A portable console based on AMD solution and Linux distribution? No, we’re not talking about the Steam Deck, but the Orange Pi Neo.
Orange Pi is not yet a very well-known brand in France. However, by tackling two iconic machines – the Raspberry Pi and the Steam Deck – it could gain popularity, quickly.
So, after a relatively discreet announcement, the “Neo” portable console is revealed in a more precise and funny way: at less than 500 dollars, it gives a big kick in the anthill.
A Linux instead of Windows 11
On February 5, we discussed the case of this “ portable console that swapped Windows 11 for the Manjaro Linux distribution » and should thus significantly reduce the entry ticket.
The Orange Pi Neo is a console whose format does not really change from Steam Deck and other ROG Ally. Moreover, in its innards, we find components which are also of the same order: it is indeed AMD’s Ryzen 7 7840U which was chosen to animate the beast. It will be supported by 16 or 32 GB of LPDDR5 memory at 7500 MT/s and we are talking about an SSD in M.2 2280 format with a capacity of 512 GB to 2 TB.
Still, the main novelty, the one which until now has made people talk about the small machine, is the use of the Manjaro OS system – a Linux distribution – when Steam of course uses its SteamOS and all the other manufacturers have turned to Windows 11.
Available for less than $500 in China
Obviously a very close partner of Orange Pi, the promoters of the Manjaro were the first to announce, on X.com, new key information: the price of the Orange Pi Neo portable console.
Indeed, the machine was launched just yesterday in Shenzhen, China, priced at CNY 4,099 or $499 in its 16GB/512GB version with a Ryzen 7 7840U chip. Models based on Ryzen 7 8840U are also announced. They start at CNY 4,499 or $599, still with 16 GB/512 GB. With such prices, the Neo seems to have solid arguments, even compared to the Steam Deck.
Neither Manjaro nor Orange Pi have enough strength to position themselves as direct competitors of Valve. The alternative to the Steam Deck nevertheless remains very interesting while this release first on Chinese territory alone clearly suggests a test for the Neo console.
Source : VideoCardz
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