Last month, AYANEO revealed their plans to create a new portable gaming console, expanding their already wide array of products. The company boasts a variety of offerings and had been involved in crafting consoles powered by AMD even prior to the introduction of the Steam Deck.
The Steam Deck managed to notably boost the appeal of this product category, while also driving the cost below $400, a pricing strategy AYANEO hadn’t initially planned on. Although the company subsequently introduced more budget-friendly consoles, a new obstacle emerges: the ASUS ROG Ally and the upcoming Lenovo Legion Go consoles, poised as premium handheld options.
Running on Ryzen Z1 Extreme APUs, specially crafted by AMD, these consoles feature a unique AMD Phoenix APU design that incorporates a customized voltage/frequency curve for the Ryzen 7 7840U processor. Players have the flexibility to reduce the TDP to levels as minimal as 9W, although this falls short of the Steam Deck’s lower threshold of 4W TDP.
AYANEO presents a distinct vision for their handheld device, harnessing the potential of the Ryzen 7 7840U-powered APU capable of reaching an impressive 54W, akin to the power of a Mini-PC. However, it’s worth noting that this will significantly impact battery life. To address this concern, AYANEO has outfitted the device with a 75Wh battery, boasting a size 1.9 times larger than those found in the ROG Ally and Steam Deck. Moreover, to manage the heightened power demands, the system incorporates an upgraded cooling solution comprising three copper heatpipes and a ‘turbofan’ to enhance airflow.
KUN stands out with its prominent 8.4-inch display, showcasing an impressive 2560×1600 resolution. While the refresh rate remains unconfirmed by the company, they do highlight its 90% DCI-P3 color coverage.
AYANEO has recently revealed the pricing for their console, and it seems to be somewhat more favorable than anticipated. Nevertheless, it’s crucial to emphasize that, similar to their other products, crowdfunding is part of the equation—a practice that we advise against engaging in, especially in the absence of available reviews.
Provided the specifications are enticing, the most affordable variant will carry a price tag of $999 (early bird), which will later increase to $1,209 upon retail release. This stands notably higher than the ROG Ally priced at $699. The system will offer memory options of 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB, along with storage capabilities reaching up to 4TB. The highest-tier version will be available for $1,699 (early bird) or $1,949 (retail).
