This Impressive Steam Deck Rival is VERY Familiar

A white Antec Core HS gaming handheld on a blanket with the screen slid up to reveal a keyboard
Credit: TechPowerup

A white Antec Core HS gaming handheld on a blanket with the screen slid up to reveal a keyboard
Credit: TechPowerup

A new gaming handheld is entering the market to compete with the Steam Deck, with well-known brands like MSI, ASUS, and more joining the fray. However, some underdogs are bringing interesting ideas to the market, and this new handheld is one of them.

As the list of the best gaming handhelds expands every month, the upcoming ASUS ROG Ally X aims to fix some minor quality-of-life issues (mentioned in our ASUS ROG Ally review) to challenge Valve's popular Steam Deck OLED. There are plenty of options to choose from, including Antec's upcoming device.

The Antec Core HS features a floating screen that slides to reveal a keyboard, and it boasts an AMD Ryzen 7 7840U chipset, which many handheld devices offer. If you keep up with the latest gaming handhelds, you might notice it looks eerily similar to the Ayaneo Slide—and that's because it practically is.

The Ayaneo Slide started crowdfunding in January, raising $2,564,005 HKD of the $52,000 HKD goal on IndieGoGo. While the Ayaneo Slide is reportedly still in the concept stages, the Antec Core HS is set to release in Europe and North America in June and July (via Tom's Hardware). Ayaneo and Antec recently announced their partnership, making this the first step in their new relationship.

Antec Core HS on a stand with the screen open and a keyboard revealed
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Credit: Technews TW

Like the Ayaneo Slide, the Antec Core HS is expected to offer various amounts of storage and RAM. The base version of the Ayaneo Slide costs $899, but the highest configuration will set you back $1,599. It will be interesting to see if Antec's latest device will arrive quicker than the Ayaneo Slide, especially since the latter has been backed by over 349 people.

However, the Antec is likely a better option for most people. With an easily accessible site and a decent warranty, the Antec Core HS might be a better investment than the Ayaneo. Considering Ayaneo's history of producing great devices before moving on to the next project, Antec may support the Core HS for longer.

Even if you're not interested in the Antec Core HS, there's never been a better time to be in the market for a new Steam Deck rival. Just avoid the MSI Claw due to its disappointing performance.