Update (October 21, 11:50 am ET): AYN has revealed the full list of specs, along with colors and pricing.
What you need to know
- AYN has announced its next Android-powered handheld, the Odin 2 Portal.
- The Odin 2 Portal features a 7-inch OLED display, with a 1080p resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate.
- It will be made available for pre-order through Indiegogo, with the campaign expected to begin in the coming weeks.
While the temperatures outside continue to drop, the Android gaming handheld scene is starting to heat up. AYN surprised many by announcing its next handheld in the Odin 2 Portal.
There are a few key differences between the Odin 2 and the upcoming Odin 2 Portal, starting with the display. The Odin 2 sports a 6-inch LCD display paired with a 60Hz refresh rate, while the Odin 2 Portal features a 7-inch AMOLED screen, with a 120Hz refresh rate.
Something that remains unchanged is that AYN will continue to lean on the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 with the Odin 2 Portal. This might come as a bit of a surprise given that the Ayaneo Pocket S and upcoming Pocket EVO are powered by the Snapdragon G3x Gen 2.
We aren't really sure if this is due to an exclusive deal between Ayaneo and Qualcomm, or if AYN would rather just stick with what it knows. In reality, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 still provides more than enough oomph for a dedicated Android gaming handheld.
Not much else is known about the Odin 2 Portal just yet, as we'll likely have to wait until the Indiegogo campaign is live. We're curious to see what storage and RAM configurations there are, and of course, how much it will cost.
AYN has been fairly quiet in 2024, with the only major release coming in the form of the PS Vita-like Odin 2 Mini back in June. Besides that, the Android gaming handheld space has been dominated by the likes of Ayaneo, and more recently, Retroid with the Pocket 5 and Pocket Mini.
Speaking of which, the Odin 2 Portal appears to be a direct competitor to the Ayaneo Pocket EVO. The EVO was announced in early August but has yet to actually be released, although the Indiegogo page says it's expected to arrive sometime in November. It too features a 7-inch OLED display but with a higher 165Hz refresh rate, and a starting price of $499.
Update
It's been about a week since AYN initially announced the Odin 2 Portal, leaving us with quite a few questions about the upcoming handheld. In that time, a bit of information has trickled out, but now, we know pretty much everything there is to know about the Odin 2 Portal.
Initially, it was expected to only be available in two colors, but AYN is "Indigo" color joins the Silver and Black options. This is definitely going right for the nostalgia, as it looks fairly similar to the GameCube colorway.
We already knew that Odin 2 Portal would be powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, and sport a 7-inch OLED display. However, AYN has revealed the rest of the spec-sheet for its next handheld.
Besides the screen and design, these specs pretty much match up to what AYN offered with the Odin 2. The only major difference is that the Odin 2 Portal ditches the 256GB of storage option while introducing 1TB of storage.
Lastly, AYN revealed how much the Odin 2 Portal is going to cost. Along with the different configurations, there are also three different phases for pricing. It all starts with the Indiegogo Super Early Bird, as the Base model comes in at just $299, complete with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage.
The "Pro" version includes 12GB of RAM and 512GB of storage and costs $379. Rounding out the pack is the Odin 2 Portal "Max" with 16GB of RAM and 1TB of storage for $479. However, the Super Early Bird campaign won't last long, as there will be limited quantities in this price bracket.
Once satisfied, the IGG Early Bird period will kick in, raising prices across the board. The Odin 2 Portal Base will cost $329, with the Pro priced at $399 and the Max coming in at $499. After the Indiegogo campaign has come to an end, the retail pricing will be in effect, with price tiers of $349, $429, and $529, respectively.
Those interested in pre-ordering the Odin 2 Portal will be able to do so beginning on October 23 at 8 am ET.
