The First Steam Deck Gaming Handheld Competitor With SteamOS Is Coming

Ayaneo will be the first company to use SteamOS in its gaming handhelds with the release of the Ayaneo Next Lite. Ayaneo has been in the handheld gaming space for a few years, though all previous devices from the company used Windows as their operating system.

The company is positioning the Next Lite as a value option for gamers, and it’s most likely trying to evoke the Nintendo Switch Lite with the naming scheme. Although, it’s not just the name that’s giving off Switch Lite vibes, as the design of the Next Lite is also very reminiscent of the Nintendo’s lower cost option. While not official, the press images released show that the new handheld will be available in three separate colors. The company says it will come equipped With a 7-inch 800P screen and a 47Wh large-capacity battery.


Ayaneo seems to be focusing heavily on cost with the Next Lite, so it will be interesting to see what kind of hardware comes inside the new handheld. The current Ayaneo Next houses a Ryzen 7 5825U, so the Next Lite will most likely use this part. Although it wouldn’t be surprising to see the company downgrade this in an effort to hit a certain price point because the currently available Next sells for $1,315 USD, which is far off from “value.”

It's nice to see a company finally adopt SteamOS and deliver its own vision of what a handheld can be while running the operating system. However, it might be a tough road for Ayaneo as it tries to balance the pricing of the device while still delivering enough performance to entice gamers. Ayaneo says that "subscriptions open at 9:30 PM 1/11/2024 EST."