One thing I forgot to film is how the screen performs in bright conditions. Since this device is so portable, how it looks outside might be an important factor in your buying decision. Here is a clip of me testing it in outdoor (but shaded) and direct sunlight conditions. Overall I would say it'll be just fine in the shade, but like with just about every other device on the market, it's not going to be a great experience in direct sunlight. imgur.com/a/PB0sgWQ
Love all the content! Especially the RetroArch Starter Guides...really useful. As someone whose childhood was around the SNES and NES camps id be interested to know whats in your 'Retro Gaming Highlights / Rom Folder'. As it would be a real eye opener to perhaps some gems i missed....would be a great video.... :) Which ROMS do you move over to your devices?
This is the size I want. Even though the steam deck is more powerful I still always go back to my switch because its lighter and I just enjoy using it more and holding it.
I'm strongly tempted by this device. I love the form factor and the OLED screen, but I can't get over how good the Onexfly is looking! Great review, as always, thanks!
I'm waiting to see the aokzoe a2 as well, looks just as compact as the onexfly, but has a sleeker bezeless design, would be awesome if it ends up having an oled screen as well
On the subject of sound, remember that previous Ayaneo Air devices were eligible for a free speaker upgrade. It doesn’t excuse the release sound quality, but the upgrade is better. I’d imagine the sound between old and new is exactly the same, with upgrade. I truly want this new Air, but my old one is still going strong. It’s been my favourite handheld to use so far, just so small and that screen is nice. Not at the end of this one yet, but got to say your handheld reviews are the best around.
This device looks really nice. I'm not really in the market for a handheld PC (i just got a Steam Deck in the last summer sale) but if i had a spare $1k i would actually be tempted by this.
It's super crazy that I can buy this (for the very high price of AUD $1450) in big box stores in Australia, but not a Steam Deck. Super-frustrating. Anyway, rant over. Thanks for your reviews of these things.
Do u do award ceremonies? Like which handheld pc has the best battery life or has the best screen etc? I'd be very interested your take on specific aspects on a handheld pc and your views of which deserves your vote
While I generally believe that any PC that's purely about gaming and nothing else doesn't really need more than 2TBs of storage, the 4TB option starts to actually make some sense when you look at M.2 storage pricing. The cost of a 4TB M.2 2280 drive costs about as much as a 2TB drive did 2-3 years ago. Storage is dirt cheap right now.
@@watchmejumpstart69 Dude, with a 2TB drive you can literally install roughly 20 100GB games and you can easily put you console ROMs onto a Micro SD card. Are you seriously telling me that you need more than 20 100GB games at one time on your internal drive? Seriously? I have a 1TB drive in my Steam Deck and I'm perfectly happy with it...
Thanks for the video Russ! Seriously considering selling my GPD Win Max 2 for this. Love my Win Max, but Aya Space 2, OLED, form factor, and the level of polish Aya demonstrates, is slowly convincing me to switch devices.
Good video, nice B-roll. Please test and show the screens in direct sunlight at max brightness, they are handhelds for on the go after all. Also missed USB-C port info, does it have DP over USB etc.
I added a pinned comment with footage in direct sunlight, and yes it has DP out, the footage you see of Spider-Man and Link's Awakening with my capture card is taken via the USB4 port.
Seems like an excellent option for those who value portability/smallness above all else in their handhelds. Not for *me* personally, as I like a much bigger display and am willing to sacrifice true pocketability to obtain that. But I'm enjoying seeing other form factors release, that way there's something for *everyone* in the handheld PC space. And big bonus for those who *want* a smaller device with a smaller display: this one is OLED. Can't beat OLED. :)
Oof, that’s rough. Hopefully one day Gaben will grace your country with the Steam Deck. I have one and it’s great. Maybe not the most powerful thing, but I’d never spend $1000 on a handheld when I have pc.
@@Splackavellie85 I would get it but its too pricey for me. I'll stick with my switch lite for now. The battery is too much of a concern IMO, Steam deck hits that sweet spot for me, ROG doesn't.
I really wish this had been the first one to come out. I liked the original Air well enough, but it's power was simply not good enough for all my use cases. This is closer, but still not there (Since what I really want is Switch emulation), but I would have loved for it to be the one I tried; I might have ended up not picking up Steam Link as my main method of gaming now.
i dont know how i feel about the usage of the real estate, its wider than the gpd win4 by a smidgedn but the screen is way smaller 5.5 vs 6, the thinness is incredible tho very pocketable.
@@SEVENTEENPOINT1 That's make or break sizes for many people when buying a phone, these handhelds have displays of the same size, and when the range of these devices is generally 5.5 to 7 every step matters.
this one is pretty much what i had i envisioned when i imagined a "steam deck lite". well, everything except the price. sure it's a fair price for what you're getting, but it is out of my price range. i guess my retroid pocket 3+ and the steam deck will still have to make due.
This is nice but for a pocket game system I go for maybe Trimui smart pro because of price and if i don’t care about size then the Odin 2 pro. Because they are cheaper but maybe better especially the Odin 2
I really love the color scheme of this. But I really want a more budget version of this design because I don't need a lot of power to play the old PC games I'm gonna play.
Great jumping into premieres; it totally makes sense for your platform, especially with a typically-iterative AYANEO device! No pressure, but curious: any plans on having videos/streams/premieres for any Maui fire relief efforts?
Glad you liked the Premiere format! I think I will do it more often when I have an opportunity to do so. As far as Maui relief, we have already been donating privately and I'm hoping to release a big batch of handheld PCs on my auction store with proceeds going to Maui. I'm not quite set up for a streaming platform yet, but it is something I'm working towards.
@@RetroGameCorps Cool! Thanks for taking the time to respond to me, and happy to hear your plans. Your documentation chops & channel has definitely inspired me to tinker with Retroids, DS's, and a bit on macOS. Keep up the good work, and I'll keep an eye out for that auction.
I'll be trying to grab the Odin2 once it releases! Hopefully I can grab it when its at $299 lol... But I doubt it, if not I'll just grab the Odin pro on sale I guess 😢
Honestly you should use the newer Street Fighter like Ultra Street Fighter 4 or 5 to test the d-pad not SF2 on emulator because old games are not very compatible with new controllers. I read about it and also tested it on my Steamdeck.
The moment you talk about pricing it just makes it so hard to justify buying one of these even if they do offer competitive “portability”. With the advancement of cloud gaming now the SD and ALLY offer prices hard to beat. Both companies are trusted and like you mentioned can be bought at Best Buy now. There’s comfort in that purchase. I have been browsing eBay for both and I can find even cheaper options. Most come with accessories the seller is needed to get rid of soon. Idk I love watching your reviews and exploring the capabilities of these handhelds but let’s be honest it’s kind of capped out with steam deck and ally. What more do you need they both do exactly what we need lol. Just expressing my thoughts here. Happy gaming.
Overpriced crap with no support and services in our countries. You gotta be loaded if you buy these just to have another handheld next to steam deck. Consumerism is a disase.
@@rettenthetetlen8759 I don’t think it’s consumerism but smaller Chinese tech companies creating new hardware. They probably have to charge this much because not much funding etc etc. but to me this brand AYANEO looks very minimal in a way that makes it look cheap. Sure you CAN do a lot but all I wanna do is play video games loo
I always wonder if reviewers never mention heat disipation problems because they are ok with the device getting super hot or if their units don't have that problem. My Ayaneo Air is great during the first few minutes of use but then gets so hot that it phisically hurts my hands. I never handles it to my kid because she could easily get hurt with how hot the screen and back gets. At first I thought it was because of the size of the device but then I see reports of people having the same issue with the Ayaneo 2 and Geek, and now they're putting an even bigger processor in the same small shell. So what's the deal here? Are some of us getting faulty devices or is there a reason why this issue isn't been mentioned?
Mine definitely get hot under a heavy load. The heat issues are something I covered in detail in all my other Air review videos. It's one of the major negatives for this device previously. But the 1S is different -- the 7840U is an efficient chip, and doesn't get hot until you go past 15W over an extended period. And you can play so many more games at under 15W compared to the other Air models. That's one of the reasons I think this one "makes sense", because it doesn't become a hot potato when playing it. I discuss this in the game testing section during the PC gaming (around the 8W region).
@@RetroGameCorps I see that you were getting around 40° with the smaller indies and only reached 60° with The Witcher and up. Which isn't too bad for light play but I would guess renders the device unusable for bigger titles which is unfortunately their main selling point for this one, specially if the heat focuses on the screen like it does in the OG Air. Anyway I know heat isn't as big of a talking point as power and ergonomics but it would be cool to see it reported more thoroughly more often. It's a pretty big deal.
Don't own air or air 1s, but the air plus does get quite hot at the back near the right grip but still bearable for me. CPU temp can't really be used as an indicator of comfort, it's how they placed their component and how they shield and redirect heat internally that matters, and how it's designed to be gripped. The ayaneo 2 high screen temp when on high brightness sounds bad though, especially the official "lower brightness" response from their support.
Find a reviewer that does it, or suggest a solution or a reviewer in an adjacent industry doing it. I think some reviewers do heat tests(guns, touch points, or whatever) , I don't remember who.
Also remember, when creators make a video, they have to pick and choose. Having only started to do it, it's extremely hard to pick and choose. If a Creator really wanted to say everything they could about something it would be a 5 hour plus video. You have to cut. And it's painful to do so. No matter what you do someone is going to ask why you didn't include XYZ information
If this thing comes in black and other colors, that could make it an option over the ROG Ally. But super the small size affecting the battery is also a thing. IDK Just buy the ROG Ally, the $700.00 compared to the $800 - $900 means better investment.
But they do have the same battery capacity, so what's your point about battery size? (and before you eat me alive, 38.ish Wh vs 40Wh does not make a difference)
Almost qualifying to be on the buy list if it was not for that crappy audio. For a device at 1k$ that is not acceptable. The small buttons could be an issue too for someone but I think I could live with them.
Thought they advertising this having superb speakers or something, they can't ever seems to get them right for a premium priced product 😂, maybe another upgrade kit needed. Hope their future screens either support HDR or offers a srgb clamp mode in future as only hdr contents are mastered for dci p3 color and higher. SDR contents just looks oversaturated when displaying on a > 100% srgb sceen. Some may find it appealing but its definitely not accurate/natural. Too much of a reddish tone/tint here
Would you please create a video on setting up RTSS (especially now that is part of Ayaspace 2) to set up performance overlay like the ones you used in this video? thanks in advance
Man i love the form factor and size they have but god damn that price!! Like i realy feel like damn near a grand would get you a little better on emulation vs say like a quarter of that price on an android system
Honestly something like this i think i would rather it just be completely flat but have a really good option of a grip to put it in like the switch lite. Could be slightly more portable without those back bumps but still be good for long sessions at home if you just throw a grip on it
Russ, quick question: If the Air itself is "set" to a 20+ TDP, will it use ALL of that 20+ wattage? I remember on my Geek running Afterburner on Retroarch, and even when I was at the 22w preset, it was only using 5w because that's all Retroarch would need. Then when playing Gamecube games, it would fluctuate between 12 and 16 watts. This makes me wonder what the point of "setting" a TDP if the device won't use all of the set wattage if it doesn't need it. (Excluding SmartTDP, by the way)
Setting a TDP is very useful but for battery life and not performance. Most pc games will try to pull as much power as needed in the name of a steady framerate. This is why you're seeing TDP fluctuate in some cases. Now that might be fine at home when you can plug in but on the go you might want to have a couple fps drops to save 5-10 watts of power. Sometimes if also just a matter of the game always having a fps drop somewhere but with a TDP lock it won't pull extra power when it doesn't have to. TDP is all about maximizing battery life so it's useful to learn for when your on the go and you want max your battery time.
Y'know, when I see videos like this that display PS3 playing nicely on this system and the fact that he says that it is even easier in respect to PS2 in many ways, I can't help but think about the recent news that Sony is trying to convince us that the PS5 is having trouble emulating PS3. They really want us to believe that they not only weren't able to get an emulator up and running at launch and we are forced to stream them over the cloud, but that they are trying and they just can't seem to get it working well enough. That system is far superior to this handheld. WTF!?
If this had 80Whr battery in exhange for an extra 100g Id order it right now. I just cant do 1.5 hrs for AAA. Steamdeck OLED is double that. Windows handhelds need 80Whr, no exceptions. Give me weight under 650g with 80Whr battery and Im all in.
The AyaNeo Airs always looked interesting to me, but it's really hard to justify when I already have a Steam Deck and 2 Switches. It is very tempting though.
Remember he's just an handheld influencer with a lot of knowledge he has to sound nice with that being said we don't know him personally, he could be a dick for all we know
He didn't say it was trash at all. He presented the pros and cons fairly. Units you like, I'll think are trash. Even when he has a glowing review, doesn't mean I like it. Because he covers it fairly. This didn't sound bad to me at all, because the cons to me are meh, and the pros are what I want. He's right, the device "makes sense." previous air devices I wouldn't buy. This I would buy the light version. I always use external batteries.
The Steam deck is far too big for me, as a person who prefers portability and consoles that are smaller. The Ayaneo is always tempting for me, then I look at the price tag and cry 😭😢 I really want an Aya neo, but with that price it's best to just build a mini PC LOL
Very interesting device, wish more windows handhelds had an Oled screen and smart TDP it is an amazing feature. Does this device support bypass charging? Would be nice to have something like this super lightweight, portable and amazing screen but plug it into the OneXgpu when you want to dock it on the tv. Always paranoid about battery degradation or possible overcharging battery with 100w charger
Hi, I was wondering if I can get a Air Plus 6800U 16GB for 539USD? Would it be a compelling value over the 1S? I am looking to play God of War/Devil May Cry/Last of Us/PC JRPGs on the go (Desktop at home) rather than emulation. Also would 16GB be sufficient?
I have a switch lite and I think this would be a great switch replacement. eShop games are too expensive and rarely has any big discounts for popular titles
The Air Plus was super underrated imo- I get people were upset about the pricing on the lower end models, but the 6800u was a great device. I hope it gets the new chip down the line.
The Steam Deck screen is a bit small for some PC games already. I couldn't deal with the screen size of this device even though the design looks good otherwise.
id like to see a video guide on how you play fps titles on handheld. as a PC gsmer forever, fps games on the deck just feel awkward and idk if im doing something wrong
Honestly I wish companies like aya, onex, and ayn would just slow down on releasing handhelds. I feel like every month there is like 3 new PC handhelds announced. Its oversaturation.
I find the massive screen bezel pretty distracting and disappointing especially given Ayaneo's emphasis on aesthetics and thin bezels on all the other models. It just looks like the screen is an inch too small.
Is there a good hard case out there for the air/air1s? The case that came with the device looks cool (and it came free with the backer's gift package, so the price is right) but it actually turns the device on, since it presses up against the power button. Which is the opposite of cool. I think the Waterfield case for Switch Lite would work, but wonder if other options exist ...out there in wild. Thanks!
After using win max 2, I can say grip and joystick height is very important if you want to game competitively. Ie. First person shooter, rocket league etc.
I like the ayaneoa air 1s but I am addicted to my keyboard on the gpd win 4 I do like the display of the 1s. I want something lighter than the gpd but again that keyboard
Every handheld pc that is released, I look at the right thumbstick placement. Why are they always placed so low and too far to the left? This is a deal breaker.
Idk why but windows OS is just not meant to be packed in this small of a screen. I feel like this needs to be standardized because it makes the OS very hard to navigate, unless of course you'll be docked most of the time. But then you're against price vs value and that's where most devices fail to deliver
That fan noise...... The sound quality is still not there. I was expecting a bigger improvement after they release the speaker upgrade kit that they never sent me
I'm planning to get this one. Will the 16GB RAM version be enough? Some examples of the games I'd like to play on this are Monster Hunter: World and Diablo IV.
I dont understand why you have to run 16w tdp to run horizon zero dawn .. i have my ayaneo 2s set at 11w tdp 800p low setttings and Im getting 30fps locked !!
Lots of factors involved, but the likely culprit is the Smart TDP function, it may not be especially efficient with that game's performance requirements. So this may be a case where it makes more sense to lock the power profile at a specific wattage rather than trusting the software to figure it out!
I'm trying to use Batocera on my PC but I just can't get it to work. It boots fine the first time but after that I get the opening video and it's just a black screen until I power it down 🤬
this vs the geek 1s which is better? In my country the geek 1s is almost $200 cheaper, but thats the 16gb 512gb model of the geek vs the this model with 32gb 2tb.
One thing I forgot to film is how the screen performs in bright conditions. Since this device is so portable, how it looks outside might be an important factor in your buying decision. Here is a clip of me testing it in outdoor (but shaded) and direct sunlight conditions. Overall I would say it'll be just fine in the shade, but like with just about every other device on the market, it's not going to be a great experience in direct sunlight. imgur.com/a/PB0sgWQ
Love all the content! Especially the RetroArch Starter Guides...really useful. As someone whose childhood was around the SNES and NES camps id be interested to know whats in your 'Retro Gaming Highlights / Rom Folder'. As it would be a real eye opener to perhaps some gems i missed....would be a great video.... :) Which ROMS do you move over to your devices?
Straight up bonafides when I heard that phrase
Hi, when you receive the prototype of the ayaneo slide ?
"It's a hadoukenable, but not shoryukenable d-pad" - What a great way to describe that d-pad 😂
Needs to become the standard when reviewing dpads
there’s also the contra test, where you crouch low in contra on the nes and jiggle the dpad left and right. if you stand up during the test, you lose.
its is kenough...
not really. I don't play any fighting games and this makes zero sense to me. contra test I understand
@@Kyss007 thats not even a matter of not playing fighting games, that’s just you being completely out of touch.
This is the size I want. Even though the steam deck is more powerful I still always go back to my switch because its lighter and I just enjoy using it more and holding it.
Ikr I need something light like this but everything is so heavy.
I'm strongly tempted by this device. I love the form factor and the OLED screen, but I can't get over how good the Onexfly is looking! Great review, as always, thanks!
I'm waiting to see the aokzoe a2 as well, looks just as compact as the onexfly, but has a sleeker bezeless design, would be awesome if it ends up having an oled screen as well
On the subject of sound, remember that previous Ayaneo Air devices were eligible for a free speaker upgrade. It doesn’t excuse the release sound quality, but the upgrade is better. I’d imagine the sound between old and new is exactly the same, with upgrade.
I truly want this new Air, but my old one is still going strong. It’s been my favourite handheld to use so far, just so small and that screen is nice.
Not at the end of this one yet, but got to say your handheld reviews are the best around.
This device looks really nice. I'm not really in the market for a handheld PC (i just got a Steam Deck in the last summer sale) but if i had a spare $1k i would actually be tempted by this.
You only need 799
@@mariozt4rrfor 32 gb ? If you're buying 16gb Ram model then it's gonna be problem in near future
@@bendover-bz4bcprobably in 2032 16gb will be a problem
It's super crazy that I can buy this (for the very high price of AUD $1450) in big box stores in Australia, but not a Steam Deck.
Super-frustrating.
Anyway, rant over. Thanks for your reviews of these things.
Do u do award ceremonies? Like which handheld pc has the best battery life or has the best screen etc? I'd be very interested your take on specific aspects on a handheld pc and your views of which deserves your vote
I think the thing that stands out most about this for me is the fact that a 4 terabyte drive is an option.
While I generally believe that any PC that's purely about gaming and nothing else doesn't really need more than 2TBs of storage, the 4TB option starts to actually make some sense when you look at M.2 storage pricing.
The cost of a 4TB M.2 2280 drive costs about as much as a 2TB drive did 2-3 years ago. Storage is dirt cheap right now.
@@watchmejumpstart69 Dude, with a 2TB drive you can literally install roughly 20 100GB games and you can easily put you console ROMs onto a Micro SD card.
Are you seriously telling me that you need more than 20 100GB games at one time on your internal drive? Seriously?
I have a 1TB drive in my Steam Deck and I'm perfectly happy with it...
Yeah, that's awesome. I have one in my rog Ally.
@@pieceofschmidtgamerFirst time?
Thanks for the video Russ! Seriously considering selling my GPD Win Max 2 for this. Love my Win Max, but Aya Space 2, OLED, form factor, and the level of polish Aya demonstrates, is slowly convincing me to switch devices.
Never been a part of a premiere before, this is awesome!!
Welcome!
Good video, nice B-roll.
Please test and show the screens in direct sunlight at max brightness, they are handhelds for on the go after all.
Also missed USB-C port info, does it have DP over USB etc.
Yes, it does have DP
@@ev2477what is DP?
@@bendover-bz4bc Display Port
I added a pinned comment with footage in direct sunlight, and yes it has DP out, the footage you see of Spider-Man and Link's Awakening with my capture card is taken via the USB4 port.
Seems like an excellent option for those who value portability/smallness above all else in their handhelds. Not for *me* personally, as I like a much bigger display and am willing to sacrifice true pocketability to obtain that. But I'm enjoying seeing other form factors release, that way there's something for *everyone* in the handheld PC space. And big bonus for those who *want* a smaller device with a smaller display: this one is OLED. Can't beat OLED. :)
Incredibly good looking and powerful. That oled and and form factor are untouchable also.
I loved the Air Pro but my old eyes don't work for the 5.5" screen (yeah, not its fault, it's my eyes). I'm loving the Air Plus with the 6" screen.
Agree, 6" is the same as my phone it makes for a very comfortable screen size, I use AirPlus as well.
Same here
5.5 inches IS AVERAGE. AS A METTER OF FACT MY GF SAYS THAT A SCREEN THAT SIZE IS PROBABLY JUST TOO BIG ANYWAYS!
@@TheeCapNit's ok captain, it's about what you play with it.
@@TheeCapN 8 inches, aokzoe, that's what I'm talking about. i love mine
Whenever something like this comes out you realise how insane the value proposition is on the Steam Deck, shame I can't get one in my country.
Oof, that’s rough. Hopefully one day Gaben will grace your country with the Steam Deck.
I have one and it’s great. Maybe not the most powerful thing, but I’d never spend $1000 on a handheld when I have pc.
Can you get the ROG Ally? I have both and find myself using the Ally way more often, even though I still think the Steam Deck is amazing.
I absolutely don't get it, why they are excluding so many people...
@@Splackavellie85 I would get it but its too pricey for me. I'll stick with my switch lite for now. The battery is too much of a concern IMO, Steam deck hits that sweet spot for me, ROG doesn't.
I really wish this had been the first one to come out. I liked the original Air well enough, but it's power was simply not good enough for all my use cases. This is closer, but still not there (Since what I really want is Switch emulation), but I would have loved for it to be the one I tried; I might have ended up not picking up Steam Link as my main method of gaming now.
I thought the 7840u could handle switch just fine? I thought the 6800u could too? Hell my steam deck does switch emulation
This can handle switch games.
I absolutely love the Air/Air Pro/Air 1S form-factor.
This is why I did my best to find an Air Pro 5825U, it make sense even since then when the Air Pro 5600U isn't able to held itself
It's gotten to the point with AyaSpace 2 that I wish I could use it on other handhelds like the GPD Win 4.
Very true, up until now AYASPACE was something that I tried to avoid as much as possible. Now it's a stellar feature.
@@RetroGameCorps they are learning a lot from SteamOS. It would be nice if the app was usable on other devices
i dont know how i feel about the usage of the real estate, its wider than the gpd win4 by a smidgedn but the screen is way smaller 5.5 vs 6, the thinness is incredible tho very pocketable.
The display size doesn't match the size of the device. It's a strange combo in 2023.
@@RandomPlaceHolderName True. Especially strange consider AirPlus has the 6 inch screen, so Ayaneo has access to those parts in fact.
I don't agree with "way smaller" it is half an inch.
The OLED screen is only sourced at 5.5 inches, the air plus has an inferior 6inch IPS screen
@@SEVENTEENPOINT1 That's make or break sizes for many people when buying a phone, these handhelds have displays of the same size, and when the range of these devices is generally 5.5 to 7 every step matters.
this one is pretty much what i had i envisioned when i imagined a "steam deck lite". well, everything except the price. sure it's a fair price for what you're getting, but it is out of my price range. i guess my retroid pocket 3+ and the steam deck will still have to make due.
This is nice but for a pocket game system I go for maybe Trimui smart pro because of price and if i don’t care about size then the Odin 2 pro. Because they are cheaper but maybe better especially the Odin 2
I really love the color scheme of this. But I really want a more budget version of this design because I don't need a lot of power to play the old PC games I'm gonna play.
The best handheld price/size/fan/power is the OneXFly for me. Its just the overall best compromise.
Ill check ut out. How much is it
Great jumping into premieres; it totally makes sense for your platform, especially with a typically-iterative AYANEO device!
No pressure, but curious: any plans on having videos/streams/premieres for any Maui fire relief efforts?
Glad you liked the Premiere format! I think I will do it more often when I have an opportunity to do so. As far as Maui relief, we have already been donating privately and I'm hoping to release a big batch of handheld PCs on my auction store with proceeds going to Maui. I'm not quite set up for a streaming platform yet, but it is something I'm working towards.
@@RetroGameCorps Cool! Thanks for taking the time to respond to me, and happy to hear your plans. Your documentation chops & channel has definitely inspired me to tinker with Retroids, DS's, and a bit on macOS. Keep up the good work, and I'll keep an eye out for that auction.
Considering a relocation, so besides the m2 2280 what really gets me excited is the adapter for Antarctica 😂
Basing the battery life on games makes a lot of sense. This device is amazing, but it's just so expensive.
the fact that they jammed a 7840U chipset on a device that small is nuts :o
Yup, we really are getting into peak computing. It's wild.
Now they put in an 8840u!
I'll be trying to grab the Odin2 once it releases! Hopefully I can grab it when its at $299 lol... But I doubt it, if not I'll just grab the Odin pro on sale I guess 😢
Honestly you should use the newer Street Fighter like Ultra Street Fighter 4 or 5 to test the d-pad not SF2 on emulator because old games are not very compatible with new controllers. I read about it and also tested it on my Steamdeck.
Come on AYA we need a Hadukenable and Shoryukenable d-pad that also passes the Contra test or no sale.
their ayaneo 2s dpad does that
The moment you talk about pricing it just makes it so hard to justify buying one of these even if they do offer competitive “portability”. With the advancement of cloud gaming now the SD and ALLY offer prices hard to beat. Both companies are trusted and like you mentioned can be bought at Best Buy now. There’s comfort in that purchase. I have been browsing eBay for both and I can find even cheaper options. Most come with accessories the seller is needed to get rid of soon. Idk I love watching your reviews and exploring the capabilities of these handhelds but let’s be honest it’s kind of capped out with steam deck and ally. What more do you need they both do exactly what we need lol. Just expressing my thoughts here. Happy gaming.
Overpriced crap with no support and services in our countries.
You gotta be loaded if you buy these just to have another handheld next to steam deck.
Consumerism is a disase.
@@rettenthetetlen8759 I don’t think it’s consumerism but smaller Chinese tech companies creating new hardware. They probably have to charge this much because not much funding etc etc. but to me this brand AYANEO looks very minimal in a way that makes it look cheap. Sure you CAN do a lot but all I wanna do is play video games loo
@@ricardoramirez9510 understandable.
I always wonder if reviewers never mention heat disipation problems because they are ok with the device getting super hot or if their units don't have that problem. My Ayaneo Air is great during the first few minutes of use but then gets so hot that it phisically hurts my hands. I never handles it to my kid because she could easily get hurt with how hot the screen and back gets. At first I thought it was because of the size of the device but then I see reports of people having the same issue with the Ayaneo 2 and Geek, and now they're putting an even bigger processor in the same small shell. So what's the deal here? Are some of us getting faulty devices or is there a reason why this issue isn't been mentioned?
Mine definitely get hot under a heavy load. The heat issues are something I covered in detail in all my other Air review videos. It's one of the major negatives for this device previously. But the 1S is different -- the 7840U is an efficient chip, and doesn't get hot until you go past 15W over an extended period. And you can play so many more games at under 15W compared to the other Air models. That's one of the reasons I think this one "makes sense", because it doesn't become a hot potato when playing it. I discuss this in the game testing section during the PC gaming (around the 8W region).
@@RetroGameCorps I see that you were getting around 40° with the smaller indies and only reached 60° with The Witcher and up. Which isn't too bad for light play but I would guess renders the device unusable for bigger titles which is unfortunately their main selling point for this one, specially if the heat focuses on the screen like it does in the OG Air. Anyway I know heat isn't as big of a talking point as power and ergonomics but it would be cool to see it reported more thoroughly more often. It's a pretty big deal.
Don't own air or air 1s, but the air plus does get quite hot at the back near the right grip but still bearable for me.
CPU temp can't really be used as an indicator of comfort, it's how they placed their component and how they shield and redirect heat internally that matters, and how it's designed to be gripped.
The ayaneo 2 high screen temp when on high brightness sounds bad though, especially the official "lower brightness" response from their support.
Find a reviewer that does it, or suggest a solution or a reviewer in an adjacent industry doing it. I think some reviewers do heat tests(guns, touch points, or whatever) , I don't remember who.
Also remember, when creators make a video, they have to pick and choose. Having only started to do it, it's extremely hard to pick and choose. If a Creator really wanted to say everything they could about something it would be a 5 hour plus video. You have to cut. And it's painful to do so. No matter what you do someone is going to ask why you didn't include XYZ information
If this thing comes in black and other colors, that could make it an option over the ROG Ally. But super the small size affecting the battery is also a thing. IDK
Just buy the ROG Ally, the $700.00 compared to the $800 - $900 means better investment.
But they do have the same battery capacity, so what's your point about battery size? (and before you eat me alive, 38.ish Wh vs 40Wh does not make a difference)
Living the size. I have the Odin, and it’s still my favorite piece of hardware
Almost qualifying to be on the buy list if it was not for that crappy audio. For a device at 1k$ that is not acceptable. The small buttons could be an issue too for someone but I think I could live with them.
very good point! @@Macs
Thought they advertising this having superb speakers or something, they can't ever seems to get them right for a premium priced product 😂, maybe another upgrade kit needed.
Hope their future screens either support HDR or offers a srgb clamp mode in future as only hdr contents are mastered for dci p3 color and higher.
SDR contents just looks oversaturated when displaying on a > 100% srgb sceen.
Some may find it appealing but its definitely not accurate/natural.
Too much of a reddish tone/tint here
Would you please create a video on setting up RTSS (especially now that is part of Ayaspace 2) to set up performance overlay like the ones you used in this video? thanks in advance
Man i love the form factor and size they have but god damn that price!! Like i realy feel like damn near a grand would get you a little better on emulation vs say like a quarter of that price on an android system
Mines on the way to my house and I can't wait
Honestly something like this i think i would rather it just be completely flat but have a really good option of a grip to put it in like the switch lite. Could be slightly more portable without those back bumps but still be good for long sessions at home if you just throw a grip on it
Russ, quick question: If the Air itself is "set" to a 20+ TDP, will it use ALL of that 20+ wattage? I remember on my Geek running Afterburner on Retroarch, and even when I was at the 22w preset, it was only using 5w because that's all Retroarch would need. Then when playing Gamecube games, it would fluctuate between 12 and 16 watts. This makes me wonder what the point of "setting" a TDP if the device won't use all of the set wattage if it doesn't need it. (Excluding SmartTDP, by the way)
Setting a TDP is very useful but for battery life and not performance. Most pc games will try to pull as much power as needed in the name of a steady framerate. This is why you're seeing TDP fluctuate in some cases. Now that might be fine at home when you can plug in but on the go you might want to have a couple fps drops to save 5-10 watts of power. Sometimes if also just a matter of the game always having a fps drop somewhere but with a TDP lock it won't pull extra power when it doesn't have to. TDP is all about maximizing battery life so it's useful to learn for when your on the go and you want max your battery time.
Y'know, when I see videos like this that display PS3 playing nicely on this system and the fact that he says that it is even easier in respect to PS2 in many ways, I can't help but think about the recent news that Sony is trying to convince us that the PS5 is having trouble emulating PS3. They really want us to believe that they not only weren't able to get an emulator up and running at launch and we are forced to stream them over the cloud, but that they are trying and they just can't seem to get it working well enough.
That system is far superior to this handheld. WTF!?
Run it all at 720p, lowest settings possible with 13W TDP and you'll get the most out of the battery no matter what you play in handheld mode.
If this had 80Whr battery in exhange for an extra 100g Id order it right now. I just cant do 1.5 hrs for AAA. Steamdeck OLED is double that. Windows handhelds need 80Whr, no exceptions. Give me weight under 650g with 80Whr battery and Im all in.
Damn this OLED screen is looking crazy. In the beginning I thought this was just a dummy model with a screenshot of the menu printed on.
The AyaNeo Airs always looked interesting to me, but it's really hard to justify when I already have a Steam Deck and 2 Switches.
It is very tempting though.
Russ has got to be one of the nicest people in real life. Somehow, he can tell you a device is trash without actually saying it.
Don't wanna lose the review units...
He pretty much did that with the Powkiddy X18s Black edition
Remember he's just an handheld influencer with a lot of knowledge he has to sound nice with that being said we don't know him personally, he could be a dick for all we know
I mean he doesn’t like the ergonomics and dpad but he was fairly complimentary on the performance. This isn’t my kind of device but he did it justice
He didn't say it was trash at all. He presented the pros and cons fairly. Units you like, I'll think are trash. Even when he has a glowing review, doesn't mean I like it. Because he covers it fairly. This didn't sound bad to me at all, because the cons to me are meh, and the pros are what I want. He's right, the device "makes sense." previous air devices I wouldn't buy. This I would buy the light version. I always use external batteries.
Hadoukenable/shoryukenable D-pad? I love this description so much. 🤣
The Steam deck is far too big for me, as a person who prefers portability and consoles that are smaller. The Ayaneo is always tempting for me, then I look at the price tag and cry 😭😢
I really want an Aya neo, but with that price it's best to just build a mini PC LOL
judging from your band tees you have great music taste
we should be waiting for the price to come down :]
"for example this one here is for Antarctica" bro you got me dying. The plug for Australia, New Zealand, AND Antarctica you chose to say Antarctica 😂
Can you do another video on this unit, we need more !
Very interesting device, wish more windows handhelds had an Oled screen and smart TDP it is an amazing feature. Does this device support bypass charging? Would be nice to have something like this super lightweight, portable and amazing screen but plug it into the OneXgpu when you want to dock it on the tv. Always paranoid about battery degradation or possible overcharging battery with 100w charger
Holy shit the mewithoutyou shirt goes so hard
That plug you said is for Antartica is an Australian design plug
Thanks, it a running joke on this channel.
Hi, I was wondering if I can get a Air Plus 6800U 16GB for 539USD? Would it be a compelling value over the 1S? I am looking to play God of War/Devil May Cry/Last of Us/PC JRPGs on the go (Desktop at home) rather than emulation. Also would 16GB be sufficient?
oh man, RGC is a mewithoutYou fan? That is so cool.
Now these are the kinds of specs I'm talking about...but not at those prices. Maybe in another year or so.
I have a switch lite and I think this would be a great switch replacement. eShop games are too expensive and rarely has any big discounts for popular titles
Another review from the great Retro Game Corps
Why don’t you ever show the thickness differences? :/
Any chance you can do a video on the updated new bios and performance? Thanks Russ!
22:11 Did.. did you just face-plant Spiderman to the street there? Jesus lol
mate the power plug you pulled out is for Australia as well
The Air Plus was super underrated imo- I get people were upset about the pricing on the lower end models, but the 6800u was a great device. I hope it gets the new chip down the line.
I have one, and it is quite cool. AyaSpace 2.0 also improved many things on this „older“ one.
I want one, it's so small and powerful. and Oled.
I won't get one since I already have a steamdeck but man, looks like a great device.
The Steam Deck screen is a bit small for some PC games already. I couldn't deal with the screen size of this device even though the design looks good otherwise.
nvm just bought it
AYANEO needs to work on that screen size. :D
id like to see a video guide on how you play fps titles on handheld. as a PC gsmer forever, fps games on the deck just feel awkward and idk if im doing something wrong
Honestly I wish companies like aya, onex, and ayn would just slow down on releasing handhelds. I feel like every month there is like 3 new PC handhelds announced. Its oversaturation.
Would you recommend the Air 1S over a used AyaNeo 2? I just picked up a b.duck 16GB + 1TB and I'm kinda regretting it looking at this now haha
Man ypu have so many handheld console me nlne😭 lol but im having fun watching reviews fro this channel
I find the massive screen bezel pretty distracting and disappointing especially given Ayaneo's emphasis on aesthetics and thin bezels on all the other models. It just looks like the screen is an inch too small.
Ayaneo devices without the windows plattform and the drivers for the hardware may result in some buttons and functions not working!
Is there a good hard case out there for the air/air1s? The case that came with the device looks cool (and it came free with the backer's gift package, so the price is right) but it actually turns the device on, since it presses up against the power button. Which is the opposite of cool. I think the Waterfield case for Switch Lite would work, but wonder if other options exist ...out there in wild. Thanks!
Bro that Antarctica plug is for Australia 🇦🇺
Cheers Russ. Not for me but pretty darned cool.
Great video
But please test street fighter 6 in your future reviews
After using win max 2, I can say grip and joystick height is very important if you want to game competitively. Ie. First person shooter, rocket league etc.
The size is perfect but that price is ridiculous. I’m ok with my switch lite.
This face design looks so close to a switch lite and the big bezels lol
i love my air pro but this one fix it all so yeah definitely need upgrade to 1s thanks Russ 😁
I like the ayaneoa air 1s but I am addicted to my keyboard on the gpd win 4 I do like the display of the 1s.
I want something lighter than the gpd but again that keyboard
pretty nice device, hey you think the UM790 Pro is better than the HX99G, for 3d softar? thanks !
Every handheld pc that is released, I look at the right thumbstick placement. Why are they always placed so low and too far to the left? This is a deal breaker.
will the smartTDP be available for the first gen Ayaneo air?
The best hand console rog ally
Idk why but windows OS is just not meant to be packed in this small of a screen. I feel like this needs to be standardized because it makes the OS very hard to navigate, unless of course you'll be docked most of the time. But then you're against price vs value and that's where most devices fail to deliver
What OS will it run then since you didn’t label that in your opinion?
You mention the Antarctica plug in a couple of vids now? Do you mean Australia which is often a 3 pin but can come in 2 slanted pins?
It’s a running joke, I pull a random plug and declare it to be from Antarctica.
That fan noise...... The sound quality is still not there. I was expecting a bigger improvement after they release the speaker upgrade kit that they never sent me
I'm planning to get this one. Will the 16GB RAM version be enough? Some examples of the games I'd like to play on this are Monster Hunter: World and Diablo IV.
I dont understand why you have to run 16w tdp to run horizon zero dawn .. i have my ayaneo 2s set at 11w tdp 800p low setttings and Im getting 30fps locked !!
Lots of factors involved, but the likely culprit is the Smart TDP function, it may not be especially efficient with that game's performance requirements. So this may be a case where it makes more sense to lock the power profile at a specific wattage rather than trusting the software to figure it out!
Nice shirt! I have that same one.
RIP mewithoutYou
If only the bezels weren't this huge!! Why do companies do this?! 😭
Yes, and nintendos are fan of bezels except the oled switch, sony was good example but they left the handheld market,
Will you review the geek 1s? Would you get it over the rog ally?
My air plus seems to be able to handle more, at better framerates. I know the tdp plays its part, but could it also be because the 7840u is unrefined?
At $800 it makes sense to who?
Me mf it makes sense to me
I'm trying to use Batocera on my PC but I just can't get it to work. It boots fine the first time but after that I get the opening video and it's just a black screen until I power it down 🤬
this vs the geek 1s which is better? In my country the geek 1s is almost $200 cheaper, but thats the 16gb 512gb model of the geek vs the this model with 32gb 2tb.
Are the face buttons a bit stiff still? They tend to fatigue my thumb tip if i play for a while.