Ayaneo has halted pre-orders for its Next II Windows handheld, citing an unsustainable surge in memory and storage costs that has made the device too expensive to produce.
The portable gaming hardware sector is facing a challenging period, with Ayaneo being the latest to feel the pinch. The company has announced the suspension of pre-orders for its new device, the Next II, due to an astronomical rise in memory and storage expenses.
Initially positioned as a high-end Windows handheld with an estimated starting price of $1,999, Ayaneo revealed that its actual production cost has nearly doubled compared to initial projections. This makes it unfeasible to continue sales without incurring substantial losses.
What Led to Ayaneo Next II Pre-order Suspension?
The primary driver behind this decision is the skyrocketing price of SSDs, a critical component for such devices. Ayaneo had observed increasing costs in the months leading up to the launch, initially believing the market was nearing its peak. Despite this, they chose to proceed, accepting reduced or even non-existent profit margins.
However, the situation rapidly deteriorated, with further price hikes exceeding all forecasts. Despite the suspension of new orders, the company has assured customers that all existing pre-orders will be fulfilled. The pre-orders had only been open for a few weeks, highlighting the rapid shifts in the economic landscape within the tech industry.
Ayaneo Next II: Ambitious, Perhaps Too Much So?
The Next II remains an ambitious device. It features a 9.06-inch OLED display, a Ryzen AI Max 385 processor, integrated Radeon 8050S graphics, 32GB of RAM, and 1TB of SSD storage. These specifications position it among the most powerful products in its category, but they also significantly contribute to its production costs.
Ayaneo has clarified that the suspension is temporary. The company will reconsider re-introducing the device to the market if memory prices return to more sustainable levels. However, it remains uncertain when this might occur, given the persistent instability of the global supply chain.