Is this Nintendo Switch rival, the Ayn Odin, the ultimate retro handheld?

It generally feels as if we’ll watch for hell to freeze over earlier than Nintendo releases Nintendo 64 or GameDice video games on its Switch handhelds – or a minimum of till it lastly reveals no matter Nintendo Switch Pro gadget is rumored to be ready in the wings.

But a robust new handheld gadget, designed with the retro gamer in thoughts, could beat it to the punch. The Odin, a crowdfunded gadget by Chinese producer Ayn, seems set to be the ultimate in handheld gaming.

While the core specs of the gadget stay shrouded in secrecy, there’s proof that the Odin may very well be amongst the strongest handheld gaming gadgets ever constructed. Running Android and powered by a few of the newest cellular inner {hardware}, it’ll have sufficient grunt to run the most demanding of cellular video games, like Genshin Impact, at prime settings with out breaking a sweat, whereas additionally having the ability to emulate 3D consoles as much as and together with the likes of the GameDice flawlessly.

Though specs have but to be formally launched, leaks level to a few fashions of the Odin being launched. At current, it’s believed each the “Base” and “Pro” Odin fashions will run off the Snapdragon 855+ SoC, with 4GB of RAM in the Base model and 8GB of RAM in the Pro model, backed by 64GB and 128GB of storage respectively, and with retail pricing for the two fashions anticipated to land someplace between $199 and $299. A 3rd model, an entry degree model, will are available at underneath $200, and make use of the weaker MediaTek Dimensity D1000C chipset, with 64GB of storage and 4GB of RAM, if rumors are to be believed.

The in-production Ayn Odin handheld

(Image credit score: Ayn)

All function comparable sizings and designs to the Nintendo Switch Lite, with 6-inch, 1080p IPS touchscreen shows, twin analog sticks, pressure-sensitive analog triggers, and a hidden pair of extra mappable buttons in the grips. USB-C, 4K HDMI out, Wi-Fi 5 and Bluetooth 5 are all baked in, in addition to an lively cooling system to maintain the chip from throttling underneath heavy load.

But this is simply the tip of the iceberg of what makes the Odin particular.

Docks, button mapping and extra

For starters, in contrast to different rival Chinese handhelds, Ayn is ready to supply a sold-separately docking station for the Odin, which (very similar to the Switch) will allow you to take pleasure in your on-the-go video games on the big-screen when at house. It’s going one higher than the majority of docks nonetheless by providing ports for native or third get together N64 and GameDice controllers. It additionally has USB 3.0 ports, Ethernet, USB-C, 4K / 60fps HDMI, and area for a 2.5-inch onerous drive.

The handheld itself encompasses a customized, game-focused launcher on prime of Android, totally customizable to allow you to tweak the structure of your apps and emulators to your liking – way more customizable than the Switch’s present UI. But it additionally options a superb touchscreen-to-pad button mapping interface, letting you assign the handheld’s buttons to corresponding touchscreen instructions. What’s extra, when docked, these mapping profiles might be lined up with wi-fi controllers, letting you lean again on the sofa to play Android video games with bodily controls.

With an anticipated launch window of November 2021, Odin is nearly the most enjoyable handheld gadget we’ve seen come out of China.

Analysis: A brand new technology of handheld gadgets

Nintendo could have set the commonplace with the Nintendo Switch, however in the intervening years, the competitors has not solely heated up, however caught up with the Japanese masters. The Odin represents not solely the first time {that a} Chinese handheld seems to have matched Nintendo’s function set, but additionally surpassed it, too.

Of course, Nintendo’s ace up its sleeve is its first get together growth studios – you received’t see Breath of the Wild 2 on the Odin, for example, with Nintendo’s high quality seal software program unique to its {hardware}. But the need to play Nintendo (and different producers’) again catalogue of video games can't be underestimated, and there are numerous players prepared to dip into the murky waters of recreation emulation to entry them. With the likes of the GameDice, N64, Sega Dreamcast and noughties and nineties-era PlayStation console titles onerous to legally come by proper now, it’s no surprise handheld makers like Ayn are filling the hole by offering intrepid (and legally doubtful) players with the instruments to as soon as once more to play these video games.

Nintendo has competitors from different famous producers seeking to enter into its area too – the Steam Deck from Valve is wanting equally spectacular, comes from a revered and trusted model, and appears equally versatile when it comes to what it could play to the Odin. Its trump card after all is entry to the Steam catalogue of PC video games, one thing the Odin even can’t match – although the Android base of Odin would open it as much as the many PC recreation streaming providers, like Xbox Game Pass, which might be beginning to spring up.

It’s an thrilling time to be a handheld gamer then, and Ayn’s Odin could also be a darkish horse in this new generational struggle.