With the Next 2, Ayaneo is leveling up handheld gaming closer to laptop territory by including a Windows portable with an enormous 115Wh battery that’ll put that-sized capacity to shame in many mainstream 14-inch and even some smaller-end 16-inch laptops. With an AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 central processing unit, a 9.06-inch OLED panel, and dual-fan cooling built-in, it’s meant to be able to run high-end PC games without the need for wall power.
Why a 115Wh battery in a handheld device matters
The vast majority of mainstream laptops include batteries that range from 50Wh to 80Wh in capacity, and even the best of the current crop of 16-inch models top out at only around 97–100Wh. Apple cites about a 100Wh pack for the 16-inch MacBook Pro, and many Windows flagships tend to gather around an above-the-line-of-99Wh-cruise altitude shelf that corresponds with airline and freight restrictions. Subsequently, the Next 2’s 115Wh battery is something of an anomaly — especially for a handheld gaming machine — compared to that standard.
- Why a 115Wh battery in a handheld device matters
- Silicon and cooling to match the higher power draw
- Designed for PC gaming and precise control options
- Battery life and real-world use considerations today
- Price expectations and potential trade-offs to consider
- What to watch next as Ayaneo finalizes specs and price
The discrepancy is sharper still in the handheld category. Valve’s Steam Deck OLED is dual-wielding a 50Wh pack, and Lenovo has formed the (un)hallowed Legion Go around a 49Wh cell, while ASUS’s ROG Ally X belies its name with an impressively high-energy 80Wh strike. Some competitors, like the OneXFly Apex and GPD Win 5, are forced to rely on external battery packs to make long sessions possible. The Next 2 goes toward integrating the two into a single chassis, with capacity that exceeds even what most full-size laptops offer.
There are practical considerations. Airlines and other regulatory bodies like the FAA and IATA consider 100Wh as a critical limit for lithium-ion spare batteries; this is why many laptops are designed just below 99–100Wh to avoid complications in traveling logistics. Policies vary by carrier and newly installed batteries are treated differently than spares, but that 115Wh figure means travelers may want to check airline guidance before flying with one.
Silicon and cooling to match the higher power draw
Inside, the Next 2 is powered by an AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 with a configurable TDP that is said to scale up to 85W — staggeringly high for a handheld. Two fans suck heat out the back, a design more similar to that of a mini gaming laptop than any other sort of portable console. That’s envelope-pushing, desktop-class bursts and sustained performance that would have been laughably unfathomable in a device like this just a few years ago.
The 9.06-inch OLED display features HDR support, and is capable of supporting refresh rates between 60Hz and 165Hz.
The panel is said to be custom, but it seems to match with the screen found on the REDMAGIC Astra gaming tablet. It wasn’t mentioned during the unveiling, but variable refresh rate could restrict smoothness if you’re at unstable frame rates; perhaps dropping everything down to 60Hz might be a sweet spot for battery life.
Designed for PC gaming and precise control options
The Next 2 is input-heavy: twin analog sticks, an eight-way D-pad, dual touchpads for mouse-like precision in PC titles, and four customizable rear buttons.
Then there’s the various forms of data feedback that equip the controller — including rumbling motors, LEDs, and a high-res color touchscreen.
Notably, the triggers can toggle between true analog travel and clicky microswitch behavior, a nice nod both to racing games and shooters that require snappy actuation.
Battery life and real-world use considerations today
Capacity is only part of the story; draw is important. Even a relatively low-profile (by desktop standards) 15–20W for the APU, taking into consideration display and system overhead, would suggest that the 115Wh battery could, in theory, deliver several hours of modern gaming. Push to 65–85W and runtimes drop very quickly — say, an hour or two depending on your settings, resolution, and frame targets. The big battery is not a denial of physics, but a chance at flexibility — the flexibility to choose whether one wants to chase high-refresh gameplay or endurance.
Price expectations and potential trade-offs to consider
Full specs and a price are still TBA, but the bill of materials — high-end silicon, a big OLED, complex cooling, and super-sized batteries — begs for an eye-watering price tag. Memory and storage specifications are yet to be revealed, and component costs still run higher than early-year releases across the handheld market, as seen in vendor guidance monitored by industry analysts.
Physics will also dictate heft. That 115Wh pack and beefy cooling suggest a chassis that’s tipping over a kilogram, if not more. That’s heavier than the competition, but that’s the trade-off for an all-in-one option that can deliver 150+ watts of power without a battery brick.
What to watch next as Ayaneo finalizes specs and price
“We’re going to have three things that will define the appeal of Next 2: power profiles where we balance heat, noise and performance; final confirmation on display features such as VRR (variable refresh rate); and a price that lands credibly against Steam Deck OLED, ASUS ROG Ally X and Lenovo Legion Go.” If Ayaneo can dial in efficiency and thermals without stratospheric cost compared to its high-end rivals, then 115Wh could reset the bar on what a handheld is capable of beyond outlet reach.
For now, the headline is basic: This is a portable with a bigger battery than most laptops, which is a rare feat — and it’s an audacious bet that might finally make marathon PC gaming sessions truly mobile in a way they’ve never been before.
