Ayaneo opened preorders for its next Windows 11 handheld and it looks like a powerhouse. The Ayaneo Next 2 is 13.45 inches wide, 10.3-inches tall, and weighs 3.14 pounds. That’s more than twice as heavy as the original Ayaneo Next that launched back in 2022, and it easily outweighs the Steam Deck and Switch 2. The Next 2 could be the ultimate Windows handheld if money and pocketability aren’t a concern for you.
Pricing starts at $1,999 for a version of the Next 2 with a Ryzen AI Max 385 processor with integrated Radeon 8050S graphics, 32GB of memory, and 1TB of SSD storage. But since Ayaneo is using Indiegogo for preorders, early bird pricing brings it down to $1,799 for a limited time. Maxing out the Next 2’s specs will cost you $4,299 (or $3,499 with early bird discounts) but you’ll get the same AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 processor as found in the GPD Win 5 with a Radeon 8060S iGPU, 128GB of memory, and 2TB of storage.
On the front of the Next 2 you’ll find a 9.06-inch OLED screen with a 2,400×1,504 resolution, an adjustable refresh rate of 60Hz to 165Hz, and a peak brightness of 1,155 nits. For comparison, the Switch 2’s LCD screen maxes out at around 450 nits of brightness.
Surrounding the display you’ll find a pair of TMR joysticks with adjustable torque and ring lighting, a pair of Hall effect triggers that can be switched to a shorter travel when playing FPS titles, an eight direction D-pad, dual smart touchpads, various buttons including four on the back, and a pair of front-facing stereo speakers. On the top edge of the Next 2 you’ll also find a pair of USB-C ports for charging and connecting to peripherals or displays, a microSD card slot, and a proper headphone jack.
The handheld is cooled by a pair of fans and powered by a hefty 116Wh rechargeable battery inside contributing to its overall weight. Ayaneo hasn’t shared any details about battery life or how long you can expect to play AAA titles with the handheld’s performance settings maxed. But if you plan to test that out on your next long haul flight you’ll need to get approval from the airline since the handheld’s battery is larger than the 100Wh limit for carry-on devices.
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