Which Steam Deck competitor is for you?

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  Ayaneo 2

  Editor’s choice

  The Ayaneo 2 is a handheld gaming device with the most premium features available. It has an AMD chip with CPU and GPU, runs Windows 11, and has a sleek design. However, it’s a pricey model that costs more than double the price of the cheapest Steam Deck. But, the extra features might be worth the slightly higher price than Ayaneo Geek. 

  Pros

  • Great display and all-glass front design
  • AMD 6800U CPU and Radeon 680M GPU
  • Fingerprint sensor for quick starting games

  Cons

  • Very expensive price point
  • Windows 11 can run strangely on handhelds

• 

  Ayaneo Geek

  More affordable

  With the Ayaneo Geek, you make a few sacrifices to get this excellent gaming handheld for under a thousand dollars. It features an AMD 6800U processor, a sleek design, 50.25 Wh battery. However, you don’t get all the premium features found on the more expensive Ayaneo 2 model. It lacks nice-to-have things like better sound and vibration, an advanced gyroscope, and a newer M.2 specification. 

  Pros

  • Great design and 7-inch screen
  • Can be configured in 800p or 1200p
  • Great AMD processor and graphics

  Cons

  • 800p model won’t look as good
  • Slower M.2 storage spec
  • Lacks features like better vibration, gyroscrope and fingerprint reader

Ayaneo, a company created just a few years ago, makes perhaps the most premium Steam Deck alternatives out there. Sure, the Asus ROG Ally and Lenovo Legion Go are also excellent, more well-known options, but they’re both quite bulky. Ayaneo has managed to fit great specs in a small form factor, and that can make the gaming handheld worth it despite the high price point. But there are a surprising amount of Ayaneo gaming console models you can buy, including the Ayaneo 2 and the Ayaneo Geek. One is a premium and complete handheld console, and the other is a slightly pared-down version at a lower price point. Which one should you buy?

Price, specs, and availability

The best place to get Ayaneo products is directly from the company’s online store. If you’d rather purchase from a third party, you can get the handheld from Droix, a retailer that specializes in handhelds, gaming, and PCs. The Ayaneo 2 starts at $1,099 and includes 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. It can be configured up to 32GB of RAM and 2TB of storage, with this configuration retailing for $1,499. The handheld can be configured in four colors: Starry Black, Sky White, RetroPower, and B.Duck. However, note that only some of the colors can be purchased with other configuration upgrades.

If you don’t need a more premium build and a higher-quality display, you can go for the Ayaneo Geek instead. The base model comes with 16GB of RAM, 512GB of storage, and an 800p display. This configuration will run you $949, which is about $150 less than the Ayaneo 2. The most expensive configuration of this console includes 32GB of RAM, 2TB of storage, and a 1200p display for $1,369. It’s only available in the Fantasy Black color, though.

• 	Ayaneo 2	Ayaneo Geek
  Dimensions	10.4×4.2×0.9 inches (264.5×105.5×21.5mm)	10.4×4.2×0.9 inches (264.4×105.5×22.3mm)
  Weight	1.5 pounds (680 grams)	680g
  Chipset	AMD Ryzen 7 6800U	AMD 6800U, AMD 6600U
  RAM	16GB, 32GB LPDDR5 6400MHz	16GB, 32GB LPDDR5
  Storage	Up to 2TB	PCIE 3.0 M.2 2280
  Wireless Connectivity	Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.2	Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.2
  Display	7-inch IPS touchscreen 1920×1200, 60Hz	800p/1200p
  Graphics	Integrated AMD Radeon RDNA 2	Radeon 680M
  Ports	2x USB Type-C (top), 1x USB Type-C (bottom), audio combo jack, microSD expansion	2x USB4, 3.5mm jack, TF slot, M.2 slot
  Battery	50.25Whr	50.25Whr

Design

The design of these two Ayaneo devices is one of the main reasons it might be worth the high price tag. The Ayaneo 2 and Geek are probably the gaming handhelds that most closely replicate the design of the Nintendo Switch. That’s all while packing a competent gaming PC on the inside.

First, looking at the devices, you’ll see the 7-inch displays on both models. On the Ayaneo Geek, there’s a slim bezel around the display, and it has a plastic build. On the other hand, a sheet of glass covers the display and front of Ayaneo 2. This makes the Ayaneo 2 look and feel more premium, but it also might make it less durable. You’ll also notice that there are no screws to be found on either device. That’s because the Ayaneo 2 and Ayaneo Geek are assembled with no visible screws. There are also left and right joysticks, a D-pad, shoulder buttons, XYAB buttons, and a few other customizable buttons.

Both Ayaneo handheld models also feature Hall triggers, which offer 7.5mm of pressing stroke. Ayaneo says that it uses electromagnetic induction technology, which allows the triggers to be more accurate and hold up better over time than traditional mechanical triggers.

Overall, both the Ayaneo 2 and Ayaneo Geek have sleek designs that look to be comfortable in the hand. However, the Ayaneo 2 has the advantage of a no-bezel display, which will make a difference in how much screen real estate you get for playing games. This is especially noticeable on the white model, although it’s less of a big deal on the black one. It’s also worth mentioning that the Ayaneo 2 is slightly thinner than the Ayaneo Geek, with the devices measuring up at 21.5mm and 22.3mm thick, respectively. Otherwise, the two devices’ dimensions are identical, and both feature 7-inch displays.

Display

The first big difference between the Ayaneo 2 and the Ayaneo Geek comes with their displays. Sure, there’s the bezel, which we’ve already mentioned, but they have different resolutions. The Ayaneo 2 features a 7-inch IPS touchscreen display with a 1920×1200 resolution and a 16:10 aspect ratio. That’s great for a gaming handheld, and paired with the no-bezel design, the Ayaneo 2 has a more premium display than the Ayaneo Geek. It’s one of the main reasons that the Ayaneo 2 is more expensive than the Ayaneo Geek.

The Ayaneo Geek is much less stunning, with an 800p panel on the base model, with an upgrade available to 1200p that’ll put it on par with the Ayaneo 2. It’s still a 7-inch display, just at a lower resolution, so you will be able to see the difference in quality. One benefit to the lower resolution display might be a lower power draw and graphical demand, though. Since the display is a lower resolution, you should be able to play new games at high settings at a playable framerate. This might not be possible on a more demanding display. It’s a tradeoff to consider when deciding between the Ayaneo 2 and the Ayaneo Geek.

Performance

Performance is the interesting part because, at first glance, it might look like the Ayaneo Geek and the Ayaneo 2 have the exact same internals. However, a closer look reveals that there are slight differences that might have a big impact on performance and upgradeability down the road. Both gaming handhelds use an AMD 6800U processor and a Radeon 680M graphics chip. This is equal to a low-end gaming laptop, so it’s pretty good as far as performance is concerned for this form factor. But it isn’t even the most powerful chip Ayaneo puts in its consoles, with the Ayaneo 2S sporting an AMD 7000-series chip.

The good thing is that both the Ayaneo Geek and the Ayaneo 2 have the same processor, heat dissipation, and battery. These devices can use up to 35W of power and have a battery capacity of 50.25Wh. They also can be configured with the same 16GB or 32GB of LPDDR5 RAM at 6,400Mhz speeds. Both consoles have two USB-C ports, a headphone jack, and dual microphones. The similarities continue with connectivity, where both handhelds support Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2. But amidst all those similarities, there are a few areas where Ayaneo cut costs with the Ayaneo Geek that have a performance effect.

The main one is related to storage and expansion. While both the Ayaneo 2 and Ayaneo Geek have PCIE M.2 slots, they don’t have the same specifications. The Ayaneo 2 has an M.2 slot that supports PCIE 4.0, which provides better overall performance and faster speeds. This could have an impact on storing, playing, and launching games on your handheld. The Ayaneo Geek is a step behind with an M.2 slot that only supports PCIE 3.0.

The other downsides are minor but could have an impact on the gaming experience. The Ayaneo 2 has a fingerprint sensor with auto sleep and wake technology, so you can tap the fingerprint sensor to unlock the device and pick up where you left off. While the Ayaneo Geek has a fingerprint sensor, too, it can’t be used in the same way. There’s also the fact that the Ayaneo 2 has better vibration and sound technology, with a feature Ayaneo calls Sound Tap Magic vibration. Overall, while many specs may be similar, the Ayaneo 2 is a more well-rounded option.

Which one is right for you?

The bulk of the Ayaneo 2 and the Ayaneo Geek internals and design are the same, but the small things do add up, and you get many quality-of-life features on the Ayaneo 2 for just $150 more. At a lower price bracket, that might be preferable. However, with either the Ayaneo 2 or the Ayaneo Geek, you’re still spending around a $1,000 for a gaming handheld. If you’re spending that much on either Ayaneo model, you might as well splurge for the absolute best experience.

If you want to get an Ayaneo gaming handheld for under a thousand dollars, the Ayaneo Geek is the way to go, albeit with a few compromises. You still get an AMD processor and GPU, great memory options, and the same battery capacity. Plus, the lower-quality display can actually be a good thing if you’re looking to play games at the best settings.