Ever been wondering which is the best handheld gaming console between the Steam Deck and Aya Neo Next? Well, let’s find out.
The two gaming devices are powered by AMD’s Ryzen processors: a bespoke APU (Van Gogh) for the Steam Deck and a Ryzen 5000 (Cezanne) SoC for the Aya Neo Next. Both processors are manufactured using TSMC’s 7nm technology, but AMD’s formula is different. The Steam Deck has 16GB of LPDDR5-5500 memory, whereas the Aya Neo Next has 16GB of LPDDR4-4667 memory.
The microprocessor inside the Steam Deck, Aerith, has four Zen 2 cores and eight threads. It features a base speed of 2.4 GHz and a boost clock of 3.5 GHz. Meanwhile, the Aya Neo Next is powered by a Ryzen 7 5800U processor. The processor has eight Zen 3 cores and 16 threads, with 1.9 GHz and 4.4 GHz base and peak clock speeds, respectively. The TDP of the Aerith is between 4 and 15 watts, whereas the cTDP of the Ryzen 7 5800U is between 10 and 25 watts.
With eight RDNA 2-based compute units clocked at 1.6 GHz, Aerith takes advantage of AMD’s latest RDNA 2 technology. The Ryzen 7 5800U, on the other hand, is still Vega-based, with eight Vega compute units running at a maximum frequency of 2 GHz.
The YouTuber ran his gaming testing at 1280 x 800 resolution, modest graphics settings, and certain games with AMD’s FidelityFX Super Resolution (FSR) feature activated. Except for the Forza Horizon 5 test, where the YouTuber switched to Windows 10, the Steam Deck was running on SteamOS. Windows 10 supported the Aya Neo Next natively.
Even while the Aya Neo Next was running in 28W mode, the Steam Deck outperformed the Aya Neo Next in God of War. Both devices maintained 60 frames per second, although the Aya Neo Next experienced less frame rate dips.
In 16W mode, the Steam Deck outperformed the Aya Neo Next in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. However, it wasn’t until the YouTuber switched to the 28W setup that we noticed the Aya Neo Next outperforming the Steam Deck marginally.
In Elden Ring, the Steam Deck and Aya Neo Next kept the frame rates above 30 FPS. However, the Aya Neo Next (28W) did slightly better.
During the benchmark runs, both gaming devices performed admirably in Forza Horizon 5, keeping frame rates above 60 FPS. Furthermore, the Steam Deck outperformed the Aya Neo Next in 16W mode.
From a performance aspect, the Steam Deck is a capable handheld gaming device. Nonetheless, thanks to the console’s beefier processor and more generous thermal limitations, the Aya Neo Next outperformed the Aya Neo in some CPU-intensive games. The Aya Neo Next has a 35W setting, according to the YouTuber, but it will drain your battery faster and cause your processor to run hotter.
Since then, Aya Neo has updated the Next from the Ryzen 7 5800U to the Ryzen 7 5825U (Barcelo), which is a refresh of the previous. However, the Ryzen 7 5825U only improves the base and boost clocks by 100 MHz over the original Ryzen 7 5800U, so it’s not a significant advance.
The price of the Aya Neo Next is a problem. The device costs $1,385, which is more than three times the price of Valve’s Steam Deck, which starts at $399. The bad news is that new Steam Deck buyers will have to wait until after Q3 to receive their order, which is a long time. Furthermore, Steam Deck scalpers are selling Valve’s handheld for more than $1,500 on eBay, making the Aya Neo Next appear more appealing than it is.
Also Read:
