RAM and SSD prices have increased significantly over the past few months, driven by supply shortages and increased demand from AI data centers. As a result, component prices have skyrocketed. Many manufacturers have already raised prices on existing products, while others have delayed or reconsidered upcoming launches. And now, another gaming handheld has been affected.
The OrangePi Neo has officially been put on hold due to rising DDR5 RAM and SSD costs. The device was first announced in 2024 and generated interest among Linux gaming fans. It was designed as a handheld similar in form to the Steam Deck, but instead of SteamOS or Windows, it would run Manjaro Linux with KDE Plasma 6 and support Flatpak installations.
Orange Pi NEO “on ice” due to shortages
At the time of its announcement, the expected pricing looked competitive. The 16GB RAM model was projected to launch at $450, while the 32GB version was expected to cost $550. Both models were planned to include 512GB of storage. For a Linux-based handheld with that configuration, the pricing seemed reasonable.
However, current hardware market conditions have changed those expectations. RAM prices have spiked significantly, with DDR5 kits costing multiple times more than before. SSD prices have also increased sharply. This has made it difficult for the developers, small and large, to maintain the originally planned price points.
According to an update posted on the Manjaro forum, the project is now “on ice.” The team confirmed that CE and FCC certifications have already been completed, and improvements to the Manjaro Gaming Edition software are ongoing. However, they are now waiting “for a good time to launch the product.”
“Due to high prices of DDR5 RAM and SSDs the project is currently on ice. Certifications for CE and FCC are now complete. Also a lot of improvements around the Manjaro Gaming Edition had happened. We are now waiting for a good time to launch the product …”
The ongoing memory crisis has already affected several handheld devices. Just recently, both AYN and Retroid announced price hikes for some of their handhelds. Before that, we saw the Lenovo Legion Go 2 jumping over $1,800, followed by the ROG Xbox Ally X getting a price hike.