It’s easier than ever to take PC games with you thanks to devices like the Steam Deck and ROG Ally. Most of the popular handheld gaming machines have a great deal in common, but a new entrant from Ayaneo mixes things up—literally. It features modular controls, allowing you to move control sticks, touchpads, and even individual buttons as you please.
Ayaneo isn’t as well-known as the big names in handheld gaming, but it’s been making Windows-based gaming and small form factor devices for a few years. The company is swinging for the fences with the Ayaneo 3, though. This device was announced in November, but the modular aspect was kept under wraps. As previously revealed, this handheld will have the Ryzen 9 HX 370 chip, with another variant running the older Ryzen 7 8840U. You’re probably going to want the Ryzen 9, though.
Most of the gaming handhelds we’ve seen in the past couple of years are running AMD chips like the Ryzen Z1 Extreme, which are based on the Zen 4 architecture. AI 300 chips like the Ryzen 9 HX 370, however, have newer Zen 5 based cores, and the Radeon 890M GPU is a big step up from the 780M in devices like the ROG Ally. This chip also has a powerful NPU, which should make the Ayaneo 3 eligible for Copilot+ features. The 8840U is fundamentally similar to the Ryzen chips in other handhelds.
Ayaneo has now revealed the device’s modular aspect. The handheld has two customizable modules, one on each side of the display. They feature a mix of sticks, touchpads, buttons, and various styles of d-pad. They’re reversible, so if you want a thumbstick lower or a button cluster higher, the Ayaneo 3 can accommodate that. Even the individual buttons can be swapped around in the modules.
This device does look very cool, but there are some caveats. For one, it only exists as a render, though admittedly an attractive one. Almost all of the specifications are still a mystery, too. The device looks very slim in renders, which might not leave a lot of room for the battery. Ayaneo doesn’t try to compete with the Steam Deck on price, with its current 2s model retailing for over $1,100. The addition of a new chip and modular features are unlikely to make the Ayaneo 3 cheaper. Ayaneo has yet to confirm a release date for this handheld.