Visually, the Ayaneo 2S will hardly differ from its predecessor, the Ayaneo 2. (Image: Ayaneo)
Handheld gaming is back in fashion: Rarely has there been such a large selection of mobile game consoles. A steadily growing category in the market are the x86 handhelds, i.e. portable consoles that are operated with Linux or Windows. The Steam Deck is currently the pioneer in this market, with a very good price-performance ratio.
This could face serious competition from the Asus ROG Ally if it turns out that it will offer significantly faster performance for a similar price.
The two will soon be joined by a third player: Ayaneo announces the »Ayaneo 2S«, which is supposed to keep up with the ROG Ally in terms of performance.
Ayaneo 2S: Good performance, especially with low wattage
Ayaneo has been in the portable console market for a long time. Their latest console, the Ayaneo 2 with Windows 11, attracted attention with a slim design, fast performance and a very good borderless display.
It was only released in December 2022 and the successor is already in the starting blocks. On the outside, the Ayaneo 2S will hardly differ from its predecessor. The innovations are mainly inside.
An unreleased Ryzen 7000U chip is used as the processor. This should with high probability Ryzen 7 7840U be that has the exact same specs as the Z1 Extreme of the Asus ROG Ally.
In contrast to the Ayaneo 2, which uses the Ryzen 7 6800U, the new processor is mainly used at low TDP numbers of 8 to 15 watts show significant increases in performance.
In addition, a new cooling system with three copper heat pipes should ensure significantly better cooling of the components. As with its predecessor, the Ayaneo 2S Hall effect joysticks and triggers own, which eliminates deadzones and drift.
The previously known specs and features of the Ayaneo 2S at a glance. (Image: Ayaneo)
In addition, the Ayaneo 2S will also have this Ayaneo Geek 1S join. Like its predecessor, this is a version of the same console with an 800p display instead of 1200p.
Existing customers get an upgrade program
The early announcement of a more powerful successor could upset many customers who just bought an Ayaneo 2 or Geek. The Chinese company wants to preempt this and will in future sell a motherboard upgrade that will allow users to upgrade their existing handheld to the new processor without having to buy a new console directly.
Customers who have already ordered an Ayaneo 2 but have not yet received it will receive the upgrade free of charge.
Unfortunately, the most important thing about the new Ayaneo 2S is not yet known: the price. If you look at the predecessor, it will probably not be competitive. The Ayaneo 2 costs in the cheapest variant $1,100if ordered directly from the manufacturer’s website.
According to a rumor, the ROG Ally from Asus will be significantly cheaper than previously assumed. You can read more about this here:
The console will start crowdfunding via Indiegogo at the end of April and pre-sales will begin in mid-May. The first units should then end of June be delivered to customers.
What do you think of the new Ayaneo console? Would you buy this and what price would it have to target to be interesting? What do you think about the increasing number of x86 handheld consoles coming out? Which one is your favorite or do you already own one? Write us your opinion in the comments!
