The new Ayn Loki handheld runs Windows and starts at $299

The Ayn Loki inherits much of its design from the Ayn Odin. | Image: Ayn

Ayn, the maker of the Odin Android handheld, is releasing a lineup of what it calls the “most affordable” portable Windows gaming consoles yet (via Liliputing). The cheapest of the bunch starts at just $299 — $100 less than the 64GB Steam Deck.

Ayn announced the news in a YouTube video and a series of posts on Instagram, giving us a look at what we can expect for looks, tech specs, and pricing. While the entry-level $299 Loki Mini comes with 64GB of storage and an Intel Alder Lake U chip, the standard Loki handheld has an AMD Ryzen 5 6600U chip with three different storage options: 64GB, 256GB, and 512GB, each costing $499, $599, and $699, respectively. The $799 Loki Max features an upgraded AMD Ryzen 7 6800U chip and 512GB of storage.

If you’re not happy with the amount of storage that comes with the device, you may be able to upgrade after purchasing it. YouTuber Taki Udon learned that each model could come with swappable storage, meaning you might have the option of giving your storage a boost if you start running out of space (via Liliputing).

On the outside, it looks like the Ayn Loki inherits most of its design from the Switch-like Odin, but as Liliputing notes, it swaps a colorful set of buttons in an X, A, B, Y configuration to a solid black or white scheme with the same Y, B, A, X arrangement you’d find on an Xbox controller. There’s also a USB-C port and headphone jack on the bottom of the device.

Judging by another one of Ayn’s Instagram posts, it looks like the Loki is set for release tomorrow at 9:00PM EST, and will likely be available to purchase from its website. Taki Udon also indicates that Odin owners may get access to the Loki lineup at discounted prices, but it’s unclear how much Ayn will take off.

Ayn is just one brand attempting to take on the Steam Deck. Another company, Aya Neo, made its first handheld gaming PC available on Indiegogo last year. It has since come out with the Aya Neo 2 and Aya Neo Slide, both of which feature the AMD Ryzen 7 6800U chip and Radeon 680M iGPU that could beat the Steam Deck on paper. Aya Neo hasn’t released pricing information on these two models yet, but they aren’t likely to be as affordable as the entry-level Loki Mini or Steam Deck — most of Aya Neo’s handhelds cost upwards of $1,000. That’s probably why Aya Neo just released the Aya Neo Air lineup, a set of lighter handhelds that start at $549 for an AMD Ryzen 5 5000U processor and 128GB of storage.