On March 14th, 2024, AyaNeo officially launched the upgraded version of its AyaNeo 2 handheld at a new conference in Shanghai. As an iteration of last year's highly-anticipated AyaNeo 2, the upgraded version has been comprehensively improved in terms of performance, configuration, and design, with a view to pointing to the dominant position of Steam Deck.

The upgraded AyaNeo 2 is powered by AMD's latest generation Ryzen 7 6800U processor with 8 cores and 16 threads on a 7nm processor with a maximum RWI of 4.7 GHz. The processor utilizes AMD's latest Zen 2 architecture and the RDNA 2 core graphics, which provides a 20% increase in performance compared to its predecessor, the Ryzen 7 5800U.

In real-world gaming tests, the AyaNeo 2 upgrade was able to smoothly run large 3A games such as Elden Phalanx, God of War 4, and Cyberpunk 2077 at a frame rate of over 60 FPS. At 1080P resolution, the game screen is smooth and detailed, and the frame rate is stable even when the special effects are fully turned on.

In addition to a more powerful processor, the AyaNeo 2 Upgrade has also been upgraded in other configurations.

Screen: 7-inch IPS screen with 1280 x 800 resolution and 10-point touch support. Compared to its predecessor, the screen is 20% brighter, with more vibrant colors and wider viewing angles.

Memory: 16GB LPDDR4x RAM for smooth gaming.

Storage: 512GB NVMe SSD with PCIe 3.0 x4 lanes, with read speeds of up to 7,000MB/s and write speeds of up to 5,000MB/s, dramatically shortening game loading times.

Interfaces: 2 USB-C ports to support video output and fast charging; 1 HDMI port to connect to a TV or monitor for a big-screen gaming experience; 1 3.5mm headphone jack to meet gamers' demand for high-quality gaming sound.

Battery: 48Wh high-capacity battery with up to 6 hours of battery life to meet the needs of players for long time gaming.

More exquisite design and comfortable hand feeling

In terms of design, AyaNeo 2 Upgrade continues the classic design of its predecessor, but with optimized details. The body adopts a one-piece design, which is more exquisite and beautiful. The rear shell is made of skin-like material, which is more comfortable and less fatiguing to hold for a long time.

Since the release of the Steam Deck, its powerful performance and extensive game library have made it the new dominant player in the handheld market, and the release of the AyaNeo 2 Upgrade is certainly a strong challenge to the Steam Deck's dominance.

In terms of performance, the AyaNeo 2 Upgrade has a clear advantage over the Steam Deck. In addition, the AyaNeo 2 Upgrade has been upgraded in terms of screen, memory, storage, interface and design, making it even stronger.

Of course, the AyaNeo 2 Upgrade also has some shortcomings, such as the price may be higher than the Steam Deck, but for gamers who are looking for the ultimate performance and gaming experience, the AyaNeo 2 Upgrade is undoubtedly a more worthwhile choice.

All in all, the AyaNeo 2 Upgrade is a powerful, well-equipped and well-designed handheld. Its strong performance and rich configuration make it a strong competitor to Steam Deck. I believe that with the continuous efforts of domestic handheld manufacturers, more excellent products will appear in the future to provide players with a better gaming experience.