Handheld gaming company AYN made a bit of a splash a few years ago with the introduction of the AYN Odin handheld game console: a compact, affordable, and reasonably powerful device with an ARM-based processor and Android-based software.
AYN followed that up with a x86/Windows model called the AYN Loki, which has been a bit less of a slam dunk due to redesigns and shipping delays. But now the company is going back to its roots and preparing to launch an AYN Odin2, a handheld game console with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor.
The company has been slowly revealing details about the Odin2. After sharing a pretty sparse teaser of an Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign, AYN followed up with an official image and a short video showing the new design. And the now AYN has also revealed that the Odin2 will have a starting price of $299 for a model with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, although higher priced models with 12GB/256GB or 16GB/512GB will also be available.
And the Odin2 will come in five different color options.
The AYN Odin2 looks similar to the first-gen model in a lot of ways. It has what looks like a 16:9 display sandwiched between a set of game controllers with A, B, X, Y buttons, Start and Select keys, four additional buttons (for Android navigation), a D-Pad and two analog sticks with lighting under the sticks.
We can also see stereo front-facing speakers, a microphone, shoulder triggers, and two additional buttons on the back of the handheld.
AYN hasn’t revealed what processor the Odin2 will have, but the marketing materials show a Qualcomm Snapdragon logo, so it seems like a safe bet that the device will use a Qualcomm chip.
Like the original Odin, the new handheld has a fan for active cooling, which could help give it an edge over smartphones or tablets with similar specs. There’s a large air intake vent on the back of the Odin2 and a smaller vent on top where hot air can be exhausted.
Other features include light strips on the left and right sides of the grips, a power button and what looks like a fingerprint sensor on the top, and a docking station with at least two USB ports on one side.
The handheld itself appears to have at least two ports of some kind: one on top and another on bottom. It’s hard to make out what kind of ports they are, but I’d be surprised if the Odin2 didn’t have at least one USB port and one 3.5mm audio jack. The original Odin also had a mini HDMI port and support for WiFi 5 and Bluetooth 5.0.
AYN should reveal more details about the Odin2 closer to launch. In the meantime you can still pick up a first-gen AYN Odin. Prices currently start at about $200 for an AYN Odin Lite with a MediaTek Dimensity D900 processor. Higher-priced Odin models feature Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 chips and, theoretically, prices for those models currently start at $239. But the 4GB RAM/64GB storage Odin Base is out of stock, so customers looking to pick up a Snapdragon model will have to pay at least $287 for an Odin Pro with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of memory or more.
Update: AYN has released an unboxing video and a bunch of real-world pictures of the Odin2:
This article was first published August 1, 2023 and most recently updated August 14, 2023.
They haven’t even shipped any loki mini pro so far, way past a year after announcement. It will probably be obsolete by the time it ships at this point (if it does at all), and yet they announce new devices?
This looking more and more like a pyramid scheme tbh
Agreed.
I would NOT but this, because it is too good to be true. Also AYN has demonstrated a history of not delivering on their promises.
Let’s say it’s all true, if you pre-order in September 2023, you will receive your unit in July 2024, and it costs $300 + Shipping, and it comes with the QC 8g2. Oh okay. But it doesn’t address the concerns I raised earlier.
It’s still less capable than the Valve SteamDeck, or the new ASUS ROG Ally, or the expensive GPD Win-Max-3. If I was a millionaire, so money is no object, I would have a hard time choosing the AYN Odin 2.
They should still take my advice: make a device that is very comfortable in the pocket, so around the size of a PS Vita Slim, and make it very consumer friendly and make a lot of profit. I’m talking IPS screen (no burn-in), User Removable Battery, Storage, Easily Repairable, Unlockable Bootloader, and some specs that will age like wine. The market is open for it.
Not sure why my other comment got deleted. But you’re right.
Even if it ships, it will be outdated with the likes of QC 8g3 and QC 8g4 coming out. Despite that, there’s very little to take advantage of all that power.
They should take my advice, make something very comfortable in the pocket, like 4.5in with PSP size, at least then it won’t be competing for space/attention with the likes of the Valve SteamDeck or ASUS ROG Ally or the GPD Win-Max-3.
Looks like AYN has announced that it will use the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. That’s the best news we could have heard about this.
However, I have my doubts about the price now. I really doubt it will launch at $299. They have more than enough time to jump that price up to $350 or even $399.
How’s AYN’s warranty support? Is it crap too like the other handheld companies (except Valve, I guess)?
I really hope we can get an ARM handheld with explicit Windows support (which itself is barred by Windows and how closed it is). The Ayn Odin 1 Base/Pro could do a pretty decent job of playing games in Windows 11, and having support for that kind of thing that doesn’t have to be reverse-engineered would be so dang cool. The battery life would likely far surpass that of the x64 Windows handhelds (certainly at a pretty sizeable performance hit, but still, the performance wouldn’t be bad if the gameplay done on the 5 generstion-old SD845 is anything to go off of)
That would be a neat idea. The unofficial builds that we’ve seen for various smartphones and the original Odin have been impressive.
I don’t know if this is true, but my impression has been that emulating Windows games on ARM using x86 emulation has better performance and compatibility than Steam Deck has using its Proton translation feature.
I’ve seen a few Youtube videos showing Snapdragon 855 and 865 devices running Windows 11, and playing Gamecube games on Dolphin with higher performance than a Steam Deck manages.
I would just use Steam in ‘Big picture mode’ as a gaming frontend.
I’ve seen the opposite.
If I was looking for a large, portable handheld to run Windows Programs, the choice between x86 and ARM would be too easy.
Being younger I would be all for tinkering and whatnot, but as I get older, my time gets more valuable. I rather get mediocre battery life on x86, than to spend many hours to get ARM compatibility to work, all with some middling results.
We’re not dealing with the likes of the 2015 Intel Atom x7-8750 chipsets anymore, whilst we’ve had steady BUT very slow progress
(m7-6y75, i7-7y75, V1605b, 2700u, i7-8665u, i7-10510Y, 4980u, i7-1180g7, 5700u, i7-1260u, 5800u)
…. the fact is that lately the choice of x86 hardware in that category has been really REALLY good (Aerith, 6600u, Z1, 7640u, 6800u, Z1e, 7840u).
I want ARM so we can get super slim and compact devices capable of running Windows games. That is, for me, super desirable. I have a Win Max 2 which has both great performance and decent battery life, but it is massive!
I think it’s more a matter of explicit support for this form factor that would make it viable. I’m not suggesting that this be done but still require a ton of tinkering to get it to work. ARM Windows has decent support for x86/x64 programs, albeit with the myriad issues present as of yet, but I think continued development in this space, especially with actual backing from software makers like Microsoft could make this happen.
But I do agree with you overall, as I don’t like tinkering with this kind of thing for too long either (Though I’m still pretty young but I have ADHD, so my attention span is horrendous). From what I’ve seen, having the initial work done in just getting the OS to run is where most of the issues end, as the OS makes running these applications fairly painless, compatibility quirks notwithstanding.
Why do I get Nintendo Switch, but with LED vibes from this?
I wonder if it’s going to be heavily delayed. I gave them the benefit of the doubt with the Loki and thought they’re a more mature company after the Odin but that Loki got significantly delayed too.
So we’ll see with this one. Maybe it’ll just get the more expected slight delay.
One thing to keep in mind is that AYN is the same company as Retroid, they just release products under 2 different brand names. They’ve released several ARM-powered handhelds with reasonable timeframes since the Odin launched. So I think they’ve likely ironed out their product development process a bit.
Yet 2 of 2 AYN handhelds have had significant delays.
Let’s see if it’ll be 3 of 3.
Firstly: According to those renders, there is a microHDMI port at the top of the device. On the bottom is a 3.5mm Headphone Jack, and a USB-C port. Just like the AYN Odin 1.
Whilst this device ticks a lot of boxes for a lot of people, I do have concerns/wants. I want AYN to make a variant of this Odin2, but one that is able to fit into your pocket. So basically something around the size of a PS Vita, or slightly smaller.
If I have the AYN Odin2 and a Valve SteamDeck, indoors and around the house I’m going to be reaching for the SteamDeck everytime. Yet, if I’m heading outdoors and one of them is pocketable I’m tempted to reach for that instead. If BOTH devices require me to stow them away in my backpack, then I’ve again made the decision to bring the SteamDeck instead of the AYN Odin2.
The only level that AYN could compete is on price, yet with constant discounts, refurbished, and used market… I don’t see AYN having much/any advantage there compared to Valve’s device.
TL:DR – AYN please make something compelling but for pockets, and not backpacks. That’s where ARM-hardware has huge advantage over x86-hardware.
Exactly, this devices are borderline to be pocketeable, just almost there, they just need to be a little smaller. If they can’t then there is no point of using this over a Steam Deck, they could do the very thing the Steam Deck could never, be there ready to go all the time to have on your jean pocket, no case, no backpack or anything extra needed, just like your phone. Its the easiest path for this companies to actually differenciate from the solid and very well stablished Steam Deck.
Today, in AYN’s discord server, one of their reps revealed that the Snapdragon chip in the Odin2 is going to be more powerful than the Snapdragon 888.
So I’m assuming it’s going to be an 888+, or an 8 Gen 1. Or it could be the G3x Gen 1, which I think is just a rebadged 888+.
If this is true, this will make it more powerful than the upcoming AYA Neo Pocket Air, and it will have the advantage of having an Adreno GPU, which often gets better framerates in games and emulators on Android.
That sounds really tempting
Or 7+ gen 2, this soc is better than 888, has price point of around $300 and make sense for handheld because it’s easy to cool.
This.
If it is “faster” than the QSD 888, that means we aren’t looking at chipset variants like the QSD 860, QSD 778, 780, 782G, QC 7CX g3, QC 7g1, QSD 870, or QSD 888.
It could mean QSD 888+, QC 8g1, QC 7g2+, QC 8g1+, QC 8CX g3, or the QC 8g2.
The QC 8CX g3 would give you the option of booting Windows (albeit v11), and running UWP Apps, or inefficiently/slowly using software emulation to run outdated x86 Programs. I think an x86-hardware like 6800u or 7840u makes more sense instead.
I would be most happy with the QC 7g2+. Battery life is important, as is price.
The Snapdragon 7 gen 2 does indeed sound like the most likely option, considering the $299 price point.
Seems its sd 8 gen 2, they official anounced it. Too good to be true.