This Linux gaming handheld is now on hold, thanks to RAM and SSD price hikes
The flash memory price surge has already affected RAM sticks, SSDs, laptops, pre-built desktops, phones, and many other devices. You can now add the OrangePi Neo to the list, a portable Linux-powered gaming PC that was supposed to be released soon.
The OrangePi Neo was first announced in early 2024, by the same company that sells single-board computers like the Orange Pi 5 Ultra. It has a similar design to Steam Deck, with an AMD Ryzen 7 7840U chipset and a 7-inch 1920 x 1200 display. The specs list also includes 16 or 32 GB of RAM, 512 GB or 2 TB of NVMe storage, a 50 Wh battery and two USB4 ports.
The OrangePi Neo’s biggest selling point is that it’s designed from the ground up to run Manjaro Linux, instead of the SteamOS, Android, or Windows operating systems found on other similar handhelds. The main interface is built around gamepad controls and launching games, but it can also switch to a standard Plasma desktop. It’s also designed around Flatpak apps and an immutable system framework.
Unfortunately, the OrangePi Neo is now on indefinite hold. An update on the Manjaro forum explains: “Due to the high prices of DDR5 RAM and SSDs, the project is currently on ice. CE and FCC certifications have now been completed. Many improvements have also taken place around Manjaro Gaming Edition. We are now waiting for the right time to launch the product.”
There have been many, many, a lot other products affected by rising flash memory prices, so it’s no surprise that the OrangePi Neo also faces this. In the Linux hardware world alone, the cost of most Raspberry Pi boards has increased over the past few months – first in December 2025, then again in February.
8 Weird and Wacky Linux Hardware Devices
Linux software is fun to tinker with. Some of the material can also be.
Unfortunately, there is no end in sight to the ongoing supply chain problems. Most of the demand is coming from new and improved data centers designed for generative AI workloads, and it’s not slowing down. If the OrangePi team is waiting for lower prices to release the Neo, the wait will likely be long.
The Steam Deck OLED is currently the best Linux gaming handheld, but all models are currently out of stock “due to memory and storage shortages”, at least for now. The cheaper Steam Deck LCD with 256 GB of storage is no longer in production.
Source: Manjaro Forums via TechPowerUp
