For those that have been following the industry closely, gaming PC handhelds have been around for a while but in larger gaming circles, devices like the Steam Deck and companies like OneX are starting to take over. Ayaneo is another of those companies that have been around for a while now, jockeying for attention amidst a sea of more recognizable brands.
With the Ayaneo 2S, the company is looking to make its biggest splash yet with a handheld gaming PC that boasts a powerful APU, a relatively unique design, and the advantage of running Windows 11. Ayaneo clearly wants to hit the market of gamer who likes the customization and freedom that PC gaming affords, with performance that won’t totally break the bank. It knows where the 2S can squeeze in to make itself heard and make it even harder to settle on a preferred gaming PC handheld. After having tested the device for a few weeks now, it’s easy to say that those goals have been either met or exceeded.
Boasting a 1900x1200 resolution LCD display with a 60Hz refresh rate, the Ayaneo 2S leans towards the higher end when it comes to its screen. Of course, a higher resolution screen means more power is needed from the hardware and the battery, but just looking at the display it is crisp and clear. It’s a slightly different aspect ratio but it fits the design of the Ayaneo 2S well and we have had no complaints as far as its color reproduction or overall quality. All the power in the world is meaningless if the display is lackluster, but this one looks great. The Ayaneo 2S’s speakers are solid as well for those who don’t want to use wired or wireless headphones.
The one drawback to the display is that some games don’t support 1900x1200 resolution, which means users will have to run the game in windowed fullscreen mode with black bars on the top and bottom. We only found a few games that didn’t support 16:10, though, and for those that didn’t, we never found the letterboxing to be distracting.
The Ayaneo 2S comes with its own dashboard called AyaSpace that helps give users quick access to their library across multiple launchers as well as the ability to tweak settings like resolution, TDP (for controlling power draw and pushing graphical settings), and fan speed. While AyaSpace is pretty self-explanatory for power users, it might be a little more complicated for entry-level gamers who are looking for a pickup-and-play experience. One major drawback we experienced was the software constantly resetting to Chinese after every update, which led to us awkwardly trying to find the language menu and setting the device back to English.
AYANEO 2S Specs
- Screen: 7-inch IPS 1900x1200
- CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 7840U
- GPU: AMD Radeon 780M
- Memory: Up to 64GB LPDDR5X 7500MHz
- Storage: Up to 4TB
- Connectivity: Wifi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2
- Size: 264.5x105.5x21.55mm
- Weight: 667g
Performance
Of course, the major benefit to a device like the Ayaneo 2S is that it runs Windows 11 and therefore is a true handheld PC. It can theoretically run any game or any gaming software simply by downloading it, and where applicable the AyaSpace software can tap into that launcher’s library. Being able to play Game Pass games or Destiny 2 or Diablo 4 is a major advantage for the Ayaneo 2S and then the power of the hardware pushes it over the edge.
At the same time, Windows 11 and PC gaming, in general, is not without its idiosyncrasies, which can lead to some troubleshooting. On a PC, if something isn’t working right it’s far easier to find a solution by way of the keyboard or mouse, but using touch controls to fix the same problems can be finicky. We never encountered any issues that couldn’t be fixed by a quick restart and to Ayaneo’s credit they have mapped some controller options that bring up a keyboard/mimic mouse movement, but that is simply the nature of PC gaming that is this open. The more closed off the system, the fewer problems that may arise but at the cost of unfettered access to a wide gaming landscape.
Alongside the freedom of access, the Ayaneo 2S offers freedom when it comes to powering games. The AMD Ryzen 7 7840U APU is an absolute monster and the current top of the hill when it comes to handheld gaming performance. Using AyaSpace, users can select their TDP and resolution in a number of configurations to fit a variety of gaming experiences. However, those who want to push the 2S to its limits with find that Ayaneo’s device is the best in class for handheld PC gaming.
It can reach 30FPS or more on some of the more demanding PC games like Cyberpunk 2077 or Destiny 2, while indie games like the recently released Dave the Diver or Planet of Lana can hit 60 FPS with minimal sacrifices. The Ayaneo 2S is extremely impressive and will give those who love to tinker a lot of room to customize their settings and hit their targets.
However, the higher TDP that leads to that exceptional performance is a major battery drain. In our testing, we rarely got past the hour mark on the 2S’s maximum 22W TDP option, which Ayaneo calls “Game Mode.” Bumping things down to the 15W “Balance” mode saw better battery performance of close to two hours but not much better than that. Again, there are a lot of ways to tweak the Ayaneo 2S to balance performance to visuals depending on the game, but there are still inherent limitations when it comes to handheld PC gaming. Battery life is simply one of them right now. It takes a lot of juice to power something so strong.
Design
Game ZXC was provided the white version of the Ayaneo 2S for this review but the handheld PC also comes in black. Looking at it from the front, the handheld console is more rounded than a lot of its competition, but it squares off on the back handhelds to ensure a nice grip. There are two USB-C ports on the top of the device (one for fast charging), as well as a power button with fingerprint sensor, volume controls, and small LC and RC buttons that are customizable function buttons capable of performing different actions based on a short or a long press. On the bottom is another USB-C port, a headphone jack, and a micro SD card slot with a cover.
As with any handheld gaming PC, the Ayaneo 2S is going to get plenty warm but there is a good amount of ventilation on the device. A series of wide vents are across the top of the 2S and then some smaller vents along the back and the bottom. Because of the amount of power necessary to power the screen and deliver quality gaming, the Ayaneo 2S is never going to be completely cool (or quiet for that matter) but the thoughtful design does its best to dissipate heat.
Much like with controllers, design for a handheld gaming console comes in a lot of different styles. Specifically, the orientation of the joysticks can be make or break for a lot of gamers depending on what style they are used to. The Ayaneo 2s features an offset joystick orientation, but the main difference here is that the sticks are perpendicular to either the d-pad or the face buttons. It takes some getting used to and can be a little awkward, but eventually, the Ayaneo 2s controls aren’t terribly bothersome.
The great part about the Ayaneo 2s joysticks is that they are Hall Effect, so they won’t result in any drifting after prolonged use. For a console that is meant for travel and will likely be placed into and pulled out of bags that is a huge benefit and is a major win for Ayaneo.
Overall, though, the controls are solid with a d-pad that has the right amount of give but isn’t too squishy, a set of bumpers and triggers that are responsive without feeling overly clicky, and face buttons that don’t tend to get that sensation of being “stuck” like some handheld face buttons can.
Those that have been looking closely at the gaming PC handheld market should absolutely count Ayaneo 2S as a certified contender for one of the best options. Its chipset is currently top tier and the performance matches that expectation. Entry-level users should know that Windows 11 still needs some tweaks to better accommodate handheld gaming, and there are some quirks that are unavoidable when it comes to a system that is literally a portable PC. Ayaneo does well to mitigate those with its software and featureset, and battery life is always going to be something users will have to accept is limited.
But put against the competition the Ayaneo 2S impressed us across the board. It was fun to tinker with the settings and see the FPS rise, or just max out everything and see the surprising results. With the 2S, Ayaneo shows what is possible when great design meets excellent performance.
The Ayaneo 2S is available for pre-order now. Game ZXC was provided a unit for this review.