Acer Shows Project DualPlay Mini Gaming Handheld With Keyboard

Acer has shown Project DualPlay Mini, a concept Windows gaming handheld with a built-in keyboard.

The device is designed primarily for gaming. Its 8-inch screen is flanked by analog sticks, a D-pad, Xbox-style ABXY face buttons, and two triggers on each shoulder. Acer’s “flip-and-swivel design” lets users open the handheld and rotate the screen to align it with a compact, backlit mini keyboard.

Project DualPlay Mini is based on an Intel chip and uses a dual-fan cooling design similar to the Predator Atlas 8. The cooling system has one metal fan and one plastic fan, while the metal fan’s blades are thinner than before. Two USB-C ports are located on the back, and one supports Thunderbolt.

Acer has not provided many internal specifications because Project DualPlay Mini is strictly a concept. The company has no plans for a retail release. The design could provide a way to play keyboard-friendly PC games on a device comparable in size to a Steam Deck, while also supporting connection to an external screen. It remains unclear whether Acer will develop a retail product based on the concept.