I’m hyped to see Best Buy stocking premium Ayaneo handhelds, but the prices are scary

HardwareHandheldsI’m hyped to see Best Buy stocking premium Ayaneo handhelds, but the prices are scaryWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works. HardwareHandheldsI’m hyped to see Best Buy stocking premium Ayaneo handhelds, but the prices are scaryWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works. (Image credit: Ayaneo / Future) I’ve been waiting a long time for Ayaneo handhelds to reach a US storefront, so I’m pretty excited to see Best Buy now stocking devices. The catch? Well, the premium portables still come with an eye-watering price tag, one that looks worse when placed on a virtual shelf alongside Windows alternatives. Don’t get me wrong, I genuinely believe that Ayaneo makes some of thebest gaming handheldoptions on the market. The company continually releasesdifferentsystems that offer up alternative ways to play, with the likes of theAyaneo Flip DSinjecting old console tricks into the new portable PC scene. The brand’s devices also benefit from the ever improving functionality of Ayaspace, which arguably puts rivals likeAsus ROG AllyandLenovo Legion Goto shame with better functionality. (Image credit: Best Buy) For those of you who’ve never heard of either device, here’s the skinny. The Ayaneo Kun is an 8.4-inch Windows 11 handheld that’s armed with anAMDRyzen 7 7840U or 8840U APU. The version at Best Buy right now comes with 16GB RAM and 512GB storage, but there is a monstrous 64GB / 4TB verison out there that’ll make your desktop PC feel silly. It also boasts a 54W max TDP and 75Wh battery – a combo that gives it an edge over Ryzen Z1 Extreme machines out there. In contrast to that beast, the Next Lite embraces its name with an older Ryzen 7 4800U chip, 16GB LPDDR4X RAM, and 512GB storage. Naturally, sticking with a Vega chipset and lower key specs is an effort to keep costs down, but it’ll ultimately hit lower fps figures than theSteam Deck OLED. The main selling point here is the premium perks tied to Ayaneo’s choice of accompanying hardware, a recurring theme with the company’s entire line-up. Are premium handhelds worth it? (Image credit: Future / Phil Hayton) I’ve had a few friends ask me if they should pick up a handheld this year, and normally end up recommending either the Steam Deck or the ROG Ally. That’s largely down to the fact that recommending spending a grand on something like theAyaneo 2Sjust isn’t viable for most people. Does that mean it’s not a good portable PC? Hell no. In fact, price is the one thing stopping the company’s devices being top of my recommendation list. To note, I don’t think Ayaneo’s pricing is entirely unjustified. Sure, you’re ultimately paying more for something like the Kun that’ll hit roughly the same frame rates as cheaper Windows machines. However, the extra expense actually grants you access to premium features like hall effect triggers and thumb sticks – something that’s missed with the $799Asus ROG Ally X. Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more (Image credit: Future) The whole experience evokes the same sensation I get sitting in my brother-in-law’s Mercedes versus my Volkswagen Polo, which might sound cliche, but it’s the best metaphor for the premium handheld scene. Every Ayaneo product I’ve tested to date provides a sense of quality and performance that, despite upsetting your bank account, will feel appropriately premium. That’s not me saying you should necessarily scrape together funds for a Kun over a similar 8-inch device like theLenovoLegion Go, but having thoroughly tested the latter, I can see why spending on physical features would result in a much nicer experience. Simply put, if you enjoy the satisfaction of using tech thatfeelsmore premium, it’s worth keeping Ayaneo in mind. Most of you are still, quite rightly, going to stick with handheld gaming PCs around the $500 mark, but with the company’s boutique models now making their way to US retailers, we could be in for some phenomenal discounts that make picking up one of the portables a no brainer. Today’s best handheld gaming PC dealsASUS ROG Ally$550$490ViewSee all pricesAsus Asus ROG Ally X$6.87ViewSee all pricesLenovo Legion Go$699.99$549ViewSee all pricesMSI Claw$699ViewSee all pricesValve Steam Deck OLED 512GB$717ViewSee all pricesValve Steam Deck OLED 1TB$739.99ViewSee all pricesWe check over 250 million products every day for the best prices Today’s best handheld gaming PC dealsASUS ROG Ally$550$490ViewSee all pricesAsus Asus ROG Ally X$6.87ViewSee all pricesLenovo Legion Go$699.99$549ViewSee all pricesMSI Claw$699ViewSee all pricesValve Steam Deck OLED 512GB$717ViewSee all pricesValve Steam Deck OLED 1TB$739.99ViewSee all pricesWe check over 250 million products every day for the best prices Today’s best handheld gaming PC dealsASUS ROG Ally$550$490ViewSee all pricesAsus Asus ROG Ally X$6.87ViewSee all pricesLenovo Legion Go$699.99$549ViewSee all pricesMSI Claw$699ViewSee all pricesValve Steam Deck OLED 512GB$717ViewSee all pricesValve Steam Deck OLED 1TB$739.99ViewSee all pricesWe check over 250 million products every day for the best prices Today’s best handheld gaming PC deals ASUS ROG Ally$550$490ViewSee all pricesAsus Asus ROG Ally X$6.87ViewSee all pricesLenovo Legion Go$699.99$549ViewSee all pricesMSI Claw$699ViewSee all pricesValve Steam Deck OLED 512GB$717ViewSee all pricesValve Steam Deck OLED 1TB$739.99ViewSee all prices ASUS ROG Ally$550$490ViewSee all prices ASUS ROG Ally$550$490ViewSee all prices ASUS ROG Ally ASUS ROG Ally $550$490View $550$490 $490 See all prices Asus Asus ROG Ally X$6.87ViewSee all prices Asus Asus ROG Ally X$6.87ViewSee all prices Asus Asus ROG Ally X Asus Asus ROG Ally X $6.87View $6.87 $6.87 See all prices Lenovo Legion Go$699.99$549ViewSee all prices Lenovo Legion Go$699.99$549ViewSee all prices Lenovo Legion Go Lenovo Legion Go $699.99$549View $699.99$549 $549 See all prices MSI Claw$699ViewSee all prices MSI Claw$699ViewSee all prices MSI Claw MSI Claw $699View $699 $699 See all prices Valve Steam Deck OLED 512GB$717ViewSee all prices Valve Steam Deck OLED 512GB$717ViewSee all prices Valve Steam Deck OLED 512GB Valve Steam Deck OLED 512GB $717View $717 $717 See all prices Valve Steam Deck OLED 1TB$739.99ViewSee all prices Valve Steam Deck OLED 1TB$739.99ViewSee all prices Valve Steam Deck OLED 1TB Valve Steam Deck OLED 1TB $739.99View $739.99 $739.99 See all prices We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices CATEGORIESPC GamingPlatforms CATEGORIES More about handheldsThis handheld is the same size as an NES controller, but I use it to play 30 years worth of retro classicsWill the next Lenovo Legion Go actually be a Steam Deck? 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You might be ready for Elden Ring: Nightreign, but not as ready as this streamer who completed the RPG like it was a roguelike – 207 bosses, random items, and permadeath The team behind the unofficial Zelda Ocarina of Time PC port just modernized another Nintendo 64 classic, and the original creator is “very happy” about it Nosferatu’s Bill Skarsgård was so happy to shed the Orlok character when filming wrapped: “It was an immense sense of relief” Warner Bros. is inexplicably delisting a bunch of games without warning, again, and devs are once again distraught: “We are heartbroken” Marvel Rivals joins Manor Lords, Palworld, and Helldivers 2 as one of Steam’s best-selling and most-played new releases of 2024 despite launching at the end of the year GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension"2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package"3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure"4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years"5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths"1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show"2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie"3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action"4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien"5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite"1Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat"2Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses"3Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist"4Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands"5Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place” GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension"2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package"3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure"4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years"5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths"1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show"2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie"3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action"4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien"5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite"1Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat"2Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses"3Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist"4Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands"5Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place” GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension"2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package"3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure"4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years"5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths"1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show"2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie"3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action"4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien"5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite"1Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat"2Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses"3Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist"4Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands"5Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place” GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension"2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package"3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure"4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years"5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths"1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show"2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie"3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action"4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien"5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite"1Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat"2Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses"3Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist"4Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands"5Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place” GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS 1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension” 1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension” 1 Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension” 2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package” 2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package” 2 Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package” 3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure” 3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure” 3 Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure” 4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years” 4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years” 4 Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years” 5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths” 5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths” 5 Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths” 1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show” 1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show” 1 Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show” 2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie” 2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie” 2 Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie” 3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action” 3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action” 3 Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action” 4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien” 4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien” 4 The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien” 5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite” 5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite” 5 Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite” 1Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat” 1Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat” 1 Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat” 2Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses” 2Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses” 2 Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses” 3Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist” 3Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist” 3 Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist” 4Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands” 4Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands” 4 Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands” 5Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place” 5Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place” 5 Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place”