Aya introduces three Neo portable consoles to compete against Steam Deck

Aya, the company behind the Neo and the Neo Next portable gaming systems, is preparing to update its line-up with new devices. As part of the mainline, we will get AyaNeo 2, but Aya will also release the AyaNeo Air as its new entry-level console and the AyaNeo Slide as a more premium device.

Starting with the AyaNeo 2, this is a portable console using a Zen3+ Ryzen 7 6800U with an RDNA2-powered Radeon 680M iGPU. That's a considerable upgrade over the Ryzen 5800/5825U of the Neo/Neo Next, featuring a faster GPU (12 CUs at 2.2GHz), superior CPU architecture, higher CPU clock speeds, and support for faster memory (LPDDR5-6400). Moreover, owners will also take advantage of PCIe 4.0 storage, a fingerprint reader, and USB 4.0 ports, adding more value to the package. Pricing of the Neo 2 hasn't been announced yet, but the company is comparing it to the Steam Deck. However, considering the pricing history of the other AyaNeo consoles, expect it to be much higher. The company expects to ship the first units in late Q4 2022.

For the entry-level, Aya is releasing the Air console. The AyaNeo Air will weigh less than 400g, about the same as the Nintendo Switch Lite. Moreover, it will feature an undisclosed Ryzen 5000 chip with a 12W TDP, likely a Ryzen 3 to make the console as cheap as possible. The AyaNeo Air will also have 2x USB-C ports capable of delivering enough power for a mouse, keyboard, display and other peripherals and accessories. The console's display is a 5.5-inch OLED with FHD resolution covering 107% of the NTSC gamut. Available colours include black and white. Pricing and availability have yet to be announced.

Finally, we have the AyaNeo Slide, the company's most premium product to date. Considering it uses the same Ryzen 7 6800U chip as the AyaNeo 2, performance should be similar. However, some key differences might make you choose one over the other. Unlike the Neo 2, the Slide's display slides up to reveal a keyboard with RGB lighting. Similar to the Air console, pricing and availability are still unknown.

Besides these three consoles, Aya also announced that it's working on an Aya Space game launcher (Aya Space Lite) for other devices not made by the company.

KitGuru says: The Steam Deck has plenty of competition on the market, as the popularity of handheld gaming PCs increases. What do you all think of the new Aya line-up? 

Become a Patron!