Renowned for its extensive SBC range, Orange Pi unveiled its first gaming handheld in February of this year. Although most specifications were disclosed during the unveiling, pricing details were omitted by the company. However, they have now been disclosed, confirming initial speculations of competitive pricing.
The Orange Pi Neo will debut at $499, marking a $200 reduction compared to the launch price of the Asus ROG Ally. Notably, the entry-level model of this gaming handheld is equipped with the AMD Ryzen 7 7840U, identical to the APU in the Z1 Extreme featured in the Ally.
Furthermore, Orange Pi has unveiled an alternative setup for the Neo, featuring the Ryzen 7 8840U priced at $599. Despite being a newer processor, the performance gap may not be significantly discernible, as it only boasts a superior NPU compared to the 7840U. Moreover, it retains the identical Radeon 780M iGPU operating at the same clock speed.
Apart from the processor, both versions of the Orange Pi Neo are identical. They feature Steam Deck-inspired touchpads and conventional gaming handheld controllers. Additionally, they both sport a 7-inch screen boasting a 120 Hz refresh rate and a brightness rating of 500 nits.
However, what truly distinguishes the Neo is its operating system. Known for providing Linux-compatible hardware, Orange Pi will ship the new gaming handheld with Manjaro as the default OS. Nevertheless, it should also be feasible to install Windows on it.
Regarding availability, although Orange Pi Neo’s pricing has been officially disclosed, the company has not specified an exact release date. Nonetheless, shipments for the gaming handheld are scheduled to commence sometime in the second quarter of 2024.
Source & Images: Manjaro