If you comply with the moveable gaming PC scene in any respect, you have most likely heard of Aya Neo. The Chinese producer has quietly made a reputation for itself since 2021 with high-performing handheld Windows PCs. In that brief window, Aya Neo has launched a bunch of various handhelds (with a number of extra on the way in which), which might be thought-about each a great and unhealthy factor. On the detrimental facet, it signifies that prospects who purchase an Aya Neo could really feel like their handheld is outdated in just a few months. But on the constructive facet, Aya Neo’s handhelds simply hold getting higher. The newest instance of that is the Aya Neo Air Plus, which takes the spectacular internals of the flagship Aya Neo 2 and squeezes them right into a compact type issue. The Aya Neo Air Plus is an outstanding machine with nice efficiency and a premium construct that feels and appears unbelievable.As with all different Aya Neo fashions, the Air Plus is available in a number of configurations that adjust extensively in worth and specs. Prices vary from $600 to $1,400, and there are three completely different colours to select from: Glacier Blue, Starlight Black, and Classic Gray. On the low finish of the size, you are getting an AMD Ryzen 3 7320U processor or an Intel Alder Lake i3 1215U. To get the kind of efficiency you are most likely on the lookout for, the AMD Ryzen 7 6800U configuration is the marquee Air Plus. Though I did not take a look at the lower-end fashions, their specs counsel they would not carry out favorably in comparison with the Steam Deck regardless of costing extra. The Ryzen 7 6800U items begin at $980 and might outperform the Steam Deck. I examined the mannequin with the 6800U, 16GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD. If you actually wish to go all out, the Air Plus tops out at 32GB of RAM and a 2TB SSD. That stated, the Air Plus has a microSD card slot to broaden your storage, which I discovered to be a handy strategy to improve the space for storing whereas sustaining stable efficiency.The Air Plus falls between the Aya Neo 2 and final yr’s Air/Air Pro with its dimension and type issue. It’s bigger than the unique Air fashions and has a 6-inch touchscreen show as an alternative of the 5.5-inch, nevertheless it’s noticeably smaller than Aya Neo’s 7-inch handhelds. And inserting the Air Plus subsequent to the Steam Deck makes the latter seem comically massive and clunky. Fortunately, the compact dimension would not cease the Air Plus from being ergonomically pleasant: It feels pure to carry, and the rounded again handles hold the expertise cozy for hours.Aya Neo Air Plus operating Aya SpaceThe total dimension and the display are the one actual variations between the Air Plus and its older siblings in relation to the construct. The Air and Air Pro had OLED shows whereas the Air Plus is fitted with a 1080p IPS display. It’s a tad disappointing to take a step again in show tech, however the IPS panel used right here (1000:1 distinction ratio) may be very good –it was truthfully exhausting to inform the distinction between the 2 screens after I in contrast them, which is probably why Aya Neo ditched the OLED panel.SpecsAya Neo Air PlusChipsetAMD Ryzen 7 6800URAM16-32GB DDR5Storage512GB, 1TB, or 2TB SSD + microSD slotDisplay6-inch IPSResolution1920 x 1080Dimensions9.3 x 3.6 x .91 inchesWeight525 gramsPorts2 USB-C, 3.5mm audioBattery46.2Wh (PD 3.0 65W quick charger)Battery lifeUp to 4 hoursEverything else on the Air Plus is similar, so that you’re getting the high-quality elements I raved about in my Aya Neo Air evaluate. It has Hall Effect analog sticks and triggers, which remove the chance for stick drift and strongly scale back the potential for the triggers carrying down over time. The sticks and triggers on Aya Neo handhelds are a few of the greatest round, not simply in comparison with different handhelds but in addition normal controllers. Customizable LED rings encompass the analog sticks so as to add some further model to the look. The D-pad is unbelievable, hitting the candy spot between “clicky” and “mushy.” The face buttons are nonetheless good, although making them a bit bigger than their present Switch Joy-Con-esque dimension would have been useful. The flat face buttons are the one inputs on the Air Plus that I do not want over the Steam Deck. It is value declaring that, in contrast to the Steam Deck, Aya Neo handhelds wouldn’t have again buttons (or trackpads), so that you do lose some versatility with controls should you bounce from Steam Deck to Air Plus.Like the previous couple of Aya Neo gadgets, the Air Plus has a fingerprint scanner constructed into the facility button. Unfortunately, it nonetheless has points and solely registers my fingerprint about 50% of the time when attempting to check in to Windows, so the best strategy to unlock a password-protected display is with a four-digit pin. The Air Plus additionally has the identical 4 menu buttons under the controls (two on both sides), together with the all-important button with the Aya Neo brand on it. This brings up Aya Space, the proprietary software program and consumer interface that Aya Neo created so you do not have to fumble round with the Windows desktop utilizing the touchscreen and digital keyboard once you simply wish to play video games. Aya Space allows you to navigate by way of your sport library utilizing common stick and button controls.When you first boot up the Air Plus, you’re prompted to arrange Aya Space. You can add sport purchasers resembling Steam, Epic Games Store, GOG, and so on. Then you may launch them straight from Aya Space and set up your video games. Much like Steam Deck’s gaming mode, video games present up as tiles in Aya Space, permitting you to straight launch them while not having to first open Steam or one other app.Aya Space can be the place you may tinker with necessary settings like TDP (thermal design energy) and display decision. And since these are issues that Aya Neo homeowners could modify typically, it is good that there is a widget you should utilize quite than fully switching home windows when you’re taking part in a sport. You may also use Aya Space to change stick and set off sensitivity (and LED lighting results/colours) to suit your preferences.Additional storage is out there through the microSD slotGallery Aya Space, whereas a welcome inclusion, just isn’t with out issues. It’s technically nonetheless in beta, and it is common for setting modifications to fail to register in your first strive, or for the search feature–which finds put in video games so as to add to your library–to fail to discover a sport you put in. Or typically it fails to tug the field artwork for the video games you add to your library. Other occasions, button inputs would not register in any respect. I additionally had it crash on me a number of occasions. Aya Space has nice potential and it is actually usable (and higher than navigating Windows) in its present type, however simply remember that you just’re sure to expertise some quirks whereas utilizing it.When I say you are going to modify your settings typically, I actually imply that. Much like taking part in PC video games on a gaming laptop computer or desktop, discovering the optimum settings, each in-game and on the system itself, is a part of the enjoyable (and frustration, at occasions). Whereas the Steam Deck is a largely pick-up-and-play system like a console, the Aya Neo Air Plus is extra of a tinkerer’s system. Depending on the kind of sport you are taking part in, you may wish to modify the TDP, which you’ll set at 5, 10, 15 or 20 watts. If you are taking part in a side-scrolling indie sport, for instance, you may normally get away with decreasing the TDP to 5 or 10W and nonetheless get ultimate efficiency whereas conserving battery life and permitting the hand-held to run quieter. For graphically intensive AAA video games like Forza Horizon 5, Ghost of Tsushima, and Elden Ring, you may have to set the TDP to 15 or 20 and modify varied graphical settings in-game to get the very best efficiency. Just like with earlier Aya Neo gadgets, to attain even higher graphical settings throughout the board, dropping the decision from 1080p to 720p (if the sport permits it) may be very useful. Considering the small dimension of the display, the decision dip is not that impactful, so it may be well worth the compromise, particularly should you’re trying to improve frames per second.All of the video games talked about above in addition to a lot extra (Grand Theft Auto V, Ghostwire: Tokyo, Hi-Fi Rush, Death Stranding, and Doom Eternal, to call a handful) can run at 30fps and normally greater on the Air Plus. Whether you are gaming on low/medium/excessive settings can range primarily based on the sport, the TDP you are set at, and your chosen decision, however total, the Aya Neo Air Plus can provide smoother, extra visually spectacular efficiency at greater body charges than the Steam Deck.Aya Neo Air Plus in comparison with Steam DeckCranking the TDP as much as the max comes at a giant price, although: battery life. Unsurprisingly, the 46.2Wh battery can drain extraordinarily rapidly when taking part in graphically intensive AAA video games at 20W TDP. I drained the battery in about an hour whereas taking part in Halo Infinite with out a body fee cap, whereas related strenuous circumstances can ship your Steam Deck’s battery from 100 to zero in 1.5 hours. I discovered that two hours was in regards to the common for AAA video games when locking the body fee to 30fps on the Air Plus, which is lower than what you may get on Steam Deck in comparable situations. But the place the Air Plus actually struggles compared is best-case battery life. The most I used to be capable of get out of it was about 4 hours when taking part in a few pixelated indies at 5W TDP. Meanwhile, it is doable to get round eight hours on the Steam Deck. And whereas that top-end determine is just doable with choose sport decisions, it is nonetheless a couple-hour hole between the 2 on common when taking part in much less intensive video games. That stated, the Air Plus does provide higher battery life than the Air and Air Pro, and you’ll complement the battery by buying an applicable battery pack (one which helps 65 watts or extra).To be clear, maxing out the Aya Neo Air Plus’ TDP is not the one manner that it affords higher efficiency than the Steam Deck–that is simply how one can actually discover the facility distinction. It’s probably not sensible to sport on the highest doable TDP, except you do not thoughts being tethered to a wall outlet. Most of the time, the candy spot for efficiency is on the 10 or 15W TDP settings. For instance, at 15W TDP in Elden Ring, I used to be capable of run it at excessive settings and nonetheless keep above 30fps. The cooling followers are louder than the Steam Deck’s, nevertheless it’s nothing that is too distracting; you may all the time use a pair of Bluetooth headphones or make the most of the 3.5mm headphone jack to dam out the fan noise. After all, most handhelds profit within the audio division when utilizing headphones. The audio system on the Air Plus are crisp and might get fairly loud, however first rate headphones unsurprisingly provide a marked enchancment.I have never examined the Aya Neo 2, so I am unable to provide a direct comparability on how each makes use of the Ryzen 7 6800U processor. However, it is value noting that though the Air Plus has the identical processor, it will not hit fairly the identical degree of efficiency because the Aya Neo 2. The bigger handheld ought to disperse warmth higher and may be performed at the next TDP (33W). You’ll seemingly see higher top-level efficiency with the Aya Neo 2, nevertheless it’s nonetheless spectacular that Aya Neo managed to suit all this energy into such a small shell.Aya Neo Air Plus operating CupheadGallery Since the Air Plus runs Windows 11, you even have a considerably bigger library of video games in comparison with the Steam Deck. This is probably the best energy of the Air Plus and Windows handhelds normally: You do not have to fret about compatibility disclaimers and verified standing. If a PC sport affords controller help, chances are high the Air Plus can have no downside operating it. This is especially good for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers, as you are having access to an important library of video games out of the field. Yes, you may stream Game Pass video games through the cloud on Steam Deck, however efficiency will not be the identical for a lot of video games. Technically, you may set up Windows on the Steam Deck, too, however Valve’s handheld doesn’t play particularly properly with Windows (it isn’t advisable for it). This additionally means you may play on-line multiplayer video games that do not work on Steam Deck because of its lack of anti-cheat measures.The Air Plus is clearly a gaming-first system, however you may also use it as a Windows desktop PC by buying the official dock (which I did not take a look at) or third-party choices like a USB-C hub. Alternatively, you may simply use a USB-C to HDMI video cable and plug the AC adapter into the opposite USB-C port (there may be one port on the highest and backside). However, a hub will can help you use peripherals that join through cords or 2.4GHz dongles. When utilizing the usual Windows OS on any Aya Neo system, it is actually useful to make use of a daily keyboard and mouse setup. If you are away from the desk, a mini keyboard and mouse combo like that is nice to have. Though the Air Plus is just akin to a funds gaming laptop computer or desktop, it is greater than able to functioning as a traditional PC when docked. Viewing the Air Plus on this manner provides worth to your buy, too.The Aya Neo Air Plus is launching at an fascinating time for Windows handhelds. Asus just lately introduced its personal 7-inch gaming handheld that launches on May 11. The Asus ROG Ally seems to be to supply Steam Deck-comparable efficiency within the $600-$700 worth vary. Previously, Aya Neo was solely competing with different start-ups within the Windows handheld scene. It’s doable that the ROG Ally will make Aya Neo gadgets sound much more costly. Aya Neo’s 7-inch gadgets may grow to be exhausting sells if the ROG Ally affords comparable efficiency for tons of much less.Regardless, the Air Plus (and the Air/Air Pro) nonetheless occupy a singular house available in the market due to their dimension. If you assume the 7-inch Steam Deck, ROG Ally, Aya Neo 2, and so on. are too massive, the Aya Neo Air Plus is a good alternative if you’d like high-end efficiency.If you may get the Aya Neo Air Plus with the 6800U processor on the identical worth because the 512GB Steam Deck, the Aya Neo could be the higher alternative for lots of customers. As has been the case because the first Aya Neo launched, the premium worth and battery life are the one actual limitations right here. Granted, Aya Neo all the time has early hen costs on Indiegogo which have made handhelds like Air Plus are available at near the value of the Steam Deck, in order that’s one thing to think about sooner or later.Nevertheless, the Aya Neo Air Plus is one other stellar entry on this ever-expanding line of premium handheld gaming PCs. Superb efficiency on this small of a package deal is an unbelievable feat. If you need a Windows handheld, the Air Plus ought to be close to the highest of your checklist.
The merchandise mentioned right here had been independently chosen by our editors.
GameSpot could get a share of the income should you purchase something featured on our website.