Ayaneo Suspends Next 2 Preorders Due to Cost Surge

Ayaneo, a prominent maker of handheld gaming PCs, has suspended preorders for its high-end Next 2 device after component costs surged beyond sustainable levels. The announcement came on March 23 via the product's Indiegogo campaign page, halting new orders for the Windows-based handheld that was set to launch with premium specifications at prices starting at $1,999.

The Next 2 features an AMD Ryzen AI Max processor, either the base 385 model or the higher-end 395 variant, paired with 32 to 128 gigabytes of LPDDR5X RAM and 1 to 2 terabytes of SSD storage. It includes a 9.06-inch 2K OLED display with a 165 Hz refresh rate, integrated Radeon graphics, dual touchpads, and a substantial 116 watt-hour battery designed for extended play comparable to laptop performance. The device weighs about 1.4 kilograms, positioning it as a powerful yet portable option for gamers seeking top-tier specs in a backpack-friendly form.

Originally unveiled in December and opened for preorders on February 10, the Next 2 entered a market strained by global supply chain pressures. Ayaneo had anticipated elevated costs for components like RAM and NAND flash storage, driven by surging demand for AI data...