AYANEO AIR Plus, the cheapest portable console

The Chinese firm will launch its first portable console, the AYANEO AIR Plus, in 2023. It will also be the most affordable model in its range, but not the only one.

Handheld consoles are regaining ground thanks to the influence of Steam Deck. Valve’s idea for 2022 has garnered the most media attention. But leading Chinese specialists are vying for a market share in developing these portable gaming devices.

New handheld consoles

Most of the consoles that will go on sale in 2023 have already been presented by the manufacturer. One is the AYANEO AIR Plus, an affordable alternative to the GPD, the ONEXplayer, the Steam above Deck, and other higher caliber AYA products. In addition, the manufacturer has expanded the hardware options, as we can see right now.

All models will have a 6-inch diagonal IPS display with native FHD resolution (1920 x 1080 pixels), an M.2 2280 SSD for storage, and an unspecified amount of RAM (presumably 8 GB).

The base model includes the following:

• One USB port4,
• A microSD card reader,
• A 3.5 mm audio jack
• Fingerprint sensor for biometric security.
• 2 Wh battery
• Game buttons, joysticks, and triggers with RGB lights.

AYANEO AIR Plus versions

The manufacturer is increasing hardware options, these are the models we expect:

Mendocino

It is the most economical model, with an AMD Ryzen 5 7520U processor (4 Zen 2 cores and 8 threads), a maximum frequency of 4.3 GHz, a TDP of 15 W, and a Radeon 610M RDNA GPU.

Intel

The intermediate version in performance and price will be the one with a Core i3-1215U with 2 P cores / 4 E cores and 8 threads, with a maximum frequency of 4.4 GHz and 15 W TDP. The integrated graphics is an Intel UHD with 64 execution units.

Renoir

The most advanced for those looking for performance will be the one equipped with a Ryzen 7 6800U with 8 ZEN 3 cores and 16 threads with frequencies up to 4.7 GHz and a TDP that increases to 28W. Its integrated graphics, while still an RDNA 2, is a Radeon 680M and is quite a bit more potent than the other AMD variant.

The consoles should be available in the first quarter of the year. They will feature Windows or two Linux operating systems (AYANeo OS or Steam OS) as options, with dark blue or light blue finishes. The two versions, “Mendocino” and “Intel,” will cost $299 each, making them the most affordable handheld consoles in its portfolio.

Other manufacturer’s consoles for 2023

AYA has introduced other higher-end versions. One is the AYA Neo Pocket Air, a portable gaming system with an OLED display and Android OS, and another is the “Slide,” which features a physical keyboard and sliding screen.

However, the most impressive will be the NEXT II. It boasts the highest performance (and price) with an 8-inch display and promises to debut AMD’s Ryzen 7000 processors and specialized graphics.

Header: AYANEO