Ayn Loki Zero: Ayn Takes On Anbernic With Their Own Affordable Windows Handheld

Things are hotting up in the Windows handheld space. Anbernic are set to launch their first Windows machine any day now, and Ayn have a slew of Windows machines in the pipeline too. The Ayn Loki Zero is the newest member of the Loki family, and looks to be competing directly with Anbernic’s Win600.

Just a day or two after Anbernic confirmed the specs of their Win600, Ayn quietly added another member to the Loki family of Windows handhelds on their website. Coincidentally or not, the specs of the Ayn Loki Zero are very familiar.

SPECS AND PRICE

Powered by the same AMD 3050e as Anbernic’s Win600, the Ayn Loki Zero also contains a similar 6″ 720p IPS panel to the Win600. There are some differences in the configuration though, and these go some way to allowing for the $200 base price.

Unlike the Win600, the Loki Zero only comes with a single 4GB stick of RAM included. Most would argue that 4GB is the absolute minimum to run Windows 10 comfortably. In many cases this will be a huge barrier to running more demanding games. Unlike the Win600 though, the motherboard in the Loki Zero supports dual channel memory. For an additional $13 you can add a second 4GB module to your order, which will very likely allow the Loki Zero to outperform the Win600 due to this dual channel configuration.

This brings the device cost up to $212. But wait, there’s more. Whilst the Win600 comes with a 128GB or 256GB M.2 SSD drive installed, the Loki Zero comes with a slower 64GB eMMC by default. For an extra $22 you can add a 128GB M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD, or source and fit your own at a later date. The Ayn Loki Zero also contains a microSD slot so you can add additional storage to the device.

With these additional modules, the price increases to $234 before shipping. The cheapest shipping option for me to the UK is DHL at $53. All of a sudden that $199 handheld is $287, and that’s assuming you get away without having to pay import taxes on it. Whilst Anbernic have yet to officially announce the price of their Win600, various leaks have suggested that the pre-order price will be around $375.

WIN600 OR LOKI ZERO?

Assuming for a moment that the Anbernic price leak is accurate, Ayn’s offering is by far the better option on paper. Not only are you getting dual channel memory, but also a better controller layout (opinion) and additional storage in the form of a MicroSD slot. The Loki Zero also has RGB LEDs, if that’s your thing. And to top it off, it costs almost $100 less.

Of course unless you like a gamble, it would make sense to wait and see. 2022 is seeing Windows machines being announced at a blistering pace, and they’re all essentially competing with the power and price tag of the Steam Deck. It’ll be fun watching it all unfold.

The Loki Zero should in Q4, and the prices listed here are for pre-orders. Available to pre-order now from ayntec.com