AYANEO NEXT LITE is a new budget PC gaming handheld running Valve's SteamOS

The success of Valve's Steam Deck PC gaming handheld was immediate and surprising, showcasing there's a large market and desire for portable PC gaming. It wasn't the first handheld PC gaming device, but it arrived at the right time for technology and software to come together.

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The new budget-friendly AYANEO NEXT LITE will come installed with SteamOS, image credit: AYANEO.

One of the big reasons for Steam Deck's success was the seamless integration of SteamOS. And now, one of the first non-Valve gaming handhelds to adopt the OS is the new AYANEO NEXT LITE.

The Linux-based operating system was designed for PC gaming using Valve's popular platform. After multiple updates and improvements, it's now one of the best computer gaming interfaces on a handheld.

With Steam Deck competitors like the ROG Ally from ASUS and the Legion GO from Lenovo being Windows-based (and Microsoft is now committed to making Windows 11 more 'gaming handheld friendly') with custom UI overlays - there's a definite spot for a brand-new PC gaming handheld running SteamOS.

Although details on the internal CPU and GPU configuration are unknown (fingers crossed it's using a Ryzen 'Phoenix' APU like the Ryzen 7 7840U or slower 7040U), the new handheld sports a 7-inch 800P display with a 47Wh large-capacity battery. In addition to ergonomic grips, hall sensing sticks, and a vibrant white and orange design - it's also set to come pre-installed with SteamOS.

Pricing and launch information are still to come, but AYANEO states that the NEXT LITE will be a budget-friendly handheld device designed as an entry-level option for PC gaming. As a new handheld using SteamOS, arguably less bloated and power-hungry than Windows 11, we hope we see more adoption of Valve's operating system in 2024. More details on the AYANEO NEXT LITE are expected in the coming days.