The AYANEO Next Lite is a budget handheld and the first third-party device with SteamOS pre-installed.
Update: AYANEO has shared more information regarding the AYANEO Next Lite. For one, unlike previously reported, it will not ship with official SteamOS support but rather come with an optimized version of HoloISO, a SteamOS clone not by Valve.
AYANEO also shared their spec sheet on the official website:
- 7" 800p IPS screen
- AMD 4500U or 4800U
- 2x USB 3.2 Type C
- 1x USB 3.2 Type C for data only
- Fingerprint Sensor
- Hall Sensing joysticks and hall triggers
- WiFi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2
- 47Wh capacity battery
The AYANEO Next Lite will come with an exclusive early bird pricing of $299 for 16 GB of memory and 512 GB of storage for the AMD 4500U for the first 100 buyers. It will be available in three colours – white, blue, and black – at a later date on the official website.
I, unfortunately, don't have a lot of experience with the chips used in the AYANEO Next Lite, so it remains to be seen how the device will perform against the Steam Deck, at a similar price point.
However, I am intrigued to see what AYANEO has done to HoloISO, knowing that the Shenzhen company has been actively working on their own AyaOS. Maybe we'll see some of the fruits in their HoloISO flavour.
Original reporting: AYANEO seem to be heavily intent on announcing as many things as possible this year, and today's big thing is the AYANEO Next Lite. Details are fairly thin at the moment, but a few little comments within the announcement have our interests piqued, our palates wet, and our swords shined or something.
In a blog post on the main site, Ayaneo announced this new device, stating that they're pretty proud of the AYANEO Next and that it "returns in full force with the rejuvenated AYANEO NEXT LITE. Building upon the foundation of top-tier flagship design and texture, AYANEO NEXT LITE comes pre-installed with the SteamOS gaming system for the first time."
Where many AYANEO devices can cost a pretty penny, this one will apparently integrate "outstanding cost-effectiveness." Now, cost-effectiveness can mean many different things, even how much budgets vary from person to person and how high the cost of living is right now; it's a very vague statement, even if it is one we're happy to see.
The Next Lite will take on a few aspects of the Next itself, which isn't a shock but should mean that its ergonomics, including the handles, are included in the design of the Lite. We also know it'll come with a 7-inch 800p screen, a 47WH battery, X-axis linear motors, and "other features." If all of this can somehow cost a reasonable amount, then we're absolutely sold on the concept, but all of this hinges on the cost to the consumer, at least in our opinion.
If you're interested in finding out more, then you can always keep refreshing our home page, but you can also go ahead and check out the AYANEO Next Lite subscriptions (we think this means you can sign up to be notified via email), which open at 21:30 1/11/24 EST. A typo on the blog post states it's 2014, but we're assuming that's just standard-issue January malaise.
