AYANEO Abandons NEXT 2: Ryzen AI Max+ 395 Too Expensive

AYANEO Abandons Its NEXT 2 Console Equipped with Ryzen AI Max+ 395

The company AYANEO has decided not to continue the production of its NEXT 2 console, despite the initial interest generated by this innovative machine. The main reason for this abandonment is the company's inability to make the production of this console profitable due to excessively high costs.

An Ambitious but Costly Console

The NEXT 2, touted as a console of superlatives, was meant to be a flagship product for AYANEO. However, it will ultimately be a rare item, reserved for a few passionate collectors. Initially slated for release before summer, the promotional campaign surrounding this portable console has been halted. AYANEO had made a splash by being the first to offer a portable console featuring AMD's powerful Ryzen AI Max+ 395 chip. This chip promised impressive graphics performance thanks to its APU and the Radeon 8060S graphics solution with 40 RDNA 3.5 compute units, thus eliminating the need for a dedicated graphics card for demanding games. However, integrating this chip into a compact format raised many questions.

Technical Specifications of the NEXT 2

The NEXT 2 was equipped with a 9.04-inch screen and a 116 Wh battery, which raised concerns about its usability. Although AYANEO did not disclose the exact weight of the console, it was unlikely to weigh less than one kilogram. Additionally, the battery capacity posed a problem for air travel, as many airlines limit cabin batteries to 100 Wh. These challenges were not resolved by AYANEO, which preferred to launch a crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo, a method it frequently employs. However, this campaign did not achieve the expected success, with only 177 contributors.

Cessation of NEXT 2 Sales

With only 177 people willing to invest in this exceptional console, both in terms of its features and its price, the project proved unviable. The base model, equipped with the Ryzen AI Max+ 385 chip and 32 GB of RAM, was offered starting at $1,799, not including additional fees. The most advanced version, featuring a Ryzen AI Max+ 395, 128 GB of DDR5, and 2 TB of SSD, reached $3,499. These prohibitive prices deterred many potential buyers. AYANEO acknowledged that these prices were unsustainable, particularly due to rising costs of DRAM and NAND.

Financial Challenges of the NEXT 2

In light of the ongoing rise in DRAM prices, AYANEO initially attempted to delay the launch of its Indiegogo campaign, hoping for a stabilization of costs. However, this strategy did not bear fruit. Integrating 128 GB of DDR5 into the machine proved too costly to maintain financial balance, as the company explained in its latest update on Indiegogo. Consequently, AYANEO announced the "suspension of NEXT 2 sales," effectively ending the campaign. While existing preorders will be honored without price increases, new orders can no longer be placed. Although AYANEO has not explicitly stated that the NEXT 2 will not return to Indiegogo, it is unlikely to be relaunched.

It remains to be seen how AYANEO will manage the follow-up for this console, which could be produced in only 177 units. If these units reach buyers, they will become true collector's items.