Is the Ayaneo Next Lite Worth $300?

Salutations to friends and other fans! I'm Mikhailov from Team Retrogue, a group of people who enjoy vintage video games and the gadgets that play them. In this article, we are examining the Ayaneo Next Lite.

This low-cost Windows handheld has much potential despite using a less powerful CPU. Let's discuss some of the most crucial information regarding this portable device for PC gaming and simulation. We'll check to see if this inexpensive gadget is worth your money. The purpose of this written review is to support my video, which is available below, about the Ayaneo Next Lite:

Introduction

Usually, Ayaneo lists its devices on Indegogo. After they are released, the devices are sold on its website for the retail price. But this release was quite different. Preorders went live on January 31, and deliveries began the following week.

I forgot my unit. On February 9, the turnaround time from placing my preorder to actually receiving my tablet was precisely nine days. Ayaneo's release format was a complete surprise. More handhelds should ideally be published in this manner.

Although the beginning price for this device is $299, the $349 price point may be more alluring. Despite having a larger hard drive, this more expensive model intrudes on "Steam Deck" territory. The LED Steam Deck is already available for $349 in the United States!

Initially, Ayaneo intended to ship the device running HoloISO, a variant of SteamOS. Following considerable community backlash, the corporation took a step back. Instead, Ayaneo included Windows 11 Home with the tablet. That decision was wise, given how badly the HoloISO image is doing. Even the Ayaneo buttons won't work with it.

As much as I wanted to discuss the HoloISO experience, I can't adequately critique an unfinished operating system because TDP controls aren't functioning either. Therefore, this paper's primary focus is the Windows experience.

Specs and Hardware

This gadget is powered by an AMD Ryzen 5 4500U CPU with Radeon Vega 6 graphics. The Next Lite has 512GB memory, two full-sized 2280 drives, and 16GB of LPDDR4x RAM.

The gadget has a 47-watt-hour battery and a 7" 800p IPS OCA laminated touchscreen. It features three USB-C connectors and connects via WiFi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2. One is for data only, while the other two are utterly functional, with charging and display out. A 3.5mm headphone jack is also present.

The triggers are composed of some inexpensive plastic. Even if there are still hall-sensing triggers, I don't like this material. The Ayaneo buttons on the device's lower right corner exhibit the same level of cheapness.

These buttons are typically labeled, but they are simply blank and cheap-looking, which adds to the handheld's low cost. The two function buttons that Ayaneo often places at the top of their tablet are also absent, which makes using Windows more challenging than it has to be.

The gadget has some excellent full-sized joysticks. The Next Lite feels light and pleasant in the hand, even though it weighs 725 grams. I've loved spending a lot of time playing games on this little device.

No SD-Card?

The device contains a full-sized SSD. But there isn't even a Micro SD card slot. With a large number of games, that 512GB quickly fills up. I wanted to know how difficult it would be to replace the hard drive, so I bought a 4TB hard drive from Amazon.

It is not hard to unscrew the device. Remove eight tri-wing screws on the rear, as well as one screw each on the top and bottom. Ayaneo didn't hide the screws like they prefer to.

Even though I was careful, I may have scratched the plastic a little when I pried off the back plate, which was the most challenging part of the hard drive swap. Nevertheless, the hard drive was front and center, making the swap very simple.

This hard drive replacement removes the gadget from the budget because it cost me an additional $200, totaling $499. This is obviously in the realm of Steam Deck and makes the device less appealing.

The absence of an SD Card slot further hampered this device. For instance, you may use this chipset to boot into JELOS, but you will need to attach a USB-C drive or an SD card reader, and who wants a cumbersome drive protruding from their device? It shouldn't be necessary to spend more money on a new hard disk to enhance this experience.

Gameplay

Let's now take a quick look at performance. In the comments, please let me know what you want to see in my upcoming performance showcase video. Despite being an ancient chipset, the 4500U CPU still functions. If you don't mind playing independent games or games with low settings, you may play a lot on this device.

Palworld operates at extremely low settings at 800p and does get 30 frames per second when using the "AAA Game setting" in AyaSpace with a 15-watt TDP cap. That performance will occasionally lag slightly, but it has never dropped below 25 frames per second or felt unplayable.

I played this game for an hour, and my battery decreased from 81% to 20%. At 30 frames per second, Genshin Impact also performs admirably on low settings. With a 12-watt TDP cap, the game operates in AyaSpace under the "Normal Game" preset with a steady framerate.

Using a tweak known as FPS++, the Wii U version of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, running on the Cemu emulator, functions under the typical game settings. You can locate it under the graphics packs in CEMU.

Before I activated FPS++, I was only averaging 18–20 frames per second, but now I'm operating at full speed or nearly so, and the TDP only reaches 12 Watts. The game typically runs between 8 and 9 Watts. Based on my testing, I was pleasantly surprised by the device's capabilities, considering its $350 price tag.

Positives

It's time to conclude with some closing remarks, and I'll begin by discussing the advantages, starting with the price-to-performance ratio. For $299, you can obtain a reliable Windows handheld with respectable performance. I was shocked by how much this handheld could accomplish, even though I was ready to list all the things it couldn't.

Due to its 800p screen, the gadget uses less power when playing games, which should result in a longer battery life than anticipated. The tablet doesn't feel its actual weight, and the ergonomics are very damn pleasant. It feels lighter. Since my hands don't tire from holding it, I don't mind playing this for extended periods.

Additionally, it's important to mention how fast this handheld navigates Windows. Low-powered handhelds like the Loki Zero and the Anbernic Win600 didn't really appeal to me in part because their low-powered chipsets caused the operating system to slow while performing simple tasks. This device doesn't have that problem. Everything is responsive and quick.

Negatives

However, as no gadget is flawless, I dislike some things about this handheld: the triggers and some of the buttons seem too cheap and almost like a children's toy, and I don't like the material they're made of.

Without a microSD slot, increasing storage is significantly more difficult. Fortunately, you only need to improve your storage once because a full-sized hard drive is included. Unfortunately, this implies that not everyone will feel comfortable upgrading storage because it's not a plug-and-play experience.

Then there is the issue of the cost. It becomes more difficult to sell the Next Lite for roughly the same price, or somewhat more when Steam Deck systems with comparable or better performance, SteamOS, an 800p screen, and an SD card slot are available for the same price. As the youngsters say, "Just get a Steam Deck, Bruh."

Additionally, remember that you may buy a Steam Deck now and have it in a week rather than waiting until April to receive something that might not be better.

Conclusion

Overall, I'm happy with the Ayaneo Next Lite. However, it might not be suitable for your requirements. While some excellent features exist, there are just enough drawbacks to make this more than a "budget" handheld.