Since the dawn of the Steam Deck, we haven’t seen many handheld gaming PCs push the boat out in terms of different form factors. Sure, there was the Lenovo Legion Go, with its Nintendo Switch-like detachable controllers, but for the most part, a lot of the best Steam Deck alternatives look a lot like Valve’s own handheld. Something a little bit different could be in the works, though, in the form of the new Acer Project DualPlay Mini concept.
The Project DualPlay Mini is essentially half handheld console, half gaming laptop, equipped with its very own keyboard. With its flip-and-swivel display, the device looks to seamlessly transform form factors, depending on what you need at the time. If you’re playing FPS games, you can bust out the keyboard for more control, or, if you’re playing something that suits a traditional controller scheme, you can keep it folded away and play fully handheld.
In terms of specs, we don’t have many confirmed details, but we know that it packs an Intel processor, uses the same cooling hardware as the Predator Atlas 8, and looks to have an 8-inch display. Acer also suggests the Project DualPlay Mini can connect to an external display, adding even more use cases. Outside of that, it’s all guesswork.
The big caveat here is that this is a concept device, which means it might never come to market. It’ll be on display at IFA 2026, though, alongside the new Predator Atlas 7. The Atlas 7 is getting a proper launch, and it sounds like a bit of a beast itself, with up to 24GB of RAM, 1TB of storage, and an 80Whr battery that puts some of the top picks from our guide to the best handheld consoles to shame. In terms of processor, it comes with either the Intel Arc G3 or the Arc G3 Extreme. We don’t have a price point for the Atlas 7 yet, though, and given its specs, we wouldn’t expect it to be cheap.
With IFA 2026 just a couple of days away, we’ll be keeping an eye out for any more interesting concept devices or new product launches from some of the biggest names in tech. For now, though, be sure to catch up on our coverage from this year’s Gamescom, with our Ananta interview and our Asus ROG Xbox Ally X20 hands-on preview.
