“The Ayaneo 2S’ impressive power isn’t enough to justify its high price tag and hacked together features.”
Pros
High-quality construct
Excellent display
Best at school efficiency
Cons
Poor audio system
Short battery life
Sloppy customized instruments
Uncompetitive pricing
The Ayaneo 2S reveals simply how a lot our expectations for tech can change in only a yr. When the Steam Deck launched final February, it felt like a complete revelation. The moveable PC was a sport changer in probably the most literal use of the time period, letting gamers take pleasure in high-end PC video games on the go. The system had its justifiable share of issues, from UI bugs to poor battery life, however its almost uncontested place out there earned Valve lots of flexibility.
The moveable PC market has progressed quickly since then. We have already got a “Steam Deck killer” within the type of the Asus ROG Ally and numerous third-party corporations are placing out their very own opponents with incremental energy positive aspects. The Ayaneo 2S finds itself in that deluge of tech, however the context of its launch utterly modifications what’s anticipated of it. Being in a position to play video games on the go isn’t sufficient anymore. There’s a stage of polish that’s now anticipated primarily based on the bar the Steam Deck has set — and the Ayaneo 2S simply isn’t tall sufficient to experience anymore.
The Ayaneo 2S has lots going for it due to robust specs, a high-quality design, and a display that places the Steam Deck to disgrace. Unfortunately, it’s lacking lots of basic quality-of-life concerns that we’ve already come to anticipate from a tool like this in simply over a yr. With a excessive worth level that’s far over superior opponents, it’s extremely tough to think about a state of affairs the place it’s a most popular moveable PC choice.
Design and luxury
Though it’s possible you’ll not know the title Ayaneo, the younger firm is not any stranger to the moveable PC tech market. In reality, it’s principally an elder. It put out a number of Steam Deck-like units previously three years, with every one steadily enhancing on the final. It’s just a little overwhelming and definitely hurts its personal worth proposition because it at all times appears like there’s a greater model of any given system proper across the nook, however the upside is that Ayaneo is aware of methods to make a handheld at this level.
Giovanni Colantonio / Digital Trends
That’s mirrored within the system’s high-quality design, which is produced from clean and glossy black (or white) plastic. It’s a a lot smoother and cleaner-looking system than the Steam Deck, actually retaining the look of a premium product with out being too flashy — save for some RGB lights underneath its joysticks. It’s additionally a smaller system. The handheld is 10.4 by 4.1 by 0.8 inches, which does make it extra compact than a Steam Deck. Though it’s virtually as heavy as one too (667 grams), which makes it really feel surprisingly dense within the arms. It can really feel a bit like holding a brick moderately than an ergonomic piece of tech.
That stated, it’s not less than snug to carry. The clean plastic feels good on the arms and there’s some slight curvature occurring on the again that lets my fingers relaxation naturally. There aren’t any textured grips to talk of, which may typically make me fear it’s going to slip out of my palms, however that’s extra me getting used to the Steam Deck’s design.
Ayaneo packed lots in right here to ensure it may stand out amongst a lot greater {hardware} producers.
Button high quality is a spotlight right here too. While it doesn’t characteristic the Steam Deck’s trackpads (a notable omission that I’ll circle again to), I’ve few complaints about the usual controller structure right here. Buttons are reactive with out feeling too clicky, each joysticks use a sturdy design meant to chop down on drift, and two further buttons subsequent to the highest bumpers give me just a little further customization to play with. That’s all rounded out by menu buttons on either side, with those on the appropriate giving fast entry to Ayaneo’s customized interface. None of that is groundbreaking, however it’s a system that feels prefer it’s constructed to face as much as put on and tear — which is nice contemplating that the 2S doesn’t include a case.
There are lots of further options packed in too. Most usefully, the 2S comes geared up with three USB4 Type-C ports and a useful microSD slot. It has two six-axis gyroscopes for motion-controlled gaming, a fingerprint unlocking energy button, a noise-canceling twin microphone, and a few key customization choices for joystick lifeless zones, gyroscopic controls, and extra. Ayaneo packed lots in right here to ensure it may stand out amongst a lot greater {hardware} producers and that does go a good distance.
Display and sound
Though I like my Steam Deck, I do have one large drawback with it: its horrible display. Even when it was alone on the prime, I may by no means recover from how washed-out video games look on it subsequent to my Nintendo Switch OLED. With the Ayaneo 2S, its shortcomings are much more obvious. That’s as a result of Ayaneo’s newest system has a transparent, vibrant display that does each sport I’ve performed on it to this point justice.
The 7-inch bezel-less IPS display is the system’s ace within the gap, offering gamers with a 1920 x 1200 decision that places the Steam Deck’s 720p display to disgrace. Colors particularly come out on it, one thing that was obvious as I performed Baldur’s Gate 3 on it. The pink and purple landscapes featured in its earliest hours particularly stood out, letting me soak in its colourful artwork design. On the opposite finish of the spectrum, a 1200:1 distinction ratio made The Banished Vault’s blacks even deeper, letting me additional sink into its outer area eeriness. For that motive alone, there’s an opportunity I would truly favor utilizing my 2S over my Steam Deck once in a while.
Jacob Roach / Digital Trends
There’s a caveat to all this, although. The display’s refresh charge is locked to 60Hz with no option to regulate it. That’s not a deal breaker for me personally, as I don’t want rather more from a small display, however those that like tinkering with their shows could be let down by the dearth of flexibility.
The one space I’m just a little extra underwhelmed by is its audio system. While the sound high quality is completely nice, the utmost quantity is pretty low. I’ve had moments taking part in on my sofa the place I’ve needed to escape some earbuds simply to listen to dialogue extra clearly — and I discovered some issues there too. I at the moment can’t get wired headphones to work on my system when plugged in. I’m unclear if that’s only a bug with my system or a wider difficulty, however the truth that I’m even second-guessing that speaks to my requirements for the system. Fortunately, its Bluetooth 5.2 assist means I can join a wi-fi headset with ease.
Performance and battery
The actual draw of the Ayaneo 2S is its superior efficiency over its prime rivals and it delivers the place it counts — although not with out some main concessions. In phrases of energy, the 2S packs an AMD Ryzen 7 7840U and a Radeon 780M. That’s an extremely spectacular pairing for a tool like this in the mean time and the outcomes converse for themselves. The undeniable fact that I’m in a position to run an unlimited, brand-new sport like Baldur’s Gate 3 speaks to that energy. Other heavy hitters like Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered look improbable on the system earlier than tweaking settings, sustaining a powerful quantity of element.
Jacob Roach / Digital Trends
Our efficiency checks made it clear that the 2S is a big leap over the Steam Deck. Running on its balanced setting in 720p, PS5 shooter Returnal hits 35 frames per second on the 2S vs. the Steam Deck’s 24 (each in low settings). When favoring efficiency in settings, Horizon Zero Dawn truly passes the 60fps mark, placing it forward of the Steam Deck, which caps out nearer to 50.
Jacob Roach / Digital Trends
The 2S comes out on prime in a battle in opposition to the newer Asus ROG Ally too, although it’s just a little nearer. Another 1080p balanced take a look at confirmed the 2S hitting a median of 34 fps in Dying Light 2: Stay Human, a notable improve over the Ally’s 26 fps. The ROG Ally packs AMD’s Ryzen Z1 Extreme, which principally a rebranded model of the {hardware} contained in the 2S. It ought to, on paper, match the Ayaneo system. Asus has been tweaking the efficiency of the ROG Ally continually since launch, so it could get to the extent of the 2S finally. For now, it takes a transparent backseat, maybe as a result of reality the ROG Ally doesn’t get almost as scorching because the 2S.
Jacob Roach / Digital Trends
Does that each one sound too good to be true? It isn’t, however there are two vital catches. For one, the 2S can begin to really feel like a baked potato after an hour of play. Ayaneo’s web site makes a giant deal of the 2S’ “3+1 heat dissipation structure” and its high-pressure turbo cooling fan, however these options don’t do sufficient to cease the system from reaching some at instances regarding temperatures.
The greatest caveat is its low battery life. The system’s 50.25Wh battery drains quick when taking part in the sorts of higher-end video games that make the 2S interesting. When operating my system in balanced mode, I’m fortunate to get 90 minutes out of Baldur’s Gate 3 on medium graphics settings. With fewer choices to optimize efficiency than a Steam Deck (there’s an 11W Power Saving mode that may be toggled on rapidly), I don’t have as a lot flexibility to squeeze extra juice out of it. It’s a tool I’m extra more likely to play at residence whereas plugged in than one thing I’d tackle the go.
Still, there’s no denying that the ability on show here’s a feat within the present moveable panorama. If you’re merely searching for probably the most succesful handheld out proper now and are prepared to pay prime greenback for an incremental enhance, Ayaneo is the best way to go.
Custom interface
So far, all the pieces I’ve stated checks off lots of packing containers even with vital trade-offs. High-quality construct? An excellent display? More energy than a Steam Deck? Downsides like quick battery life appear to counterbalance the system and make it a aggressive choice within the moveable PC market. Where it actually loses its place, although, is in its particulars — or its lack of them, extra precisely.
Simply put, the Ayaneo 2S is only a Windows OS slapped right into a handheld. When you boot it up, you’re simply powering up a laptop computer that you simply management with a touchscreen and gamepad. That’s by no means a really intuitive design for a tool like this, and a scarcity of trackpads makes navigating all of the extra irritating. The touchscreen is responsive sufficient and I haven’t encountered as many unpredictable issues as I nonetheless do with the Steam Deck, however I’m nonetheless typically fiddling to click on small home windows with my fingers.
The Ayaspace app is downright ineffective exterior of some very primary customization choices.
That’s one space the place I’m reminded of why the Steam Deck is such a phenomenon. It’s constructed with its small display in thoughts, as SteamOS is a superb handheld interface that’s straightforward to fiddle round with. It’s telling that the best method to make use of the system is by enabling Steam’s Big Picture Mode. And that’s particularly preferable to utilizing the Ayaneo customized interface included on the system, which is — to be blunt — downright horrible.
When opening the Ayaspace app, you’re dropped at a display that shows lately performed video games and a fast assistant menu for some on-the-fly tweaking. After a little bit of fiddling, it instantly turned clear that the app hasn’t been optimized a lot for English customers. Anytime I click on on a sport to see its profile, I get a field that inexplicably says “Game time: Took a glance.” Other menus haven’t been translated in any respect. When I leap into the Assistant tab, I’m handled to a central widget that hasn’t been localized to English. Other menus characteristic phrases with no spacing between them and letters wrapping awkwardly wrapping onto a second line. It immediately appears like I’m utilizing a bootleg system moderately than a high-end one.
Jacob Roach / Digital Trends
The interface itself doesn’t fare a lot better relating to performance. When I leap right into a sport profile, I’ve the choice so as to add customized configurations. That choice is buggy to the purpose that I can’t truly work out the way it’s supposed to work. Sometimes I click on the button so as to add a brand new configuration and nothing occurs. Other instances I open it, just for the interface to freeze up. At one level, I opened the choice and the window bugged out, shrinking the whole app. I needed to shut out of it to reset it again to its precise measurement. And once I lastly did get into that menu, I couldn’t truly do something in it. Frankly, the Ayaspace app is downright ineffective exterior of some very primary customization choices.
I’d say that “you get what you pay for” right here, however that’s precisely the issue: the Ayaneo 2S isn’t low cost. The 512GB mannequin with 32GB of RAM will price you a whopping $1,300, a jaw-dropping quantity subsequent to the comparable Asus ROG Ally’s $700 worth (and for its top-tier mannequin, too). You’d be paying almost double the worth for an incremental energy enhance on a system that’s more likely to be surpassed in mere months — probably by the ever-improving Ayaneo itself. On prime of that, you’re getting a system pretty devoid of customization options and an totally unusable UI. You’re basically simply shopping for an expensive option to run Windows 11 on a gaming handheld.
Had the Ayaneo 2S launched earlier than the Steam Deck, I’m positive it will have wowed me. I’d probably write off its points as early tech quirks as I did with Valve’s system. That flexibility is all however gone in 2023 when there are merely cheaper, cleaner units available on the market. Ayaneo has the ability it must make an excellent handheld system. It’s simply sorely missing panache.
Editors’ Recommendations