Summary
Ayaneo has launched its latest flagship handheld gaming device, the Ayaneo KUN, to compete with the Steam Deck and Asus ROG Ally. On paper, the KUN offers better battery life, a larger and higher resolution display, and more durable joysticks when compared to its competition. But the improved specifications come with a higher price tag as well. The Ayaneo KUN will be available viaan Indigogo campaign starting September 5.
The handheld gaming market has exploded in the past year with customers having multiple good options to choose from. While there were manufacturers putting out handheld gaming devices for several years, Valve grabbed everyone’s attention with its Steam Deck in February of last year. This brought ‘gaming on the go’ to the mainstream and gave rise to other big players like Asus andLenovo stepping into the game. Ayaneo is one of the companies that has been making handheld gaming PCs for several years, and it released its first device in 2020.
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Ayeneo KUN Design And Specifications
The Ayaneo KUN is the latest offering from the company, and it takes inspiration from both the Steam Deck and ROG Ally, which is a good thing. It boasts a large color-accurate, 8.4-inch, 2560x1600 display with 500 nits peak brightness. Both the Deck and the Ally have 7-inch displays, but the Ally offers a 120Hz refresh rate, which neither of the other two handhelds do. Because of the larger display, the KUN is wider than even the Steam Deck which itself is not the most ergonomic device.
Ayaneo KUN
Ayaneo’s upcoming handheld gaming device, the Ayaneo KUN, will come with the latest AMD Ryzen 7040 series APUs that have integrated Radeon 700M graphics. The Ayaneo KUN features a large 8.4-inch 1600p display that is flanked by hall-effect joysticks and touchpads. The most exciting feature of the KUN is its massive 75Wh 19500mAH battery which is about four times the capacity of the Steam Deck.
Under the hood, it is powered by the AMD Ryzen 7 7840U APU which includes the Radeon 780M GPU. It has a maximum rated TDP of 54W which is significantly higher than both the Steam Deck (15W) and the Ally (35W). The device is cooled by a fan and a three-copper tube structure which the company calls the “KUNPeng” heat dissipation system. Ayaneo shared some internal temperature testing results which show the device stays between 40 and 42 degrees Celsius under load at 15W, 55 to 66 degrees at 30W, and 77 to 84 degrees at 54W.
The battery capacity is where the KUN blows the competition out of the water. It packs a massive 19500mAh (75Wh) battery which the company claims can last over three hours at 15W. Looking at the competition, the Steam Deck carries a measly 5313mAh (40Wh) battery. The Ally also has a 40Wh battery, but the actual capacity is unknown (though it is most likely about the same as the Steam Deck). Of course, the battery life depends on multiple factors like the game, resolution, in-game settings, refresh rate, and more.
Steam Deck
Valve’s long-awaited portable console is here, and it’s taking the handheld gaming market by storm. Valve partnered with AMD to create Steam Deck’s custom APU, optimized for handheld gaming. It is a Zen 2 + RDNA 2 powerhouse, delivering more than enough performance to run the latest AAA games in a very efficient power envelope.
Asus ROG Ally
The Asus ROG Ally is the ultimate handheld system for PC gamers. Relying on the new AMD Ryzen Z1 series of processors, the ROG Ally can handle any game thrown at it. The 7-inch 1080p Full HD display with FreeSync Premium on the system provides gamers with a crystal clear and smooth gaming experience. The advantage of the ROG Ally is that it can run most Windows-compatible games and is compatible with Xbox Game Pass titles. It also comes with 3 months of Game Pass Ultimate. The ROG Ally also features an ergonomic design that makes gaming for long periods enjoyable.
The display is flanked by a cluster of buttons and controls including the joysticks, D-pad, ABXY buttons, touchpads, dedicated home button, AYA button, touchpad control button, and a front-facing camera with Windows Hello. The KUN usesHall effect joysticksand triggers for better reliability and longevity. It has ample connectivity and expansion options including a USB Type-C port, a USB Type-A port, a microSD card slot, an M.2 PCIe SSD slot, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. There is also a nano-SIM slot for 4G connectivity through a module that is sold separately.
On the back, the KUN has four customizable buttons like the Steam Deck, which is a first for Ayaneo. Along with the standard LB, LT, RB, and RT controls, the device has LC and RC buttons that can also be customized through AYASpace.
Ayeneo KUN Price And Availability
The Ayaneo KUN comes in four configurations starting from the cheapest 16GB + 512GB options priced at $999 (official retail price – $1209). The 32GB + 1TB model costs $1159 (official retail price – $1319), the 32GB + 2TB variant comes in at $1259 (official retail price – $1429), and the 64GB + 2TB variant is priced at $1699 (official retail price – $1949). Pre-orders will go live onIndigogo starting September 5. There will be three color options namely Black Feather, Silver Wing, and White Silk. Global shipping will start from mid-October.
These are the early bird pricing for the Ayaneo KUN which will only be temporary, after which it will be available at the official retail price. For reference, the Steam Deck starts at $399 while the ROG Ally costs $599.
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