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 colossal 10.95-inch handheld gaming device. Alongside its smaller sibling, the Nitro Blaze 8, and the new Nitro Mobile Gaming Controller, Acer is targeting a new segment of the market.

Both Blaze models boast impressive specs: WQXGA touch displays (up to 144Hz refresh rate), an AMD Ryzen 7 8840HS processor paired with an AMD Radeon 780M GPU, 16GB LPDDR5x RAM, and a substantial 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 substantial 1050g weight might be a concern for some. This contrasts sharply with lighter competitors like the Steam Deck (approx. 640g) and Nintendo Switch (approx. 297g). The Blaze 8, at 720g, is more comparable to other high-performance handhelds such as the Lenovo Legion Go and Asus ROG Ally.

All three devices (Blaze 11, Blaze 8, and the controller) are slated for release 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 chipset, it missed the opportunity to incorporate AMD's latest Ryzen Z2 processors, designed for high-performance handhelds. AMD's marketing materials initially suggested future iterations of devices like the Steam Deck, Lenovo Legion Go, and Asus ROG Ally would feature the Z2.

However, Valve definitively stated there are no plans for a "Z2 Steam Deck." Valve coder Pierre-Loup Griffais clarified on Bluesky that a previous marketing slide was misinterpreted; it simply highlighted the Z2's suitability for the handheld gaming market in general.

While a Steam Deck 2 remains a possibility for Valve, it will require a significant, next-generation upgrade before its release.