AYANEO can't sell its NEXT 2 Windows gaming handheld anymore because it's "no longer sustainable" — AI and the RAM and SSD shortage crisis are to blame

All sorts of consumer electronics have become exorbitantly more expensive and difficult to get hands on as a result of the RAM shortage crisis, and availability of storage and SSDs has started to fall, too. For some manufacturers and devices, there's simply not enough silicon to go around, and getting enough isn't economically viable. Such is the case with AYANEO.

AYANEO is known for its wide range of performant handheld gaming PCs, and its latest, the NEXT 2 — a high-end device for enthusiasts with desktop-class hardware under the hood — is scheduled to begin shipping in June. But thanks to the rise of AI vacuuming up nearly all of the market's components, the company says building and selling the NEXT 2 is "no longer sustainable."

In a post on its website, AYANEO explained that while "storage prices were already at a very high level" when it unveiled NEXT 2, it chose to go ahead with production and open preorders "so as not to disappoint our supporters." However, prices continued to skyrocket several times higher, and the firm says "Under such circumstances, the overall cost of the product has become far higher than our current selling price."

As a result, AYANEO has chosen to suspend preorders of NEXT 2, and has "removed the product from all sales channels" such as Indiegogo for the time being. It notes that "At present, the total cost of the product has far exceeded our selling price, even approaching twice the price we originally set," and that "Under such circumstances, continuing to sell this product is no longer sustainable." The price of the NEXT 2 ranges from $1,999 to $4,299.

"At the same time, we do not want to constantly adjust the selling price due to fluctuations in component costs. We believe that continuing to sell NEXT 2 under the current circumstances could potentially harm the interests of consumers and ultimately affect the long-term development of the brand," the manufacturer wrote. "Therefore, we have removed the product from all sales channels, and consumers are no longer able to purchase NEXT 2 on Indiegogo."

Some good news for those who already preordered the NEXT 2, though, is that AYANEO will "continue to move forward with production as planned," and make good on the orders for the handheld that it's already received. The company has also emphasized that this suspension of sales is intended to be temporary, and that it will "consider" resuming them once the market recovers.

"We would also like to clarify that this does not mean the end of the NEXT 2 product lifecycle. We are only temporarily suspending pre-orders. If storage prices return to more reasonable levels in the future, we may consider resuming the sale of NEXT 2," it noted. "At this time, we cannot predict when storage prices will decline, but we will continue to closely monitor market changes."

AYANEO has also committed to providing after-sales services to those who do end up getting NEXT 2 devices. "We will prepare sufficient spare parts for after-sales support and will provide long-term, reliable service and maintenance for NEXT 2, just as we have done for many previous AYANEO products," it said.

Speaking as someone who feels exactly zero passion for anything related to generative AI, it's been really frustrating seeing pretty much the entire PC market bend over backwards to fuel the craze. AI is burning through silicon at an alarming rate, and ever since Micron killed Crucial products to support it, every week seems to bring news of fewer components available for gaming devices and higher costs for consumers.

It's good that AYANEO is at least able to ship NEXT 2 handhelds to folks that've already ordered them, though it's obviously disappointing that one of the most impressive and exciting gaming devices made in recent memory will be unavailable to everyone else for a lengthy amount of time. Hopefully the RAM and SSD shortage ends sooner rather than later.

🗨️ Would you get an AYANEO NEXT 2?

Premium enthusiast devices like the AYANEO NEXT 2 are very expensive, but given that it's packing desktop-level power into a handheld chassis, its price makes sense. Indeed, this is one of the most promising high-end gaming handhelds ever, which makes it all the more frustrating that the ongoing RAM and storage shortages have made selling it unsustainable for AYANEO.

Did you happen to preorder a NEXT 2 while you still could? Would you get one if buying it was still possible? Let me know in the comments, and vote in our poll:

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