Introduction
Yo what up gamers Its your boy Leo straight outta the City of Angels comin at you live from my crib at 3215 Overland Ave Los Angeles California (CA) 90034.
Ive been deep in the gaming scene for a minute now droppin truth bombs on all the hottest gear.
Today were gonna break down the Ayaneo 3 this new handheld PC thats been buzzin around. Ive spent years diving into the nittygritty of gaming tech so you know youre gettin the real deal right here.
Ayaneo 3 The Lowdown LA Style
The crew over at PC Gamer dropped a review on the Ayaneo 3 and let me tell you its a wild ride. This aint your basic plugandplay.
Its got a whole lotta new ideas packed in but aint everything smooth sailin ya dig.
The gaming performance is straight fire no doubt. But there are some major headaches with the software and little things that can totally harsh your mellow.
The reviewer Joel Loynds put in serious hours to give us the full picture.
Hes seen a grip of handhelds come and go so his word is gold. According to his take the Ayaneo 3 is the 15th release from the company since the Ayaneo 2S and 1S dropped.
Thats a whole lotta iterations and youd think theyd have ironed out the wrinkles by now. While it definitely brings the heat when it comes to runnin games its still got those classic Ayaneo quirks.
And get this Windows still aint the homie for handhelds throwin its usual tantrums. If you were hopin those complaints were old news Loynds says otherwise.
Whats Good About the Ayaneo 3 The For Real Deets
Alright lets talk about the good stuff the reasons why this thing might catch your eye.
First off the new Ryzen AI HX 370 and Radeon 890M are no joke. They pack a serious punch. This means you can run some heavyduty games on the go without them lookin like a slideshow.
In fact Loynds saw a noticeable performance boost in the Black Myth Wukong benchmark when crankin it up to 35W. Without upscaling it went from 18 fps to 23 fps.
With upscaling it went headtohead with the OneXPlayer F1 Pro clockin in at 34 fps. Even in demanding titles like Slitterhead with FSR upscaling on Quality it hit a solid 60 fps.
Smaller games like Metal Bringers even soared to 120 fps with raytracing off. This kind of power in your hands is pretty dope gotta admit.
As a gamer in the know this level of performance on a handheld in 2025 is definitely a major plus showing real advancements in mobile gaming tech.
Another major flex is how incredibly customizable this thing is with its modules and the AyaSpace software. You can tweak it to fit your playstyle which is always a win.
The fact that Ayaneo lets you peep the APUs RAM and VRAM usage right in the menus is also a cool move.
On the 32 GB model you can even allocate up to 16 GB of VRAM givin you extra breathing room for demanding games like Avowed.
This level of control is somethin serious for us hardcore gamers who like to finetune every little thing. This shows Ayaneo is listening to the enthusiast crowd.
The Flip Side The Against Truth Bombs
Now lets get into the notsochill aspects of the Ayaneo 3.
One of the biggest red flags Loynds raises is a genuine fear of this thing breakin. Thats never a good sign especially when youre droppin serious cash.
It makes you wonder about the build quality and how itll hold up to everyday use. As someone whos seen their fair share of tech bite the dust this is a valid concern.
Then theres the whole module situation. While the idea of swappable modules sounds awesome you cant even swap em without the AyaSpace software.
Thats a major bummer and a weird oversight. Its like buyin a trickedout ride but needin a specific app just to change the tires.
The modules themselves cost extra around $99 for a set of sticks dpads and buttons. While some of these like the sixbutton layout sound clutch for retro gaming the reliance on AyaSpace for the basic act of swapping is a headscratcher.
Loynds even points out that the control mode button cant eject the modules without the software. This feels kinda halfbaked for a device thats tryin to cater to enthusiasts.
And we cant forget about Windows being Windows on a handheld. Its still a pain in the backside. Even simple stuff like puttin the device to sleep can be a nightmare.
It might wake up randomly fans blazin at full speed drainin the battery while you thought it was snoozin. Loynds even had instances where the device wouldnt wake up properly or would hang for a hot minute before showin anything.
He found it easier to just shut it down completely most of the time. This lack of seamlessness in basic functions definitely takes away from the overall experience.
Diggin Deeper into the Ayaneo 3 Experience
Loynds also dives into the AyaSpace 3 software. While its a step up from the previous version (AyaSpace 2) with better labeling and translations its still not perfect.
He still finds it clunkier than just bootin up Steams Big Picture Mode. Mapping controls messin with settings and just navigating the software still feels a bit rushed. He even had the software lock up on him more than once forcing a restart.
Thankfully they ditched the Home button binding which makes it feel more like a beefedup Steam Deck when youre in Big Picture Mode minus all the Windows headaches of course.
As a seasoned gamer I can attest that smooth intuitive software is crucial for a good handheld experience and it sounds like AyaSpace still has some room to grow.
The swappable modules while a key feature also raise concerns about their durability. Loynds mentions a genuine fear of them breaking.
Plus the trackpads arent that comfortable with a short travel distance and finding the right sensitivity sweet spot was a struggle.
To top it off he noticed that AyaSpace would sometimes force Game Mode on when loading a game turnin the trackpads into shoddy joystick emulators until he messed with the menus.
This kind of inconsistency can be super frustrating when you just wanna jump into a game.
Specs and Key Features Breakdown
Lets check out the nittygritty specs of this beast
- Processor AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370
- GPU Integrated AMD Radeon 890M
- RAM 16 GB LPDDR5x7500 (the review unit had 32GB)
- Storage 1 TB (up to 2 TB)
- Display 7inch 144 Hz OLED touchscreen (LCD also available)
- Controls Hall effect analogue sticks gyroscope back paddles dual touch pads
- Connectivity USB4 x2 1x OcuLink 3.5 mm jack Micro SD slot WiFi 6E Bluetooth 5.2
- Battery 49 WHr
- Dimensions 289.8 x 115 x 22.4 mm
- Weight 690 grams
- Price Starts from $899 (Model reviewed $1499)
Noticeably the Ayaneo 3 ditches the second top USB port found on the 2S and replaces it with an OcuLink port which is a big deal for connecting external GPUs (eGPUs).
This is a welcome addition for those lookin for even more graphical horsepower when theyre not on the move. The 144 Hz 7inch OLED panel is also praised for being gorgeous.
These hardware additions definitely show that Ayaneo is tryin to push the boundaries of handheld gaming in 2025.
Is the Ayaneo 3 the Right Vibe for You
Loynds gives a clear Buy if… and Dont buy if… breakdown
Cop it if
- You crave power This version of the Ayaneo 3 has it in spades as long as you can handle the software quirks.
- Customization is your jam You wanna play your way even if the current module selection isnt mindblowin.
Steer clear if
- You want a hasslefree experience The Ayaneo 3 can be plugandplay but gettin the most out of it can become a whole thing.
- Youre not exactly gentle If youre rough with your tech or prone to spills this might not be the handheld for you.
Final Thoughts from Your LA Gamer
Overall the Ayaneo 3 brings a ton of fresh ideas to the table but it doesnt quite nail the execution on all of them.
The gaming performance is undeniably strong but the software issues and quirky design choices can overshadow that brilliance.
At the nonearly bird price of $1499 for the reviewed model (and up to $1899 for the topend) its a tough sell when there are smoother more reliable options out there.
While Ayaneo deserves props for being reactive to its audience and tryin new things like the modular design the reliance on sometimes janky software holds it back.
As a gamer living and breathing this scene here in LA I gotta be real with you. The potential is there the power is there but the overall experience feels a bit… ramshackle.
So is the Ayaneo 3 the king of the hill in 2025 Not quite yet. Its got the muscle but it needs to work on its flow.
Peace out and keep gaming yall
Resource
https://www.pcgamer.com/hardware/handheld-gaming-pcs/ayaneo-3-review/
https://www.polygon.com/hardware/521687/ayaneo-3-hands-on-impressions
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