The pink and purple landscapes featured in its earliest hours especially stood out, letting me soak in its colorful art design. Colors especially pop out on it, something that was apparent as I played Baldur’s Gate 3 on it. The 7-inch bezel-less IPS screen is the system’s ace in the hole, providing players with a 1920 x 1200 resolution that puts the Steam Deck’s 720p screen to shame. That’s because Ayaneo’s latest system has a clear, vibrant screen that does every game I’ve played on it so far justice. With the Ayaneo 2S, its shortcomings are even more apparent. Even when it was alone at the top, I could never get over how washed-out games look on it next to my Nintendo Switch OLED. Though I love my Steam Deck, I do have one huge problem with it: its terrible screen. Ayaneo packed a lot in here to make sure it could stand out among much bigger hardware manufacturers and that does go a long way. It has two six-axis gyroscopes for motion-controlled gaming, a fingerprint unlocking power button, a noise-canceling dual microphone, and some key customization options for joystick dead zones, gyroscopic controls, and more. Most usefully, the 2S comes equipped with three USB4 Type-C ports and a handy microSD slot. There are a lot of extra features packed in too. None of this is groundbreaking, but it’s a system that feels like it’s built to stand up to wear and tear - which is good considering that the 2S doesn’t come with a case. That’s all rounded out by menu buttons on both sides, with the ones on the right giving quick access to Ayaneo’s custom interface. Buttons are reactive without feeling too clicky, both joysticks use a sturdy design meant to cut down on drift, and two additional buttons next to the top bumpers give me a little extra customization to play with. While it doesn’t feature the Steam Deck’s trackpads (a notable omission that I’ll circle back to), I have few complaints about the standard controller layout here. There are no textured grips to speak of, which can sometimes make me worry it’s going to slide out of my palms, but that’s more me being used to the Steam Deck’s design.Īyaneo packed a lot in here to make sure it could stand out among much bigger hardware manufacturers.īutton quality is a highlight here too. The smooth plastic feels nice on the hands and there’s some slight curvature happening on the back that lets my fingers rest naturally. That said, it’s at least comfortable to hold. It can feel a bit like holding a brick rather than an ergonomic piece of tech. Though it’s almost as heavy as one too (667 grams), which makes it feel surprisingly dense in the hands. The handheld is 10.4 by 4.1 by 0.8 inches, which does make it more compact than a Steam Deck. It’s a much smoother and cleaner-looking system than the Steam Deck, really retaining the look of a premium product without being too flashy - save for some RGB lights under its joysticks. That’s reflected in the system’s high-quality design, which is made from smooth and shiny black (or white) plastic. It’s a little overwhelming and certainly hurts its own value proposition as it always feels like there’s a better version of any given device right around the corner, but the upside is that Ayaneo knows how to make a handheld at this point. It put out multiple Steam Deck-like devices in the past three years, with each one gradually improving on the last. Though you may not know the name Ayaneo, the young company is no stranger to the portable PC tech market. Red Dead Redemption 2’s world is breathtaking in new 4K trailer for PC port With a high price point that’s far over superior competitors, it’s incredibly difficult to imagine a scenario where it’s a preferred portable PC option. Unfortunately, it’s missing a lot of general quality-of-life considerations that we’ve already come to expect from a device like this in just over a year. The Ayaneo 2S has a lot going for it thanks to strong specs, a high-quality design, and a screen that puts the Steam Deck to shame. There’s a level of polish that’s now expected based on the bar the Steam Deck has set - and the Ayaneo 2S just isn’t tall enough to ride anymore. Being able to play games on the go isn’t enough anymore. The Ayaneo 2S finds itself in that deluge of tech, but the context of its release completely changes what’s expected of it. We already have a “Steam Deck killer” in the form of the Asus ROG Ally and various third-party companies are putting out their own competitors with incremental power gains. The portable PC market has progressed rapidly since then.
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