Ayn Odin 2 review: "a killer Steam Deck alternative"

GamesRadar+ Verdict GamesRadar+ Verdict The Odin 2 manages to make good on Ayn’s premise of high-end, low-cost and is the blueprint for how all upgrades should be done. If you want power that blasts its peers out of the water, the Odin 2 is a must for emulation enthusiasts and Android gamers alike.TODAY’S BEST DEALS$449at Amazon The Odin 2 manages to make good on Ayn’s premise of high-end, low-cost and is the blueprint for how all upgrades should be done. If you want power that blasts its peers out of the water, the Odin 2 is a must for emulation enthusiasts and Android gamers alike. TODAY’S BEST DEALS$449at Amazon TODAY’S BEST DEALS$449at Amazon TODAY’S BEST DEALS$449at Amazon TODAY’S BEST DEALS $449at Amazon $449at Amazon $449at Amazon Pros+Best in class handheld Android performance+Designed with actual human hands in mind+Gorgeous 60Hz 1080p screen Best in class handheld Android performance Designed with actual human hands in mind Gorgeous 60Hz 1080p screen Uncomfortable face buttons Not enough options for the back buttons Why you can trust GamesRadar+Our experts review games, movies and tech over countless hours, so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about our reviews policy. Why you can trust GamesRadar+Our experts review games, movies and tech over countless hours, so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about our reviews policy. The Ayn Odin 2 manages to take what people love about the original Odin model and improve on it tenfold. It’s still the device you love, but this updated tank now houses a Ferrari engine. It’s not a perfect handheld, and there are some glaring annoyances. But, if you’ve been waiting for something totrulyiterate on what came before and move the scene forward in a meaningful way, the Odin 2 is all that and more. Today’s best Ayn Odin 2 deals1 Amazon customer review☆☆☆☆☆$449ViewWe check over 250 million products every day for the best prices Today’s best Ayn Odin 2 deals1 Amazon customer review☆☆☆☆☆$449ViewWe check over 250 million products every day for the best prices Today’s best Ayn Odin 2 deals 1 Amazon customer review☆☆☆☆☆ 1 Amazon customer review☆☆☆☆☆ ☆☆☆☆☆ $449View $449View $449View $449View $449 $449 We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices Specs (Image credit: Future) The beating heart of the Odin 2 is the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset; the same chipset found in theSamsung Galaxy S23 Ultraand the Xiaomi 13 Pro. For Android gaming, this is a powerful chipset. For emulation, it’s a juggernaut. Ayn Odin 2 specsPrice:From$399 / £410Display:6-inch IPS touchscreenResolution:1920 x 1080Refresh rate:60HzCPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2RAM: Up to 16GB LPDDR5Storage:Up to 512GBConnectivity:USB-C, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi 7Audio:3.5mm headphone jack, BluetoothWeight:420g Ayn Odin 2 specs Price:From$399 / £410Display:6-inch IPS touchscreenResolution:1920 x 1080Refresh rate:60HzCPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2RAM: Up to 16GB LPDDR5Storage:Up to 512GBConnectivity:USB-C, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi 7Audio:3.5mm headphone jack, BluetoothWeight:420g Price:From$399 / £410Display:6-inch IPS touchscreenResolution:1920 x 1080Refresh rate:60HzCPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2RAM: Up to 16GB LPDDR5Storage:Up to 512GBConnectivity:USB-C, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi 7Audio:3.5mm headphone jack, BluetoothWeight:420g Storage, like RAM, is split across the three devices into 128GB, 256GB, or 512GB depending on how much you think you’ll need. This is what made my decision to grab the Pro model over the Base easier. You could make do with 128GB of storage, but if you’re into high-end emulation (PS2, GameCube, Switch) then that space will get filled fast. If you do opt for the 128GB model, I strongly recommend grabbing a microSD card to expand the storage just a little. Design (Image credit: Future) At first glance it’s hard to tell what exactly has changed between the original Odin and the Odin 2. Size-wise both devices look roughly the same, and both come equipped with a six-inch 1080p touchscreen. It’s when you first hold the Odin 2 that the upgrades, and issues, first breathe to life. The thumb caps on the new Hall Effect sticks - sticks less likely to suffer drift - are a massive improvement and your thumbs will thank you. Gone are the awkward convex sticks that are only good for racing games, and in their places, are two lush concave sticks your thumbs fit snuggly into. It’s a minor change, for sure, but it offers up more precision in games like Fortnite or retro platformers like Super Mario. For cooling, the Odin 2 has an active cooling system. A large vent can be found on the back of the device, with a smaller horizontal vent along the top. The back ventcanget quite cold, but never to the point of annoyance. What all this means in simpler terms is the fans are only noticeable when on high, which for most of the time using the device I rarely needed to use. (Image credit: Future) When it comes to buttons, there are buttons everywhere! Four face buttons sit on the front of the device along with four smaller buttons for start, select, and Android app control. Flip the Odin 2 over and you’ll spot two back buttons you’ll likely never use unless you’re a pro, and the excellent stacked shoulder buttons and triggers. I’ll also add, the triggers are curved upwards as seen in the AYANEO Pocket Air, which remains the most comfortable type of setup to date. So good, so far. So where’s the ‘but’? It’s those face buttons. All four of them are much smaller than those found on the ROG Ally and the roundness doesn’t help. When playing games where you need to hold down a button for a long period of time, they really dig in to the point of being almost painful. Had they been flatter, the size may be less of an issue. But right now, they’re a tolerable annoyance. Features (Image credit: Future) Ayn’s custom Android launcher can be broken down into two sections: The main Android experience and a custom game launcher. The Android side of things is your standard affair. If you’ve ever used an Android phone, it’s that, only horizontal. That’s not a bad thing either, but annoying Android kinks will be present (like not being able to change the main theme’s color), so expect to groan a few times while you’re perusing the interface. It’s the game launcher where things really pick up. Here you have all your emulators in one easy-to-navigate panel. You can add and remove new apps, or more system apps to this tab if you so choose. Swipe from the left side to access different tabs and the RGB lighting controls, or swipe from the right to adjust brightness and a handful of system options. The most impressive feature here is the option to swipe from the right while in-game and access the key mapper functionality or turn on a frame counter overlay (performance modes are accessed via the drop-down menu while in-game). It’s allsoeasy to use. While with Windows you’re always several clicks away from what you need, Ayn’s approach to Android leaves you just a couple of swipes away. And even if you end up disliking something - like the thin right sidebar - you can turn it off. You can even switch between a Nintendo and Xbox controller layout at will. It’s simplicity at its best. Performance (Image credit: Future) Can an Android device match the Steam Deck’s brutish power? Up until now, I’d have said no. I’ll still say no even after using the AYN Odin for two weeks, but that gap is now at the closest it’s ever been. Normally when I attempt to stress test a handheld, I go with something normally impossible and work my way down until something is playable. With the Odin 2, I found myself working upwards instead. Let me explain… Fine, alright, I’ll bust outthatmore intensive open-world RPG. Of course, It runs at a mostly smooth 30 with frame drops similar to how it is on the original hardware. The only place left for me to go was an even more high-end open-world RPG, and that - while not as solid as it is on Steam Deck - worked well enough that it’s playable with some caveats. Given how many horses are in this engine, it’s no surprise everything else runs without problems. PS2 at 1080p with widescreen hacks looks beautiful, as does GameCube, 3DS and everything below. Even tougher titles to emulate like God of War on PSP cruise along at 60 frames per second with minimal drops, while fast paced outings like Sonic Heroes are a visual delight. I even managed to play a few games of Fortnite Battle Royale and Fortnite Festival with the graphical settings cranked to the max. The Odin 2 really is an unstoppable beast like that. Should you buy the Ayn Odin 2? (Image credit: Future) At $299 for the Base, $369 for the Pro, and $459 for the Max, the Odin 2 comes in cheaper than the Steam Deck OLED and offers up similar levels of emulation performance. Valve’s powerhouse is still the better choice if you want to play PC games, but if you only care about emulation and want something that doesn’t feel like carrying a bag of rocks, Ayn has created a killer Steam Deck alternative. Whether it’s the scintillating performance, the excellent game launcher, or the luscious triggers and beaming screen, there’s a lot to love with this Android powerhouse. It’s pricier than a standard Anbernic or Retroid handheld, but the difference in power and quality justifies the cost 10 times over. Today’s best Ayn Odin 2 deals1 Amazon customer review☆☆☆☆☆$449ViewWe check over 250 million products every day for the best prices Today’s best Ayn Odin 2 deals1 Amazon customer review☆☆☆☆☆$449ViewWe check over 250 million products every day for the best prices Today’s best Ayn Odin 2 deals 1 Amazon customer review☆☆☆☆☆ 1 Amazon customer review☆☆☆☆☆ ☆☆☆☆☆ $449View $449View $449View $449View $449 $449 We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices How I tested the Ayn Odin 2 Over two weeks, I played with the AYN Odin 2 as my main gaming device. I’ve spent time playing a variety of different Android games like Minecraft, Call of Duty Mobile, and Fortnite, and went through a different host of Android emulators to see how each of them performed. One quick tip: Don’t use theGooglePlay Store version of Yuzu. Get the Android version from GitHub as that’s more up-to-date and offers much better performance. I also played with different configurations to test out the fan levels and the battery. During my testing, I never suffered any issues with the battery and the fan worked consistently and didn’t throw up any initial concerns. Ayn Odin 2: Price Comparison 1 Amazon customer review☆☆☆☆☆ 1 Amazon customer review☆☆☆☆☆ ☆☆☆☆☆ $449View $449View $449View $449View $449 $449 We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices Latest The 33 greatest post-credits scenes The 33 greatest post-credits scenes I can’t lie - my Christmas plans include using this 480Hz monitor to play Overwatch 2 at ridiculous speeds I can’t lie - my Christmas plans include using this 480Hz monitor to play Overwatch 2 at ridiculous speeds See more latest► Most PopularAnbernic RG28XX review: “a tiny budget handheld that fits in my weird tiny jeans pocket”Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show"Razer Kraken V4 review: “an iconic headset, all grown up"Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie"Meta Quest 3S review: “Maybe the best entry-level VR device ever created”Glorious Series 2 Pro review: “comfortable 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3 Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure” 4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years” 4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years” 4 Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years” 5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths” 5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths” 5 Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths” 1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show” 1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show” 1 Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show” 2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie” 2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie” 2 Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie” 3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action” 3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action” 3 Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action” 4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien” 4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien” 4 The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien” 5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite” 5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite” 5 Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite” 1Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat” 1Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat” 1 Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat” 2Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses” 2Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses” 2 Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses” 3Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist” 3Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist” 3 Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist” 4Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands” 4Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands” 4 Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands” 5Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place” 5Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place” 5 Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place”