This new handheld offers swappable sticks, D-pads, and Steam Deck-style touchpads

The handheld gaming market has exploded in the past few years, with each company offering a different take on the ideal device. AYANEO’s latest effort, called the AYANEO 3, takes a unique angle by offering incredible customization in the form of swappable controls, called Magic Modules.

Six modules have been announced so far, each with a slightly different layout. There are sticks, D-pads, four- and six-button layouts, and two with Steam Deck-style trackpads. Shown off in a livestream yesterday, they simply snap into place, with AYANEO’s software instantly recognizing the new layout. To remove them, you simply tap a button in the same software, and they pop out.

While the modular controls are the most interesting aspect of the AYANEO 3 so far, the rest of the specs are also fitting of a premium device. It will have two chipset options, the Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 and the Ryzen 7 8840U, as well as two 7-inch display options, one 120hz LCD and one 144hz OLED panel.

Powered by Windows 11, it should offer excellent handheld performance and compatibility. The announcement livestream showed off some Black Myth: Wukong gameplay and most modern games should be more than serviceable on this device.

However, the company later confirmed on Discord that the battery is 50Wh, which is roughly the same size as the Steam Deck OLED and smaller than the ROG Ally X. MSI’s updated Claw handhelds also pack much larger batteries and more power-efficient processors.

The Indiegogo page is now live to sign up for updates, but there’s still no information on pricing. AYANEO devices tend to be very premium, so don’t expect the AYANEO 3 to be a budget handheld. For reference, the AYANEO 2S started at $999 when it launched in 2023.

Alongside the AYANEO 3, the company also announced special editions of the Android-powered AYANEO Pocket S, starting at $439, and the AYANEO Pocket Micro, starting at $249. These are expected to become available in January 2025.