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New Antec gaming handheld boasts slightly better processor than ROG Ally and an actual keyboard

This handheld comes with a Qwerty keypad underneath
Last Updated on August 16, 2024
antec core hs
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Antec has launched its new gaming handheld, the Core HS, and it is available for purchase right away. The handheld is powered by an AMD Ryzen 7 7840U processor and Radeon 780M mobile graphics.

The highlight here is that the AMD Ryzen 7 7840U used here is actually the newer version of the Ryzen Z1 processor in handhelds like Lenovo Legion Go, ASUS ROG Ally, and ROG Ally X. In fact, the 7840U technically features a better NPU for AI calculations, though it’s hard to say how this translates in terms of gaming performance.

Coming to the CPU itself, the AMD Ryzen 7 7840U is a Zen 4 processor with 8 cores. It also comes with RDNA 3 graphics and 12 Compute Units. Further, both models are equipped with an LPDDR5X memory and M.2 2280 SSD for PCIe 4.0 NVMe storage.

Antec Core HS comes with a convenient QWERTY keypad

On the outside, the Antec Core HS sports a 1920 x 1080 pixel IPS LCD display. Users can slide the display upwards to use a QWERTY keyboard, which resembles the AYANEO Slide that was rolled out last year. In fact, the Antec handheld also uses the AYANEO Space – software that lets players use features like overlays.

Image credit: Antec

The Antec Core HS with 16GB RAM and 512GB SSD is available for $499, thanks to a launch promotion. Plus, buyers can also choose to get the $699 Antec Core HS Launch Promotion Bundle. The handheld in this one comes with a 32GB + 2TB SSD model and some extras like a docking station, screen protector, and more. Considering that the gaming handheld comes with a powerful CPU and GPU, we think this is a reasonable price.

Several gaming handhelds have been released in the past year, so users have a lot to choose from. However, very few handhelds have a physical QWERTY keyboard. So, users who want the ease of typing can definitely give the Antec Core HS a glance. Plus, this Antec model has one of the latest mobile processors, which makes it a tough competitor for other popular handhelds.


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Nitisha is a content writer and editor and she has over 3 years of experience in writing about video games and tech.