NPC: Next Portable Console

This week on NPC: Next Portable Console, Brendon and John go it alone with more bizarre news from AYANEO, a new tease and OS update from Anbernic, Valve's E-Ink Steam Machine faceplate, Armada brings SteamOS to Android handhelds, and more.
Also available on YouTube here.
Links and Show Notes
The Latest Portable Gaming News
AYANEO teases a GBA
AYANEO CEO livestream teases second-half 2025 lineup but offers little new information
Valve open-sources Steam Machine "Inkterface" e-ink faceplate for DIY builds
Anbernic pushes major "RG Ecosystem" software update to entire T820 handheld lineup
Anbernic RG 55G1 gameplay video hints at Snapdragon G1 Gen 2 with Turnip drivers and possible OLED
EmuDeck for Android adds Rift Frontend launcher and gains Armada/SteamOS compatibility Armada

TrimUI Brick Hammer Pro U Might Be Dead Before It Even Ships
Subscribe to NPC XL
NPC XL is a weekly members-only version of NPC with extra content, available exclusively through our new Patreon for $5/month.
Each week on NPC XL, Federico, Brendon, and John record a special segment or deep dive about a particular topic that is released alongside the "regular" NPC episodes.
You can subscribe here: https://www.patreon.com/c/NextPortableConsole
Leave Feedback for John, Federico, and Brendon
NPC Feedback Form
Credits
Show Art: Brendon Bigley
Music: Will LaPorte
Follow Us Online
On the Web
MacStories.net
Wavelengths.online
Follow us on Mastodon
NPC
Federico
John
Brendon
Follow us on Bluesky
NPC
MacStories
Federico Viticci
John Voorhees
Brendon Bigley
Affiliate Linking Policy

This week on Next Portable Console, Steam Machine ordering follow up and Sony's many controversial announcements.
Also available on YouTube here.
Links and Show Notes
The Latest Portable Gaming News
Follow Up Steam Machine launches today! - Steam Hardware
YouTube on Game Boy Color - ThroatyMumbo/GBCYouTube
Getting YouTube to Work on a Game Boy Color - Throaty Mumbo
Watch YouTube On A Game Boy Color With A Special Cartridge (Hackaday)
Delta iOS Gains Physical Cartridge Support Thanks To Epilogue
GB Operator
SN Operator
Anbernic RG 55G1 is a Switch Lite Inspired Handheld Powered by the Snapdragon SoC (Yanko Design)

Sony's Big Bad Week An update on PlayStation Store for PS3 and PS Vita
Physical disc production ending in January 2028 for new games releasing on PlayStation consoles
PlayStation Boss Teases New On-the-Go Console Experiences -Also:
AYANEO Pocket Vert Review: Premium Meets Portable, With a Dash of Disappointment

Subscribe to NPC XL
NPC XL is a weekly members-only version of NPC with extra content, available exclusively through our new Patreon for $5/month.
Each week on NPC XL, Federico, Brendon, and John record a special segment or deep dive about a particular topic that is released alongside the "regular" NPC episodes.
You can subscribe here: https://www.patreon.com/c/NextPortableConsole
Leave Feedback for John, Federico, and Brendon
NPC Feedback Form
Credits
Show Art: Brendon Bigley
Music: Will LaPorte
Follow Us Online
On the Web
MacStories.net
Wavelengths.online
Follow us on Mastodon
NPC
Federico
John
Brendon
Follow us on Bluesky
NPC
MacStories
Federico Viticci
John Voorhees
Brendon Bigley
Affiliate Linking Policy

This week on Next Portable Console, Federico, Brendon, and John consider the Steam Machine's pricing and early reviews.
Also available on YouTube here.
Links and Show Notes
The Steam Machine
Steam Machine launches today! (Steam Hardware announcement)
Valve prices the Steam Machine at $1,049 (The Verge)
Steam Machine officially priced at $1,049 and $1,349 as Valve describes brutal RAM supply crisis
The Steam Machine is the most ambitious game console I've ever played (The Verge)
Even Valve is Disappointed – Steam Machine Review (Linus Tech Tips)
Steam Machine Review: Valve's New Console/PC Hybrid (IGN)
Steam Machine Review: Beautiful Hardware, But What About Performance... And Price? (Digital Foundry)
Valve will finally let you build your own Steam Machine with SteamOS for desktop (The Verge)
Subscribe to NPC XL
NPC XL is a weekly members-only version of NPC with extra content, available exclusively through our new Patreon for $5/month.
Each week on NPC XL, Federico, Brendon, and John record a special segment or deep dive about a particular topic that is released alongside the "regular" NPC episodes.
You can subscribe here: https://www.patreon.com/c/NextPortableConsole
Leave Feedback for John, Federico, and Brendon
NPC Feedback Form
Credits
Show Art: Brendon Bigley
Music: Will LaPorte
Follow Us Online
On the Web
MacStories.net
Wavelengths.online
Follow us on Mastodon
NPC
Federico
John
Brendon
Follow us on Bluesky
NPC
MacStories
Federico Viticci
John Voorhees
Brendon Bigley
Affiliate Linking Policy

This week on Next Portable Console, nose-bleed prices, foldables get wise to handheld gaming, and new products are teased and released by a long list of companies.
Also available on YouTube here.
Links and Show Notes
Follow Up
SN Operator arriving across Europe and the U.S.
Super expensive PS5 SSDs released
The Latest Portable Gaming News
MSI's new Claw gaming handheld starts at $1,699
Android foldables are getting new gamepad controls
Belkin's new Joy-Con grips also boost the Switch 2's battery life
Anbernic teases RG 55G1, its likely first Snapdragon-powered handheld
Retroid Pocket 6 returns with 12GB RAM in a revised configuration with notable trade-offs
ONEXPLAYER X2 Mini Pro launches on Indiegogo starting at $2,466 with AMD Strix Halo and detachable controllers
AYANEO announces Pocket Micro 2, teasing it as a "Gen 2 Powerhouse"
AYANEO Pocket Play hands-on reveals a large, camera-limited gaming phone that's China-only
TrimUI reveals Brick Pro and Brick Hammer Pro U with pre-orders open for Brick Pro at $85–$99.99
Subscribe to NPC XL
NPC XL is a weekly members-only version of NPC with extra content, available exclusively through our new Patreon for $5/month.
Each week on NPC XL, Federico, Brendon, and John record a special segment or deep dive about a particular topic that is released alongside the "regular" NPC episodes.
You can subscribe here: https://www.patreon.com/c/NextPortableConsole
Leave Feedback for John, Federico, and Brendon
NPC Feedback Form
Credits
Show Art: Brendon Bigley
Music: Will LaPorte
Follow Us Online
On the Web
MacStories.net
Wavelengths.online
Follow us on Mastodon
NPC
Federico
John
Brendon
Follow us on Bluesky
NPC
MacStories
Federico Viticci
John Voorhees
Brendon Bigley
Affiliate Linking Policy

This week on Next Portable Console, Brendon and Federico have spent more time with the Anbernic RG Rotate and along with John have more thoughts about it and the handheld news coming out of Computex.
Also available on YouTube here.
Links and Show Notes
More RG Rotate Experiments
Anbernic RG Rotate
Apps We're Using Apple Music
Musicolet
Moon+ Reader Pro
Amazon Kindle
YouTube
VLC
Niagara Launcher
Cocoon

The Latest Portable Gaming News
The Ally X Gets OLED and a Bigger Screen Asus just announced the OLED Xbox Ally X of my dreams​
Asus ROG Xbox Ally X20 Bundle adds OLED display and AR glasses

New Intel Chips for Handheld Gmaing Intel's first handheld gaming chip is the Arc G3, and this Acer is using it
I held the next-gen handheld

MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ is an 8-inch handheld powered by Intel Arc G3 Extreme

Subscribe to NPC XL
NPC XL is a weekly members-only version of NPC with extra content, available exclusively through our new Patreon for $5/month.
Each week on NPC XL, Federico, Brendon, and John record a special segment or deep dive about a particular topic that is released alongside the "regular" NPC episodes.
You can subscribe here: https://www.patreon.com/c/NextPortableConsole
Leave Feedback for John, Federico, and Brendon
NPC Feedback Form
Credits
Show Art: Brendon Bigley
Music: Will LaPorte
Follow Us Online
On the Web
MacStories.net
Wavelengths.online
Follow us on Mastodon
NPC
Federico
John
Brendon
Follow us on Bluesky
NPC
MacStories
Federico Viticci
John Voorhees
Brendon Bigley
Affiliate Linking Policy