The $900 Ayaneo 3 is the most exciting handheld PC device the company has created.
Modular inputs, two screens, and Oculink.
Ayaneo has stood out in the market for manufacturing the best portable PCs in terms of design, although its products have always been niche. For example, the Ayaneo 2, which cost $1,300, offered an experience that could be considered inferior to that of the $400 Steam Deck. However, this has not diminished the enthusiasm for the new Ayaneo 3, which features a 7-inch display and has a starting price of $900, coming closer to the high-end options available on the market.
This model is presented as the most complete in terms of features, including two USB4 ports, OcuLink, and Hall effect joysticks with RGB. Additionally, it offers the option to choose between two impressive screens. One of the most interesting aspects is the ability to customize the layout of the joysticks and buttons to suit the user’s ergonomic preferences.
Ayaneo has dubbed the Ayaneo 3 as "the world's first modular handheld," as additional modules can be added. For an additional cost of $139, users can purchase a set of six modules that allow swapping the joysticks for analog sticks, a six-button micro switch panel for fighting games, or even D-pads and silicone conductive face buttons. The "Magic Module" kit includes six modules and additional caps for the joysticks.
It is important to note that the basic module, which allows for modification of the joysticks and button orientation, is included by default with the device, which has a quite competitive price for all it offers. Although the Ayaneo 3 features a Ryzen 8840U processor, 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM, and 512GB of storage, it does not include an option Z2, and the HX 370 model starts at $1,500. However, the choice between OLED or IPS displays is offered from the onset. The OLED screen is a 1080p HDR panel at 144Hz, promising 800 nits of brightness and 110% coverage of the DCI-P3 color spectrum, suggesting superior performance compared to the excellent OLED panel of the Steam Deck.
Despite its merits, the OLED screen does not have variable refresh rate for added smoothness, although the IPS option does, featuring a 120Hz display, 500 nits of brightness, and a response time of 7 ms, although its color coverage is only 100% sRGB, making it less vibrant than the OLED. Furthermore, the Ayaneo 3 includes USB4 ports on the top and bottom, both capable of 65W PD charging, as well as an Oculink port for eGPUs and supports full-size M.2 2280 SSDs for storage upgrades.
The device also features a hardware mode switch on the bottom to toggle between controller modes, virtual mouse, and keyboard, which could be useful, although the current state of Windows might be a drawback. Additionally, the new trigger locks allow switching to a sensitive trigger mode.
There are some concerns regarding the Ayaneo 3. Firstly, the company mentions that the modules connect electronically to the frame and must be ejected by pressing a software button that activates a motor. This could be complicated in practice. On the other hand, this 1.5-pound handheld only has a 49-watt-hour battery, whereas other models like the Asus ROG Ally X manage to incorporate 80-watt-hour packs at a similar weight, which could affect battery life.
Finally, it is relevant to consider that these products are funded through crowdfunding. Although Ayaneo has successfully delivered its previous devices, they have not always been perfect, and this is its most ambitious project to date. According to the company, the Ayaneo 3 will begin shipping at the end of April.
