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AYASpace 3.0 Beta Upgrade Supports the Full Range of AYANEO Windows Handheld Devices

As a pioneer in self-developed software for Windows handhelds, AYANEO has always adhered to integrated hardware and software development, continuously delivering exceptional user experiences that exceed gamers' expectations. Today, the highly acclaimed handheld management software AYASpace 3.0 has launched a newly upgraded beta version. Not only does it offer deep optimization and exclusive features for the modular flagship device AYANEO 3, but it also provides comprehensive support for all released AYANEO Windows handhelds and Mini PCs, including the FLIP, SLIDE, KUN, 2S, 2, GEEK, and AIR series. Gamers are welcome to upgrade and experience these enhancements while supporting AYANEO's software optimization with their valuable feedback!

AYASpace 3.0: The Era of All-in-One Intelligent Control Begins
AYASpace 3.0 has been completely upgraded in terms of interface design and functional logic, achieving dual improvements in "modern aesthetics" and "high-performance efficiency":The UI interaction has been fully optimized, with a new "Device" section added. Quick-access features have made a complete return, and the keyboard/mouse mode has been reconstructed.

Steam Deck "Engineering Sample No. 34" Sold on Ebay for $2000 - Reportedly an AMD "Picasso" APU-powered Prototype

Not too long ago, Storm City Retro's Ebay store listed an unusual Steam Deck model—the original asking price was $2999.99, although potential buyers were allowed to bid with "best offers." The sales page was titled: "Early Valve Engineering 34 Prototype Steam Deck 256 GB, Tested, Please Read!" Gary_the_mememachine—a member of the Steam Deck subreddit—reported an eventual successful transaction, on April 8. The seller—a "primarily online" Kirkland, Washington-based retro video specialist—managed to attract a buyer; who apparently bagged "Engineering Sample No. 34" for a cool two thousand bucks. Given the presence of a sticker that states "not for resale," Valve is likely not enthused by the appearance of pre-commercial phase hardware via second hand channels. The company's Bellevue HQ is located not too far away from Storm City Retro's placement; both being in the Greater Seattle (Pacific NW) area. Kotaku reached out to its contacts at Valve, but a spokesperson has not provided a comment regarding the alleged leak of an AMD "Picasso" APU-powered engineering sample.

Handheld gaming device experts have analyzed saved screenshots and photos; prototype number 34 seems to of February 2020 vintage. It was compared to various "officially revealed" prototype units—as seen in an informative infographic. An exact match was not found in this compilation, but it is obvious that No. 34 differs greatly—externally and internally—when lined up against final retail models. In 2022, Pierre-Loup Griffais—one of the architects of SteamOS—provided some insight about a similar looking proto device: "the best part is that they (mostly) all still boot, serving as an exciting reminder of how far things have come since. This one has a Picasso APU, at about half of the GPU power of the final Deck. The flatter ergo was an interesting experiment and taught us a ton about comfort." The Steam Deck LCD model launched back in early 2022, with a custom 7 nm AMD Ryzen "Aerith" APU onboard—utilizing Zen 2 + processor cores and RDNA 2 graphics architecture. An OLED refresh arrived over a year later with a die shrink; now 6 nm. Team Red had kindly prepared a more efficient Ryzen "Sephiroth" mobile processor design.

Two Unannounced AMD Ryzen Z2 APU Models Leaked, Flagship Could be "AI Z2 Extreme"

Three months ago, AMD unveiled its Ryzen Z2 APU series at CES 2025—purpose made for deployment in next-gen handheld gaming PCs. The officially announced flagship—Ryzen Z2 Extreme "Strix Point," utilizing Zen 5 and RDNA 3.5 technologies—was previously alluded to by leakers in late 2024; albeit with some curious claims regarding an "odd 3+5 core configuration." Last week, Hoang Anh Phu (@AnhPhuH) presented an alleged expanded lineup of Ryzen Z2 processors—headlined by a mysterious "Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme" SKU.

PC hardware watchdogs believe that this speculative variant will eventually arrive with an enabled XDNA 2 NPU (a first for the series); likely readied to take on Intel's Core Ultra 200V "Lunar Lake" processor family. MSI's Core Ultra 7 258V-powered Claw 8 AI+ and Claw 7 AI+ handhelds launched not too long ago, boasting all sorts of Microsoft Copilot+ capabilities. Mid-way through March, an Xbox executive introduced "Copilot for Gaming." Team Red and manufacturing partners are likely jumping onto this "AI gaming" bandwagon with the aforementioned "AI Ryzen Z2 Extreme" chip, as well as Phu's fanciful "Ryzen Z2 A" model. The latter could be a spin-off of AMD's vanilla Ryzen Z2 "Hawk Point" design, with a "switched on" XDNA NPU.

AYANEO Retro-Style Pocket ACE Android Handheld Officially Unveiled

AYANEO today officially launched its latest retro-style Android handheld, the AYANEO Pocket ACE. Featuring a horizontal retro design, this handheld is exquisitely crafted, elegant, and portable, while being powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon G3x Gen 2 gaming platform for top-tier performance that effortlessly handles both classic games and popular mobile titles. Upholding its philosophy of "Real Gamers, Know Gamers," AYANEO once again pushes the boundaries of retro horizontal handheld gaming with the Pocket ACE.

Honoring Classics, Reinventing Elegance - Inheriting the brand's aesthetic DNA, retro design meets modern craftsmanship. The AYANEO Pocket ACE continues the brand's design philosophy, paying homage to classic horizontal handhelds while incorporating modern manufacturing techniques to breathe new life into the form. Its sleek, flowing body and meticulously refined button layout deliver a comfortable grip, allowing players to experience the perfect fusion of retro charm and contemporary refinement in every gaming session.

MSI Outlines Claw 8 AI+ & Claw 7 AI+ Upgrades, Based on Original Claw User Feedback

The first MSI Claw was designed for ergonomic comfort and seamless gaming across platforms like Steam, Ubisoft, and Xbox. It even handled mobile games effortlessly. Now, thanks to valuable feedback from our community, we've made significant improvements in both hardware and software for the next generation—introducing the Claw 8 AI+ and Claw 7 AI+, powered by the latest Intel Lunar Lake processor for enhanced performance and efficiency.

Key Upgrades Based on Community Feedback
1) Enhanced Connectivity with Dual Thunderbolt 4 Ports. Both the Claw 8 AI+ and Claw 7 AI+ now feature two Thunderbolt 4 ports, allowing you to connect an external SSD without unplugging the power cord. This ensures greater flexibility and seamless gameplay.

Report Claims ASUS Likely To Launch Xbox-branded Handheld Gaming Device

Not that long ago, an Xbox executive claimed that an Xbox handheld gaming device is still in the prototyping stage, with a launch expected to take place sometime in the next two to three years. There is no denying that the handheld segment is an incredibly lucrative space, boosted by the impressive performance and efficiency gains made by the chip giants in recent years. Microsoft clearly intends to take a piece of the pie, and as a recent report by Windows Central pointed out, the first Xbox-branded handheld is in development and may even see the light of day as early as the third or fourth quarter of this year. Now, a fresh report by The Verge has revealed that Microsoft might be collaborating with ASUS in order to bring the handheld gaming device to market.

This is quite interesting, considering that ASUS is one of the most well-known players in the handheld segment, thanks to its ROG Ally lineup. But the conflict of interest shouldn't be much of a hassle - Lenovo is also a major player in the segment, and did not hesitate teaming up with Valve to bring the first third-party SteamOS handheld to the market. Microsoft is likely targeting something similar, intending to combine Xbox and Windows platforms in order to improve the experience for developers and players alike, allowing better inter-compatibility of games between handheld, PC, and console platforms. Essentially, the handheld will reportedly feature an Xbox-like interface, but will be powered by Windows underneath. The aforementioned late-2025 launch timeline is still in place, but considering the very nature of early reports, accept this information with a grain of salt.

Retroid Reveals Specifications for Pocket Classic Gaming Handheld

Retroid, a popular brand of retro gaming handhelds, has finally revealed the specifications for its upcoming product - the Retro Pocket Classic. As the name suggests, the product will boast a compact form factor that screams retro vibes. The company has revealed multiple teasers for the device in the past, and has now shed light on the detailed specifications of the same. As teased, the Pocket Classic will boast a 3.92-inch AMOLED display with a peak brightness of 500 nits and a resolution of 1,240 x 1080 allowing for an impressive pixel density of 419.

Internally, an undisclosed 4 nm Qualcomm SoC will sit at the heart of the device, paired with 4 GB of LPDDR4X memory and 64 GB of eMMC storage. The product will boast an active cooling solution, which should allow for longer play times without any severe throttling issues. Speaking of longer play times, the Pocket Classic will boast a 5,000-mAh battery with 27-watt charging support. At just 13.8 x 8.9 x 2.6 cm, the Pocket Classic weighs in at just 223 grams. As for connectivity, a USB-C port, a 3.5 mm audio jack, as well as a TF card slot. Wireless communications will be taken care of by Bluetooth 5.0 and Wi-Fi 5. Pricing and availability details are under wraps for now, but when the time comes, the Pocket Classic will ship with Android 14 pre-installed.

Winstron Introduces Concept Laptop With Detachable Handheld Gaming Device

Handheld enthusiasts are likely quite familiar with tiny laptops that intend to function as handheld gaming consoles. The company Winstron has a different vision for the segment, however, which has been depicted by the company's latest concept - the Winstron Dual Fusion. Considering that this product is very much in the concept stage, we have no details regarding specifications, pricing, or availability. That said, the concept laptop sure does look quite interesting.

Instead of shrinking a laptop down to the size of a handheld, Winstron's Dual Fusion package consists of a typically sized laptop with a detachable palm rest area. This section, will include a display where the trackpad is present, flanked by controls on either side that disappear when the module is attached to the host system. The handheld module is not standalone, unsurprisingly, and is only meant to act as a streaming companion for the laptop. The handheld module will also include a 180-degree hinge, in order to allow for the display to flip and switch positions with the touchpad on the other side. As stated previously, Winstron has yet to reveal any plans for manufacturing the device, and as always, the rest remains to be seen with time.

Insiders Believe Xbox Handheld Launching This Year, Followed by Series X|S Successors in 2027

In an exclusive report, Windows Central has claimed that Microsoft is collaborating with an unnamed "PC gaming OEM" on an Xbox handheld console. Jez Corden has heard from several insiders; they reckon that a "later in 2025" launch is possible, if development goes smoothly enough. A leak from Winter 2024 indicated that Microsoft's gaming division was "targeting a handheld gaming experience," but Phil Spencer has freely disclosed his ambitions for his team's portable project. Last November, he confirmed that something was in pipeline—with a view to take on very visible competition: Steam Deck, ASUS ROG Ally and Lenovo Legion Go. The latest Windows Central investigative piece divulges some unprecedented details about: "codename 'Keenan,' this gaming handheld will look unmistakably 'Xbox' we're told, complete with an official Xbox guide button, and Xbox design sensibilities. Given that this is a partner device, similar to Lenovo's SteamOS partnership with Valve, I expect this handheld to be more PC-oriented. Keenan is almost definitely running full Windows, putting the Microsoft Store and PC Game Pass front and center, alongside the ability to install things like Steam."

Based on inside track knowledge, Corden anticipates operating system innovations: "I expect the handheld will test new Windows 11 'device aware' capabilities, while reducing third-party OEM bloatware that are typical of devices like the Lenovo Legion Go and ASUS ROG Ally. I expect Microsoft will leverage widgets on the Xbox Game Bar on PC for controlling things like TDP and fan speed, while hopefully having a more streamlined OS experience for controller use. Of course, existing PC gaming OEMs will benefit from these efforts as well—but the research will also help with Microsoft's further-out plans." Almost a month and a half ago, Spencer outlined a sort of wishlist for "innovative" future Xbox hardware—given that Sony is rumored to be devising a "standalone PlayStation handheld," he was likely envisioning next-gen home consoles. Windows Central's sources have provided additional insights into potential Xbox Series X|S successors.

Retroid Pocket Flip 2 Unveiled With Faster SoCs and 5.5-inch OLED Display

The Retroid Pocket Flip was launched with essentially the same specifications as the Pocket 3+. As the name suggests, the product's form factor allows it to fold in half, with the bottom panel functioning as the controller. The company has now announced its successor, the Pocket Flip 2. Although the pricing details are yet to be revealed, the Flip 2 does feature a bunch of notable upgrades which are likely to make the device command a slightly higher price tag than its ~$160 predecessor.

One of the biggest differences between the Flip and Flip 2 is certainly the substantially higher processing power that the Flip 2 has on tap, courtesy of its Snapdragon 865 or Dimensity 1100 SoC paired with 8 GB of memory. Both of these chips are undoubtedly far more capable than the Unisoc T618 SoC found in the original version, with the amount of memory being twice as much. That said, the Dimensity 1100 (Mali G77) variant will likely have the upper hand in GPU performance compared to the Snapdragon 865 variant (Adreno 650). The display has also witnessed a serious improvement, now boasting a 1080p OLED panel that is 5.5-inches in size, with a peak brightness of 500 nits.

Intel Reveals Big Plans for Panther Lake & Arrow Lake-H-powered Handheld Gaming PCs

In an exclusive report, Laptop Mag has extracted intriguing disclosures from Intel's Robert Hallock. The company's VP and General Manager of Client AI and Technical Marketing was happy to announce that new-generation processors are lined up for inclusion within next waves of handheld gaming PCs. Industry rumors posited that things would end with Team Blue's Core Ultra "Lunar Lake" generation of APUs; as featured on the recently deployed MSI Claw 8 AI+ and Claw 7 AI+ models. First-generation devices with "Meteor Lake" chips did not disrupt the market, and struggled to keep up with AMD Ryzen Z1 chipset-based rivals. Despite negative conjecture suggesting a withdrawal, Hallock revealed that a certain department is growing in size: "Intel is beefing up its staff to support gaming ISVs who want to do handhelds."

Team Blue's fortified support network is touted to expand the market reach of portable gaming PCs; the Intel executive elaborated on this topic: "we're starting a number of internal programs to give them more assistance in targeting this performance profile because—relative to what they're accustomed to—(handhelds) are still relatively rare in terms of availability." Hallock and colleagues are diving in with a new strategy; game development studios are on the receiving end of pre-release hardware: "a lot of game devs tend to just target what they have on their desks or in their QA labs...so (we're) arming them with more handhelds as prototype devices. Getting them dev kits leading into Panther Lake."

N97 Elite Gaming Handheld From Sugar Cubes is a Retro-Fueled Blast From the Past

Retro tech lovers who have a knack for gaming handhelds will likely be rather pleased with Sugar Cubes' latest creation - the N97 Elite gaming handheld. As the name suggests, the handheld draws inspiration from the Nokia N97 of '09, and all of its sliding glory. The company has already started shipping out the device to customers, although it is China-only for the foreseeable future. Despite that, there is no denying that the N97 Elite handheld is an incredibly exciting looking gadget for those who miss the good old days of smartphones - that is, before the glass-slab trend took off.

At its core, the N97 Elite handheld packs a decent amount of computing horsepower. Powered by the Snapdragon 855 Plus - an SoC once found in Android flagships - paired with 12 GB of memory, the N97 Elite should be able to breeze through most emulation workloads. The compact handheld comes equipped with a 4.7-inch touch-enabled display, which slides out to reveal the controls. Speaking of which, the controls look pretty disappointing at first sight, although that would be hard to judge without trying the thing in real life. However, given the compact nature, the experience is unlikely to be a comfortable one, and the lack of an analog stick is understandable, but disappointing regardless. The system does have a built-in fan, which should help with sustained workloads.

AOKZOE A1 X Gaming Handheld: Fresh Details Emerge For Upcoming AMD Strix Point Handheld

The AOKZOE A1 X was recently teased by its maker as a new AMD Strix Point-powered gaming handheld, featuring the commendably potent Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 APU with the equally admirable RDNA 3.5-based Radeon 890M iGPU. Details were scarce regarding the handheld, but now the company has shed some much-needed light on a few features of the upcoming handheld. We still do not have a clue as to when the handheld will finally see the light of day, or even an expected price bracket. Considering that AOKZOE is not nearly as well known as its competitors in this space, the A1 X can be expected to launch with a price tag that undercuts its rivals. Thanks to a previous teaser, already know that the A1 X will sport an 8-inch 120 Hz display with VRR support.

Addressing the features teased recently, AOKZOE has revealed that the handheld will sport a 72.7 Wh battery with support for bypass charging, allowing it to draw power directly without having to pass it through the battery, thereby increasing the battery's lifespan. Moreover, the A1 X will also sport MicroSD 4.0 support, allowing for transfer speeds of up to 300 MB/s. The handheld will sport dual USB4 ports, along with an OCuLink port which will allow for speedy eGPU connections for gaming sessions that demand more horsepower than the Radeon 890M can provide. Going by the shared images, the A1 X will also sport at least one USB-A port, which will surely come in handy when the need arises for additional peripherals.

Ayaneo 3 Gaming Handheld Launched: Up To Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 APU, 64 GB RAM and 4 TB Storage

After several months of teasers, the Ayaneo 3 gaming handheld has finally witnessed its official launch. The product will be available with two APUs - the Ryzen 7 8840U for the entry variant, and the Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 for the high-end variant. The system can be equipped with up to 64 GB of LPDDR5X-7500 memory, and a whopping 4 TB of SSD storage. The handheld will also feature modular controllers, which can be detached with the click of a single button.

The Ayaneo 3 will also give customers the option to chose between an LCD or an OLED panel, and as VideoCardz notes, selecting the OLED option does not change the final price. As mentioned earlier, the system will be available with either a Zen 4 or a Zen 5 APU. The Strix Point variant leads the Hawk Point part by almost around 50% in multicore tests, and the HX 370's integrated Radeon 890M iGPU is somewhere around 25% more performant than the 8840U's Radeon 780M. Clearly, the performance gap between the two variants will be substantial.

Ayaneo Teases "Retro Power" Edition for Strix Point-powered Ayaneo 3 Gaming Handheld

Ayaneo has been teasing the Ayaneo 3 gaming handheld for what seems like an eternity now. The handheld was among the first to be powered by the Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 "Strix Point" APU with the extremely potent Radeon 890M iGPU, promising impressive performance potential. However, the 7-inch gaming handheld is yet to see the light of day, and we still have no clue when it finally will.

However, Ayaneo has gone ahead and teased the Ayaneo 3 once again, showing off a new colorway for the gaming handheld. This edition, dubbed "Retro Power", utilizes a beige-themed design with red accents on some of the controls. The device will also be available in black and white colorways, making the "Retro Power" variant a fun alternative for those who prefer something other than black or white for their handheld gaming console. That is, when the Ayaneo 3 finally ships, of course.

AOKZOE A1 X Gaming Handheld Unveiled With AMD Strix Point Firepower

The market for gaming handhelds has been expanding at an unprecedented rate, largely thanks to the impressive performance and efficiency improvements brought to the table by modern APUs. AMD's Strix Point APUs are no exception, and are expected to power a multitude of high-end handhelds. Thanks to its 12 (4 Zen 5 + 8 Zen 5c) cores and RDNA 3.5-based Radeon 890M iGPU, the Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 is an impressive performer for sure. The chip can already be found in a plethora of gaming-oriented handhelds and laptops, and now a fresh offering from AOKZOE is poised to join the list.

Of course, AOKZOE is not nearly as well known as some of its competitors, such as GPD and Minisforum. AOKZOE has revealed only a single image for the product so far, and the differences between the A1, A1 Pro, and A1 X are expected to be minimal, at least on the outside. The company has revealed that the handheld will sport the aforementioned Strix Point flagship APU, along with an 8-inch display with a refresh rate of 120 Hz and a 72.7 Wh battery. These specifications are nothing extraordinary nowadays, and further details regarding the product, such as thermal performance, display quality, battery life, and the like can only be established with proper hands-on reviews. There are is no information on pricing or availability as of now, and more such details should become available as we inch closer to the A1 X's release.

Digital Foundry Believes that Nintendo Switch 2's Tegra T239 SoC is 8 nm Part

Yesterday, Nintendo officially unveiled its Switch 2 handheld via a first look video presentation. Featured content did not come as a surprise to many gaming enthusiasts—a steady flow of leaks have already revealed outer and inner workings. Earlier today, the Digital Foundry team has offered their collective opinion on Nintendo's formal announcement. Their roundtable discussion first focused on the Switch 2's physical appearance—mainly a showcased physical increase in size, when lined up against the preceding (standard) model. Conversation quickly moved onto technical matters—a topic that Nintendo normally avoids discussing. The video presentation included in-game footage of a next-gen Mario Kart title—Oliver Mackenzie (a contributing DF video producer/writer) was not impressed by this short demo's visual fidelity. He noted an absence of DLSS image enhancement—surprising, given that the rumored NVIDIA Tegra T239 SoC is capable of deploying this graphics technology.

John, Rich and Oliver then moved onto discussing recently leaked clock speeds and performance figures (in handheld and docked modes)—overall, they reckon that these numbers seem fitting for a hybrid system. They noticed that the handheld GPU clock was lower than expected—based on their judgement of the Switch 2's fairly capable integrated cooling solution. In the past, Digital Foundry theorized that the NVIDIA-designed Tegra T239 will be an 8 nanometer part—rumored to be built on Samsung 8 nm DUV foundry node. Newer gaming community-generated proposals have suggested a shift to Samsung's 5 nm EUV node—mostly based on the chipset's physical footprint. In sharp contrast, the Digital Foundry guys are sticking with their 8 nm theory. Richard Leadbetter (DF's founder) has previously attempted to simulate Switch 2-esque performance on readily available Ampere-based hardware—he could revisit and perform tests on a laptop that sports Team Green's GeForce RTX 2050 mobile GPU. He believes that the leaked CPU and GPU clocks (across both modes) present plausible evidence of 8 nm-level performance, cross-referenced with his team's past analysis of the system's PCB. Debates will inevitably rage on, but Rich insists that the end result will be an example of "Occam's razor." The Tegra T239's four (long alleged) Cortex A78 cores appeared to be running at a higher frequency in portable mode than in docked—suggesting some unknown factors; perhaps a switching on or off of cores (situation dependent). Leadbetter and Co. will be looking forward to getting a proper hands-on experience at Nintendo's April to June launch events.

Nintendo Switch 2 Docked and Handheld Performance Revealed By Tipster

It is a known fact that the Switch 2 is by no means planning on being a performance beast. Nintendo's focus has always been on their ecosystem, and not on raw performance, which will continue being the case. As such, the Switch 2 is widely expected to sport an NVIDIA Tegra SoC paired with 12 GB of LPDDR5 system memory and an Ampere-based GPU. Now, a fresh leak has detailed the docked and handheld mode performance that can be expected from the widely anticipated Switch successor, and the numbers seem to fall right around what was initially expected.

The leak, sourced from a Nintendo forum, reveals that in docked mode, the Nintendo Switch 2's GPU will be clocked at 1000 MHz, up from 768 MHz for the soon-to-be previous generation Switch, allowing for 3.1 TFLOPS of performance. In handheld mode, unsurprisingly, the GPU clock will be limited to 561 MHz, allowing for 1.71 TFLOPS of raw performance. These numbers are far from impressive for 2025, although Nintendo will likely make up for the lack of raw horsepower using upscaling technologies similar to DLSS, allowing for a vastly improved experience than what its otherwise unimpressive hardware could have afforded.

Strix Point-Powered GPD Win Mini Gaming Handheld Goes on Sale

The market for compact gaming handheld is expanding at an unprecedented rate, thanks to the popularity boom that handhelds have received in recent months. The GPD Win Min (2025) is one such offering, sitting alongside the rest of interesting gaming products that GPD is known for. The Win Mini is now available for pre-order on Indiegogo, with a starting price of $769 (backers only), and a retail price of $839. Of course, interested buyers are encouraged to be mindful of the risks associated with crowdfunding campaigns, although GPD has mostly had a complaint-free track record.

Unfortunately, and rather unsurprisingly, the entry-level variant does not ship with the latest AMD Strix Point chips, but rather the older Hawk Point offerings, specifically the Ryzen 7 8840U with the Radeon 780M iGPU with 12 CUs. The higher-tier variants ship with Strix Point APUs, starting at the Ryzen AI 9 HX 365 APU, going all the way up to the 12-core Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 with the powerful Radeon 890M iGPU. To accommodate the new APUs, GPD has reworked the thermals, and has added room for full-sized M.2 2280 SSD drives as well. The product packs hall-effect joysticks, plug-and-play grips, and a bunch of useful ports including USB4, USB 3.2 Type-C, an SD Card slot, an audio jack, as well as a good old USB-A port. The 7-inch 1080p display ramps up to 120 Hz, and the system can be equipped with up to 64 GB of memory and 2 TB of PCIe 4.0 storage, and a 44.24 Wh battery is also present.

MSI Claw 8 AI+ Handheld Gaming PC Showcased at CES 2025

The MSI Claw 8 AI+ and Claw 7 AI+ gaming handhelds were previewed late last year—powered by Intel's Lunar Lake Core Ultra APUs and "enhanced with XeSS" graphics technology. MSI's first generation Claw models (based on Intel Meteor Lake Core Ultra processors) launched around early 2024 and struggled to keep up with the competition—many rivals utilized the highly performant AMD Ryzen Z1 APU series. The MSI gaming division has knuckled down on implementing many improvements with its second-gen handhelds—namely a bump up to Team Blue's Core Ultra 7 258V processor. TechPowerUp made a return trip to the Taiwanese multinational's CES floor space in order to find out more. The Claw 8 AI+'s two-tone design was very striking—drawing many eyes away from the muted black shell present on its smaller sibling (Claw 7 AI+).

Company representatives were happy to inform TPU about the aforementioned improvements—comfort levels have been boosted thanks to re-shaped contouring and all control inputs have been re-tuned for precision and easier operation. Users will find it easier to navigate the system's multi-platform interface, thanks to an extensively updated MSI Center M application. The demonstration units were running Steam during TechPowerUp's photo session. MSI has selected IPS display technology for its eight and seven-inch screens—picky customers prefer OLED on their handhelds. We will be witnessing another major battle between Intel and AMD APUs across the 2025 portable gaming market—Lunar Lake versus Strix Point. MSI has already sent Claw 8 AI+ and Claw 7 AI+ evaluation units to several outlets—early impressions are promising.

ZOTAC Shows New ZONE GAMING Handheld Prototype with AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 at CES 2025

We had a chance to get close and personal with the new ZOTAC ZONE GAMING prototype at the CES 2025 show. While it is not a final product, we had a chance to see it in action as it is a working prototype and thanks to updated hardware, it should provide much higher performance compared to the ZOTAC Zone that we had a chance to review last year.

The biggest update is the 4 nm Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 processor. The Strix Point architecture brings 12-core/24-thread CPU (four performance and eight efficiency) based on Zen 5 architecture, 24 MB of shared L3 cache and 1 MB of L2 cache per core. It also comes with Radeon 890M, a RDNA 3.5 architecture GPU with 16 Compute Units. ZOTAC also increased the amount of LPDDR5X RAM to 32 GB and raised M.2 2280 PCIe 4.0 SSD storage space to 1 TB. The Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 has a standard TDP of 28 W, and a configurable TDP between 15 W and 54 W, so it gives ZOTAC a lot of room to work with. It also features 50 TOPS XDNA NPU.

Razer Redefines Gaming at CES 2025 With Groundbreaking Innovations and Futuristic Technologies

Razer, the leading global lifestyle brand for gamers, today introduces a breathtaking lineup of high-performance gaming solutions and visionary technological concepts at CES 2025.

This year's highlights include the innovative Razer Blade 16 - the thinnest and most powerful in its lineage, alongside revolutionary projects like Project Arielle, the first gaming chair with integrated heating and cooling, and Project AVA, an AI esports coach that personalizes gaming strategies. Today's announcement also includes the immersive Razer Aether Standing Light Bars, the sleek Razer Monitor Stand Chroma, Razer Handheld Dock Chroma, a new Razer HyperBoost feature for the Razer Laptop Cooling Pad, and the intuitive new Razer PC Remote Play feature for the Razer Kishi Ultra. Further enhancing the lineup, the ergonomic Razer Iskur V2 X chair underscores Razer's commitment to comfort gaming.

Acer Expands Handheld Gaming Portfolio with New Nitro Blaze 8 and Nitro Blaze 11

Acer today launched the new Nitro Blaze 8 and Nitro Blaze 11 handheld gaming devices, designed to elevate mobile gaming experiences with cutting-edge performance and versatile features. Powered by AMD Ryzen 7 8840HS processors, 16 GB of LPDDR5X memory, and up to 2 TB of storage, the Nitro Blaze series boasts lightning-fast performance and responsiveness. Their WQXGA touch panels (8.8-inch or 10.95-inch) featuring Radeon Super Resolution and AMD FidelityFX Super Resolution technology, ensure fluid image quality. The dedicated Acer Game Space application simplifies managing and accessing popular games and applications on handheld gaming PCs.

The new Nitro Mobile Gaming Controller enhances the mobile gaming experience by enabling users to game anywhere and anytime with its foldable design. It supports fast charging to allow uninterrupted gaming sessions while powering mobile devices quickly.

OneXPlayer G1 Gaming Handheld Gets Early January Launch Date

We previously covered the announcement of the One-Netbook OneXPlayer G1, a hybrid handheld gaming laptop with a unique removable keyboard and trackpad module that hides PS Vita-like game controls, but a launch date for the Ryzen-powered Windows handheld was unknown until now. One-Netbook has now officially launched the Indiegogo crowdfunding page for the OneXPlayer G1, providing more details about the upcoming hybrid's launch configurations and confirming a January launch date. Still missing from the Indiegogo page, though, are any indications of pricing or memory configurations for the G1.

Notebookcheck also says it received confirmation from One-Netbook that the OneXPlayer G1 will launch on January 9, and that it will only be available initially via Indiegogo. As for launch configurations, the G1 will be equipped with an AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370, a 144 Hz, 8.8-inch, 2.5 K, IPS touchscreen display, and a 14,283 mAh battery. It will also offer OcuLink and dual USB4 ports, for enhanced connectivity and compatibility with a variety of eGPU solutions.

OneXPlayer G1 Gaming Laptop Unveiled With Compact Enclosure and Strix Point Firepower

OneXPlayer has pulled back the veil on its G1 gaming notebook, and the product sure does look intriguing. Calling it a notebook might not even be fair, considering that its 8.8-inch display barely exceeds tablet territory. However, for lovers of compact gaming systems and handhelds, the G1 looks like it ticks many boxes, and its detachable keyboard is undoubtedly a welcome addition.

The system is powered by AMD's 12-core Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 "Strix Point" APU with 4 Zen 5 and 8 Zen 5c cores, along with a powerful Radeon 890M iGPU with 16 CUs based on the RDNA 3.5 architecture. The aforementioned 8.8-inch display is quite the looker as well, featuring a 2.5K resolution with a speedy 144 Hz refresh rate. At least on paper, it appears that the OneXPlayer G1 leaves very little room for complaint.
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