AYANEO released a video this morning (with quite possibly the most unnecessary intro sequence in a reveal I’ve ever seen) detailing their upcoming flagship Windows handheld, the AYANEO Next 2. It’s certainly a nice-looking device that seems to be pulling a lot of design influence from the AYANEO Kun.

AYANEO Next 2: What We Know

AYANEO Next 2 Details List

The AYANEO Next 2 will feature several impressive details:

  • Top-tier display (no details on LCD, OLED, etc.)
  • CPU/GPU: AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395
  • Large TMR Joysticks
  • Hall effect linear Triggers with adjustable sensitivity sliders
  • Floating 8-way D-Pad
  • Dual touchpads and dual rear buttons
  • Dual fan high-efficiency cooling
  • High-capacity battery

AYANEO Next 2 CPU/GPU

Those are some interesting specs, and it’s hard not to make an immediate comparison to the Steam Deck with those dual rear buttons and the touchpads. While not marketed with as much “premium” verbiage as the AYANEO Pocket Vert that was also recently revealed, that CPU/GPU combo in the AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 is not cheap. We know that AYANEO likes to lean more to the expensive side of the handheld market, and given the details above, that’s still likely to be the case here.

What We Can Infer

AYANEO Next 2 Front Buttons

The ABXY layout looks to be the standard Microsoft layout, along with Options and View Buttons (Start and Select) along the top of the device. Moving down, we have those full-size offset joysticks, an 8-directional D-pad, and those circular touchpads, similar to the Ayaneo Kun.

At the bottom right, we’ve got the AYANEO button and a back button. At the bottom left, we’ve got a set of rocker buttons that appear to be a Windows button and a menu button. Front-firing speakers can be seen below the bottom buttons. The Hall Effect triggers have sensitivity sliders on the back of the device, so gamers will be able to adjust their trigger pull to their liking.

AYANEO Next 2 Screen

While further details on the screen have not been released, it certainly looks to be on the larger side. My guess would be somewhere in the range of an 8.4″ 2560 x 1600 IPS display, which is both the same as in the AYANEO Kun and one we’ve seen in multiple Windows handhelds recently.

What’s Next

AYANEO Next 2 QR Code

AYANEO provided a final screenshot with details of their Discord, a QR Code, and their website link. No release or pre-order dates were shared by AYANEO in this video, but we’ll update you as we know more.

While several details of the AYANEO Next 2 were revealed in this video, there’s still plenty we don’t yet know, especially any additional details on the type of screen AYANEO is using in this device. Given that most Windows handhelds have a larger footprint, the type and quality of the screen are likely to make or break this handheld.

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