- Ayaneo’s newest Home windows-based transportable is the Ayaneo 3
- Ayaneo comes with modular controls, a primary available in the market
- Its least expensive value level is $700, and costliest is $1,800
Ayaneo has been placing out a variety of high-quality handheld gaming units. Whereas the Chinese language {hardware} firm primarily targeted on Android-based portables in 2024, it’s returning to type with the brand new Home windows-based flagship handheld first revealed in November.
The Ayaneo 3 is a direct sequel to its Ayaneo 2, which launched in February 2023 and was launched as a rival to the Steam Deck. Not solely does the Ayaneo 3 improve the specs, but it surely additionally provides new options to boost the gaming expertise.
By way of specs, there are two fashions to select from. The primary comes outfitted with an AMD Ryzen 7 8840U CPU with eight cores and 16 threads, 3.3GHz clock pace, and an NPU of 16 TOPS.
The second mannequin options the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 CPU with 12 cores and 24 threads, a base clock pace of 2GHz, and an NPU at 50TOPS. The previous might be out there in each configuration besides the 4TB RAM one, whereas the latter begins at 32GB as a substitute of 16GB and goes from there.
You may also select between 7-inch LCD and OED shows for any mannequin with completely different shows. The LCD display screen has a refresh charge of 120Hz/60Hz and maxes out at 500 nits. The OLED has a 144Hz/120Hz/90Hz/60Hz refresh and maxes out at 800 nits.
Why its modular controls matter
What actually units the Ayaneo 3 other than the remainder is its modular controls, that are distinctive to just about some other gaming handheld. Modular controls imply the directional pad, analog stick, and buttons could be bodily switched round or rotated to provide a extra customizable expertise. This allows you to match controls to controllers like Ps and Xbox or create your personal combating stick for titles like Avenue Fighter 6.
The controls themselves are additionally decked out spec-wise. The joysticks and triggers use Corridor-effect sensors with a 4ms response time. The triggers even have two modes: linear mode, which supplies you 7.5mm of journey distance to allow exact analog enter, and tactile mode, which reduces the journey to 3mm for the repeated button presses identified in FPS video games.
Proper now, you possibly can help the Ayaneo 3 in its crowdfunding marketing campaign on Indiegogo. The worth ranges from $700 for the 16GB/512GB mannequin and not using a full set of enter modules and $1,800 for the 64GB/4TB with a full set. An additional set runs $100, whereas a backup storage case — in Starry Black, Sky White, and Retro Energy — prices $33.
Although the higher pricing is an eye-watering quantity (and the bottom quantity continues to be nothing to sneeze at), it’s meant as a premium transportable system with distinctive options. Its promoting level is that its competitors, just like the Steam Deck or Lenovo Legion Go, can’t match it in that sense. And if the Ayaneo 3 finds its footing, it might carve out a complete new area of interest within the gaming handheld market.