You may already know that the tech industry is battling with a major memory crisis, with RAM and storage prices hitting record highs. This has already forced companies to make tough decisions, including price hikes and even discontinuing products. Handhelds have been hit in particular – even the Steam Deck – and the latest company to get affected is Ayaneo.

The company has officially suspended sales and pre-orders of its upcoming handheld, the Ayaneo Next 2. According to Ayaneo, the decision was made because the cost of components has become too high, making it impossible to continue selling the device at its current price.

Ayaneo Next 2 timeline so far

When the Next 2 was first announced, it was already an expensive device. The base model started at around $1,999, while higher-end variants could climb up to $4,299. Even at those prices, Ayaneo says it was making little to no profit. Now, with storage and memory prices rising even more, the company would actually start losing money on every unit sold.

The situation got worse after the Chinese New Year, when suppliers increased their prices again. According to Ayaneo, storage costs alone have jumped several times higher than before. As a result, the total cost of building the device is now close to double the original estimate, which makes the current pricing completely unsustainable.

Under such circumstances, the overall cost of the product has become far higher than our current selling price. Therefore, after careful consideration, we have decided to suspend the pre-orders of NEXT 2.

Ayaneo, via Indiegogo

This issue is also tied to the growing demand for AI hardware. Many companies are buying large amounts of memory and storage for AI systems, which is pushing prices up across the entire industry. Larger companies can handle this better because they have long-term supply deals, but smaller brands like Ayaneo don’t have that advantage.

Despite the suspension, this is not the end of the Next 2. Ayaneo has confirmed that the pause is temporary, and the device could return once component prices stabilize. The company is also honoring all existing pre-orders, so customers who already placed an order will still receive their units.

About the Author

Abdul Haddi

Abdul is a tech writer and Editor for PC Guide, specializing in all things tech, gaming, and hardware.