Acer Unveils Giant 11-Inch Nitro Blaze Gaming Handheld at CES 2025
Acer redefined "portable" gaming at CES 2025 with the launch of its Nitro Blaze 11, a behemoth of a handheld boasting a massive 10.95-inch display. Alongside its smaller sibling, the Nitro Blaze 8, and a new Nitro Mobile Gaming Controller, Acer is targeting a new segment of the mobile gaming market.
Both Blaze models share impressive specs: a WQXGA touchscreen with a 144Hz refresh rate, an AMD Ryzen 7 8840HS processor paired with an AMD Radeon 780M GPU, 16GB of LPDDR5x RAM, and a roomy 2TB SSD. Acer promises "cutting-edge performance" and "immersive visuals" in a foldable, portable design. Buyers also receive a three-month PC Game Pass subscription. The key difference? Screen size – the Blaze 8 features an 8.8-inch display.
However, size comes at a cost: the Blaze 11 tips the scales at a hefty 1050g, significantly heavier than competitors like the Steam Deck (approx. 640g) and Nintendo Switch (approx. 297g). The Blaze 8, while still substantial at 720g, is more comparable to other PC handhelds such as the Lenovo Legion Go and Asus ROG Ally.
All three devices (Blaze 11, Blaze 8, and Controller) are slated for release in Q2 2025, priced at $1099, $899, and $69.99 respectively.
No Z2 Steam Deck 2, Confirms Valve
While the Nitro Blaze series utilizes the powerful AMD Ryzen 7 chipset, it missed the opportunity to incorporate AMD's latest Ryzen Z2 processors, designed for high-performance handheld gaming. AMD's promotional materials initially suggested future iterations of popular handhelds, including the Steam Deck, would feature the Z2.
However, Valve swiftly clarified that a "Z2 Steam Deck is not, and will not be, happening," according to a Bluesky post by Valve coder Pierre-Loup Griffais. He explained the promotional slide likely represented the Z2's broader applicability to the handheld gaming market, rather than specific device plans.
This doesn't rule out a future Steam Deck 2, though Valve emphasizes that a significant, next-generation upgrade is required before its release.
