Indiegogo staffers are placing crowdfunded merchandise to the take a look at in our new collection of trustworthy opinions. On this version, our very personal electronic mail advertising and lifecycle strategist Karisa Hunt tried out AYANEO SLIDE, the brand new handheld gaming PC that our crowdfunding neighborhood is speaking about. Does it dwell as much as the hype? Learn on as we put it to the take a look at!
I really like video video games, however don’t love their largely non-portable nature. And whereas the Nintendo Change is nice, it’s sufficiently old now that it has bother with newer video games, and the choice out there to play is proscribed. I figured that I used to be just about caught with what I had, limitations and all.
However then handheld gaming PCs grew to become a actuality, and I received . I’ve been desirous to attempt one out for some time, and when AYANEO launched their new SLIDE mannequin, I knew it was time for me to attempt it out.
Unboxing
I need to give the AYANEO group loads of credit score right here, as a result of I used to be enchanted by this product the second I took it out of the transport field. I imply, take a look at how nice this packaging is!
Positive, this packaging is focused to a sure age vary who will each perceive what it’s and be nostalgic about it… however because it occurs, I’m proper in that age vary. I’m nonetheless delighted by the enormous VHS field.
Setup
Every part you want is within the field, which is nice… as a result of as excited as I used to be to ry it out, I wanted to cost it first.
The AYANEO SLIDE isn’t like a recreation console, the place it has its personal working system and method of doing issues. As an alternative, it’s a real handheld PC, so it runs Home windows and some other packages you obtain to it. Setting it up was fairly easy, as Home windows walks you thru the method all the method.
The primary subject I hit was when launching the AYANEO software program. It stored crashing on me, so I made a decision to bypass it solely in the interim and obtain Steam. (It comes preloaded with Xbox gaming entry, however I’m principally a Ps particular person, so I went a special route.) No issues there, or with some other program loading, so I’m chalking the AYANEO software program subject as much as this system itself as a substitute of a difficulty with the console.
Use
The AYANEO SLIDE that I received has 64GB of RAM in it, so it really works ultra-fast. I wished to try it out by taking part in Ori and the Will of the Wisps, a recreation I tried to play on my Change however needed to cease as a result of it glitched an excessive amount of to get pleasure from it.
After I inform you that it was an utter pleasure to play on the AYANEO SLIDE, I’m not exaggerating. Ori has attractive graphics and a seamless movement, which makes for a stunning play expertise when it’s performed on a machine with the processing functionality to deal with it. I used to be completely delighted by the expertise.
After all, I couldn’t cease there. The AYANEO SLIDE dealt with Resident Evil 4 with ease (at about 50 FPS, too). It performed just a few totally different first-person shooters with zero glitching. It even performed Baldur’s Gate 3 like an absolute champ, and I used to be capable of carry it with me all over the place I went, as a substitute of being tied to a selected location like I’d have been at house.
There are just a few different smaller options that actually enhanced my expertise as nicely. The sliding display screen tilts up, so I’m capable of maintain the console at a snug angle whereas nonetheless having the ability to see. The customization can also be unbelievable – you’ll be able to change each little factor, from most well-liked gaming settings to totally different coloration background lighting for the keyboard and every joystick. It’s additionally so extremely quick, and with a 4TB SSD in it as nicely, it’s by far essentially the most superior pc I’ve ever used.
Cons
Whereas I really like the best way the AYANEO SLIDE handles video games, there are just a few drawbacks. First, and most significantly, the battery life isn’t nice. On a full cost, I can play about an hour and a half of Baldur’s Gate 3 earlier than it dies. Granted, that’s a recreation that chews up loads of battery, however that’s nonetheless not a terrific runtime. (This can be a downside with loads of related units, although, and I don’t assume the AYANEO SLIDE is any worse than common right here. It’s simply one thing to concentrate on.)
Second, whereas the slide keyboard is neat (and makes typing in my incomprehensibly lengthy passwords lots simpler), there simply aren’t that many locations the place it feels vital. It’s additionally form of an odd measurement, which is smart, however makes it a bit robust to make use of. My palms aren’t sufficiently big to achieve the center keys whereas holding the console two-handed, but when they shrank the buttons to make it smaller, the keys can be exhausting to hit precisely (and the display screen measurement would shrink, which might be unhappy).
Third, it’s heavy. Whereas it’s not not possible to make use of as a result of weight, it’s in all probability two and a half Switches in weight. It doesn’t begin getting actually uncomfortable till the battery is about to stop, so there’s no level the place I felt I wanted to place it down for my wrists’ sake, but it surely’s noticeably heavier than loads of different handheld PCs and Steam decks on the market (probably as a result of keyboard).
Conclusion
General, the AYANEO SLIDE is a really, excellent gaming PC, and the power to take it anyplace is nice. Its greatest differentiator – the keyboard – ended up being much less of a draw than I’d initially hoped, however it can in all probability be extra helpful for searching the net and chatting on apps like Discord than it has been solely in gaming contexts. Nevertheless, the best way it handles heavy video games like Baldur’s Gate 3 will preserve me fortunately coming again to it for a very long time to return.
To be taught extra, try the marketing campaign for AYANEO SLIDE!
