Handheld gaming PC maker AYA is expanding its product lineup. This month the company plans to launch the thin and light AYA Neo Air with an OLED display and a lower-than-usual price tag. Then the AYA Neo 2 with an AMD Ryzen 7 6800U processor and RDNA 2 graphics is coming later this year.

The company is also teasing some other upcoming products including its first handheld with a keyboard. Meet the AYA Neo Slide.

While pricing and availability haven’t been announced yet, here’s what we know about the AYA Neo Slide so far:

  • It has an AMD Ryzen 7 6800U processor with Radeon 680M graphics
  • The 6 inch, 1080p display slides up to reveal a keyboard
  • The keyboard feature RGB backlighting

AYA says the slider is inspired by classic Windows handhelds (like the OQO and Sony Vaio UX series) as well as mobile phones with slider mechanisms that hide keyboards or even game controllers.

A more recent comparison is likely the GPD Win 3, another handheld gaming PC with a slide-up display and a built-in keyboard (although the Win 3 disappointingly has a capacitive touch keyboard that’s not particularly responsive or easy to type on), but GPD and AYA have a habit of not directly mentioning one another by name.

Update 6/24/2022: AYA showed off a prototypes of the Slide during a recent livestream, giving us a better look at the handheld’s size and design:

During another press event where AYA unveiled the AYA Neo Slide, the company explained that it will be a premium device that falls into a fourth product category for AYA products, which now include “mainline,” “NEXT,” “Air” and “Slide” series devices.

If you’re wondering how the lineup looks in terms of pricing, the AYA Neo Air will be an entry-level device, while the AYA Neo 2 and AYA Neo Slide are flagships with higher performance and higher price tags.

While handheld gaming PCs have been around for a few years at this point, the launch of Valve’s Steam Deck has shaken things up quite a bit by offering best-in-class performance at a much lower price point than any similar devices from AYA, GPD, or One Netbook to date. But devices like the upcoming AYA Neo 2 and AYA Neo Slide could shake things up yet again by offering better-than-Steam Deck performance to help justify premium price tags.

That’s because while the Ryzen 7 6800U processor features a GPU based on the same RDNA 2 architecture as the chip used in Valve’s handheld, the Ryzen 7 6800U’s integrated GPU has more compute cores and support for higher graphics frequencies. It should also have an even bigger advantage in CPU performance since it has twice as many CPU cores and threads and they’re based on the newer Zen 3+ architecture.

Here’s how the Ryzen 7 6800U processor AYA selected for the AYA Neo Slide and Neo 2 stacks up against the custom AMD chip used in the Steam Deck processor:

Ryzen 7 6800USteam Deck APU
CPU architectureZen 3+Zen 2
CPU cores / threads8 / 164 / 8
CPU base / boost freq2.7 GHz / 4.7 GHz2.4 GHz / 3.5 GHz
GPU architectureRDNA 2RDNA 2
GPU compute units128
GPU max freq2.2 GHz1.6 GHz
MemoryLPDDR5-6400LPDDR5-5500

AYA has also teased a few other upcoming hardware and software announcements.

The company is developing a version of its AYA Space game launcher that can be used on non-AYA hardware. It’ll be called AYA Space Lite, but there’s no ETA on when it will be available yet.

And AYA is also planning to launch new hardware in the future that’s not designed for handheld gaming, although it’s unclear if that means the company is working on desktop PCs, laptops, accessories, or something else altogether.

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38 replies on “AYA Neo Slide handheld gaming PC has a slide-out keyboard and Ryzen 7 6800U”

    1. Hmm. Even with the bezel supposedly being that small, I was hoping for a 5” screen and the smaller overall size that comes with.

      I think only a clamshell with the controls above the keyboard like the Win 2 can accommodate a 6” screen and still be pocketable for many people.

      Anyway, I hope the sticks are sunken in. If so, I can still slip it in my jacket pockets and small bag without a case. Otherwise, I’ll continue taking my Win 2 with me while the Deck stays at home.

    2. That’s quite long. Reaching the middle of the keyboard may require some tilting and maybe more precarious grips. I was expecting a 5″ or maybe 5.5″ screen like the Air. Hopefully the bezels are accurate in the render.

      Still hope the sticks are sunken in so I can put it in jacket pocket and the little pockets in my bag without a case.

  1. I’ll be really sad if the SLIDE isn’t pocketable and those renders are completely off.

    I hope there’s a big enough market for a company to produce a pocketable x86 handheld. Right now, no company is doing it. Not even GPD, the maker of the last pocketable.

  2. I measured my pockets. This has to be no more than 7″ wide (long?) for me to get it. Assuming it has those sunken in or 3DS-like sticks.

  3. This really cool! Been waiting for something like this with Android for an OS.

  4. I really hope this is pocketable and those sticks really are recessed and not just a bad render.

  5. Aya finally got my attention. Now if the Slide is pocketable, then Aya will also get my money.

    No one has filled the gap GPD left behind since the Win 2. Hopefully the Slide will fill it. A clamshell is still better though.

    1. yes, without yoistick and increase working time on battery (meybe solar panel or 18650 adding to enclosure?) meybe 24h?
      normal linux and 3 port usb A host. nothing more i need

  6. I would definitely love to get one of these, the specs are way better than the Steam Deck all around! But I have a feeling the price is going to be pretty steep, easily in the $1-3K range…

  7. I really hope the Slide is as small as the renders make it look. It’ll fill the gap GPD left when they made the Win 3 and, from is known so far, the Win 4 doesn’t seem to fill either: pocketabilty

    That’s a major feature for me and if the Slide can meet it, then I’ll be an Aya customer.

  8. Please let this be pocketable size. If so, then Aya will steal me away from GPD.

    I’m okay with sacrificing longer sticks, grip contours (these are thick enough for gripping anyway) and even limiting the 6800U for thermal reasons.

    If GPD makes a real Win 2 successor, then I’d be back but that doesn’t seem to be anytime soon.

  9. I like the gpd win 2 dimensions, however the same device (hardware updated) with slide out keyboard with controls, it will be awesome. I mean the screen could be borderless, if you need controls or keys you just slide the screen

  10. Amazing lineup of devices, looks good and powerful.

    If this company can keep up the quality, they deserve to succeed, hopefully they become a more common name amongst gamers.

  11. I really hope this is pocketable. I’m running out of older games to play on my Win 2.

    1. If/when there are real units, I really want to see some photos/videos next to the Win 2 so I can get a better feel for the size beyond just dimensions.

      I still regularly use my Win 2. While more than powerful enough for my pocket PC usage, I am also running out of playable games. Even my undervolts, higher TDP, lower graphics settings and FPS limits are starting to not be enough.

      Glad to finally see someone might be entering the pocket handheld with keyboard space again.

  12. If this is pocketable, then I won’t be looking at the Win 4 anymore.

    With this, GPD no longer has the keyboard advantage and they already left their pocket advantage.

    1. If this is really pocketable, then I’m definitely passing on the Win 4.

    2. Definitely curious about the size.

      I was waiting on info about the Win 4 even knowing it’s disappointingly larger than the Win 3. However, if the Slide is as small as it looks in the renders, then GPD will lose me as a potential Win 4 customer to the Slide.

    3. Really need some size info. AYANEO could have just made the Win 4 irrelevant to me.

  13. Wow. I might finally replace my Win 2 that no other handheld has been able to go against. While I still think a clamshell is better for several reasons, if the size of the SLIDE is confirmed to fit into my pockets then I’m jumping ship from GPD to the AYANEO boat.

    Also, why do they use uppercase for their company and device names? AYANEO SLIDE (note no space after AYA) looks kind of lame. I’ll stick to Aya Neo Slide.

    1. Yeah, I like a clamshell more but if this turns into a real product and can fit into my pocket, then I’d get it. Beggars can’t be choosers. Pocket friendly and a keyboard (slider or not) are just major features to me.

      Goodbye GPD Win 2 and hello Aya Neo Slide!

  14. Even though the slide will have an in-built keyboard, it would be nice to have a keyboard screen cover that connects using pogo pins too, like the Onexplayer (only, not terrible quality like them).

    I’d like a device that could replace my Windows tablet, which is constrained by having to be thin.

  15. If this does end up being small enough to pocket (at least jacket pocket) given the flat design seems to be oriented towards such a use case, then I’ll get this over the Win 4.

    The Win 4 is already confirmed to be bigger than the Win 3 so pocketability was definitely not a target.

    Glad to see more keyboard handhelds. For some, the Slide may even be a worthwhile upgrade from the Win 2 if it does end up being pocketable.

  16. Hopefully this doesn’t just stay as renders. It’s looking like a great device.

    If it’s pocketable, then the Win 2 will finally have some competition.

  17. It’d be nice if this ends up being released. Seems like only renders currently while the other, less interesting devices, have working prototypes.

    If it’s pocketable, then I’m buying.

  18. Sexiest device i have seen since the UMPC days.

    Glad to see that there are still companies out there willing to experiment, rather than just copy some fruit slate ad infinitum.

  19. This is the most interesting handheld I’ve seen since the Win 2!

    How small and how much? I believe the “flagship-level” AYANEO 2021 was cheaper than the “top-level” NEXT…

    1. With the flat back and recessed sticks and if this fits in my pocket, then I may finally be retiring my Win 2. Just slap a screen protector on it and slide it into my pocket.

      The length may be a concern due to the controls though. GPD put everything under the clamshell which resolves it. You can’t really fit much under a sliding mechanism.

  20. Out of 3 new devices, I’m most excited about the Slide. For the other 2, I’d just go with the Deck since pocketability isn’t a thing with them anyway. I hope this ends up being small enough for my pockets. The recessed sticks will definitely help. I think a clamshell would still be better for portability though.

    Is that a SIM slot? That’d be nice. Where are the symbol keys (!, @, #, etc.)?

    I hope it’s Linux friendly. Linux runs well on my newer model Win 2.

    1. NM about the symbols. Only the one render I looked closely at didn’t have them.

    2. With the Win 4 confirmed to be larger than the Win 3, it’s already a non-starter for me.

      With that 6800U, I hope they’re still able to make the Slide small enough to be pocketable for most people. They’re clearly targeting pockets by making a sacrifice in choosing recessed sticks.

      Definitely keeping an eye on the Slide. It may actually replace my pocket friendly Win 2 (until, hopefully, another small clamshell comes out).

    3. I hope this runs on Linux well too and you don’t have to rely on Steam running to switch between mouse and gamepad modes.

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