Antec Core HS launches as rebadged Ayaneo Slide, but with a launch price starting at $499

Antec has stepped into the gaming handheld market but not with something of its own. As we covered in May this year, the company partnered with Ayaneo to sell the Slide under its own branding. That is, the Antec Core HS is basically the Ayaneo Slide but with a different name.

However, the rebadged nature of gaming handheld doesn't have to be a bad aspect. Antec could've simply wanted to enter the market with something that's already a bit polished and has been received well. This could eventually give the manufacturer the head start it needs to develop something of its own offering in the future.

Another good aspect of this rebadged Ayaneo Slide launch is that the initial pricing is much more affordable. The Antec Core HS currently has a launch promotion, making the variant with 16 GB of RAM and 512 GB storage sit at an attractive $499 price tag. This same option for the Ayaneo Slide launched at $699.

Antec also has a launch promotion bundle, which includes the Core HS gaming handheld with 32 GB of RAM and 2 TB storage, a carrying bag, tempered glass screen protector, a multi-docking station, and performance thumbsticks. All that will currently cost you $699, while only the Ayaneo Slide with 32 GB of RAM and 512 GB storage costs $799.

When it comes to the other core internals, they are the same as the Ayaneo Slide. That means the Antec Core HS has the AMD Ryzen 7 7840U, a similar chipset as the Ryzen Z1 Extreme found in gaming handhelds such as the top-end Asus ROG Ally (curr. $499.99 on Best Buy). But unlike the ROG Ally, Antec's handheld can hold a full-size 2280 SSD, and it features LPDDR5X RAM that runs at 7500 MHz.

Worth noting that the Ayaneo Slide has a notable drawback when compared to ROG Ally. It features a 60 Hz screen with no support for AMD FreeSync or variable refresh rate. The same drawback is present on the Antec Core HS, as it's just a rebadge of the same gaming handheld. You can get a better idea by watching the in-depth review video attached below.