Acer has officially entered the handheld gaming market with its massive Nitro Blaze 11, unveiled at CES 2025. This behemoth of a device boasts a staggering 10.95-inch screen, making it the largest of its kind, and a significant challenger to Valve's Steam Deck. But how does it fare in terms of ergonomics, performance, and overall gaming experience?

Our hands-on experience with the Nitro Blaze 11 revealed that, despite its massive size, the device feels surprisingly light, weighing in at 2.3 pounds. However, it's still a far cry from the Steam Deck OLED's 1.41 pounds, which feels like a featherweight in comparison. The build quality of the Blaze 11 is solid, but it doesn't quite match the Steam Deck's more premium feel.

One of the standout features of the Nitro Blaze 11 is its impressive screen real estate, which provides an immersive gaming experience. The kickstand also feels solid, allowing for comfortable gaming in tablet mode with detached controllers – a feature the Steam Deck can't match. Acer has also opted for Hall effect sticks and triggers, which is a notable advantage.

Despite its impressive specs, the Nitro Blaze 11's ergonomics leave something to be desired. The device's massive size makes it precarious to hold, and the Steam Deck OLED's more compact design feels more comfortable in the hand. The Acer launcher, which sits atop Windows, also feels a bit Spartan compared to Valve's SteamOS, which is Linux-based.

The Nitro Blaze 11 is set to launch in Q2 2025, priced at a hefty $1,099. With the impending arrival of the Lenovo Legion Go S and the constantly leaking Nintendo Switch 2, the handheld gaming market is heating up. It remains to be seen how the Blaze 11 will fare in this competitive landscape, but its impressive specs and features make it a compelling option for gamers.

In conclusion, Acer's Nitro Blaze 11 is an ambitious attempt to challenge the Steam Deck's dominance in the handheld gaming market. While it falls short in terms of ergonomics, its impressive screen and features make it a notable contender. As the market continues to evolve, it will be interesting to see how the Blaze 11 performs and how it will influence the development of future handheld gaming devices.