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 Nitro Blaze 11, a behemoth boasting a 10.95-inch display. This giant joins its smaller sibling, the Nitro Blaze 8, and the new Nitro Mobile Gaming Controller.

Both Blaze models share impressive specs: WQXGA touchscreens (up to 144Hz), AMD Ryzen 7 8840HS processor, AMD Radeon 780M GPU, 16GB LPDDR5x RAM, and a 2TB SSD. Acer promises "cutting-edge performance" and "immersive visuals" in a foldable, portable design. A three-month PC Game Pass subscription is included. The key difference? The Blaze 8 features an 8.8-inch screen.

Portability might be challenged, however. The Blaze 11 weighs a substantial 1050g, significantly heavier than the Steam Deck (approx. 640g) and Switch (approx. 297g). The Blaze 8, at 720g, is closer in weight to competitors like the Lenovo Legion Go and Asus ROG Ally.

Pricing and Availability: The Blaze 11 will retail at $1099 USD, the Blaze 8 at $899 USD, and the Nitro Mobile Gaming Controller at $69.99 USD. All three are expected in Q2 2025.

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. Promotional slides initially suggested a Z2-powered Steam Deck, but Valve developer Pierre-Loup Griffais clarified on Bluesky that a "Z2 Steam Deck is not happening," suggesting the slide was a general representation of the processor's target market.

However, Valve hasn't ruled out a Steam Deck 2, but it will require a significant, next-generation upgrade before its release.