Acer's Massive 11-Inch Handheld Exposed at CES 2025

Acer Unveils Giant 11-Inch Nitro Blaze Gaming Handheld at CES 2025

Acer has debuted its largest gaming handheld to date, the Nitro Blaze 11, alongside its smaller sibling, the Nitro Blaze 8, at CES 2025. Let's delve into the specs and impressive screen size.

The Nitro Blaze 11: A 10.95-Inch Colossus

Acer redefines "portable" with the Nitro Blaze 11, boasting a substantial 10.95-inch display. This behemoth, showcased alongside the Nitro Blaze 8 and the Nitro Mobile Gaming Controller, promises cutting-edge performance.

Both Blaze models share impressive hardware: WQXGA touch displays (up to 144Hz), an AMD Ryzen 7 8840HS processor paired with an AMD Radeon 780M GPU, 16GB of LPDDR5x RAM, and a 2TB SSD. Expect immersive visuals and powerful gameplay in a foldable, portable package. A three-month PC Game Pass subscription is included with purchase. The key difference? The Blaze 8 features an 8.8-inch screen.

However, the Blaze 11's considerable size comes at a cost: it weighs a hefty 1050g. This contrasts sharply with the Steam Deck OLED (approx. 640g) and Nintendo Switch (approx. 297g). While the Blaze 8 is also weighty at 720g, it's more comparable to other portable PC handhelds like the Lenovo Legion Go and Asus ROG Ally.

All three devices launch in Q2 2025, priced at $1099 USD (Blaze 11), $899 USD (Blaze 8), and $69.99 USD (Nitro Mobile Gaming Controller).

No Z2 Steam Deck 2, Confirms Valve

While the Nitro Blaze series utilizes the powerful AMD Ryzen 7 chipset, it missed out on AMD's latest Ryzen Z2 processors designed for gaming handhelds. AMD's promotional materials hinted at future handhelds using this technology, including the Lenovo Legion Go, Asus ROG Ally, and Steam Deck.

However, Valve, the creator of the Steam Deck, explicitly stated there are no plans for a "Z2 Steam Deck." Valve coder Pierre-Loup Griffais clarified on Bluesky that a previously circulated slide showing a Z2 Steam Deck was inaccurate. While a Steam Deck 2 remains a possibility, it will require a significant, next-generation upgrade.