Ayaneo’s Next Lite comes to Steam Deck with an unofficial version of SteamOS

In its initial blog post announcing its next-generation handheld gaming PC, the Next Lite, Ayaneo said the device would come pre-installed with SteamOS, but now the company has confirmed it will not provide official support for Valve’s Linux-based operating system. After this article was originally published, CEO Arthur Chang told fans in the official Ayaneo Discord, “It should be noted that we are using third-party SteamOS, not official SteamOS.”

It is reported Games on Linux and Handheld headquartersit will have a version of the HoloISO project, which its creators describe on GitHub as “an attempt to turn the Steam Deck’s SteamOS Holo redistribution into a universal installable format and provide a near-official SteamOS experience.” If not Officially supported by Valve, the prospect of the device running the software seems much further away than the blog post on Ayaneo’s website suggests.

Ayaneo sees the Next Lite as a cost-effective option, but we don’t know much about the device yet or how much it will cost. According to the Ayaneo blog post, it has a 7-inch 800p screen, a 47Wh battery, and a Hall effect joystick. The company also touts “vibrant colors,” including a great-looking seafoam green, and “high-end craftsmanship.”

But we don’t yet know what chip the handheld device uses, so it’s hard to know how its performance compares to other devices.

If it’s being promoted as a cheaper option than other handhelds on the market, not listing a price feels like a big omission. It will likely cost more than Valve’s remaining $349 Steam Decks, while the existing Ayaneo Next sells for $1,315.

The company advertises that “subscriptions” for the handheld device will be available Thursday night, creating the possibility of a different pricing approach than a one-time purchase or crowdfunding.

If you’re interested, these subscriptions will be available on the Ayaneo website on January 11 at 9:30 PM ET, and in another Discord message, the company said that purchases will begin at the end of this month, with shipping before the Lunar New Year, 2 January 10th. If you want to see what we have to say about other Ayaneo handheld devices, check out our reviews of the Ayaneo Next and Ayaneo 2 .

Correction on January 11 at 9:03 pm ET: Ayaneo’s announcement blog post states that Next Lite will come with “SteamOS” pre-installed, but this is incorrect. After the release, the company clarified through other channels that it would be released with the SteamOS-based distribution HoloISO, and we have updated this article to reflect this.