The AYN Odin2 is a handheld game console with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor, support for up to 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage, and Android 13 software. In other words, it has the specs of a flagship phone… but it’s not a phone, it’s a device designed for gaming.
It has built-in game controllers, a fan for active cooling, and a pretty attractive price tag: the Odin2 is up for pre-order through an Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign with Early Bird perks starting under $300 and suggested retail prices starting at $339. AYN says the Odin2 should begin shipping to backers in December, but keep in mind that the company doesn’t have the best track record for shipping products on schedule.
AYN has been teasing the upcoming handheld for a few weeks, and released detailed specs and pricing information shortly before the launch of the crowdfunding campaign.
The company is offering three different configurations:
| Base: 8GB/128GB | Pro: 12GB/256GB | Max: 16GB/512GB | |
| Early Bird price | $299 | $369 | $449 |
| Retail price | $339 | $439 | $499 |
| Color options | Black only | Transparent Blue, Transparent Purple, Black Grey, white | |
| Perks | N/A | N/A | Bag & screen protector |
All models will have the same design, which includes a 6 inch FHD display, game controllers with dual backlit analog sticks featuring hall sensors, and all the buttons you should need to play most mobile or console games.
While you don’t really need a dedicated gaming device to play most Android games (which were, after all, designed for touchscreen smartphones and tablets), those controllers could come in handy for cloud game streaming or playing console titles through emulators. And with Qualcomm’s 2022 flagship processor, this little device should offer substantially better performance than you’d get from other devices in this category like the Logitech G Cloud or Razer Edge.
One other thing that sets the Odin2 apart from a flagship phone is that it doesn’t have a cellular modem, so there’s no support for mobile data or for talk or text of cell networks.
Here’s a full run-down of the specs for AYN’s new Android-powered handheld.
| AYN Odin2 specs | |
| Display | 6 inches 1920 x 1080 pixels IPS LCD Touchscreen |
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 |
| RAM | 8GB / 12GB / 16GB LPDDR5x |
| Storage | 128GB / 256GB / 512GB UFS 4.0 |
| OS | Android 13 |
| Ports | 1 x USB 3.1 Type-C 1 x mini HDMI 1 x 3.5mm audio 1 x microSD card reader |
| Wireless | WiFi 7 Bluetooth 5.3 |
| Battery | 8,000 mAh |
| Charging | 65W Qualcomm Quick Charge 5.0 |
| Security | Fingerprint sensor |
| Audio | Stereo front-facing speakers 3.5mm audio jack |
| Cooling | Active (fan) |
| Controllers | A, X, B, Y buttons Start, Select, Home, Back buttons Dual backlit analog sticks (with hall sensors and L3 and R3 click functionality) D-Pad Shoulder triggers M1 and M2 rear programmable macro keys |
| Dimensions | 225 x 98 x 17mm |
| Weight | 420 grams |
The company will also offer an optional docking accessory called the Super Dock. It measures 123 x 92 x 43mm and has a USB-C connector that lets you set the Odin2 directly in the dock to connect an external display, USB peripherals, or an Ethernet cable, among other things.
The Super Dock’s ports include:
- 2 x USB 3.0
- 2 x USB 2.0
- 1 x HDMI
- 1 x Gigabit Ethernet
- 1 x USB-C power input
Pricing for the Super Dock hasn’t been revealed yet.
AYN has a bit of a mixed track record in the handheld space. On the one hand, the company’s original Odin was praised by many for its design, performance, and price point… but it took longer than anticipated for units to begin shipping to backers of a crowdfunding campaign and some folks complained that the company seemed to be biting off more than it could chew when it announced the Windows-powered Loki when it was still dealing with a significant shipping backlog for the Odin.
The company began shipping some Loki units this June, but certain models of that handheld have yet to ship, and some customers have been waiting a very long time to receive hardware.
All of which is to say that the Odin2 looks like a pretty nice little device, but it probably only makes sense to back the upcoming crowdfunding campaign if you’re willing to wait patiently for a (potentially long) time before your handheld ships.
For those wondering, size comparison between Odin 1 and #AYNOdin2 pic.twitter.com/RvEFfK3YyI
— AYN Loki (@Ayn_Loki) August 18, 2023
This article was first published on August 18, 2023 and most recently updated August 22, 2023.Â
I wonder how long this one is going to get delayed like the previous AYN handhelds.
This is a fundraiser, so you’ll need to add postage and tax to the final price.
If you have any problems with the hardware or software, you’ll have to fend for yourself.
At that price, you might as well get a top-of-the-range smarphone running Linux and plug in a controller.
Top of the range smartphones don’t run linux…
Odin 1 is one of the best supported handheld out there, they do answer if you have Question, they repair and replace hardware if you have problem, check their subreddit to know feedback of people who actual bough odin 1. Also they add things which actual benefit gamers like Booting multiple OS, ability to Overclock/Underclock Soc etc.
Thanks for your comments, I’m going to have a closer look, I couldn’t see the use for which it should be bought, I may have thrown the stone too quickly, but this product still seems to me to be an Indiegogo dream catcher.
At $400 with a 5G module, I’d have seen things quite differently.
A good midrange smartphone like the Pixel 7A costs $500. While I personally like and buy $200-$300 Android phones I never deceive myself as to what I am getting. The “software” here is Android, which is the most popular and successful operating system and platform in the world by a mile and has been for over 10 years (it doesn’t get credit as such from the western tech media because they all use iPhones, iPads and MacBooks). And you are going to have to pay tax on any device.
Incidentally I am a longtime Linux user – mostly for work but also for home/casual use – and let me say that unless you are a system administrator or software engineer, Linux on ARM is an idea that works a lot better in theory than in practice. The list of apps that would work on a 6 inch touchscreen device powered by a smartphone SOC isn’t very big.
Popular and successful=/= quality and reliability.
It does when alternatives exist. A lot of people have rewritten history to pretend as if Google was always this monopolistic monster who crushed competition in the marketplace, but at the time that they introduced Android not only were there plenty of other platforms already there – Blackberry OS, SymbianOS, Windows Mobile, webOS – but they were being pushed by bigger companies. Not just Microsoft, who is still bigger than Google to this day, but Nokia was bigger than Google back then. For goodness sakes, YAHOO was bigger than Google back then. And even after Android was introduced other options came along: Ubuntu Touch, Tizen, Firefox OS etc.
If there were other options that offered superior “quality and reliability” why did Android go from 0 to billions of users in 5 years?
I’m delighted that you’ve found the version of Linux that suits you best.
There are quality controllers like this for smartphones/tablets.
https://eu.redmagic.gg/products/redmagic-shadow-blade-gamepad and at least 15 different smartphones with adreno 740.
I just think it’s a shame that there’s no LTE/5G modem, which would have given this console an advantage over other wifi consoles, but for this price it’s an excellent Snapdragon Dev board.
I had my doubts about this price. If they really start taking orders at $299, I’ll be impressed.
However, I still have my doubts about the shipping timeframe. In the few products that AYN has announced, none of them have shipped in a reasonable timeframe.
I’m not going to pre-order. I’ll gladly wait and pay retail price to avoid the risk.
Also, I’m impressed that they’re offering 12gb and 16gb RAM options. This is going to attract people who want it for Switch emulation, which requires 12gb RAM minimum for many Switch titles.
Very few care about emulating the Switch. People just buy a Switch. But emulating GC/Wii/PS2/PS3? Yeah, these specs would shine!