Forward-looking: A lot of companies have released handheld gaming PCs since the original Steam Deck arrived in 2022. But one familiar name yet to join the fray is Gigabyte. The Taiwanese giant has admitted that it is considering releasing a handheld PC, but it won't do so unless its version has a defining feature that makes it stand out from the crowd.
Gigabyte CEO Eddie Lin spoke to PC World about several subjects at CES last week, including the company's stance on joining the handheld PC market.
When asked if and when Gigabyte was planning to release a device, Lin said he was "thinking about it." The CEO added that a handheld PC wasn't hard to build, noting the number of Chinese makers that have launched these machines.
Lin said the most important thing is that Gigabyte avoids releasing a handheld PC that is almost indistinguishable from rival products. "What kind of differentiation can we have?" Lin asked, noting that this is the most important question that needs answering.
Other companies that fight it out with Valve in the crowded PC handheld market include Asus with its Ally line, Lenovo and its Legion Go series, the MSI Claw line, and GPD's Win machines. While they vary in some respects, it's hard to claim that any of them has a truly unique feature that makes it stand out.
Lin did say a handheld PC from Gigabyte was something the company is only thinking about, so it might not come to pass. He never gave away any clues about what kind of hardware it could pack or a price point it was aiming for.
Gigabyte isn't afraid to experiment when it comes to unusual designs. The firm revealed its X870E Aero X3D Wood motherboard in December. It certainly has a differentiating feature: the mobo features real wooden finishes over the edges, the voltage regulator module, and the M.2 heatsink. There are also leather pull tabs at the end of the M.2 and SATA storage slots.
Something that could put Gigabyte off releasing a handheld gaming PC anytime soon is the memory crisis. With DRAM and flash prices soaring, OEMs are having to pay more for these components – a cost that is usually passed on to consumers.
Gigabyte is considering a handheld gaming PC, but only if it can stand out from the crowd
