Gigabyte CEO Eddie Lin says the company won't launch an Aorus gaming handheld until it finds a way to stand out from the crowded market. In a recent PCWorld interview, Lin pointed to the striking similarity between most devices, from the Steam Deck to the ROG Ally and Legion Go. He argues that following the current template, popular with Chinese brands like Ayaneo and OneXPlayer, makes it easy to meet demand but hard to innovate.

The handheld PC gaming space has exploded since Valve's Steam Deck proved there was real demand. Now, nearly every major PC manufacturer is rushing to release a device, but designs have converged on a similar form factor with minor tweaks to ergonomics or display specs. Lin's comments suggest Gigabyte is wary of releasing just another clone, fearing it would get lost in a sea of look-alike competitors.

Gigabyte is clearly watching the market, but Lin's specific call-out of Chinese brands and their template-driven approach signals a deliberate strategy. The company wants to offer something genuinely distinct, not just another variation on the same theme. For consumers, this could mean waiting longer for a new entrant, but it might also lead to more inventive hardware when Gigabyte finally decides to commit.