During CES 2025, Acer announced two new gaming handhelds, including the massive 10.95-inch Nitro Blaze 11. Previous to this reveal, Lenovo Legion Go had the largest screen of any mainline handheld, with its 8.8-inch display.
It's one thing to read the dimensions on a spec sheet and another to visualize how large the Nitro Blaze 11 is next to other handhelds. So, I took to Photoshop to provide a visual comparison that shows how Acer's handheld sizes up against other mainstream portable PC gaming devices like Lenovo Legion Go, Legion Go S, Steam Deck, and ASUS ROG Ally. Let's take a look.
Finally, a handheld for Godzilla
Up until the Acer Nitro Blaze 11 was revealed, the Legion Go was the largest PC handheld around, with its 8.8-inch display. But now, that is no longer the case. It might sound like I'm saying that the Nitro Blaze 11 can beat up your Legion Go, but honestly, being bigger doesn't make it one of the best gaming handhelds.
The 6.7-inch tall Blaze 11 is slightly more than 1.5 inches taller than the Legion Go. Not to mention, the larger handheld's 10.95-inch display is more than two inches larger than Lenovo's handheld's screen. This larger display can help with accessibility, but it will seem rather excessive for most people unless you're Godzilla, King Kong, Treebeard, or the BFG.
Meanwhile, the ASUS ROG Ally is the shortest handheld I've listed here, and it's more than two inches shorter than Acer's PC handheld. Believe me, when a handheld is in your hands, that much of a screen and casing difference is huge.
Now that we've talked height, let's talk width. The Nitro Blaze 11 measures 14.3 inches wide, while the Legion Go is 11.8 inches wide. In other words, Acer's handheld is a whopping 2.5 inches wider than Lenovo's. Meanwhile, the Nitro Blaze 11 is more than three inches wider than the ASUS ROG Ally. Once again, that's a huge difference in your hands.
| Handheld | Dimensions |
|---|---|
| Acer Nitro Blaze 11 | 14.3 x 6.7 x 0.6 inches (363.22 x 170.18 x 15.24mm) |
| Lenovo Legion Go | 11.8 x 5.15 x 1.61 inches (299 x 131 x 41mm) |
| Lenovo Legion Go S | 11.77 x 5.02 x 0.88 inches (299 x 127.55 x 22.6mm) |
| Steam Deck | 11.7 x 4.6 x 1.9 inches (298 × 117 × 49mm) |
| ASUS ROG Ally | 11.02 x 4.37 x 0.83 inches (280 × 111 × 212 mm) |
One of the unfortunate truths about gaming handhelds is that heavier, less ergonomic, and ill-balanced ones can put a lot of strain on your hands and wrists. Considering how big the Acer Nitro Blaze 11 is, I think it's fair to say that it is going to cause some discomfort if you hold it for long stretches.
You'll probably not be shocked to learn that in addition to previously being the largest handheld, the 1.88-pound Legion Go was also the heaviest, but the 2.3-pound Acer Nitro Blaze 11 is now the heavyweight champion.
| Handheld | Weight w/ controllers |
|---|---|
| Acer Nitro Blaze 11 | 2.3 pounds (1,043.3 grams) |
| Lenovo Legion Go | 1.88 pounds (854 grams) |
| Lenovo Legion Go S | 1.63 pounds (739.3 grams) |
| Steam Deck | 1.65 pounds (748.4 grams) |
| ASUS ROG Ally | 1.34 pounds (607.8 grams) |
That said, the Blaze 11 has a built-in kickstand as well as detachable controllers, just like the Legion Go and Nintendo Switch. So, you can prop it up and control the device without putting so much weight on your hands.
Honestly, given its large size, the narrow controllers, and its hefty weight. I don't see it being feasible to use this handheld very long unless it is in tabletop mode.
Acer's handheld is massive, but why?
Over the last few years, I've spent a lot of time with various gaming handhelds. They're convenient and portable and allow me to play many of my favorite games wherever I want to be. Because of my experience with handhelds, I really don't understand the size of the Acer Nitro Blaze 11. It's going to be tricky to travel with unless you have an even larger carrying case for it.
I like the Legion Go, but even it is a bit too large for me to feel comfortable traveling with it. But now the Legion Go is small in comparison to the Nitro Blaze 11, and I can't help but ask myself, who would want this?
In addition to being the largest handheld out there, the Blaze 11 is also more expensive, which feels crazy to say when most handhelds are already at an astronomical price.
The only thing I can say about the Blaze 11 is that it will be easier for people with visual impairments to make out details on the screen. Plus, being so large means it can be used more like a laptop if you pair a keyboard and mouse to it. The thing is, I can already do that with the Legion Go or with any other Windows handheld installed in a docking station. There's a very small market for this, if any, and I doubt it is going to sell well.
Still, if you've got a Rock-Biter's large, strong hands and are still interested in getting the Nitro Blaze 11, you'll soon be able to buy this device for $1,099.99 when it releases sometime in Q2 2025.
