As a steam deck owner I got to say overall it makes me happy to see competition and makes me even happier to see such capable handhelds, I would have killed for one of these as a kid
These devices are like weeds. Every device is broken in some way or another. Its like bugfixing whac-a-mole. Oh and they get more expensive every time, for tiny improvements. While introducing new blatant design flaws or software bugs. Software you can mostly only pray that the opensource community releases custom OS for these. Maybe. Im done with these devices. I bought into the hype the last 2 years or so. But it got to a point where its just exhausting and costly. Every device costs me more time to set up, fix, install new patches, config everything to work, and then im already drained and I never play them after. The steamdeck seems the only device that is solid and has a good situation. Its the Switch of these device class. Everything else is chinese crap.
@@livinlicious i agree with you. If valve was making this device i would be more interested. Not gonna spend this kind of money for a devicd you pray doesnt short out by the 6 month mark or even sooner.
Thanks Taki, you're the only reviewer on TH-cam I can actually trust. I buy tonnes of devices, and almost all are advertised to me by other youtubers as PERFECT. Then, 20 or 30 issues come fourth within minutes. I get to see everything with you, no matter how minor it is.
Why are you still in this device class? I bought way to many, got way too carried away, and they just left me totally exhausted. Every device is super broken. Most have completely random issues, that where not present a device before, and then they get fixed, to come back in the next device. The OS's are a mess. Everyone is doing some random OS from scratch, which runs again completely different and gets no support after 6-12months. Finish and fabrication is mostly cost cutting to the bone. They save on every penny possible, while getting so expensive its not even funny. This device is 2x the most expensive Steamdeck! I have quit this scene. Its a mess.
12:30 I think an easy fix that Ayaneo should do is just use the same hinge mechanism for the micro sd card for these flaps to get to the screws that way it’s not only a clean design as they want but also easy to access the screws as well should you need to open the device
I would love to see a TH-camr do a video on the day in the life of these handhelds, do you take them out while commuting? How's the battery life? Do you need to bring a battery pack? How do you store them given they're a portable device when out and about? How often do you play them at home? Is it worth it to plop down $1000+ for a device that's primarily used in the home when we have a computer that can stream to it? Who are these devices for? People without a powerful computer at home? I'd love to see a video covering these issues.
Asking the real questions. Battery doesn't seem to last long on these beefier devices. The screens are much larger than say a Gameboy, and when the fans come on, that uses up battery consumption too. On my Steam Deck, when I play Spider-Man: Remastered with the default settings, I can go from a full charge to about 15% battery in a about an hour and 20 minutes or so. Battery does last longer playing some low end retro games though.
With the way they are pushing the deck globally now. I'd love to see them not make a new deck, but a motherboard swap option with a new AMD APU on the NDA3. Would practically be hot swapping performance like a desktop.
I can't say how much I appreciate the authenticity you provide on the review of these devices. As already stated many times by others, very few people would go through the measures to buy a retail device just to show the differences to a review device for us to judge. Just keep up this amazing work you do please! - just another retro enthusiast
I had ordered the geek at early bird black model but then I eventually ended up cancelling that order and ordering the same configuration for AYANEO2. I understand that I'm paying 250 more for 2 vs geek's early bird, but I think I'm ok with that. The biggest thing for me was the screen. Geek 16+512gb model had 800p screen that is from Ayaneo next, with bezels which is a decent screen. But this screen on AYANEO2 is really beautiful! Also a couple of subtle things (nvme gen 3 ssd in geek vs gen 4 in AYANEO2, vibration motor, power adapter 65watt vs 100watts etc.), Made me make my decision. Added benefit, AYANEO2 gets delivered earlier!
I watch every single video you drop the moment you drop it. Love he’s handheld reviews as I’m currently in the market looking for my best option. This system is one that’s far out of my price range but I ABSOLUTELY love the design and wish it was cheaper. Thank you for this awesome deep dive review!
I always wear headphones with my Deck with a built-in mic (Bose NC700). So I never even really tested how good they are, I don't want to bother other people with the sound and I'd rather just wear headphones anyway.
Thank u for ur service sir… I’m new to this community and yet I understood that u are real G over here… backed the Primax Portal as first device ever hope review will be sometimes soon.. enjoy holidays which are on the way and thanks one more time for caring and being honest and honorable man !!!
AYANEO 2 is a big shot, but it's very expensive. I don't doubt that with the ease of changes on steam deck, the Chinese or even Valve can offer an OLED screen.
@@rogcanal nope, they cannot offer an easy swap to OLED because it's entirely different power delivery circuits used for OLED vs LCD. Not to mention that there simply isn't an OLED on the market that will fit, so that means creating a custom screen which unless they are producing hundreds of thousands of them, it's going to cost probably $500 each for just the screen.
@@rogcanal in two years the Steam Deck is going to be outdated and a Steam Deck 2 with a better screen will be out. By then there won't be a market for it.
@Taki Udon Thanks. This video helped me in making a choice to cancel my order for the Geek and look at the Win 4 as an upgrade from my Neo 2021 model. Since Aya Neo never started production on the Geek 512GB model before CNY, leaving 279 backer waiting until early March.
HI Taki, many thanks for this fantastic and very thorough review of this device. As always, your reviews are exceptionally detailed and useful, and the information shared is fait and impartial. This device definitely looks premium compared to the competition, however I would really love to see how the AYANEO GEEK base model fares against this more expensive one.
This is the gold standard for handheld reviews (with a hardware bent)! Servicability is a big deal and doing DIY mods and repairs is a right! Long term (relative) reviews should also be a thing, especially with these niche devices -- going through subreddits have you reading either ultra fanboys or haters. Keep up the good work!
Thanks for the review, I considered this device, but what ultimately made me stop was that I was already planning 100% to get the GPD Win4 because of the keyboard, and didn't want the AyaNeo2 to sit around collecting dust once I got the Win4. I could have sold it, but I hate having to sell such devices. and I felt it was a bit too expensive to be a gift for my nephew, whom I question if he would deserve such a device.
I may be the only one, but I could care less about speaker quality or dpad. I get these handhelds for AAA and high end emulation. I also generally use headphones. Don't get me wrong I think it's good you covered it, very detailed video. Well done. Also your average human being is not going to open up their expensive handheld. Though I do see how this can be frustrating as someone who tends to upgrade my SSD.
Another great video Taki, the screen on the Ayaneo 2 has me mesmerized. I’m good right now with my Steam Deck, but if money was not a factor this would be first choice
Thanks for the review. As someone planning to change the SSD i'm glad you went over the screw covers. It's probably too late to change the build but I hope they just ship it with the cover off and leave it to the owner if/when they want to put it on.
Hey Taki, I'm on the discord and don't get why you were getting so much push back. For what it's worth, it seems like it was really just from one person, and I think that you handled this review perfectly. Thanks for all that you do for the community!
You don't *have* to take it apart, it's a personal preference. Some people prefer rolling d-bads for fighting games, others like clicky-tactile dpads. Hell, some consoles don't have Dpads at all (Ahem, Switch) So I'm not really sure what you're talking about. There is no perfect.
@@MarkGibbons lmao what a pointless comment. And i never said perfect i just said for that price Point there should not be any flaws on the device. So Wtf are you talking about....just GTFO.....your just trying to start and argument................
I love that cream/off white color.. I didn't feel like I HAD to have the Steam Deck, or a Switch, so those devices elude my possession. This device here just has such a crispy screen that I feel overtly compelled to finally own a portable console. The only other handheld I own is an OLED Vita, and that ironically also has a bezel-less screen.
Thanks for the review, I was super hyped to buy this device but the cost wound me down. If it comes to the retail stores where I live I might consider getting it. It's good to see your info on the dpad and soundtap.
11:49 glue gun, nail with a small flat head (slightly smaller than the width of the rail). glue the flat head to the side rail, let it sit until cool, yank it off. just a thought without owning the device.
From the recording, on my headphones, it sounds like the Deck has a bit more power in the low-end than the others and a bit more clarity with the odin coming in second place, at least for me.
@watchmejumpstart agreed, I think that it was breifly mentioned in some videos before i got mine in the summer but I was still surprised at how great the speakers are.
Recently gotten into retro gaming and then found your channel, been loving the content and indeapth you go into, I hate reviews that are more of an "overview" of mumbling information that is found on the shop.. Your videos has so much good information that matters to people who are actually looking to buy these items, so thank you so much. second, I wish a company made a portal device like this that had 2 extra face buttons so you could map N64 without using janky setups, even some of the SEGA games use 6 face buttons so it's not just one console either, for a emulation console that makes sense to me c.c
I noticed that reviewers pretty much never talk about the touch screens on these devices. I know most people rarely use the touch screen, but when you need it, you want it to work and feel responsive. The touch screen on the steam deck for example is quite awful, since the screen was apparently sourced from a cheap tablet; it is very often unresponsive and my touch inputs register maybe 75% of the time. The touch screen on my switch is far more responsive than my steam decks, and I personally like using the touch input sometimes so I like for it to work. I would really like to know more about the screens used on on these Aya devices, whether they are custom screens like the switch or sourced from some tablet, and how responsive the touch screens are. I assume a low touch sampling rate is the cause of the poor touch controls on the Deck but IDK.
On the earlier software builds, it seemed like the touch issues (desktop mode keyboard) were due to the keyboard app itself. It's improved enough now that it's usable. I have used the OSK on this device (and the other 7" AYA devices) and haven't had any issues.
I have a portable monitor I use with my i9 NUC that I've never had to turn up the brightness past zero even in the harshest sun from the adjacent window. The thing is like 300NITS at 0 and 550 Nits at 100. Meaning it's stupidly bright. Then I found a freeware app called "DIM THE WHOLE SCREEN" on Softpedia that ONLY WORKS ON DISPLAY 1, weirdly. But is also the best I tried of the half dozen I tried. Though it's a portable app, meaning no local installs, and should pin to the taskbar since it won't also start at startup without a script. I usually set mine to 30% overlay and doesn't greatly affect color. 90 and you start getting issues.
Im thinking of this but steamdeck shaves price from $750 to $600 now for 256gb variant in my country Seems like a few more months and that could go $500😝 Unless rdna3 igpu is really good for 800p high gaming Im goin for Steam deck nxtyear
Just put my order in. I'm praying it gets to me before I go on this 4-month voyage out at sea. If not, we'll shit guess I'll have something to look forward to when I come back.
@ultimategohan1551 Well, I ship out early January, and the Neo ships the end of December, and it's shipping from China. So, very possible, I might not get it.
I don't know what you consider a battle but it doesn't have to be the color black to be considered a bezel a bezel is the area around the screen which there definitely is a top and bottom bezel and side bezels that hold the button is obviously and it's all tan that whole screen has a bezel around it if it was just all screen then it would have no bezels
It's nice to see handhelds cojstantly improving, but this company has put out so many different models this year that it's genuinely hard to keep up. Seems a bit wasteful too since there's still an ongoing chip shortage.
What I'm surprised at is, that so many people (and reviewers) have both of these devices, yet have not tried to see if the screens were compatible with each other.
You would need to do software changes on the Deck to get it to work. You could get around this if the company that made the screen created an FPGA to make the new screen act as the old one, but no one has done that yet.
@@TakiUdon if the connectors are the same (as are a lot of mobile computers), I don't see why it wouldn't work. In desktop mode it registers as a standard generic display. And windows would for sure almost solve driver problems or issues. I've swapped 30 and 40 pin connectors and displays before.
@@TakiUdon wow, i have to take a look at HWiNFOs customization options again. Didn't know you could use separators for multiple items in a single line like that. Thanks!
The only benefit of more ram is using extra as a ram disk. Loading Skyrim in a ram disk takes literally a couple seconds, loading becomes almost seemless.
"I hate them. So much." Man, you can hear this disdain in those words from Taki, lmao. Also, "wishful thinking instructions" and "the Jaws of Life" had me losing my shit. Love your reviews, as always, and thank you very much for your work, Taki.
I included one 15w metric 18:54 You'd have better battery life than this if you dropped a AAA game down to 800p, but you'd probably only gain 15-20 minutes extra.
@@lloyd011721 That's about what the Steam Deck gets on a Triple A title at default settings. These things have large screens and a fan which also uses up battery.
@@lloyd011721 You can lower the TDP, brightness, and resolution to get a little bit more battery life on these devices. Every user is different, but I don't have an hour and a half worth of time at work to play games. We get 10 minute breaks and a 30 minute lunch. Much of that time is texting others instead of playing games. Now if I decide I want to play 20 minutes or so of Grand Theft Auto 5, 20 minutes or so of Spider-Man: Remastered, etc, then I can get a few gaming sessions in on some triple A titles.
23:22 does that game run well on the Aya neo 2? Also was thinking about waiting till the next 2 for the track pad. Thoughts? Do you think it's a bad idea?
The main problem with this system as well as other in the same ballpark is the price. Until that is sorted out the steam deck will keep gaining ground and system like this one although great will remain in relative obscurity.
Completely agreed! When I can game stream my games from my pc to my Odin, and get 10 hours of battery life, playing at high quality.. Since these devices have horrible battery life, I can't imagine commuting with these things, especially if I'm paying $1000+ for em.
@@GmkSuperstars I don't understand this point. A gaming laptop can cost from $999 - $3500 so the price point for this is on par considering it's an actual portable pc, not something with half-baked software that has compatibility issues. With a device like this, there's no need to find so many workarounds to play games, no need to wait for a game to be "verified", no need for proton, no need to beg for support from other stores to play your complete library, etc. You're paying for something much more user-friendly (or at least more familiar with Windows) which means easier troubleshooting, if needed. The Steam Deck is priced according to it's value, imo, which is why it's so cheap. You do realized that handheld gaming pcs have exited long before the Steam Deck? Many people who complain about the price of real portable pcs only came to know about these type of devices because of the Steam Deck and it shows.
Would take either one, I want the Steam Deck in 2023! Thank you for 🎮news 📰 I got great news too! 86 days no alcohol & Feel a lot better. I’m getting great workouts & gaming 🏆 Stay blessed gamers and I shared on Facebook 🎮🎄
You said these are TCL glasses, could you please tell me the full name of them? I ordered the white ayaneo 2 and very interested in trying out AR glasses if they don't cost a ton
Will you be looking a the Geek model? There's next to no video coverage of the device. It's very similar to the 2, but the placement of the sticks/buttons appears to be offset, and a different screen, along with a translucent shell.
“its going to be hard to hear the difference 8:35” the difference was HUGE. steam deck wins with odin in a close second, but they wipe the floor with ayaneo
In your videos, when you use the ABXY buttons, it seems like your thumb is dangerously close to moving the right analog stick. Do you feel like this is a problem?
I m new to AR Glasses and I like the use case you describe, How good are they for playing games lying down and looking up? and how are image quality and gaming experience?
They are very good. I spent about a day finding the exact position that I wanted to use for the nose piece and everything was gravy after that. The screen is very sharp after you find the position or nose attachment that works best for you. The glasses take up 60% of your vertical view when you have them on, so it would be almost like you are sitting at a desk and the top of your monitor is a bit above your head.
with you being such an openly big supporter of the steam deck, it really carries alot of credibility when you have something good to say about other handhelds. couple that with just how detailed these reviews always are, i appreciate the work you do
This thing is 2x the price of the most expensive steamdeck. And "only" a bit better in performance, while having massive quality control issues. Yeah, buy a steamdeck bro.
@@livinlicious this specific one is twice the price of the 512GB Steam Deck, but you don't have to get this one to get all the benefits. For $1000 (no tax or duty fees in the US) you can get the base Ayaneo2 that also has 512GB and a much better screen. Versus $650 + tax for the 512GB Deck. Also, it's MUCH better performing as far as the screen goes, and performs anywhere from 20-50% better than the Deck depending on the game.
Can you all imagine us as kids being able to use stuff like this HAHA our minds would blow APART, seriously we are living in the future I tells ya!!!!....
How much total power does this device use when gaming at higher wattages, I'm wondering if I can use a 45 watt charger I have or if I need to step it up to a 65 watt or higher
This makes me wonder how high end crt shaders look. Even though Steam Deck can run stuff like Crt Royale or Mega Bezel, the resolution on the Steck Deck wouldnt work on that screen because those shaders need 4k or atleast 1080p. I think this thing could be a retro machine simply because you can play with good CRT shaders.
Hello, thanks again for the video, is there any information on the speed of the NVMe storage ? Getting the AYANEO 2 with16Gb RAM and 512Gb storage version could be a good deal especially if replacing the disk with the fastest Gen 4 (they come in all speeds and shapes :) would be an even better deal. Also in case of swapping the faster the storage the better. Thanks
hey! not sure what your issue is in drakengard 3 on the steam deck, but you can totally manage to get stable 40 fps with the right patches and configuration!
Honestly using this for Retro Emulation seems like a waste. This thing powerful enough to handle PS3 and Switch. But thank you for the video. Will definitely get the next Aya Neo Device.
I don't have the facility to make such a thing happen, but a simple kit with two things should solve the problem. One, a pair of high-performance adhesive removal pads to extract the factory plugs. Two, a pair of silicone replacement plugs. Shouldn't cost too much, I'd think. 😁
Taki can you please give us some more info on the D-Pad modification you did. You said you used electrical tape, did you just fold up a little piece and stick it in there? Is this what you would recommend? Did you remove the piece that is in there first? Maybe we can use some foam rubber like they did originally? Thanks!
I cut two pieces (about the size of the black circle that I showed) of electrical tape and put them on top of the small black circle. That was enough to make this good enough that I don't have issues using it for the games that I filmed. It might be a moot point if they do this at the factory for IGG orders.
Which device do you think won the sound test?
08:52 is store.steampowered.com/app/2055500/Repetendium/
which is more comfy
It's a close call between the Odin and the Steam Deck, but I think the Steam Deck sounded more full.
Steam deck I think sounded the best
I'm going with the Odin, but it was close! Maybe the bass is what did it for me.
the deck had clearer sound but the odin had a deeper sound. it was a close call
As a steam deck owner I got to say overall it makes me happy to see competition and makes me even happier to see such capable handhelds, I would have killed for one of these as a kid
These devices are like weeds. Every device is broken in some way or another. Its like bugfixing whac-a-mole.
Oh and they get more expensive every time, for tiny improvements. While introducing new blatant design flaws or software bugs. Software you can mostly only pray that the opensource community releases custom OS for these. Maybe.
Im done with these devices. I bought into the hype the last 2 years or so. But it got to a point where its just exhausting and costly.
Every device costs me more time to set up, fix, install new patches, config everything to work, and then im already drained and I never play them after.
The steamdeck seems the only device that is solid and has a good situation. Its the Switch of these device class. Everything else is chinese crap.
We did have them as kids. Game Boy, GBA SP, DS, PSP. Life was good.
@@livinlicious i agree with you. If valve was making this device i would be more interested. Not gonna spend this kind of money for a devicd you pray doesnt short out by the 6 month mark or even sooner.
@@zachcarmichael699 hell back in the 70s there were playboy magazines
@Giritto poorfag idc
Thanks Taki, you're the only reviewer on TH-cam I can actually trust. I buy tonnes of devices, and almost all are advertised to me by other youtubers as PERFECT. Then, 20 or 30 issues come fourth within minutes. I get to see everything with you, no matter how minor it is.
What about ETA prime?
Dude tbh...Taki is great, but so are many others.
Just watch the right content creators.
I love Taki too, but ETA, Retro Game Corps, Retro Dodo… lots of guys with different perspectives and use cases that give some great perspectives.
Why are you still in this device class? I bought way to many, got way too carried away, and they just left me totally exhausted.
Every device is super broken. Most have completely random issues, that where not present a device before, and then they get fixed, to come back in the next device.
The OS's are a mess. Everyone is doing some random OS from scratch, which runs again completely different and gets no support after 6-12months.
Finish and fabrication is mostly cost cutting to the bone. They save on every penny possible, while getting so expensive its not even funny.
This device is 2x the most expensive Steamdeck!
I have quit this scene. Its a mess.
@@livinlicious This device is the same price, or cheaper than the Deck outside of the very small few counties Valve actually ships the Deck to.
12:30 I think an easy fix that Ayaneo should do is just use the same hinge mechanism for the micro sd card for these flaps to get to the screws that way it’s not only a clean design as they want but also easy to access the screws as well should you need to open the device
I felt the same way. They already know how to do that.
Yeah, or just make the side rails of quality rubber that can be popped off more easily without any damage.
I would love to see a TH-camr do a video on the day in the life of these handhelds, do you take them out while commuting? How's the battery life? Do you need to bring a battery pack? How do you store them given they're a portable device when out and about? How often do you play them at home? Is it worth it to plop down $1000+ for a device that's primarily used in the home when we have a computer that can stream to it? Who are these devices for? People without a powerful computer at home?
I'd love to see a video covering these issues.
Asking the real questions. Battery doesn't seem to last long on these beefier devices. The screens are much larger than say a Gameboy, and when the fans come on, that uses up battery consumption too. On my Steam Deck, when I play Spider-Man: Remastered with the default settings, I can go from a full charge to about 15% battery in a about an hour and 20 minutes or so.
Battery does last longer playing some low end retro games though.
This makes me hyped for whatever Valve comes out with next. The AYANEO 2 sets the bar for performance.
The question for me is how long will it take to see a Steam Deck 2 and will they offer a more premium model with an actual good screen?
With the way they are pushing the deck globally now. I'd love to see them not make a new deck, but a motherboard swap option with a new AMD APU on the NDA3. Would practically be hot swapping performance like a desktop.
@@AthenaAutocross just like Retroid does it! Great idea.
Sets the bar for high performance but very very terrible battery its drains like mad not even playing it.
@@StreamerTV it does not, stop making crap up.
I can't say how much I appreciate the authenticity you provide on the review of these devices. As already stated many times by others, very few people would go through the measures to buy a retail device just to show the differences to a review device for us to judge. Just keep up this amazing work you do please! - just another retro enthusiast
!!!a!!!!
I had ordered the geek at early bird black model but then I eventually ended up cancelling that order and ordering the same configuration for AYANEO2. I understand that I'm paying 250 more for 2 vs geek's early bird, but I think I'm ok with that. The biggest thing for me was the screen. Geek 16+512gb model had 800p screen that is from Ayaneo next, with bezels which is a decent screen. But this screen on AYANEO2 is really beautiful! Also a couple of subtle things (nvme gen 3 ssd in geek vs gen 4 in AYANEO2, vibration motor, power adapter 65watt vs 100watts etc.), Made me make my decision. Added benefit, AYANEO2 gets delivered earlier!
I watch every single video you drop the moment you drop it. Love he’s handheld reviews as I’m currently in the market looking for my best option. This system is one that’s far out of my price range but I ABSOLUTELY love the design and wish it was cheaper. Thank you for this awesome deep dive review!
I appreciate that!
The steam deck audio is one of the most prized aspects of it. Not only the speakers but also the mics are the best in the category by far
I always wear headphones with my Deck with a built-in mic (Bose NC700). So I never even really tested how good they are, I don't want to bother other people with the sound and I'd rather just wear headphones anyway.
Too bad the screen is sub par
@@bnr32jason You can still use your steam deck inside your house
@@pedro4205 yeah, and I'd still be bothering people like my wife or kids. Just easier to use high quality headphones or earphones.
Hi taki, I just wanna say thankyou for the subtitle/cc in most of your video. It help me a lot as people who doesnt speak english as my main language.
You're welcome 😊
That screen 🤤
If I was in a much better financial situation, I would snatch one of these right away.
Love all these handhelds. Hard to imagine dropping a band to play 2k or need for speed on the go.
What's "a band"?
@@theluminousone5883 1,000
@@theluminousone58831 band= 1k
Isn't that "grand"?
@@theluminousone5883 slang for $1000.
Thank u for ur service sir… I’m new to this community and yet I understood that u are real G over here… backed the Primax Portal as first device ever hope review will be sometimes soon.. enjoy holidays which are on the way and thanks one more time for caring and being honest and honorable man !!!
The biggest problem with the steam deck in my opinion is the massive bezels, it would look SOOO much better if the screen filled that whole space.
The Steam Deck could absolutely benefit from smaller bezels, but it also needs an entirely new panel. It's terrible.
AYANEO 2 is a big shot, but it's very expensive. I don't doubt that with the ease of changes on steam deck, the Chinese or even Valve can offer an OLED screen.
@@rogcanal nope, they cannot offer an easy swap to OLED because it's entirely different power delivery circuits used for OLED vs LCD. Not to mention that there simply isn't an OLED on the market that will fit, so that means creating a custom screen which unless they are producing hundreds of thousands of them, it's going to cost probably $500 each for just the screen.
@@bnr32jason Not now, but I don't doubt it in the future, maybe 2 years. I believe it is possible.
@@rogcanal in two years the Steam Deck is going to be outdated and a Steam Deck 2 with a better screen will be out. By then there won't be a market for it.
@Taki Udon Thanks. This video helped me in making a choice to cancel my order for the Geek and look at the Win 4 as an upgrade from my Neo 2021 model. Since Aya Neo never started production on the Geek 512GB model before CNY, leaving 279 backer waiting until early March.
Totally agree with your comment on the concealed screw ‘nobody cares’ especially if it damages the case in the process.
HI Taki, many thanks for this fantastic and very thorough review of this device. As always, your reviews are exceptionally detailed and useful, and the information shared is fait and impartial. This device definitely looks premium compared to the competition, however I would really love to see how the AYANEO GEEK base model fares against this more expensive one.
This is the gold standard for handheld reviews (with a hardware bent)! Servicability is a big deal and doing DIY mods and repairs is a right! Long term (relative) reviews should also be a thing, especially with these niche devices -- going through subreddits have you reading either ultra fanboys or haters. Keep up the good work!
Thanks for the review, I considered this device, but what ultimately made me stop was that I was already planning 100% to get the GPD Win4 because of the keyboard, and didn't want the AyaNeo2 to sit around collecting dust once I got the Win4. I could have sold it, but I hate having to sell such devices. and I felt it was a bit too expensive to be a gift for my nephew, whom I question if he would deserve such a device.
Why don't you think he deserves such a device?
Damn why you gotta gatekeep your nephew so severely
Have fun with non hall joysticks on the gpd win 4
cant for the video on the pimax portal. awesome review btw
Should be closer to the weekend. Waiting on a newer prototype.
I may be the only one, but I could care less about speaker quality or dpad. I get these handhelds for AAA and high end emulation. I also generally use headphones. Don't get me wrong I think it's good you covered it, very detailed video. Well done. Also your average human being is not going to open up their expensive handheld. Though I do see how this can be frustrating as someone who tends to upgrade my SSD.
Another great video Taki, the screen on the Ayaneo 2 has me mesmerized. I’m good right now with my Steam Deck, but if money was not a factor this would be first choice
Thanks for the review. As someone planning to change the SSD i'm glad you went over the screw covers. It's probably too late to change the build but I hope they just ship it with the cover off and leave it to the owner if/when they want to put it on.
Hey Taki, I'm on the discord and don't get why you were getting so much push back. For what it's worth, it seems like it was really just from one person, and I think that you handled this review perfectly. Thanks for all that you do for the community!
Imo opinion a handheld with a price tag like that should have 0 flaws let alone that you have to take it apart and do some diy. Really outrageous
And that's why I went with valve steam deck
You don't *have* to take it apart, it's a personal preference. Some people prefer rolling d-bads for fighting games, others like clicky-tactile dpads. Hell, some consoles don't have Dpads at all (Ahem, Switch)
So I'm not really sure what you're talking about. There is no perfect.
@@MarkGibbons lmao what a pointless comment. And i never said perfect i just said for that price Point there should not be any flaws on the device. So Wtf are you talking about....just GTFO.....your just trying to start and argument................
I have yet to find a $30k, $40k, $50k etc automobile with 0 flaws. I've yet to find a $100k, $200k, $300k, etc house with 0 flaws .........
I love that cream/off white color.. I didn't feel like I HAD to have the Steam Deck, or a Switch, so those devices elude my possession. This device here just has such a crispy screen that I feel overtly compelled to finally own a portable console. The only other handheld I own is an OLED Vita, and that ironically also has a bezel-less screen.
Thanks for the review, I was super hyped to buy this device but the cost wound me down. If it comes to the retail stores where I live I might consider getting it. It's good to see your info on the dpad and soundtap.
11:49 glue gun, nail with a small flat head (slightly smaller than the width of the rail). glue the flat head to the side rail, let it sit until cool, yank it off. just a thought without owning the device.
What an absolutely stunning looking device 😍
From the recording, on my headphones, it sounds like the Deck has a bit more power in the low-end than the others and a bit more clarity with the odin coming in second place, at least for me.
@watchmejumpstart agreed, I think that it was breifly mentioned in some videos before i got mine in the summer but I was still surprised at how great the speakers are.
Recently gotten into retro gaming and then found your channel, been loving the content and indeapth you go into, I hate reviews that are more of an "overview" of mumbling information that is found on the shop..
Your videos has so much good information that matters to people who are actually looking to buy these items, so thank you so much.
second, I wish a company made a portal device like this that had 2 extra face buttons so you could map N64 without using janky setups, even some of the SEGA games use 6 face buttons so it's not just one console either, for a emulation console that makes sense to me c.c
I’m glad u answered which color was best at the end cause I wondering which was the best color in person
I noticed that reviewers pretty much never talk about the touch screens on these devices. I know most people rarely use the touch screen, but when you need it, you want it to work and feel responsive. The touch screen on the steam deck for example is quite awful, since the screen was apparently sourced from a cheap tablet; it is very often unresponsive and my touch inputs register maybe 75% of the time. The touch screen on my switch is far more responsive than my steam decks, and I personally like using the touch input sometimes so I like for it to work. I would really like to know more about the screens used on on these Aya devices, whether they are custom screens like the switch or sourced from some tablet, and how responsive the touch screens are. I assume a low touch sampling rate is the cause of the poor touch controls on the Deck but IDK.
On the earlier software builds, it seemed like the touch issues (desktop mode keyboard) were due to the keyboard app itself. It's improved enough now that it's usable. I have used the OSK on this device (and the other 7" AYA devices) and haven't had any issues.
I see it as a positive so i dont have to keep wiping my screen lol but the screen still sucks
Damn I didn't know the Steam Deck was a mini boombox! Even sorta kinda looks like one.
Haha
It's the only flaw with the Deck, it's HUGE...
@@TakiUdon Im shocked you never talked about the battery on this as its terrible, not really portable if you have to have it plugged most the time
You can change the wattage per Watt in the pro mode option
Other reviews show manual changes to tdp with y button in pro mode
You’re the man for so many reasons.
Competition does make for better selection. GKD has a kickstarter gameboy type device at $139. Looks slick too-
I have a portable monitor I use with my i9 NUC that I've never had to turn up the brightness past zero even in the harshest sun from the adjacent window. The thing is like 300NITS at 0 and 550 Nits at 100. Meaning it's stupidly bright. Then I found a freeware app called "DIM THE WHOLE SCREEN" on Softpedia that ONLY WORKS ON DISPLAY 1, weirdly. But is also the best I tried of the half dozen I tried. Though it's a portable app, meaning no local installs, and should pin to the taskbar since it won't also start at startup without a script. I usually set mine to 30% overlay and doesn't greatly affect color. 90 and you start getting issues.
I'll have to try this out.
at this point you need to show case all of your collections
must look like a awesome handheld museum by now
Im thinking of this but steamdeck shaves price from $750 to $600 now for 256gb variant in my country
Seems like a few more months and that could go $500😝
Unless rdna3 igpu is really good for 800p high gaming
Im goin for Steam deck nxtyear
Please tell me the LC and RC mini shoulder buttons will be able to duplicate other face buttons like start/select/A/B/X/Y etc
Just put my order in. I'm praying it gets to me before I go on this 4-month voyage out at sea. If not, we'll shit guess I'll have something to look forward to when I come back.
Youll have it by then, neo 2 shipping is mid December, geek is mid January.
@ultimategohan1551 Well, I ship out early January, and the Neo ships the end of December, and it's shipping from China. So, very possible, I might not get it.
I don't know what you consider a battle but it doesn't have to be the color black to be considered a bezel a bezel is the area around the screen which there definitely is a top and bottom bezel and side bezels that hold the button is obviously and it's all tan that whole screen has a bezel around it if it was just all screen then it would have no bezels
It's nice to see handhelds cojstantly improving, but this company has put out so many different models this year that it's genuinely hard to keep up. Seems a bit wasteful too since there's still an ongoing chip shortage.
What I'm surprised at is, that so many people (and reviewers) have both of these devices, yet have not tried to see if the screens were compatible with each other.
You would need to do software changes on the Deck to get it to work. You could get around this if the company that made the screen created an FPGA to make the new screen act as the old one, but no one has done that yet.
@@TakiUdon if the connectors are the same (as are a lot of mobile computers), I don't see why it wouldn't work. In desktop mode it registers as a standard generic display. And windows would for sure almost solve driver problems or issues. I've swapped 30 and 40 pin connectors and displays before.
Those sonic edits were funny and appreciated
Thank you!
So the $1500 device has a dpad problem and you have to break the case to solve the problem?? Very good job AYA😅🤣😂
I dont know if I missed the part where you talking about if the 32GB RAM gives more power. Did you notice any difference?✌
None
Taki the based SMRPG enjoyer
I am thinking about starting randomizers :D
really liking the layout of your performance overlays.
Are you using MSI Afterburner or HWiNFO for these or something else entirely?
It's RTSS with data pulled from HWiNFO
@@TakiUdon wow, i have to take a look at HWiNFOs customization options again. Didn't know you could use separators for multiple items in a single line like that.
Thanks!
The only benefit of more ram is using extra as a ram disk. Loading Skyrim in a ram disk takes literally a couple seconds, loading becomes almost seemless.
"I hate them. So much." Man, you can hear this disdain in those words from Taki, lmao. Also, "wishful thinking instructions" and "the Jaws of Life" had me losing my shit. Love your reviews, as always, and thank you very much for your work, Taki.
No mention of the battery performance? How long does this thing last after a full charge and default settings on a Triple A title?
I included one 15w metric 18:54
You'd have better battery life than this if you dropped a AAA game down to 800p, but you'd probably only gain 15-20 minutes extra.
@@TakiUdon wait does that say 1 hour 34 minutes of battery life?>
@@lloyd011721 That's about what the Steam Deck gets on a Triple A title at default settings. These things have large screens and a fan which also uses up battery.
@@Cyko.. thats so awful
@@lloyd011721 You can lower the TDP, brightness, and resolution to get a little bit more battery life on these devices. Every user is different, but I don't have an hour and a half worth of time at work to play games. We get 10 minute breaks and a 30 minute lunch. Much of that time is texting others instead of playing games.
Now if I decide I want to play 20 minutes or so of Grand Theft Auto 5, 20 minutes or so of Spider-Man: Remastered, etc, then I can get a few gaming sessions in on some triple A titles.
23:22 does that game run well on the Aya neo 2? Also was thinking about waiting till the next 2 for the track pad. Thoughts? Do you think it's a bad idea?
Yes, that game runs without issues. Next 2 should be a good alternative to the Deck if you like trackpads.
@@TakiUdon great to know! thanks for the reply!
The main problem with this system as well as other in the same ballpark is the price. Until that is sorted out the steam deck will keep gaining ground and system like this one although great will remain in relative obscurity.
For the same price you can build your own pc to play better games and have better emulation in one.
Completely agreed! When I can game stream my games from my pc to my Odin, and get 10 hours of battery life, playing at high quality.. Since these devices have horrible battery life, I can't imagine commuting with these things, especially if I'm paying $1000+ for em.
@@SintSuke some people want to play handheld and don't want to build a PC.
Yeah they are nice to look at but nothing justifys this purchase when the steam deck is out there
@@GmkSuperstars I don't understand this point. A gaming laptop can cost from $999 - $3500 so the price point for this is on par considering it's an actual portable pc, not something with half-baked software that has compatibility issues. With a device like this, there's no need to find so many workarounds to play games, no need to wait for a game to be "verified", no need for proton, no need to beg for support from other stores to play your complete library, etc. You're paying for something much more user-friendly (or at least more familiar with Windows) which means easier troubleshooting, if needed. The Steam Deck is priced according to it's value, imo, which is why it's so cheap. You do realized that handheld gaming pcs have exited long before the Steam Deck? Many people who complain about the price of real portable pcs only came to know about these type of devices because of the Steam Deck and it shows.
Would take either one, I want the Steam Deck in 2023!
Thank you for 🎮news 📰
I got great news too! 86 days no alcohol & Feel a lot better. I’m getting great workouts & gaming 🏆
Stay blessed gamers and I shared on Facebook 🎮🎄
Almost 2 years here. Keep up the good work man. It's worth it.
I think I'll wait to check out the 3rd rendition
You said these are TCL glasses, could you please tell me the full name of them? I ordered the white ayaneo 2 and very interested in trying out AR glasses if they don't cost a ton
Never mind, just saw the link in the description. Thank you
Will you be looking a the Geek model? There's next to no video coverage of the device. It's very similar to the 2, but the placement of the sticks/buttons appears to be offset, and a different screen, along with a translucent shell.
I don't know, but it's the one I would have bought with my money.
Love your videos watching them regularly
i mean these are neat but i love my little ambernic device due to being so small it fits in your pocket i want something like that
19:32 Taki is not afraid of Nintendo striking the video down. Respect.
Are you going to review the Retroid Pocket 3+, Taki?
Taki udon is the only honest handheld reviewer worth to watch
No he isn't
“its going to be hard to hear the difference 8:35” the difference was HUGE. steam deck wins with odin in a close second, but they wipe the floor with ayaneo
In your videos, when you use the ABXY buttons, it seems like your thumb is dangerously close to moving the right analog stick. Do you feel like this is a problem?
It could be better (it is better on the Geek model), but it doesn't bother me that much. It's similar to the Switch.
So which is the better purchase, Onexplayer 2 or Ayaneo 2??
I m new to AR Glasses and I like the use case you describe, How good are they for playing games lying down and looking up? and how are image quality and gaming experience?
They are very good. I spent about a day finding the exact position that I wanted to use for the nose piece and everything was gravy after that. The screen is very sharp after you find the position or nose attachment that works best for you. The glasses take up 60% of your vertical view when you have them on, so it would be almost like you are sitting at a desk and the top of your monitor is a bit above your head.
How did you manage to get such insane frame drops on botw cemu? Running at 1440p/4k? lol
I'd have to check, but that should be 900p.
Hey Udon! I just ordered mine yesterday! About how long does it take for the entire shipping process up until the day I get it ?
with you being such an openly big supporter of the steam deck, it really carries alot of credibility when you have something good to say about other handhelds. couple that with just how detailed these reviews always are, i appreciate the work you do
This thing is 2x the price of the most expensive steamdeck. And "only" a bit better in performance, while having massive quality control issues.
Yeah, buy a steamdeck bro.
@@livinliciousnah, we’re good. Some of us can afford the better handheld.
@@livinlicious this specific one is twice the price of the 512GB Steam Deck, but you don't have to get this one to get all the benefits. For $1000 (no tax or duty fees in the US) you can get the base Ayaneo2 that also has 512GB and a much better screen. Versus $650 + tax for the 512GB Deck.
Also, it's MUCH better performing as far as the screen goes, and performs anywhere from 20-50% better than the Deck depending on the game.
@@bnr32jason imagine comparing a 64gb emmc and being proud of how cheap it is.
@@BlastingXNP cope poor boy
What is the game shown at 8:32?
Already have aokzoe, but this is so tempting that i might just buy it
If you are going to recommend the base model you need to mention that does not have the same screen as the ayaneo 2.
Thank you for the video.
Oh my god that screen looks crazy holy shit.
Broooooo this looks unreal, the stray footage looks like you just pasted some stray footage OVER the device :0
haha
Can you all imagine us as kids being able to use stuff like this HAHA our minds would blow APART, seriously we are living in the future I tells ya!!!!....
How much total power does this device use when gaming at higher wattages, I'm wondering if I can use a 45 watt charger I have or if I need to step it up to a 65 watt or higher
This makes me wonder how high end crt shaders look. Even though Steam Deck can run stuff like Crt Royale or Mega Bezel, the resolution on the Steck Deck wouldnt work on that screen because those shaders need 4k or atleast 1080p. I think this thing could be a retro machine simply because you can play with good CRT shaders.
Hello, thanks again for the video, is there any information on the speed of the NVMe storage ? Getting the AYANEO 2 with16Gb RAM and 512Gb storage version could be a good deal especially if replacing the disk with the fastest Gen 4 (they come in all speeds and shapes :) would be an even better deal. Also in case of swapping the faster the storage the better. Thanks
Why is nobody copying the trackpads on the steamdeck? It's so important for desktop navigation
AYA is doing it on the NEXT 2.
How big are the joysticks? Like can I ordered switch caps for mine? I'm waiting for my Ayaneo2 to ship and was thinking of ordering some stick caps
Hi Taki, Can the Honeywell 7950 thermal pad or anything to lower the fan noise under 25W tdp? And thanks for your detailed review video!
hey! not sure what your issue is in drakengard 3 on the steam deck, but you can totally manage to get stable 40 fps with the right patches and configuration!
I never could, even after talking to people and trying so many different settings it never ran smoothly.
Honestly using this for Retro Emulation seems like a waste. This thing powerful enough to handle PS3 and Switch. But thank you for the video. Will definitely get the next Aya Neo Device.
iam a steam deck owner and couldnt bought the Aokzeo a1 i dont know if it was the right choice couldve get this instead
The screen looks really nice is it as good in person
Can make a video on best handheld for 2022?
I will. Still waiting on some stuff this month.
I don't have the facility to make such a thing happen, but a simple kit with two things should solve the problem. One, a pair of high-performance adhesive removal pads to extract the factory plugs. Two, a pair of silicone replacement plugs. Shouldn't cost too much, I'd think. 😁
Taki can you please give us some more info on the D-Pad modification you did. You said you used electrical tape, did you just fold up a little piece and stick it in there? Is this what you would recommend? Did you remove the piece that is in there first? Maybe we can use some foam rubber like they did originally? Thanks!
I cut two pieces (about the size of the black circle that I showed) of electrical tape and put them on top of the small black circle. That was enough to make this good enough that I don't have issues using it for the games that I filmed. It might be a moot point if they do this at the factory for IGG orders.
@@TakiUdon thanks for the reply!
Can you change the resolution at the fly while gaming with the aya quick tool ?
Wish they would add some back buttons
Question what game is on the screen that he is playing @9:21
Repetendium
7:48 what game is this?
Will you be doing a video on this device with a docking station in the future?
I don't own an eGPU or I would show it. I had one for my Win Max coverage, but got rid of it shortly after.
Maybe this is the best portable handled form but I still prefer the GPD Win Max 2 over this because I can use it as a working laptop.
that's because it is just a laptop
Because it's a netbook with a crappy gamepad built in.
Can you do a comparison with the steam Deck?
This device looks great! As always this is great Review Taki. What game was played after Hades?