What you need to know
- Earlier this year, Chinese gaming handheld company, AYANEO, announced its upcoming AYANEO KUN device.
- Today, the AYANEO announced that the KUN handheld will release on Tuesday, September 5 and there will be significant discounts for early bird buyers.
- The AYANEO KUN features some impressive specs including running Windows 11, having a large screen, and a powerful processor.
- There are multiple configurations available with the AYANEO KUN line that determine how much the handheld costs.
Earlier this year, Chinese gaming handheld company, AYANEO, announced that it would be releasing another Windows 11 gaming device in the near future. As of today, the release date for this AYANEO KUN has been officially revealed as Tuesday, September 5, at 8:00 a.m. EST. Like other AYANEO handhelds before it, the KUN will be available for purchase via an Indiegogo campaign.
Price: $999 (Starting)
Processor: AMD Ryzen 7 7840U
Display: 8.4-inch 2.5K IPS touchscreen
Storage: 512GB | 1TB | 2TB | 4TB
RAM: 16GB | 32GB | 64GB
Battery: Up to 3 hours 14 mins
Size: 12.3 x 5.2 x 0.86 inches (312.4 x 132.5 x 21.9mm)
Colors: Silver Wing, Black Feather, While Silk
Notable features: Hall sensing joysticks | Touchpads | Back buttons | Windows Hello | Fingerprint recognition
According to AYANEO's press release, the KUN handheld features an 8.4-inch 1600p IPS display, making it one of the largest screens on a handheld to date. In order to keep up with PC gaming in the palm of your hand, it utilizes an AMD Ryzen 7 7840U processor with support for up to an impressive 54W TDP.
Something that helps the AYANEO KUN stand out is that it is the first Windows 11 gaming handheld to feature a touchpad, similar to those found on the Steam Deck. This provides more minute control when interacting with menus or game mechanics intended for mouse input. In regards to the KUN's other controls, it features hall-sensing joysticks and triggers for more accurate responses. It also provides decent grips for more comfortable long-term handheld play.
Thanks to support for Windows Hello, the handheld can be unlocked via fingerprint scanning or face recognition via a fingerprint reader button and an on-board camera. AYANEO reports that the AYANEO KUN's 75Wh battery can last up to three hours 13 minutes and 54 seconds when set to 15W TDP and with brightness at minimum and many other settings on their lowest settings.
There are several different configurations available for the AYANEO KUN but those who buy in early will receive an early bird discount. Outside of the early bird purchase period, the price of the AYANEO KUN will also be less expensive when purchased via Indiegogo rather than at a general retailer. You can see AYANEO KUN pricing options below.
Windows Central's take
I've said it before, but we're in a strange time where several different companies are jumping into the PC gaming handheld space in order to try and become the number one device. So far, no company has been able to claim that title since so far each biggish brand has proven to have its own limitations that prevent it from reigning supreme.
One thing that really prevents AYANEO from taking off more is the high cost of its devices. With the AYANEO KUN starting at $999, the handheld proves to be far more expensive than the Steam Deck (starts at $449) or the ASUS ROG Ally (starts at $599). That's quite a lot of money to part with in order to get a gaming handheld, especially when there are other options available at a lower price point.
Still, AYANEO has been able to make a name for itself since it launched in 2020, and has been able to produce several gaming handhelds that have sold decently well. Unlike the Steam Deck, they aren't limited by a proprietary OS and can play any game that a Windows 11 PC can. Plus, so far they haven't had the huge microSD card malfunction issue that the ROG Ally suffers from. So, if you're looking for a device that can run Windows and offers tons of storage space, AYANEO is a good way to go.
