A global shortage of RAM is sending shockwaves through the broader gaming PC market. As memory prices surge, hardware prices have risen overall, and some Steam machines and next-generation gaming devices have also seen disruptions to their release schedules. The industry is voicing concern that the problem is only beginning.

Against that backdrop, handheld gaming PC maker AYANEO has drawn attention by unveiling detailed specifications and pricing for its next model, the Next II. The top-spec model comes with 128GB of RAM and 2TB of storage and is priced at $4,299 (about 6.26 million won). That is far above Nvidia's flagship RTX 5090 graphics card, which has a recommended price of $1,999. An Indiegogo early-bird price of $3,499 (about 5.09 million won) is still expensive.

Major foreign media outlets including Ars Technica and TechRadar report that the Next II has specifications closer to a budget gaming laptop than a handheld device. The higher-end model includes an AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 processor and an RDNA 3.5-based Radeon 8060S GPU with 40 compute units. It is assessed to deliver RTX 4060-class desktop performance, or a level similar to the Asus ROG Flow Z13 high-performance laptop.

It features a 9.06-inch OLED panel with a 2400x1504 resolution, up to a 165Hz refresh rate and up to 1,155 nits of brightness. The battery is 116 watt-hours, exceeding the 100 watt-hour limit for carry-on items on aircraft. The cooling system also uses two turbo centrifugal fans and a dual vapor chamber, focusing on managing heat from a high-performance system-on-chip.

The problem is the price. The base model is priced at $1,999 (about 2.90 million won) with a Ryzen AI Max 385 processor and 32GB of RAM. The 64GB RAM model costs $2,699 (about 3.93 million won). The industry points to the RAM supply shortage and surging prices as the key reason behind that pricing structure. It is also analysed that AYANEO has increased the burden by putting ultra-high-capacity RAM options such as 64GB and 128GB front and centre. In fact, most handheld gaming devices deliver sufficient performance with 32GB of RAM.

The device's size and weight are also far from portable. The Next II weighs 3.14 pounds, about 1.42 kg, more than twice as heavy as the Lenovo Legion Go. It measures 13.45 inches wide and 10.3 inches tall, about 60 percent larger than the Nintendo Switch 2 including Joy-Cons.

The AYANEO Next II is assessed as a product aimed at hardcore gamers or prosumers who prioritise high-performance gaming. It is also analysed that it has a high barrier to entry for consumers who value portability or cost-effectiveness. Pre-orders are being taken via Indiegogo, and it is set to be shipped in stages starting in the United States from this summer.

The RAM crunch is also affecting the desktop market. Due to supply shortages, some resellers are selling the RTX 5090 for $5,000 (about 7.30 million won), and there are also comments that the price is enough to buy a high-performance desktop gaming PC. Some in the industry are even raising the possibility that if the RAM shortage becomes prolonged, new handheld devices equipped with 8GB of RAM could emerge in 2026.