At the press conference held at 8:30 last night, AYANEO announced the first Winodws handheld machine NEXT 2 with independent graphics. The handheld machine uses an independent graphics card for the first time, and there are two versions to choose from: Intel and AMD. The Intel discrete graphics version uses Intel Alder Lake processors and Arc discrete graphics, while the AMD discrete graphics version uses Ryzen 6000 CPU and Radeon 6000 dGPU.
But unfortunately, the specific SKU of the AYANEO NEXT II handheld console has not yet been confirmed. The biggest takeaway from the new console is that it will be the first time Intel's Arc Alchemist discrete GPU is used on a handheld game console. Website VideoCardz speculates that due to the size and current design, it will be an ACM-G11 GPU, possibly offering up to 8 Xe-Cores.
At last night’s live broadcast, AYANEO officially stated that there are two solutions for NEXT 2’s independent graphics. The first solution is to make the independent graphics and battery into modular design , which can be freely matched according to the user's usage situation to choose performance or battery life. The second option is to integrate independent graphics and directly on the motherboard, which is more conservative, but more acceptable.
AYANEO is offering 7 new consoles this year and will offer more affordable handheld products to stay competitive with Nintendo, Valve and others. The new AYANEO NEXT II handheld console will cross the $1000 price range. The company hasn't revealed an estimated release date, price, or further specifications yet, but we should likely receive more information during the holiday season.
