Over the past couple of years, thanks to advancements in chip manufacturing processes, mobile System-on-Chips (SoCs) have reached their peak in terms of performance and efficiency. The most outstanding integrated graphics products can now even rival the performance of the GTX 1650, sparking renewed interest in the niche market of Windows handheld gaming devices. Major players like Lenovo, ROG, and MSI have all jumped into the fray.
However, those following this market closely would know that in the past few years, due to Intel's stagnant progress in integrated graphics, the entire Windows handheld gaming market has been dominated by AMD processors. Yet, with the advent of the Core Ultra processors this year, Intel's integrated graphics performance has reached unprecedented levels, leading to the emergence of Intel-powered handheld devices.
On April 14th, at the Intel Extreme Masters event, AOKZOE officially unveiled its latest Windows handheld gaming device—the AOKZOE A2 Ultra. The "Ultra" suffix in the product name signifies the inclusion of Intel's Core Ultra processor, making it one of only two products in the current Windows handheld gaming market to feature this series of processors.
The AOKZOE A2 Ultra version is equipped with the all-new Intel 14th Gen Core Ultra 7 155H processor, boasting 16 cores and 22 threads, with a turbo frequency of up to 4.8GHz. It integrates the latest generation of Intel ARC high-performance integrated graphics, capable of scoring nearly 3800 points in 3DMark timespy, making it the most powerful integrated graphics solution for mobile devices currently available.
Setting itself apart from many products on the market with its somewhat rough edges, the AOKZOE A2 Ultra boldly adopts a borderless design. Its entire front panel is crafted from high-aluminum glass, featuring a 7-inch FHD+ display with a resolution of 1920*1200. The display offers a refresh rate of 60Hz, covers 100% sRGB color gamut, and boasts a pixel density of 323ppi. While the screen specs may not be groundbreaking, the frontal aesthetic is certainly commendable.
(AOKZOE)
In terms of design, the AOKZOE A2 Ultra weighs only about 666g, with the handles featuring Hall linear triggers and Hall esports joysticks. The streamlined handles, designed to fit the curvature of fingers and palms, effectively reduce finger fatigue during long gaming sessions.
In terms of storage specifications, the AOKZOE A2 Ultra offers optional 32GB/64GB LPDDR5 7467MHz high-frequency memory, paired with a 2280 specification PCIe 4.0*4 NVMe solid-state drive. Whether it's memory latency or hard drive read/write speeds, it boasts high-end specifications compared to similar products on the market.
(AOKZOE)
In terms of battery life, the AOKZOE A2 Ultra boasts a whopping 12600mAh battery capacity, paired with a standard 65W gallium nitride charger, with the official claim of providing up to 3 hours of continuous gaming.
As for pricing, AOKZOE has not yet disclosed the specific pricing of this product today, only announcing that it will soon be available for pre-order on the official website and major e-commerce platforms. It is expected that the price of this device will be higher than the AOKZOE A2 released earlier this year.
Undeniably, with the high-profile entry of Steamdeck and the upcoming release of ROG Ally, the concept of high-performance handheld consoles has entered the mainstream spotlight. Leveraging its rich experience in handheld console development and manufacturing, AOKZOE also hopes to ride this wave and maintain a spirit of continuous innovation by developing products in different forms to meet the diverse usage needs of more users.
In my opinion, the AOKZOE A2 Ultra is a very focused, compact, and pure handheld console product. If it can maintain its consistently excellent craftsmanship and continue to enrich the functionality of its front and back-end software, then more refined body design and even more extreme performance configurations will undoubtedly help this product carve out a niche in the Windows handheld console market.
