A New Challenger Transforms the Scene: ONEXSUGAR Sugar 1 Hits Indiegogo

On July 21st, 2025, a curious new name in the handheld world quietly launched a bold campaign on Indiegogo — and what they brought to the table was anything but quiet. Meet the ONEXSUGAR Sugar 1, a device that looks like it leapt straight from the future — or maybe from a mecha anime — and into the hands of gamers hungry for innovation.

What Is the Sugar 1?

At first glance, the Sugar 1 seems like your typical Android-based handheld. Look again, and you’ll see something entirely different. This machine transforms — literally.

With a dual-screen OLED layout, rotating control modules, and a hinge design that allows it to shift between horizontal and vertical modes, the Sugar 1 can mimic everything from a Nintendo DS to a clamshell mini-laptop. One moment it’s a Switch-style device, the next it’s a foldable book, and with a twist it becomes a multitasking machine — game on one screen, chat on the other.

Powered by the Snapdragon G3x Gen 3, backed by 16 GB of RAM, and loaded with 512 GB of storage, this thing has teeth. Its Adreno A32 GPU even supports ray tracing — a wild inclusion for a portable running Android.

For Emulation Enthusiasts and Android Gamers Alike

ONEXSUGAR is clearly aiming at two crowds:

• Android gamers who want something premium and unique,
• And retro/emulation fans who dream of dual-screen support and control flexibility.

The dual-display setup makes it especially exciting for DS and 3DS emulation, while the horsepower opens doors to emulating PSP, Wii, GameCube, and even Switch titles.

Indiegogo Launch: A Quiet Start, A Loud Idea

At 16:00 UTC on July 21, the ONEXSUGAR Sugar 1 hit Indiegogo with early bird pricing at $599, undercutting more established handhelds in the space. The retail price is expected to be $799, making the early backing even more tempting.

While not yet a household name like AYANEO or Steam Deck, ONEXSUGAR is positioning itself as a design disruptor — and it’s already turning heads in niche communities and tech circles.

But the campaign isn’t just selling a device — it’s selling an idea: that handhelds can be more than slabs with buttons. They can be flexible, responsive to use cases, and styled with personality. The Sugar 1 doesn’t look like it’s trying to blend in — it looks like it’s trying to start a fight.

The Catch? Software’s Still Cooking

As bold as the hardware is, early hands-on impressions (like from The Verge) have highlighted that the software needs polish. The prototype runs Android 14, but without Google Play support at launch and some bugs in button remapping, it’s clearly still in beta territory. For those hoping to jump into Fortnite or Genshin Impact, it may not be smooth sailing out of the box — at least not yet.

Still, that hasn’t stopped eager backers from jumping in, especially those who see potential in the hardware for emulation and community-driven tweaks.

Final Thoughts: A Risk Worth Watching?

The ONEXSUGAR Sugar 1 feels like the Dreamcast of handhelds — a bold, strange, forward-thinking device that dares to be different. It may not be for everyone, but for a growing crowd of players burned out on copy-paste handhelds, it’s a refreshing (and foldable) breath of air.

As the Indiegogo campaign rolls on, we’ll be keeping a close eye on how this transforming handheld unfolds — both literally and figuratively.