While many were enjoying the long weekend, Ayaneo dropped a bomb on the handheld gaming market. The Chinese brand, already well established among PC console enthusiasts, has lifted the veil on the Next II, a device that seems ready to overshadow Valve’s Steam Deck.
At first glance, the design is reminiscent of the Deck. But the insides of this new machine tell another story: AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 processor, 9-inch OLED screen going up to 165 Hz, 115 Wh battery, active cooling… Each element of the technical sheet is dizzying.
An extraordinary technical sheet
The Ayaneo Next II displays a resolution of 2400 x 1504 pixels, with a peak brightness of 1100 nits. This is more than a good number of gaming laptops. The announced TDP of 85 W confirms the power ambitions, at the probable cost of high consumption.
In terms of ergonomics, Ayaneo doesn’t skimp either: two touchpads, Hall effect joysticks, configurable triggers, Xbox-style directional cross, and customizable rear buttons. An arsenal designed to appeal to mobile PC gaming purists.
A pocket PC, but at what price?
The brand remains discreet about the price, but previous models give a good clue: the Next Advance started at $1,265. We can therefore expect a high-end price, well beyond the Steam Deck or even the Asus ROG Ally.
Especially since the device runs Windows, a divisive choice. Less optimized than SteamOS, Microsoft’s OS sometimes suffers from bugs and a less fluid interface in portable use. It remains to be seen whether the user experience will follow the hardware power.
Ayaneo strengthens its game against Valve and Asus
With this Next II, Ayaneo clearly shows its intention to reign in the high-end segment. Faced with a more accessible Steam Deck, or an already solid ROG Ally X, the brand plays the almighty card.
But the real question remains that of availability and real autonomy. Will the gigantic battery hold up against such power? The coming weeks should provide answers, through tests and initial user feedback.