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

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

Acer redefined "portable gaming" at CES 2025 with the launch of the Nitro Blaze 11, a behemoth of a handheld boasting a massive 10.95-inch display. Alongside its smaller sibling, the Nitro Blaze 8, and the new Nitro Mobile Gaming Controller, Acer is targeting a new segment of the mobile gaming market.

Both Blaze models share impressive specs: WQXGA touch displays (up to 144Hz refresh rate), an AMD Ryzen 7 8840HS processor, AMD Radeon 780M graphics, 16GB LPDDR5x RAM, and a generous 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, the Nitro Blaze 11's size comes at a cost: it weighs a substantial 1050g, significantly heavier than competitors like the Steam Deck (approx. 640g) and Nintendo Switch (approx. 297g). The Blaze 8, at 720g, is still heavier than many rivals but aligns more closely with devices such as the Lenovo Legion Go and Asus ROG Ally.

All three devices (Blaze 11, Blaze 8, and the controller) will be available in Q2 2025, priced at $1099, $899, and $69.99 respectively.

No Steam Deck 2 with AMD Ryzen Z2, Says Valve

While the Nitro Blaze series utilizes the powerful AMD Ryzen 7 8840HS, it missed out on AMD's latest Ryzen Z2 processors designed for gaming handhelds. AMD's marketing materials initially suggested future iterations of popular handhelds (including the Steam Deck) would incorporate this new chip. However, Valve swiftly clarified that a "Z2 Steam Deck" is not in development. Valve coder Pierre-Loup Griffais stated on Bluesky that the marketing slide likely represented the broader applicability of the Ryzen Z2 to the handheld market, rather than specific device plans.

This doesn't rule out a future Steam Deck 2, but Valve emphasizes that a significant, next-generation upgrade is required before its release.