For several years gaming was all about the console, with the PlayStation and Xbox dominating everything. But then along came what is one of the best devices we have ever seen in the form of the handheld game console, the Switch. The tide seemed to turn once more, and more recently, handheld gaming has seen an extensive surge in popularity, causing new devices to come to market, including the AYA Neo. While you may not have heard about this latest addition to handheld gaming, it is certainly worth checking out if you are a fan of gaming on the go. Die-hard Switch fans may be more likely to stick with what they know, but many people say that the Neo is even more impressive and likely to overtake the Switch in popularity.
The AYA Neo
Looking similar to the Switch, this handheld device is actually a fully-fledged PC. This is why critics say that it will finish ahead and with more popularity than the Nintendo offering. Initially, the device was crowdfunded and easily surpassed the number of pledges needed to bring it to market. The first models sold out quickly in January, and now, based on customer feedback, the second incarnation will feature many improvements to give this an even better ranking in the marketplace. The operating system has been improved, while the weight of the overall device has been brought down. The buttons have been given something of an overhaul, and there is now an option to toggle the rumble feature. It also features better performance and power consumption while offering improvements to a problem that was causing blurry screens and resolution scaling problems for some players. With these improvements, the expectation is it will continue to sell at a high level.
Additions
Keen to keep up with the Switch, the manufacturers have also added a dock for around $50 that brings additional functionality of 2USB ports, an SD card slot, a micro-SD card slot, HDMI port and an ethernet jack which is similar to what is already on offer from the Switch. The device itself features a 7-inch 1280 x 800 IPS display, has 3USBC ports, A CPU provided by AMD Ryzen, 16 GB of RAM, and six-hour battery life. It is capable of playing Triple-A games, but not at exceptionally high settings; however, testing has shown that something as power-intensive as Valheim is perfectly possible. There are two finished versions available, the 500GB model, which will set you back approximately $789 or the 1TB model, which will set you back $869. It is thought that these subsequent versions will ship during May and be with gamers soon after.
Nintendo Switch
On the other hand, the Nintendo Switch is a cheaper device coming in at $300 and backed by the many years of experience that Nintendo can bring to the table. This handheld is actually in three parts, the main display screen in the centre and on either side; there are removable wireless controllers known as Joy-Cons that can be used in many different ways depending on the game. On the left, you have a blue controller, and on the right, a red controller. As well as being a fully portable mobile gaming device, the Switch has the advantage of being able to connect to a TV in what is known as console mode to enable play on a bigger screen. The process for docking is easy and utilises the included dock. What’s more, this can actually be done mid-game if you decide that you have had enough of the small screen and want to see your gaming action in larger-than-life detail. Nintendo has certainly tried to make this an all-around gaming experience as you can also detach the Switch from the controllers and place it on a table to create tabletop mode.
Key Differences
So, the key differences between the two devices are mainly found in the design. With the Neo, the controllers are permanently attached to the screen, although they look very similar, making this a handheld device with fewer permutations available. Potentially this gives the Nintendo Switch the edge. However, it will be down to personal choice. Another massive difference is the fact that the Neo is actually a PC, and you can use it as such. The Nintendo Switch is a pure gaming device running the games from cartridges or online. The PC element of the Neo means that the components used to build it are actually more similar to those found in complete computer setups than mobile devices. It has a Radeon 6 Vega graphics card and an AMD Ryzen 5 4500U CPU giving it a superior performance.
The memory of a Switch is 4GB, whereas the Neo offers 16GB. In terms of storage capabilities, you also get more, with a Switch offering 32GB and the Neo being available in two versions, 512 GB or the 1TB. In terms of the operating system, you get the custom Switch operating system compared with Windows 10 running on the Neo. So, overall, it will come down to the player’s preference; Nintendo obviously has a long and robust history behind them, whereas this is the first time this company has made a device of this nature. The Neo is undoubtedly something worth trying if you enjoy handheld gaming but want a little bit more from your device in the form of a PC.
