We might be near the end of the year, but that doesn’t mean the fresh tech reveals are slowing down, with Ayaneo preparing to introduce its latest Windows gaming handheld to the world. The Ayaneo Next II is a new rival to the likes of the Lenovo Legion Go S and ROG Xbox Ally, boasting a seriously impressive spec sheet that could tempt some users away from those top picks from our guide to the best Steam Deck alternatives.
A preview for the Ayaneo Next II’s upcoming Indiegogo campaign confirms some of the handheld’s specs, including its AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 processor, which is a lot more capable of high-end gaming performance than what’s inside the now aging Steam Deck. However, that’s the same chip as the GPD WIN 5, which, for those who don’t know, is one of the more expensive handhelds out there, costing upwards of $2,000, so we’re not expecting the Next II to be cheap.
As for the display, the next Ayaneo handheld boasts a nine-inch OLED screen with a staggering 165Hz refresh rate, which should make for both vivid and super smooth gaming visuals. As for the design, it seems you’ll be able to pick between a white or a black version of the Next II, which, I have to say, looks a lot like the Lenovo Legion Go S. That’s not a bad thing, though, as the Lenovo handheld makes the Steam Deck look pretty clunky in comparison.
Then, there’s the battery. The Ayaneo Next II packs a mammoth 115Wh cell, over twice the size of the Steam Deck OLED’s 50Wh battery. However, it’s important to note that this doesn’t necessarily equate to double the battery life, as the AMD chip inside the Next II requires more power than the processor inside Valve’s console. So, we’ll have to wait and see if the bumper battery is as impressive as it sounds on paper.
The only details we’re waiting for now are more information on the RAM and storage, plus a launch date and pricing. However, if you check out the Indiegogo campaign, you can register your interest to earn an early bird discount. Considering that all the signs point to this being a pretty expensive handheld, likely in excess of $1,000, it’s well worth registering to secure what could be a pretty substantial saving.
