AYN has introduced the Odin 2 portable android gaming console, which features the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset. This is a big upgrade over the original Odin which used the six years old SD 845 processor.
This launch comes as portable gaming devices like the Steam Deck and ASUS ROG Ally continue to gain traction in popularity. This could be a great alternative to those handhelds. The company revealed specifications of the device outlining details about storage, processor, and notably, a competitive affordable price of $299. For comparison Steam Deck price starts at $399 and ROG Ally starts at $599.
But In our opinion Odin 2 is more of a compilation to gaming phones than the Steam Deck and ROG Ally because it can’t run pc games. Majority of people buy gaming smartphones to play mobile games and for retro emulation. And Odin 2 will be perfect for that while being more affordable than a gaming phone. Another advantage of Odin 2 over a gaming phone is you will be able play games using physical controls instead of touch control.
Odin 2 could really pose a threat to gaming smartphones. Then again it can’t make phone calls or take pictures. The base model of Odin 2 will have a starting price of $299 and come with 8 GB of RAM and 128 GB of internal storage. There will be two additional options available: one with 12 GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage, and another with 16 GB of RAM and 512 GB of storage.
The design of the Odin 2 looks very similar to their Odin pro model. Odin Pro had a 5.98-inch 60Hz LCD display, 6600mAh battery, wifi 5 USB c and dual speaker. So the Odin 2 specs should be similar. The console will available in five different colors which is Black, White, Retro, transparent blue and transparent purple.
In addition to playing mobile games and retro emulation, you can also play pc games using cloud gaming services like Geforce Now, Xbox Game Pass and potentially PlayStation in the future. It’s important to note that this would necessitate a consistent fast internet connection. You will also be able to stream your steam games from your pc.
Read also: Snapdragon 8+ Gen 2 powering RedMagic 8S Pro scores 1.7M in AnTuTu
In contrast to Windows handheld consoles utilizing X86 AMD or Intel processors the Odin 2 uses an ARM Qualcomm processor which More battery efficient. So you will definitely get a lot better battery life compared to window or Linux handhelds. People are really excited about this handheld.
Source: