The Steam Deck has remained a steadfast player since its inception. AYANEO AIR 1S has just been announced recently and judging by its internal specs and price, it seems like a really good handheld console to look forward to. But can it be as good as the Steam Deck in terms of value and performance?
While the AYANEO AIR 1S offers superior performance, the Steam Deck stands out for its affordability, making it a better choice for budget-conscious gamers. The AYANEO AIR 1S is suitable for those seeking top-tier gaming experiences on a handheld device.
Let’s do an in-depth comparison review of AYANEO Air 1S and Steam Deck.
| Specification | AYANEO Air 1S | Steam Deck |
| Processor | 8-Cores/16-thread Zen-4 | 4-Cores/8-threads custom Zen-2 |
| Max Clock Speed | Up to 5.1 GHz | Up to 3.5 GHz |
| Display Size | 5.5 inches | 7 inches |
| Display Panel | OLED | IPS |
| Brightness | 350 nits | 400 nits |
| Memory | Up to 32 GB LPDDR5 | Up to 16 GB LPDDR5 |
Design
Transitioning to design, the new AYANEO AIR 1 is much more compact, and it follows a pretty similar structural layout as the original AIR model. On top of that, this is one of the lightest handhelds you will find on the market, with a weight of only 450 grams.
On the other hand, Steam Deck is much bulkier, and aesthetically, it does look quite good honestly. Besides, the console also weighs 669 grams, which is a bit heavier, but that won’t make any difference. Because Steam Deck is really comfortable to hold despite its bulky shape.
Display
Now that we have seen some gameplay performance, let’s have a clear look at the display of both these handhelds. The display size of the new AYANEO AIR 1S is much smaller. It’s a 5.5-inch screen with 60hertz of refresh rate and 1080p resolution. Despite its size, what makes this screen interesting is that it’s going to be an OLED panel, featuring 350 nits of brightness. On top of that, unlike other handhelds, the screen here is completely bezel-less.
In comparison, Steam Deck possesses a much larger 7-inch display compared to the AYANEO AIR 1S. It’s an IPS panel screen with a native resolution of 1280 by 800 and 400 nits of brightness. Although it might not be as impressive as the OLED panel on the AYANEO AIR 1S, it is still loved by fans.
Features
Well, first of all, compared to the new AYNANEO AIR 1S, the processor on the Steam Deck seems really outdated and both these APUs are from different generations.
- The AYANEO AIR 1S features the latest 8-Cores/16-thread Zen-4 chip with a maximum boosted clock speed of up to 5.1 gigahertz, which is currently the most powerful chip available for handheld devices.
- Steam Deck on the other hand includes a 4-Cores/8-threads custom-made Zen-2 processor with a maximum boosted frequency of 3.5 gigahertz.
As we can see, the new AYANEO AIR 1S is at least two generations ahead of Steam Deck. Mainly because Steam Deck is a more than one-and-a-half-year-old console. So in terms of performance, Steam Deck is definitely left behind. Apart from that, both of these consoles are equipped with LPDDR5 memories and PCIe SSDs. Steam Deck supports a maximum of 16GB of memory module, while the AYANEO AIR 1S offers a maximum of 32 gigabytes. So in performance and processing speed, AYENEO AIR 1S takes the lead in both ways.
Performance
Turning our attention to the performance, AYANEO has showcased several gameplay videos that demonstrate impressive TDPs at various levels. When running Forza Horizon 5 at 720p settings with 20 watts, this console achieves an average of 77FPS while maintaining a temperature of 57 degrees Celsius. Also, when upgrading to a 1080p resolution with identical settings, it still manages to reach at 60FPS mark, with the temperature slightly elevated at 58 degrees Celsius.
Steam Deck, however, cannot game in 1080p resolution on a handheld mode, but while docked in with an external monitor, it certainly can. Games like Forza Horizon-5 can run at 60FPS at 720p lower settings while the FSR is on. However, the temperature might go as high as 79 degrees Celsius.
So yes, gaming on the AYANEO AIR 1S is definitely going to be a much smoother experience than the Steam Deck. Simply, because the internal hardware is much superior and powerful.
Final Verdict
Considering the price range, Steam Deck definitely ensures the most value when it comes to modern handheld consoles. The price they offer is simply unrivaled. However, powerful handheld consoles such as the AYANEO AIR 1S are definitely worth checking out, if you want a seamless gaming experience on a handheld device. So that was all about the comparison between the AYANEO AIR 1S and Steam Deck.
