Pictured: The Acer Nitro Blaze 11AcerWere going to see an explosion of gaming handheld news coming out of CES 2025 (except for a Steam Deck 2 announcement), and it looks like Acer is swinging for the fences. The company just revealed two AMD-powered handhelds that will launch in Q2: the Nitro Blaze 8 and the gargantuan Nitro Blaze 11.Both handhelds are powered by the AMD Ryzen 7 8840HS processor and Radeon 780M graphics. In terms of pure graphics horsepower, its on a level playing field with the Lenovo Legion Go and Asus ROG Ally X. Both feature Hall Effect triggers and sticks, and both include 16GB of memory. As youll see below, the Nitro Blaze 8 looks competitive, but also risks being lost among a sea of similar products.The Nitro Blaze 11, however, stands out. Lets talk about it.Quick Specs: Acer Nitro Blaze 8 + Nitro Blaze 11The Nitro Blaze 8 and Nitro Blaze 11 share some common specs across both devices, with the main difference centering on the display.Processor: AMD Ryzen 7 8840HSGraphics: AMD Radeon 780M (RDNA 3)Memory: 16GB LPDDR5X @ 7500 MT/sStorage: up to 2TB PCIe Gen 4 NVMe driveNitro Blaze 8 Display: 8.8 WQXGA (2560x1600 IPS at 120Hz)Nitro Blaze 11 Display: 10.95 (2560x1600 IPS @ 120Hz)Battery: 55WhWeight: 720g (Nitro Blaze 8) / 1050g (Nitro Blaze 11)Baseline Launch Prices (US): $899 and $1199MORE FOR YOUI was admittedly a bit harsh when Acer unveiled its Nitro Blaze 7 handheld last September, mainly because of its cheap, toy-like aesthetic. Perhaps Acer took the medias criticism to heart, because the design language of the newly unveiled Nitro Blaze 8 and Nitro Blaze 11 is more subdued. Those garish fuel gauge graphics are nowhere to be found, replaced by more tasteful accents adorning its chassis. Thank you, Acer!Additionally, the Nitro Blaze 7s dedicated button to pull up an onscreen keyboard was pretty much the only feature that distinguished it from competitors. This time around, Acer has a few advantages worth calling out and considering.Obviously, we need to chat about this massive display first. This will surely be a love it or hate it screen size.To the best of my knowledge, this is the largest screen of any mainstream gaming handheld currently on the market. It actually clocks in at 10.95-inches, but thats still more than 2-inches bigger than the Lenovo Legion Gos 8.8-inch display. The Nitro Blaze 11s screen outputs at 2560x1600 with a 120Hz refresh rate.That oversized display means added weight, and the Nitro Blaze 11 weighs in at 1050g, or 2.3 pounds. Im not sure it would be comfortable to play in bed! But I kinda love the idea of a huge display on my handheld. Its easier on my aging eyes, admittedly. And while the included Radeon 780M graphics wont drive many graphically demanding games at the devices native resolution, indie games and emulated retro games should look awesome with that much screen real estate.Unfortunately, both the 8 and 11 models also share the same 55Wh battery. Without question, youll be charging the Nitro Blaze 11 more often than its smaller 8 sibling. The space is definitely there to add a larger capacity battery, but Acer told PC World (video embedded above) it was concerned with making the device too heavy.Nitro Blaze 11: More Than Just The Size AdvantageIts important for these devices to stand out, and the Nitro Blaze 11 certainly has a few features to distinguish it from the pack.The Nitro Blaze 11 has detachable controllers. AcerNotably, it has a front camera (the exact specs werent disclosed) to utilize for streaming or video chats. Like the Lenovo Legion Go, it also has a sturdy kickstand and detachable controllers. And last but not least, it packs three USB ports. Theres a USB 4 Type-C with Thunderbolt, a standard USB 3.2 Type-C, and a good old fashioned Type-A slot.These features combined make the Nitro Blaze 11 a potentially viable desktop replacement too, without needing to buy a dedicated dock. Im not sold on it yet, but Im definitely intrigued. Especially if I can end up installing SteamOS on it.The Nitro Blaze 8 and Nitro Blaze 11 are slated to launch Q2 2025.