Can We Not Normalize $5,300 Handheld Gaming PCs?

The value of cell gaming has turn into so irrational that Ayaneo, the maker of boutique gaming gadgets, imagines it may possibly promote you a handheld that prices greater than most ultra-high-end desktops and laptops.

The peak spec for the long-awaited Ayaneo Next 2 gaming handheld prices a whopping $5,300. It comes with 128GB of RAM and 2TB of storage and packs in a two-year-old, 16-core AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 CPU and GPU combo chip. Sure, Ayaneo claims its 9-inch OLED with a peak 2,400 x 1,504 decision, plus the addition of drift-resistant TMR joysticks and premium controls, places it above the competitors. I can already inform it’s not price the associated fee.

A model with the identical chipset, plus 64GB of RAM and 1TB of storage, comes out to $3,600. The minimal spec you’ll be able to presumably purchase comes with the 8-core, 16-thread Ryzen AI Max 385 with 32GB of RAM and 1TB of storage. To put that value into perspective, it prices $2,000 greater than an Asus ROG Xbox Ally X at $1,000 (not less than, it does on the time of writing). MSI’s newest Claw 8 EX AI+ handheld with the more-performant ARC G3 Extreme chip comes out to $1,800.

It’s clear no one is comfortable about this handheld’s ultimate value level, not even Ayaneo. The China-based firm previously suspended sales of its handheld, saying it couldn’t hit the unique focused launch value. In Ayaneo’s newest product powwow on YouTube, firm CEO Arthur Zhang mentioned that the primary items of the Next 2 have already shipped, however added that the reminiscence disaster has prompted points with future items. The solely accessible Next 2 accessible on Ayaneo’s webstore is the $3,600 mannequin.

However, the Next 2 is just ridiculous for its value. Last yr’s GPD Win 5 handheld with the top-end Ryzen AI Max+ 395, AMD’s top-end Strix Halo APU, value $1,600 when it first hit the scene. Of course, as a result of ever-inflating value of reminiscence, that handheld now prices greater than $2,400. Ayaneo can also be lacking any of the latest additions to the Strix Halo lineup, just like the Ryzen AI Max+ 388 first launched at CES 2026.

AMD’s Strix Halo chip makes for probably the most highly effective gaming handhelds you should purchase, however at what value? The Next 2 packs in an enormous 116Wh battery that may push TDP, or thermal design energy, previous 55W.

No matter what, there’s a ceiling to how a lot gaming goodness you may get on any cell platform. I’ve seen this play out on different Strix Halo gadgets just like the $3,000 Asus ProArt PZ13 GoPro version with the Ryzen AI Max+ 395 and 128GB of RAM. Eventually, you notice you’ll be able to’t push a sport’s efficiency with out both shedding one or two components of the transportable gaming trifecta: graphical constancy, body fee, or battery life.

You must compromise on one thing for any gaming handheld. The Xbox Ally X is the brand new baseline, even at a ridiculous $1,000. A handheld that prices near $2,000 is a pure luxurious. Anything past that’s merely not price your time.