We tried to hold Acer’s giant new Nitro Blaze 11 handheld

The PC handheld abstraction continues to grow, and the biggest of each is Acer’s caller Nitro Blaze 11. As soon arsenic I saw it announced astatine CES I knew I had to effort and get it successful my hands, astatine slightest for the sheer curiosity of “Will this point moreover fit my hands?” The reply is yes — though, kinda conscionable barely.

I brought a Steam Deck OLED pinch maine for a speedy size and consciousness comparison. One of the first things I noticed is that it’s overmuch much precarious to prime up the the Blaze 11 the measurement I’m utilized to grabbing the Steam Deck: by gripping it connected the apical and bottommost edges. My fingers conscionable hardly agelong acold capable for this position. Once successful hand, the 2.3-pound Blaze 11 really feels lighter than you’d expect, making it not excessively unwieldy if you do astir of your “portable” gaming astatine location connected the sofa for illustration I do. (Playing it successful furniture whitethorn beryllium a hazard to your face.)

While the Blaze 11 isn’t arsenic dense arsenic I feared, the Steam Deck OLED’s 1.41 pounds feels for illustration a featherweight successful comparison. The Deck besides feels a small much solidly built. Acer’s handheld isn’t flimsy, but it did consciousness cheaper.

But, in installments wherever credit’s due: playing games connected specified a large surface successful your hands is simply a treat, and the kickstand felt coagulated for propping it up successful tablet mode pinch detached controllers, which the Steam Deck can’t do. Acer besides gets points for utilizing Hall effect sticks and triggers.

We’ll person to hold and spot really this jumbo $1,099 handheld fares erstwhile it launches successful Q2 2025, arsenic the title heats up pinch the impending presence of the Lenovo Legion Go S and the constantly leaking Nintendo Switch 2. In the meantime, present are a bunch of pictures of the Blaze 11 and the Steam Deck OLED.

Photography by Antonio G. Di Benedetto / The Verge