Loki Zero: The BEST Budget Windows Handheld - Full Deep Dive Review & Optimization Guide

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Is the Loki Zero from AYN the best budget Windows handheld of the year? Let's take a look at the Loki Zero and its place in the portable gaming market. Out of all the handheld devices I've tested this year, the Loki Zero has truly surprised me the most! Don't miss this in-depth review of what could be your next favorite gaming handheld.
Buy the Loki Zero here:
www.ayntec.com/products/loki-...
Interested in the Loki Max instead?
www.ayntec.com/products/loki-...
Ultimate Windows Tweaker - www.thewindowsclub.com/downlo...
Want to get CrossCode setup on your android device? Check out this tutorial:
• Playing Crosscode on A...
Recommended Micro SD Cards:
Performance Option - Amazon.ca - amzn.to/3ZsPTaf
Performance Option - Amazon.com - amzn.to/3ZniTjA
Value Option - Amazon.ca - amzn.to/3LpYzbS
Value Option - Amazon.com - amzn.to/3rnVv9h
Buy the games featured:
Doom II - www.fanatical.com/en/game/doo...
Blazing Chrome - www.fanatical.com/en/game/bla...
Horizon Chase Turbo - www.fanatical.com/en/game/hor...
Rune Factory 4 - store.steampowered.com/app/15...
Eastward - store.steampowered.com/app/97...
CrossCode - store.steampowered.com/app/36...
Persona 4 Golden - www.fanatical.com/en/game/per...
Hades - store.steampowered.com/app/11...
Oblivion - www.fanatical.com/en/game/the...
Timestamps:
0:00 - Intro
1:41 - Unboxing
2:47 - Case Review
4:10 - Specs and Pricing
5:57 - First Impressions
6:31 - Size Comparisons
7:46 - Let's talk about the Joysticks
8:44 - Face buttons
9:05 - DPAD Overview
9:45 - Button Sound Test
9:59 - Lets Talk Audio Quality
10:21 - Sound Test
10:47 - Device Overview
11:20 - Fan Overview
12:08 - Fan Test Auto
12:18 - Fan Test "Fan Curve"
12:28 - Fan Test 45%
12:35 - Fan Results Summary
13:26 - Bumpers and Triggers
14:35 - Trigger Sound Test
14:42 - Trigger Sound Test Overview
15:01 - Device Overview - Back
15:18 - Ergonomics
16:17 - Build Quality and Plastics
17:35 - My Custom Panel Settings
18:07 - How good is the Panel?
18:37 - Loki Panel VS Other Handhelds
21:05 - First Boot
22:36 - Recommended Micro SD Type
23:06 - Windows Optimization Guide - Windows Settings
24:41 - Windows Optimization Guide - Ultimate Windows Tweaker
25:44 - Windows Optimization Guide - Power Settings
26:51 - Steam Setup - Steam Settings
27:20 - Steam Big Picture Mode
27:35 - Performance Overview - Doom 2
27:56 - Performance Overview - Blazing Chrome
28:17 - Performance Overview - Horizon Chase Turbo
28:35 - Performance Overview - Rune Factory 4 Special
29:24 - Performance Overview - Eastward
29:43 - Performance Overview - Crosscode
30:06 - Performance Overview - Persona 4 Golden
30:43 - Performance Overview - Hades
31:09 - Performance Overview - Oblivion
31:29 - Performance Overview Summary
31:51 - Battery Life Summary
32:56 - Loki Control Center
35:13 - Final Thoughts
▬▬ MY GEAR ▬▬
Camera: [POCO F3](www.po.co/global/poco-f3/)
Camera Mount: [Amazon Link](www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B085...)
Camera Arm: [Amazon Link](www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B06X...)
Mount Adapter (for the kit above): [Amazon Link](www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B07Z...)
Microphone: [Shure SM7B](www.amazon.ca/Shure-SM7B-Dyna...)
USB Audio Interface: [Focusrite Scarlett Solo](www.amazon.ca/Focusrite-SCARL...)
Microphone Boom Arm: [Amazon Link](www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B001...)
Lights: [Amazon Link](www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B08G...)
The intro theme song was created by the talented Jim Gray of Our Ghosts. Be sure to check out his amazing work [here](ourghosts.bandcamp.com/).
Please be aware that this description may include affiliate links. Clicking on these links and making a purchase may result in me receiving a small commission from the sale, without any additional cost to you. Your support is greatly appreciated.
Please note that this video is intended for entertainment and educational purposes only.
#ayn #pcgaming #handheldpc #windowsgaming

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Опубликовано:

22 июл 2024

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Комментарии : 110

@KeiRetroGaming 10 месяцев назад

Well, this is interesting... 😃 After a few tweaks with Windows, GPU settings, and adjusting the VRAM to 1GB in the BIOS, it looks like you can now get a smooth 30fps on Control with the Loki Zero! Definitely underestimated the performance in my initial review. What's the most demanding game you've played on the Loki Zero or Win600? What do you find most interesting about the Loki Zero? I'll hopefully have a performance guide up soon! Subscribe so you don't miss it.

@raandomplayer8589 9 месяцев назад

suubbed

@raandomplayer8589 9 месяцев назад

i wish you'll test genshin. specifically under water and in desert area.

@jimdoom2276 5 месяцев назад

@KeiRetroGaming - hey, at 15:11 you say that the buttons on the back of the device ARE programmable, and you mention using them for reloading in fps games. Could you pls just confirm for me, did you mean to say NON-programmable..? I only ask, cos I have Loki Max, and have been unable to find a way to remind the back buttons, even with 3rd party software. I find this to be a perplexing and frustrating design choice, and it's truly the only aspect of the device I dislike. If you do know a way to remap the back buttons, please share it. Or, is it the case that the Loki Zero is different to the Max in this particular respect (seems very unlikely, can't imagine why that would be so). Thank you.

@RetroGameCorps 10 месяцев назад

Great video, loved all the Windows optimizations!

@KeiRetroGaming 10 месяцев назад

Thanks Russ! Quite an impressive handheld after a few optimizations. Pretty happy with it so far.

@fusion5262 9 месяцев назад

i love bothu r vids! keep up the work and make more! @keiretrogaming @retrogamecorps

@SMTahmid 10 месяцев назад

Great review, I actually thought It was Taki or Russ's video at first. Subbed!

@danilowinckler8353 10 месяцев назад

Awesome video. Great jog. Big fan already

@asawarai 9 месяцев назад

I got one of the 7320U Ayaneo Air Plus models that were discounted at $269 or however low it was, I haven’t touched it much yet. This video inspires me to get some stuff installed on it since it should outperform the Loki Zero I think.

@DienerNoUta 7 месяцев назад

I had the steam deck, but I ended selling it... it was overkill for me (even when I used as my main pc since I'm a linux user and I'm used to arch), but also was so giant and heavy. With part of the money that I got I bought tge Loki Zero I installed it Nobara and I'm so happy with it. I only play indies, jrpgs and visuals novels and all of them works great at min 45fps that still a smooth expereince. In more demanding 3d games what I do is low the resolution to 500p and upscle with fsr and I gain a lot of extra fps and I don't mind how it looks upscaled Also I use it as my main pc too and linux makes the daily use experience great for me

@KeiRetroGaming 7 месяцев назад

Never heard of Nobara, I'll have to check that out. I think the size is my biggest concern with the Steam Deck as well, so this seems to be a good balance for me too. Happy to hear you like the device so far!

@Stahlmanation 7 месяцев назад

Very in depth, would love to see how it performs with jelos!

@prestonwood4558 10 месяцев назад

Great video! Well done

@samhuang683 10 месяцев назад

I think they bundled a pre-calibrated icc profile in color management for it (but you have to load/select it) which gives a warmer/less-green image if that is to your liking. The air plus screen has a more saturated colors but is quite off color accuracy wise (the brown/orange all ends up looking too red), probably from the >100% srgb gamut that all these non-hdr content are not created for. I think the mini pro is the better buy at current price for this form factor/size, or even the loki 256 at 499, but for people who dont really need the power and want to go for cheapest option, it serve its job i guess. Definitely more attractive if you bought it when it was $199.

@KeiRetroGaming 10 месяцев назад

I'll have to give that color profile a try soon! I saw it the other day, but I haven't had time to load it and compare it to the default colors. Among all the Loki units, I do think the Mini Pro is also the best value, agreed. That said, the Zero has far exceeded all my expectations.

@Bowinger 7 месяцев назад

Hey. Is it possible to turn the LED separte on/off? I dont like the sidebar led....

@retro_spark 10 месяцев назад

"the thickness is a lot thicker" 😂

@AndrewHelgeCox 10 месяцев назад

It looks like they have simplified their SKUs and basically given us the same device as the other Lokis, just with a different main board. I wonder if a board swap would work between this and a higher end model.

@KeiRetroGaming 10 месяцев назад

I'm kinda wondering the same thing as well. Great planning on their part if all the boards fit perfectly in each shell. Way easier manufacturing!

@williefr 9 месяцев назад

Awesome review! Loved it. Im considering buying one but my main issue is the battery life. When playing retro games up to Wii for instance, will I be able to play up to 6 hours? I read windows handelds are very bad when it comes to battery performance. Thanks!

@KeiRetroGaming 9 месяцев назад

Wii would probably be closer to 2-3 maybe. Older stuff and light indies can go upwards of 4-5.5 hours.

@josiahjwhitfield 8 месяцев назад

really love this thing. i was always interested in the win600 as a auxiliary handheld because it felt like the perfect device for playing low-end windows games (ie indie and visual novels) where the steam deck just seemed like overkill but the price point and poor erogonomics always kept me away from it. this thing on the other hand feels great in the hand and is significantly cheaper than the win600. big win.

@AndrewHelgeCox 10 месяцев назад

Very nice. Would be good to see how it plays on different external monitors. Can it drive two monitors with the right usb-c dock? Can it support 4k 60? Can It drive different aspect ratio screens? How does the control app interact with external monitors?

@KeiRetroGaming 10 месяцев назад

It can push 4k 60 but I don't have dual screens to check multiple display support, just my one ultrawide. It does support 3440x1440 output at 85hz though which is pretty impressive.

@Ayzide 5 месяцев назад

how would you consider this for strictly for PC streaming?

@piruk7618 9 месяцев назад

Kei, I followed the steps in the video: Emulation on Loki Zero: Way Better with Linux and my ps2 roms doesn t work really doesn t enter in game....I put the ps2 bios (the same I use in PCx2 in Windows and the recommed for JELOS) in bios and pcx2 inside Config>PCX2. All of theys roms are .iso files. - When I try enter in game the screen goes dark and then returns to the game selection list. - I put the BIOS files (SCPH-70012.bin) in >> storage/roms/bios/pcsx2/bios Nintendo 64 and PSP roms works fine. How to fix the problem?

@KeiRetroGaming 9 месяцев назад

I'm not entirely sure about that one, as I don't often emulate PlayStation 2. Perhaps someone else here might have an idea about how to resolve it; it could be related to the BIOS file maybe. This is only on JELOS?

@piruk7618 9 месяцев назад

@@KeiRetroGaming yes, in windows it works fine in pcx2.

@peejae082004 7 месяцев назад

Does this have passthrough charging for when the battery is at or over 90%?

@KeiRetroGaming 7 месяцев назад

Not that I can see. Windows probably has software to stop the battery from charging when it hits a certain point though.

@WIImotionmasher 7 месяцев назад

I don't exactly need windows but I do want an x86 device I can play simpler games on and also use Discord at the same time. I wonder if any of these devices could drop the price by releasing a version without a windows license. Ideally there's a linux distro that lets me use gamepad buttons to control a cursor or menu selector, even if it's still just a clunky desktop design.

@OrganicGreens 7 месяцев назад

How's AYN's shipping on regular purchase not pre orders? I see it available for purchase on there website but I'm afraid if I buy it it wont be here for months.

@KeiRetroGaming 7 месяцев назад

This is just a best guess from what I've seen with other orders in the community recently with how long it takes to ship them out. This may change depending on holidays, orders etc. This is my very rough guess: Loki Zero (1 week) Loki Max White (2-3 weeks) Loki Max Black (1-4 days) Shipping times can also vary depending on your country and which shipping method you use. It took me less than a week to get the Loki Zero and Loki Max with DHL, but 4PX can take upwards of 2 weeks to here in Canada.

@OrganicGreens 7 месяцев назад

@@KeiRetroGaming that's not bad at all. thanks man.

@davidv1376 10 месяцев назад

Oh man this is tempting

@KeiRetroGaming 10 месяцев назад

It's a pretty well built handheld overall. What were you looking to play on it?

@davidv1376 10 месяцев назад

@@KeiRetroGaming some older arcade racers! plus I love indie games in general

@KeiRetroGaming 10 месяцев назад

The Zero would be a perfect match for those, absolutely.

@MrStarlight99 6 месяцев назад

Hello, wanna ask ... Can this play castlevania lord of shadow games ? Thank you

@KeiRetroGaming 6 месяцев назад

I don't have that game to check for you, sorry. Just my guess though but I don't think it would run unless you dropped the resolution sub 720p at the lowest settings with a tad extra sharpening. That all depends on how well the game is optimized too.

@N3King 7 месяцев назад

hi, my ram on advanced settings is 0 how do i change this?

@KeiRetroGaming 7 месяцев назад

Pressing enter on the option should allow you to change the value. 0 is automatic.

@chocho2188 10 месяцев назад

God tier ergonomics!

@KeiRetroGaming 10 месяцев назад

Agree with ya there! Amazing ergonomics.

@Pieteros21 9 месяцев назад

From my perspective windows on device like this just don't make any sens , i would use chimera os , steamOS or something like that - less resources heavy and proper interface for formfactor .

@budgetking2591 10 месяцев назад

Seems like a solid device, but that cpu is a little bit too much on the low end for me, the intel pentium n6000 in my mini pc even has better graphics performance then this athlon3050, and the pentium in my mini pc only uses 8 watts, might been a better pick for this device then this athlon.

@hunam3876 10 месяцев назад

Yeah, I'm keeping my $270 1215u.

@matteorubino6135 10 месяцев назад

hi, nice video, congratulations, I could use a hand, can you tell me where I can download the firmware with the updated BIOS?

@KeiRetroGaming 10 месяцев назад

AYN provided the updated BIOS directly on their discord channel. Here's a link to where they shared it: discord.com/channels/1014777854384414762/1014784317232263208/1152170835562475550

@matteorubino6135 10 месяцев назад

thank you very much, very kind😊

@AdrianP225 10 месяцев назад

I just got my Zero last week. Still learning. What’s a good n64 emulator? I have one that run Super Mario & Mario Kart just fine but there’s a couple other games I’m trying to play but it stutters a lot.

@KeiRetroGaming 10 месяцев назад

I'd recommend using JELOS for emulation on the Zero. However, if you want to stick to Windows, one of the RetroArch cores might work fine as well. I'll be covering emulation soon, hopefully.

@AdrianP225 10 месяцев назад

@@KeiRetroGaming thanks. I’m new to handhelds and trying to understand it.

@KeiRetroGaming 10 месяцев назад

Take your time with it, there's plenty to explore in this hobby. Tinkering is half the fun.

@Tom-wl7sm 9 месяцев назад

I tried retroarch buts hella confusing

@paulkaizen 4 месяца назад

Hello. I hope you could help me. I've got my Loki ZERO and I want to increase my VRAM but my BIOS is locked and does not have the Advanced option same as yours. I'm stuck with 512 MB. Help. 😢

@KeiRetroGaming 4 месяца назад

Make sure to download the BIOS update from their discord channel that I linked in my video description on the Loki Ultra video.

@paulkaizen 4 месяца назад

@@KeiRetroGaming Hey thanks gonna try that one out man. You're a life saver 🙏

@KeiRetroGaming 4 месяца назад

Sorry for the late reply. Have fun!

@paulkaizen 4 месяца назад

@@KeiRetroGamingHi Kei I've tried to do the BIOS update but my flash drive isn't being detected? Anything that I need to do? like format the drive in a certain way?

@KeiRetroGaming 4 месяца назад

It needs to be in fat32 format.

@AgentZeroNine1 9 месяцев назад

Wish there was a 7"-8" variant just so i could play PC indies, retro console emulators and PS5 RemotePlay.

@CrocoDylianVT 3 месяца назад

It also beats the Anbernic Win600 which uses the same hardware but with a FAR more uncomfortable form factor, a higher price and SINGLE channel RAM, while the Loki Zero uses dual channel, and if you know about AMD APUs you know they don't do well with single channel RAM

@ConcasicoWoodworks 6 месяцев назад

What about shooters like Dusk, Half Life or Halo MCC?

@KeiRetroGaming 6 месяцев назад

The original Halo should work but not the Master Chief collection. Not sure about the other two but Half Life is a pretty easy game to run either way.

@peanut8641 9 месяцев назад

so could i play fall out new vages on it ?

@KeiRetroGaming 9 месяцев назад

Absolutely! 15W TDP at 720p, medium settings should get you a pretty consistent 60fps.

@keithtally7410 5 месяцев назад

Does it run Brawlhalla good ?

@terricide79 10 месяцев назад

How do you get to the bios?

@KeiRetroGaming 10 месяцев назад

The BIOS is available as a pinned comment in the Zero channel of the AYN official discord and currently the only place to get it. I'm hoping they'll have it up eventually on their website. Here's a link to the BIOS post on AYN's discord channel: discord.com/channels/1014777854384414762/1014784317232263208/1152170835562475550

@KeiRetroGaming 10 месяцев назад

If you're just trying to boot into the BIOS though hold the LCC button and the bottom left button down as well and it'll boot into the BIOS. Just hold those down on startup until it boots into the BIOS menu.

@smelvin159 9 месяцев назад

How well do you think it could play risk of rain 2?

@KeiRetroGaming 9 месяцев назад

It's hard to provide an accurate estimate without trying it personally. I don't own it, so I'm unable to test it unfortunately. My best estimate would be around 20-30 fps in 720p, but please keep in mind that's a very rough estimate. I don't know how well the game is optimized as I've never tried that one.

@smelvin159 9 месяцев назад

@@KeiRetroGaming alright, thanks

@jamesshaw4692 9 месяцев назад

Is it crazy to think I could run halo mcc or fifa 23 on this ?

@KeiRetroGaming 9 месяцев назад

You can run the original PC halo but not the MCC unfortunately, haven't tried the other game though.

@jamesshaw4692 9 месяцев назад

@@KeiRetroGaming thank you :)

@javontedonuts1034 5 месяцев назад

We need more reviewers of this when the gpd win came out people immediately tested GTA 5 and reck room can Skyrim even run lol

@thompsonevergreen8006 6 месяцев назад

I want one even tho i have steamdeck

@alexanderward9065 9 месяцев назад

My loki Zero seems to glitch allot. Dropped frames on pretty much any 3d game. I followerd your videos to maximise the perfomance. But it just seems to be super sluggish. Mine shipped with windows 11.

@KeiRetroGaming 9 месяцев назад

Probably windows updates, it just needs time to finish. Check the Task Manager and see what's using up the resources.

@alexanderward9065 9 месяцев назад

@@KeiRetroGaming I tried everything and the whole system was bugging out. Decided to go with Chimera OS and holy moly is it good :). Games are running wayyyy better and the OS overall just feels smooth.

@nyxzgaming 9 месяцев назад

@@alexanderward9065do you know if Chimera OS will support older era retro PC games like Simpsons: Hit and Run. Additionally could I have it installed on the main internal SSD, and dual boot with JelOS on a micro SD for emulation? That might be what I do to mine if it's feasible.

@alexanderward9065 9 месяцев назад

Currently I'm running ChimeraOS from the internal SSD. And I'm also running Batocera via an SD card. Everything seems to be working just fine. I do think Jelos is probably going to work better than Batocera.

@nyxzgaming 9 месяцев назад

@@alexanderward9065 that’s a huge help, does it have the same bios issues running windows does, or is it a smoother dual booting experience. Sorry to bombard you with questions, I’ve got one coming and you’ve been a star so far!

@maxIehner 7 месяцев назад

Also, its not good to set minimum processor state to 100. Its just going to waste energy and run the processor full tilt when it doesnt need to. The processor ramps up when the tasks demands it. Zero reason to run it at max all the time. Just shortening the longevity of the chip.

@maleficent1969 8 месяцев назад

I'd like to get this instead of Steam Deck-but for only $100 more I can get 16gb Ram-so I think that's a better deal.

@albertodominguez7203 8 месяцев назад

Ayn odin pro or loki zero?

@KeiRetroGaming 8 месяцев назад

What're you hoping to play on it?

@albertodominguez7203 8 месяцев назад

@@KeiRetroGaming all the ps2

@KeiRetroGaming 8 месяцев назад

PS2 emulation is likely to be more stable on the Loki Zero, and most games can run at 2x resolution. On the Odin Pro, you'll experience better battery life, but your limited to the Android ecosystem and the restrictions that brings. PS2 emulation on Windows surpasses its Android counterpart, although significant progress has been made with PS2 on Android. The Odin Pro is likely to offer superior upscaling (up to 4-5x in some cases), but it's worth noting that this feature is most beneficial when playing on a TV while docked. Based on my experience, docking on Android is acceptable but not flawless. Both devices have their pros and cons, making it a rather challenging decision. Personally, I tend to lean towards x86 devices like the Loki Zero due to their increased flexibility, although it does come at the expense of battery life. I do also think the Odin 2 is an extremely good handheld, you can't go wrong with either. Buy the Loki if you're familiar with Windows and don't mind some tinkering or go for the Odin 2 if you want more of a "console-like" experience. Hopefully that helps, have fun!

@albertodominguez7203 8 месяцев назад

@@KeiRetroGaming thank s for your time And explanation I will take your answer into account

@bhirawamaylana466 10 месяцев назад

8gb ram will be the biggest problem here coz windows in 8gb ram run like a joke, they should install light weight Linux distro like Pop Os or Mint or ChimeraOS.

@Tonno7 9 месяцев назад

The Loki Zero is officially supported by JELOS now so yeah it will give the chance to use Linux through a micro SD boot

@bhirawamaylana466 9 месяцев назад

@@Tonno7 MicroSD? Eh I hope they make its possible to rewrite the SSD itself or at least we can just replace the SSD in Loki Zero with blank SSD and just install JELOS or any Linux in it, coz I have little faith in MicroSD as OS drive.

@Fuccboii69 8 месяцев назад

Can you play triple a games?

@KeiRetroGaming 8 месяцев назад

You're better off grabbing the Loki Max if you're aiming for modern AAA games. The Loki Zero however can run some Xbox generation AAA titles like Fallout New Vegas. Depends which games you're aiming to play.

@Fuccboii69 8 месяцев назад

@@KeiRetroGaming alright cool! Thanks man!

@maxIehner 7 месяцев назад

You do realize windows defrag doesnt defrag SSDs. It runs TRIM. Its SSD aware. TRIM operation is good for the ssd. So that part of the video is misleading

@maxIehner 7 месяцев назад

Otherwise, great video sir!

@frittzygaming7540 6 месяцев назад

tried plaiyng monster hunter rise, cant even load. Tried rocket league, doesnt even open

@javontedonuts1034 5 месяцев назад

Dam does even mass effect or dragon age run on it?

@javontedonuts1034 5 месяцев назад

Dam does even mass effect or dragon age run on it?

@pintobeans994 3 месяца назад

Ayaneo next life is releasing soon. Do a review on that if possible , thank u sir

@chephard 10 месяцев назад

By the way: Ayn's customer service is amazing too! They replied to my email within a few minutes! 👍

@KeiRetroGaming 10 месяцев назад

That's pretty impressive! When I needed a part for my Odin Lite they sent it out in a few days. I've been quite happy with AYNs customer service as well.