for SD card
• Screen: 8-inch fullfit IPS screen / resolution 1920 x 1200 / pixel density 283PPI / brightness 350Nit / supports ten-point touch
• Battery: 65Wh, 17100mAh (3.85V) / 100W GaN PD charger
• Ports: two USB-C 4.0 / one USB-A 3.0 / 3.5mm audio jack / TF card slot

Design

The Aokzoe A1 is a stylish and sophisticated gadget. It fits in well with the typical gamer aesthetic thanks to its programmable RGB light strips on the front, deep blue shell with light gray geometric patterns, bright yellow joysticks, and yellow and navy buttons. However, those who prefer the more subdued design of handhelds like the Steam Deck may find this to be off-putting. Additionally, there is some cutesy, corny writing that reads "hardcore gamers" and "Aoka1" next to the screen. Some people may not find this attractive either, but I think it's very charming.

With its dimensions of 11" long by 5" broad by about 1.5" deep (including the grips), it is roughly the same size as the Steam Deck in terms of length and depth but somewhat narrower in terms of breadth. However, it does weigh a good deal more than the Steam Deck.

My handy little kitchen scales tell me that the Aokzoe A1 weighs 25.9 oz (735 g) and the Steam Deck weighs 23.7 oz (674 g). Even though the 2.2 oz / 61 g difference may not seem like much, weightofstuff.com estimates that it is about equivalent to the weight of 60 US dollars, a C-size battery, or a small kiwi fruit. It does, however, make a difference when held in the palm of your hand for extended periods of time.

You may rest the bottom of the console when playing since the output fans are on top of the console and the intake fan is on the rear. This arrangement provides rather pleasant ventilation. Additionally, it has two USB outputs so you may attach whatever accessories you choose, such an internet dongle if you'd like or a wired headphone or controller.

The USB-C port on the top and bottom, which provides additional versatility and allows you to charge while playing, is something else I really like. A little metal kickstand is also included at the rear. The stand is a useful feature, particularly if you don't have a dock or case to store the console in, even if it seems a little fragile at first. The console is rather hefty.

Speaking of docks, the Aokzoe A1 is compatible with third-party docks thanks to its two USB-C ports, even if there doesn't seem to be an official Aokzoe dock.

I have an attractive little 6-in-1 Syntech dock (you can read more about this device in our Syntech docking station review). It has an Ethernet connector, three more USB 3.0 connections, and an HDMI output for a reliable internet connection. Because the Aokzoe A1's charger cable is USB-C to USB-C, you can attach it to the dock's rear, connect your controller by Bluetooth or USB, connect your console via the top USB-C input, and play PC games on your TV while the device charges.

For car games that utilize the triggers to accelerate, the full-function analog triggers and "e-sport inching bumpers" on top of the console feel good in terms of tactility and location, and their pressure sensitivity is spot on. The primary buttons on the right side of the console likewise work flawlessly and have a pleasant, tactile feel to them when you hit them. They also read inputs accurately. If you want that rumble, the console also includes two vibration motors.

The joysticks used for gaming are compact but cozy. They have a similar form and feel to the joysticks on the Nintendo Switch, and they are very sensitive with no blind areas at all. Although they are very firm, the tiny yellow buttons for the volume controls, off switch, and other features read inputs well. The turbo button and the adjacent button that manually launches the on-screen keyboard are both very great additions, and they come in quite handy, particularly when Windows is first being set up.

Conversely, the D-pad with eight directions is not up to par. Its inputs are quite subpar, and it feels and looks cheap—in fact, it reminds me of the shoddy, third-party PlayStation 2 controllers from the early 2000s. Retro fighting games and other similar titles are not recommended to be played on this platform due to its unreliability and tendency to read two inputs instead of one.

The absence of ergonomics is the other problem. Although the plastic shell is not objectionable in and of itself, it feels fairly flimsy and eventually starts to creak. Furthermore, while the elevated grip on the rear of the handle provides much-needed comfort (something the previous Aokzoe handheld lacked), its smooth surface, high weight, and lack of tactile grip make it very difficult to use for extended periods of time.

Its top-heavy design causes strain and discomfort in my outer wrists and forearms during extended play sessions, and I often notice it sliding while I play, particularly with my tiny hands. A few ridges, silicone pads, or even just a rougher surface for your fingers and palms would be quite beneficial, in my opinion.

Performance

In terms of performance, the Aokzoe A1 is an intriguing gadget. Its graphics card is the star of the show here, of course, and in terms of sheer power, it definitely holds its own against its rivals.The integrated turbo button is the first and most important item to notice. The turbo button activates the Aokzoe app overlay, where you can play about with a few different options, instead of toggling anything. Let's face it, the power output is the primary feature here, but you can also track fan speeds, adjust brightness, modify the RGB color profile, and do other interesting things.The Aokzoe's battery lasts a lot longer when it is set to the lowest power, although it is not as good as other handhelds in this regard. When you crank that thing up to 16W, however, it matches the Steam Deck, and at 28W, it completely outperforms both the Steam Deck and several other rivals. Naturally, this causes the device to heat up significantly and deplete the battery more quickly, but the result is quite amazing.I've run it through a number of benchmarking tests, and 3DMark is my favorite (I got it on Steam for around $10 during a promotion). I ran the Aokzoe A1 through a number of tests, and the results are really good for such a little yet powerful machine.The Aokzoe A1 received a "good" score of 22,652 in 3DMark's Night Raid test for PCs with integrated graphics cards, which is divided into a graphics score of 26,888 and a CPU score of 11,968. It averaged 106.49 frames per second in the first graphics test and hovered around 163.79 frames per second in the second, with a CPU test time of 48.0ms. This essentially indicates that the Aokzoe A1 has the capacity to run games rather effectively, if all of this sounds very Latin to you.Additionally, according to 3DMark, it could handle the following games with 1080p extreme framerates:

• Battlefield V – 50+FPS
• Apex Legends – 55+ FPS
• GTA V – 145FPS
• Red Dead Redemption 2 – 30+ FPS
• Fortnite – 175+ FPS

The Aokzoe A1 seems to be much better than a 2020 business laptop and somewhat behind the typical 2020 gaming laptop when results from 3DMark's Night Raid test are compared online. That's rather impressive for such a little piece of equipment!Beyond benchmarking, of course, I've been testing it practically as well. I tried to accomplish this by using a variety of games, both recent and from a few years ago, to see how it holds up. When I first installed Windows, the Xbox program was already loaded (thanks, Microsoft!). I then signed into my account to access my PC Games Pass and started playing a few games right away, such as Disney Dreamlight Valley, Power Wash Simulator, and Amnesia: The Bunker.After that, I went to Steam and installed my favorite Resident Evil 4 Remake along with Resident Evil 7, Devil May Cry 5, and Spirit Hunter NG. Since I've been a longtime Hoyo fan, I also set up Genshin Impact and Honkai Star Rail with their respective launchers.I'm pleasantly pleased by how effectively the little Aokzoe A1 manages to play so many different kinds of games. It often automatically adjusts to medium to high settings (sometimes even low), handling smooth performance with mainly steady framerates and very little stuttering.Inputs are responsive, and load times are usually quick (though they sometimes depend on the reliability of your WiFi). Although things may seem a bit strange due to its reduced resolution and refresh rate (which we'll discuss more about in the display section), generally it provides a dependable, fluid experience—especially if you're accustomed to a 1440P, 144Hz monitor.The Fidelity FX Super Resolution 2 option, which is common to the most recent Resident Evil games, is likely a major factor in why Resident Evil 4 Remake is the game that most impresses me. Its purpose is to enhance framerates and provide "similar or better than native image quality."Beyond that, the Aokzoe A1's automated settings undoubtedly don't use all of its capabilities, but given how hot it gets after some usage, I don't fancy taxing the poor thing much more. It works well overall, with the exception of a few tiny stutters or framerate decreases in really crowded locations (first village combat, I'm looking at you). I'm glad that I can now finally shoot harpoons into Del Lago's mouth from the comfort of my bed.The temperature management of the Aokzoe A1 is one area where it falls short. Even while playing less demanding games, the gadget heats up quickly. The heat from the CPU is so intense that you can practically feel it under your fingertips. As the CPU becomes hotter, performance decreases.For instance, even on low to medium settings, my Aokzoe quickly becomes really toasty when I play Honkai Star Rail on it. Then, in a combat, I unleash Honkai Star Rail's Luocha, and all of a sudden, my frames are falling left and right as he deploys his healing field. Even though I am aware that this is the PC version of the game, HSR works far better on my iPhone and Android phone.Regretfully, this indicates that in terms of "intelligent temperature control," the "smart cooling" and "PC level big fan" (taken from the official shop website) aren't actually working that well. It doesn't take long for the system to begin making noises like to a jet engine coming from another room, even with only one game open and nothing but my little hands touching it. Since the Aokzoe A1 is already heavy, to be honest, I wouldn't mind a little additional weight if it meant more efficient cooling so I could play games longer without having to worry about setting my home on fire.One other thing I would like to bring up about the Aokzoe A1 is that you should be aware that the Aokzoe overlay may activate anti-cheat software that is included into certain games. Despite my own lack of problems with the games I usually play, there have been first-hand reports of Activision banning users for using the Aokzoe A1 to play Modern Warfare 2, since the game's anti-cheat features identified the overlay as unapproved software or an unsupported program.As a result, I advise you to always play games with anti-cheat mechanisms extremely cautiously. If you do want to go ahead and play, be sure to arrange all of your settings, shut down the Aokzoe app entirely, and wait to hit the turbo button until you've returned to the desktop.Storage

The Aokzoe A1 is available in two variants, as was previously mentioned: 16GB RAM with 512GB, 1TB, or 2TB storage, or 32GB RAM with 1TB or 2TB storage. My preferred games still have enough of room in my 16GB + 512GB version.The SSD is oddly partitioned, with 300GB of space on the D drive and 163GB on the C disk. In some laptops, partitioning may be useful since it enables your computer to treat different parts of your disk as distinct entities. However, because the Aokzoe A1 is primarily meant for gaming while laptops and desktop PCs are more catch-alls used for other purposes, I'm not sure if it's actually necessary here.It's also very simple to overlook the partition and believe you're running out of space when, in fact, you have 300GB of free space on the D drive (or maybe I'm just being a moron). Fortunately, the Aokzoe A1 also features a 3.0 micro SD slot, providing you some additional storage, in case you forget about the D drive or manage to fill up all that space.

OS

Windows is installed in full on the Aokzoe A1. Because of this, it's a bit more complicated than portable devices like the Nintendo Switch or Steam Deck, which have pre-installed operating systems, but it also offers you more customization options. It comes with the standard Windows bloat and requires some initial setup time. But in the end, it pays off with a little perseverance and the helpful keyboard button, and the overall out-of-the-box experience isn't that awful at all.You may install whatever launcher you want after that. That covers Steam, the Epic Games Store, and Xbox (yes, you can use this to get Xbox PC Games Pass), as mentioned in the performance section. In addition, you may download specific launchers for whatever browser you want and games like World of Warcraft, Genshin Impact, Honkai Star Rail, Final Fantasy XIV, and Overwatch.Its Windows PC install allows it to perform nearly all the functions of a laptop or desktop computer, such as web browsing, YouTube video watching, Netflix movie and TV streaming, and even jotting down ideas for that novel you've been meaning to write in Word or Notepad. If you prefer to write the latter, you might want to get a mobile keyboard as the Windows native on-screen keyboard is a little clunky and you can't re-program the button to switch to the alternate accessibility keyboard.The standard Windows Bluetooth & Devices menu may be used to connect to and operate your Bluetooth devices, including as controllers, headphones, and other accessories, on the Aokzoe. I often use my wireless earphones while playing because of their dependable connection.

Screen and audio

The Aokzoe A1 has an 8-inch fullfit IPS display with DC dimming, 283PPI pixel density, 1920 x 1200 resolution, and 250nit brightness. It looks OK overall and does a nice job of displaying colors, but I think an OLED display would significantly improve the visual richness and vibrancy of games.Given that most contemporary phones have 350 pixels or more per inch, its PPI (number of pixels per inch) might be greater. At 250 nits, its brightness is therefore a touch lackluster, particularly when you consider that a phone should have a brightness of between 800 and 1200 nits.Unfortunately, this means that even if you turn up the Aokzoe overlay to the maximum, the display really doesn't hold up well in natural light. This is especially noticeable when playing darker games like Resident Evil 4 Remake or Amnesia: The Bunker. You won't be able to mow down those ganados in the garden.Of course, some games lose some of their shine due to the reduced resolution, but that is very reasonable given the size of the screen and is far less obvious in titles that include the previously stated brilliant AI upscaling.Additionally, the screen has ten point touch capabilities, which is a great feature for desktop mode and some games like Honkai Star Rail and Genshin Impact. Unfortunately, many games do not support touchscreen controls. For instance, in Power Wash Simulator, tapping triggers a mouse click and causes spraying wherever your joystick is pointing. This makes it difficult to tap to access menus or swap out nozzles. Naturally, this isn't a problem with Aokzoe; rather, it's only a warning to those who were expecting to spray surfaces with a simple finger swipe.Although it's difficult to locate the screen's refresh rate online, I was able to determine that it was set to 60Hz by looking at Windows' display settings. This is half the refresh rate of the ROG Ally's 120Hz, which is respectable and similar to the Steam Deck's, but it still falls short of high-end gaming phones.If you're not sure why this matters, your display's refresh rate determines how often it can create a new picture each second, which has an impact on how fluid things seem. In general, a screen with 120Hz or more is ideal for gaming.The 6-axis sensor on the console is connected to an intriguing feature of the display: you can hold your Aokzoe A1 vertically and have the screen spin with you. Even if your game performs better in portrait mode, it's very clumsy from this viewpoint, so I'm not sure where this would be helpful. Fortunately, you can turn off the rotation by going to the Windows display settings. I haven't seen a PC game that supports the 6-axis sensor, so there could be more applications for it than just spinning your screen.Let's go on to the audio. The Aokzoe A1 contains two speakers, which are situated next to where your palms and thumbs naturally fall while holding the device. The Aokzoe website refers to this area as a "double stereo base cavity," and it is positioned at the bottom of the console, on each side of the screen.Two raised buttons on top allow you to adjust the volume; the left button raises the volume, while the right one lowers it. Considering that the volume buttons on other consoles, such the Steam Deck and the Nintendo Switch, are arranged differently, this seems backwards, but it's besides the point.As one would anticipate from a tiny, built-in speaker, the quality isn't that fantastic, although the volume goes up very high. It sounds a little tinny and lacks bass, but it works well enough. For a more immersive sound experience, however, I usually prefer to combine my wireless earbuds with my noise-canceling headphones.

Life of battery

The Aokzoe is equipped with a 17100mAh 65Wh pro edition battery. By contrast, the Steam Deck and the Asus Rog Ally both have a 40Wh rating. This indicates that even in comparison to its primary rivals, the Aokzoe has a sizable amount of energy when fully charged. However, how is this related to playtime?It obviously depends on how you use your Aokzoe and the settings you have it set to. A full battery lasted me about an hour and a half while playing Power Wash Simulator on the Xbox Games Pass at the max 28W (no background apps beyond the usual Windows bloat) on high settings. Resident Evil 4 Remake, Devil May Cry 5, Disney Dreamlight Valley, and most other games I played all ran about the same length of time on full batteries.Naturally, you may extend the life of the battery by playing less demanding games like Roblox or just browsing the internet. To be honest, however, I usually only use the 28W option when it comes to gaming, so I have to plug that bad boy in every 60 to 90 minutes to replenish its energy.Fortunately, it does include a USB-C input on both the top and bottom of the console, as was indicated in the design part, so you may play in the position that best fits you. Despite its high battery capacity, it still takes a long to charge via cable at a decent 100W. It takes around an hour and a half to completely charge in sleep mode without any background apps running. Of course, charging takes a little longer if you're actively playing while plugged in.Oh, I should include the charger as well. The Aokzoe does, however, come with a charging cord, plug, and converter of its own. You place the USB-C to USB-C charging cable into the type-A plug brick, which you may then put into the type-G adaptor if necessary.The plug weighs 6.14 oz (174 g) and is fairly enormous (2 inches deep, 2.5 inches tall, and 1.3 inches broad), thus it hangs on the little type-G adapter somewhat heavily. The main type-A plug brick is made with a beautiful, strong construction, however after a time, while your console is charging, it does become extremely hot.Verdict

Alright, so what happened with the Aokzoe A1 after all this time? Would I suggest it as a reliable handheld gaming system? Yes and no, then.All things considered, it's a surprisingly potent little device that can run a variety of games. Compared to rivals like the Steam Deck and the Switch, it offers a lot more flexibility because of its PC Windows OS, which lets you download any launcher you want instead of being restricted to Steam or the Nintendo eShop. It can also run most games pretty dang well, particularly with the power output adjustable Aokzoe overlay that's simple to reach.Even when it's on sale, its exorbitant pricing makes it difficult for it to compete with its more direct rivals. While the Aokzoe A1 is superior in certain aspects, the ASUS Rog Ally falls short in others, all at a far lower cost. The Aokzoe A1 Pro, which is quite similar to the A1's MRSP and seems to have worked out most of the issues, was just released by Aokzoe themselves.It is a powerful portable console with an amazing graphics card, programmable settings, and a respectable gaming performance on certain demanding titles. It's hard for me to argue that the subpar screen, awkward handles, limited battery life, and propensity to run hot are worth the entire price, however.It's probably worth a try if you can locate it at a significant discount, particularly if you're interested in tech and electronics and want to experiment with it yourself. However, consider looking at its rivals or successor if you're searching for a cozy handheld that offers great value for your money.Okay, I'm going to continue playing Resident Evil 4 Remake on all of the compatible consoles. Check out our guides to the best Xiaomi phones, the best 4G phones, the best Google Pixel phones, and the best affordable gaming phones if you're in the mood for some more tech talk or are searching for a new phone to wow you. As an alternative, use our Coin Master free spins, Honkai Star Rail codes, and Genshin Impact codes to get some in-game freebies. Until then, "hardcore gamers."