Even with the Odin Portal about to drop, I still went with the Odin 2 Pro Rainbow variant and I'm so effing glad I did. The 6" IPS screen isn't OLED but still delivers a drop dead gorgeous picture. I've never played such a perfect hand held, and the Rainbow variant looks so damn good. Thanks for the excellent video.
Although i didn't need one, i went ahead and ordered the Max as i feel like supporting AYN for listening to the gamers and building something that we actually want instead of all of these slightly faster incremental handhelds that we have been getting. Hopefully these will get shipped out in December before Christmas.
Thank you for specifically addressing the analog sticks and first person shooters. None of the other reviews I’ve watched have touched on this much and I’m stoked to hear they work great with theses types of games 👍🏻
Glad I could help. The stick is taller and has the right amount of resistance so it leads itself more to shooters than a switch stick would. Don't get me wrong it's not as good as a bigger stick but it's more than serviceable.
As long as it’s good enough for remote playing PS5 for games like Cyberpunk I’ll be in heaven. The switch sticks truly held back the Odin 1. Thanks again.
Ordered the Odin 2 pro version. My Odin lite works perfectly but has slowness/graphical issues when playing some 3ds/gc/ps2 games. Based on all the reviews, It looks like this one should handle all of that comfortably. Plus it can emulate some switch games which is a bonus for me. Can't wait for this to arrive 😊
after watching this review, i kept going to the page and checking it out. in the end, i actually got the base model. i wasn't planning on spending $300 on another android handheld, but after looking through the performance tests and device specs, this device just seemed perfect. i guess i'll pick up the x86 handheld much later when steamOS is an option for them.
The base will handle almost everything other than 2 or maybe 3 switch games that need the extra ram, but that might improve once yuzu gets more efficient.
Man, I'm so glad I reserved one of these. I went ahead and went big and got the max. It'll be my second handheld and I wanted to go all out so I didn't have to worry about any other device.
@@jefferrrson1x No, not yet. I got the Max version and they seem to be shipping the Base model and Pro model faster. But I'm sure I'll get it before the end of the year, or before christmas
I think there is a good reason why the triggers dont register at the beginning of the push. Being an owner of retro handhelds like RG353V, I absolutely hate it when I try to relax my hands and put the handheld flat on the table to continue playing, often activating the trigger buttons (L2/R2) without me actually pushing them. Having that 10-20% lose before they activate is actually a good thing for me, because it might mitigate this problem (if the trigger buttons make contact with the surface when being flat)...
My GameSir X2 Pro, a telescopic phone controller, is the same way. There's a slight bit of deadzone, maybe 10%, at the very top of its analog triggers' travel.
thanks for doing the OLED screen comparisson, but please do a brightness comparisson, thats the mainreason (at least for me) why i prefer oled, cause i can make it dimmer at night. Most LCD stay even on lowest setting really bright because of the backlight. Did you notice any light bleeding? I ordered the pocket air and odin 2, so i will see it later anyway, but would be great to know in advance how it looks at night (especially cause you said you also play at night).
Glad the video could help. It really comes down to what you want to play more, if you have a PC you can just stream them to the Odin. The ally can definitely do more but it'll get worse battery life. -Aish
I tested the PS Vita, Abernic R503 and the logitech G cloud. The last one didnt have a back button. Which is crazy. So annoying. I am happy Odin 2 has a back button.
Thank you for putting out this high quality video that discusses some important points that other reviewers didn't cover. After watching, I have two questions. 1. How does the white color seem like it will hold up to discoloration on the body and the sticks since white is typically more prone to visible staining than other colors? 2. Did you try to manually adjust the deadzone for the triggers in the odin settings? I am curious if there is a default deadzone like there was on the original odin.
Glad you enjoyed it. The material doesn't seem like it will yellow easily but you'll definitely want to clean it every now and then, same for the sticks the rubber feels like it will hold up over time and if it doesn't you can simply swap them out without taking anything apart. I didn't try to adjust anything because I didn't feel like it affected my gameplay, simply an observation I wanted to point out but after thinking about it that small dead zone on the triggers might be necessary for the digital mode.
@@retrohandhelds please test this, I was disappointed with the first odin pro because of the lack of this support. Ayn advertised the hell out the dock capabilities but never Bluetooth controller rumble setup.
any issues with discoloration on the white plastic? I’ve seen a few people talking about the finish easily scuffing or even staining. I take extreme care of my devices and always wipe stuff down with alcohol wipes.. but curious if you’ve noticed any of this??
No discoloration but scuffing is a small issue. I've seen posts from people saying they've stained their device, but can't say that was the case for me. -Aish
Thank you for the video. I plan to buy one, especially for Mame and ps2 but I'm terrified because I don't know which version of mame and fba to have to install!!! Is it very complicated?
While I was planning to eventually get this I might need to rethink my plans for buying the pro & go for the max or whatever. I don't plan to play many Switch games(at best maybe Animal Crossing, Dragon Quest Builders 2, Mario Odyssey, the up coming Fantasy Life i) there might be a few more later on I want to play eventually & I dunno how well the pro would do after you mentioned I might need the max for certain ones
@@retrohandhelds That's helpful to know, I guess I should get more memory just in case when I eventually get this I was looking at some more videos & there was one showing some more games I ended up looking at(I managed to forget Kirby) & it seems like Return to Dreamland works but Forgotten Lands had issues past the start up screen. I don't fully understand things so can only guess needs more memory or Switch emulator needs more work on android
gonna go get the max and support the company a little. for once a kickstarter that is not.a total scam. just all the reviews i've read are about people and how much they love it after purchase.
Is there a use case for the 16gb model? I don’t suppose it can run ps3, so what’s it for? Considering buying it, but can’t decide on the model. Everyone says 12gb is the most anyone could want, but 16gb model exists, so there gotta be some reason for it.
One reason could be because people will pay extra and buy it (same as the dock) even if it is nothing but some sort of technological placebo. It creates a psychological effect/reaction which probably boosts the optics and the middle option sales and draws people who would buy Base into the Middle too. People debated about the 8GB vs 4GB on the Odin1 too and really there was no real viewable evidence it mattered at all for majority of players, although that was a much less powerful emulation handheld so mattered less.
I'd say 8GB should be fine for 99% emulation purposes, except maybe TOTK on switch. And that is probably just a matter of optimisation of emulators... Switch itself has 4GB of RAM. More than 8GB RAM could be useful if in the future there's a WiiU or PS3 emulator for Android, but at that point we'll have Odin 5 :D
I wouldn't say it replaces the deck or ALLY but there's definitely overland, it really depends on what kind of games you want to play and what you prioritize.
It looks like the Odin 2 is crushing blacks in the image you show. Notice how the hill in the foreground is missing detail towards the bottom as compared to the Switch. that isn't a better black level, that is called black crush. This means shadow content will be missing on the Odin. Hopefully that is a setting that can be adjusted otherwise detail in some darker content will be missing entirely. Maybe it is just the angle of the screen while it was captured? LCDs tend to be more directional than OLED.
It could also be my camera and the processing, I agree the oled screen is still better but I don't think it's as big of a gap as others make it out to be.
I hope you see this message. Is the Odin 2 Base enough to run PS2 and GameCube games smoothly? As I am not interested in playing android games here, just emulation.
Oh yeah the base has more than enough RAM, you should even be able to run most switch games that yuzu/skyline support it's just a few of the heavier titles like TotK that need the higher ram. But even those games could be playable in the near future once yuzu becomes more optimized.
@@retrohandhelds oh my... This is the one for me, the chosen one. Perfect screen, solid hardware, power enough to run retro emulation, his handheld for me is perfect!! Thanks for your review. I can't wait to order mine 😎
Hey man, do you think there is a noticeable difference in performance, or any difference at all, between the 12 and 16GB versions during Switch emulation?
On Android no the ram use never gets that high, but if you decide you want linux there are some games like tears of the kingdom that do need more than 12gb.
Great video, thanks for the review, Do you know how good do switch games play on it ( botw/tok) and specifically skyrim ..i rly wanna play skyrim on the go
Skyrim has some light issues in doors but runs full speed, botw I only played on the great plateau but it seems to run steady with minor graphical issues and dips for shaders but completely playable, Totk was rough in some areas with frame and resolution dips but I played till the first shrine.
@@retrohandhelds thnx for the reply, means a lot when someone who reviews answers questions about the product, I'm rly struggling with the decision to buy this but as you said PS2 has no future on android (for now) and yuzu is still an early build.... switch emulation will take it or break it for me
Hi, and thanks for the review ! I would like to ask what games you're playing at : 20'38'' - 20'55'' - 21'16" - 21'28'' - 21'37'' - 21'46". Sorry for such a picky one ahah :) Just bought one in white as well, as my first android handheld, and those games seem very interesting to me ! Thank you again, and have a good one !
Hi sorry for the late reply 28:38 is marvel vs Capcom 2 for Dreamcast 20:55 is I believe star wards battle front or the force unleashed I'm sorry I'm not sure but it's for ps2 21:16 the lord of the rings the fellowship of the ring for PS2 21:28 star wards rogue squadron for GameCube 21:37 baten kaitos for GameCube 21:46 Pandora's tower for wii -Aish
Is it the case where you can insert a blank SD card into the Odin 2 and it will format the file structure? Then you can populate the SD card with all files thereafter?
I know this is old but all you have to do to solve the external controller not being player 1 is before you dock it, swipe down on the notification shade and change the controller to "disabled/disconnected" and turn Bluetooth on, then connect the controller. problem solved...
What about it ? It's not really something I noticed when playing so I didn't mention it. Most reviewers usually won't talk about it unless it's a problem.
@retrohandhelds Indeed... enjoying those handheld content... Hopefully... Front/rear cameras / stylus support and a Microsoft: Surface Pro like kickstand would be nice addition features...🤓🥸
I actually was looking at my Odin Lite last night and it is amazing how good the LCD screen on it is.. the blacks are so deep and the colors really pop. (I heard the screen is from an iPhone 6 Plus and really that seems to be the case). I'm glad Ayn is keeping the same screen for the Odin 2.
I didn't know about the iphone screen, I know people were saying the Retroid pocket 3 uses old iphone screens. But regardless the screens are really good.
Thank you. The emulator for PS2 is no longer being developed because the developer decided to step away after some community issues, so for now there won't be any more improvements.
You shouldn't be having issues with PS2, some games might not be compatible but for the most part PS2 should be plug and play. Did you adjust any setting on aether or nether sx2? When the Odin 2 came out I was getting around 26-30 fps in BotW on the great plateau, I haven't tried in a while but Yuzu has gotten a lot better. All I did was use Yuzu early access and the latest turnip drivers at the time, I would suggest using the latest GitHub version and trying different drivers. -Aish
@@retrohandhelds Its mostly just the SSX series that it drops so much its not even close to playable so far. Every setting is at its lowest although I just got this thing so I could be missing something. But all the other games I've tried work so I'm stoked on that
Can someone tell me if this will perform better than my s23u with Emulation specifically PS2? I am using it with a Gamesir controller and it does give my hands cramps, but overall will this make my games run better since it has cooling and such? I would love to know anyone's opinion! ❤
Not necessarily better since it's the same chip but more stable since you don't have to worry about thermal throttle, plus you get better battery life and great ergonomics.
@@retrohandhelds Both music in the intro section and games section. I was listening with headphones and difference was much higher, now I listened again with speakers and that seems fine.
The PS2 emulator for Android is no longer being worked on, so we won't be seeing any improvement to game performance anytime soon. But the majority of the games will be playable, many can even be upscaled 4 to 5 times resolution and still play full speed.
Friendly Tip : DO NOT buy the white version Odin 2. The plastic quality is bad and absorbs everything that it touches that is a different color. Mine became red after swiping the screen with a microfiber cloth used for glasses. So I tried that same cloth of a white ps5 controller...and it did leave some red color as well, but it was super easily wiped off with an alcohol wipe....but on the Odin 2, its IMPOSSIBLE to clean, I tried alcohol wipe, even toothpaste and ended up damaging the shell finish even more, but the red stains didnt come out. I regret not buying the black model. I paid so much money to have the Max model too, and now after 2 weeks it looks like crap.
I'm really sorry to hear that, I didn't have any issues like that and this is the first time I hear of it happening. Unfortunately white handhelds tend to scuffed up easier, so on that I agree it's probably best to grab a darker color. -Aish
The Original Switch was the best Switch. I'll take overclocking over an OLED screen anyday of the week. Also the PImax Portal Screen is pretty meh to me. 😕
Very small gaming test section for a GAMING handheld review :( Would rather watch that and less dimensions/shell things that already know from dozen reviews. After all, you gonna play games on it and not measure
It is already possible to run a Linux distro on the Odin 2 and it should be able to run ARM x64 Windows at some point in the future like is possible on the original Odin. The performance wasn't too great on the original but this new chipset is far more powerful and I've heard it suspected to potenentially at least exceed the performance of the Loki Zero. Only time will tell if this is true.
@@retrohandheldsandroid lately has been having a lot of Security issues and software not working well because of complex android 11 to 13 file structures changes which has more Restrictions on access on your own files if it was using windows or Linux than the specs would be excellent for the device but its using android Version that hated by the community
It just can't compete with the ambernic products when it comes to convenience. Yes u have all that hardware but u have to add your own emulators and games.
Retro games don't run higher than 60fps so a higher refresh screen wouldn't help at all, maybe for some android games but that would drive the price up for something not a lot of people want. -Aish
What do you think of the latest from AYN?
Pick up an Odin 2 here:
🛒retrohandhelds.link/Odin2
What makes it great is it's BUSSIN 🤷🏽♀️
Stubbs did you like your own comment 🤠support starts at home huh🎉
Recessed is a game changer!
It makes cases smaller and it makes it at least a bit pocketable.
I pocket my Odin on a daily basis
@@ghostsauce3109 🤣
Are you good at setting these up? I really need some one on one help setting mine up. I am willing to compensate you for you time if so
Even with the Odin Portal about to drop, I still went with the Odin 2 Pro Rainbow variant and I'm so effing glad I did. The 6" IPS screen isn't OLED but still delivers a drop dead gorgeous picture. I've never played such a perfect hand held, and the Rainbow variant looks so damn good. Thanks for the excellent video.
Although i didn't need one, i went ahead and ordered the Max as i feel like supporting AYN for listening to the gamers and building something that we actually want instead of all of these slightly faster incremental handhelds that we have been getting. Hopefully these will get shipped out in December before Christmas.
Judging by how well it performs I think we can expect Ayn to hit their deadline
Just received email from Indigogo saying they will start shipping end of October, what a great surprise.
I did the same just now but the pro model. I don't plan to game on the s24u.
I've watched so many of these reviews, but yours stands out as really covering the hand-feel of the device, the buttons, temps, etc
I'm glad you enjoyed it 😁
-Aish
Thank you for specifically addressing the analog sticks and first person shooters. None of the other reviews I’ve watched have touched on this much and I’m stoked to hear they work great with theses types of games 👍🏻
Glad I could help.
The stick is taller and has the right amount of resistance so it leads itself more to shooters than a switch stick would. Don't get me wrong it's not as good as a bigger stick but it's more than serviceable.
As long as it’s good enough for remote playing PS5 for games like Cyberpunk I’ll be in heaven. The switch sticks truly held back the Odin 1. Thanks again.
Ordered the Odin 2 pro version. My Odin lite works perfectly but has slowness/graphical issues when playing some 3ds/gc/ps2 games. Based on all the reviews, It looks like this one should handle all of that comfortably. Plus it can emulate some switch games which is a bonus for me. Can't wait for this to arrive 😊
I'm sure you're going to love the Odin 2
Emulation is all about Settings and drivers
@@gokuworld if you wanna spend half your life optimising emulators, the Deck is the way to go kid..lol
@@MorrisseyMuse well bruh it is too easy to fully optimize emulation in any android device, I have plenty of Exp doing it.
Absolutely crushed this video! Appreciate the volume warning as well Aish, I was listening with headphones. Excited to get mine!
Glad you liked it and I figured if I didn't people would be mad 😂
Well worth every penny, this device is a beast!! Thanks for a great vid Aish
Absolutely is! Thanks for watching!
best video ive seen reviewing the odin 2, thanks man
Ok, I am new to the retro handheld scene and after watching this, I bought one! Very excited! Great demo. Very informative.
I'm so pumped for this. Thanks Aish!
It's worth all the hype
Screen comparison was super interesting. Good review.
Thank you glad you enjoyed it
Fantastic video as always Aish! I can't wait to get my hands on one and cover it! 🔥🔥
Hell yeah an Aish video!
Aish Ketchum
after watching this review, i kept going to the page and checking it out. in the end, i actually got the base model. i wasn't planning on spending $300 on another android handheld, but after looking through the performance tests and device specs, this device just seemed perfect. i guess i'll pick up the x86 handheld much later when steamOS is an option for them.
The base will handle almost everything other than 2 or maybe 3 switch games that need the extra ram, but that might improve once yuzu gets more efficient.
Man, I'm so glad I reserved one of these. I went ahead and went big and got the max. It'll be my second handheld and I wanted to go all out so I didn't have to worry about any other device.
You won't regret it
They just sent updates by email announcing they begin shipping units by the end of october instead of december!! I am so excited
@@RobyMicrobi did you get it yet?!
@@jefferrrson1x No, not yet. I got the Max version and they seem to be shipping the Base model and Pro model faster. But I'm sure I'll get it before the end of the year, or before christmas
I think there is a good reason why the triggers dont register at the beginning of the push. Being an owner of retro handhelds like RG353V, I absolutely hate it when I try to relax my hands and put the handheld flat on the table to continue playing, often activating the trigger buttons (L2/R2) without me actually pushing them. Having that 10-20% lose before they activate is actually a good thing for me, because it might mitigate this problem (if the trigger buttons make contact with the surface when being flat)...
That's a good point I didn't really consider it, but I think that would be an issue in digital mode and not so much in analog
My GameSir X2 Pro, a telescopic phone controller, is the same way. There's a slight bit of deadzone, maybe 10%, at the very top of its analog triggers' travel.
High quality review Aish! ❤
Thank you 😁
@@retrohandhelds Your review got reviewed 🥲
Fantastic! Odin 2 is a must
Thanks for the buyers confirmation!
Glad I could help
Is the base model sufficient if I just want to play games up to the PS2/GC era?
Thanks Aish, your review is a confirmation for me to buy this. Thank you for the nice review. This is what I want for the "endgame"
Glad you enjoyed it, this is one I can wholeheartedly recommend to anyone.
I love the price to performance! It would be nice to see linux on this.
Ayn said it's coming so let's see what happens with that
@retrohandhelds Did they? I saw their Linux section on Discord but I thought it was something for the fans to try not AYN itself lol
Do you think it makes sense to get the max in anticipation of Linux/steam os down the road?
So would that just be a software update or a whole different system if they were to put Linux on it?
Wow the music in the Games section is really really really good
thanks for doing the OLED screen comparisson, but please do a brightness comparisson, thats the mainreason (at least for me) why i prefer oled, cause i can make it dimmer at night. Most LCD stay even on lowest setting really bright because of the backlight. Did you notice any light bleeding? I ordered the pocket air and odin 2, so i will see it later anyway, but would be great to know in advance how it looks at night (especially cause you said you also play at night).
Both were at max brightness
No light bleed and the screen gets very dim
According to AYN, they'll ship the odin2 at the end of October!
That's great news!
OK being able to play breath of the wild is a BIG flex, might have to get one.
If you were to get a pre loaded sd card, would the games be region specific?. I live in the UK, so my settings would be Pal as opposed to Ntsc.
I think the "blacks being darker on IPS" is actually just because it renders darker colors worse than OLED, but the screen still looks good.
That could be but overall the screen looks very good
Does the white discolor quickly? Can you clean it well? And what do you use for cleaning?
It does and I usually use some disinfectant wipes. But I've since switched it for a clear blue because I like that color a little more.
-Aish
I don’t understand how anyone can prefer a rubber membrane dpad. The vita style dpad is superior in every way. Dome dpads are just precision king.
Been contemplating getting this, either this or an rog ally so I can also play steam and epic games. These videos definitely help
Glad the video could help.
It really comes down to what you want to play more, if you have a PC you can just stream them to the Odin. The ally can definitely do more but it'll get worse battery life.
-Aish
if not this handheld for emulation, what handheld would you recommend being maybe a close second to the odin 2?
i cant decide which color, all odyn are beautiful
I tested the PS Vita, Abernic R503 and the logitech G cloud. The last one didnt have a back button. Which is crazy. So annoying. I am happy Odin 2 has a back button.
Yeah, good call! Odin 2 means you don't really need the other 3, minus natively running Vita games.
@@retrohandhelds Could you maybe do a Odin 2 Pro vs Retroid 4 pocket pro review? I am hanging more towards the Odin. Is that a correct assumption?
Thank you for putting out this high quality video that discusses some important points that other reviewers didn't cover. After watching, I have two questions. 1. How does the white color seem like it will hold up to discoloration on the body and the sticks since white is typically more prone to visible staining than other colors? 2. Did you try to manually adjust the deadzone for the triggers in the odin settings? I am curious if there is a default deadzone like there was on the original odin.
Glad you enjoyed it.
The material doesn't seem like it will yellow easily but you'll definitely want to clean it every now and then, same for the sticks the rubber feels like it will hold up over time and if it doesn't you can simply swap them out without taking anything apart.
I didn't try to adjust anything because I didn't feel like it affected my gameplay, simply an observation I wanted to point out but after thinking about it that small dead zone on the triggers might be necessary for the digital mode.
im biggest concern is Bluetooth controller rumble support. does the odin 2 supports Bluetooth controller rumble/vibration feedback?
Oh I didn't test that, but I'll take a look.
@@retrohandhelds please test this, I was disappointed with the first odin pro because of the lack of this support. Ayn advertised the hell out the dock capabilities but never Bluetooth controller rumble setup.
Tight video it sure is a pretty device that's for sure .
Thank you and yeah it's definitely a looker
any issues with discoloration on the white plastic? I’ve seen a few people talking about the finish easily scuffing or even staining. I take extreme care of my devices and always wipe stuff down with alcohol wipes.. but curious if you’ve noticed any of this??
No discoloration but scuffing is a small issue. I've seen posts from people saying they've stained their device, but can't say that was the case for me.
-Aish
This looks perfect. Might have to order it.
Hoping Odin 3 has Snapdragon gen 4, QD-OLED, and Thunderbolt 4...maybe a THX headphone amp!
That would be awesome but I doubt we could get that at a reasonable price.
-Aish
Thank you for the video.
I plan to buy one, especially for Mame and ps2 but I'm terrified because I don't know which version of mame and fba to have to install!!! Is it very complicated?
Glad you enjoyed it.
It's not just set up RetroArch for Mame and nether sx2 for PS2, it sounds more complicated then it really is.
-Aish
@@retrohandhelds Thanks!
Almost order 1 but it's only 60hz, i really need 120hz for playing T3 arena or any FPS game in future !
This white 1 look so good btw
wish this had sim card slot like my odin 1. I could never give that up
Unfortunately that would require more certifications and probably up the price.
-Aish
While I was planning to eventually get this I might need to rethink my plans for buying the pro & go for the max or whatever. I don't plan to play many Switch games(at best maybe Animal Crossing, Dragon Quest Builders 2, Mario Odyssey, the up coming Fantasy Life i) there might be a few more later on I want to play eventually & I dunno how well the pro would do after you mentioned I might need the max for certain ones
The max would only be needed on the linux side, Ayn added memory swap to all models and for the games you mentioned even the base is fine.
-Aish
@@retrohandhelds That's helpful to know, I guess I should get more memory just in case when I eventually get this
I was looking at some more videos & there was one showing some more games I ended up looking at(I managed to forget Kirby) & it seems like Return to Dreamland works but Forgotten Lands had issues past the start up screen. I don't fully understand things so can only guess needs more memory or Switch emulator needs more work on android
will you notice a big difference with the 2 and th 2pro with switch games performance wise?
Not really only a small amount of games needed more than 8gb of ram, but Ayn added 4gb of memory swap so it should be much of a factor anymore.
-Aish
gonna go get the max and support the company a little. for once a kickstarter that is not.a total scam. just all the reviews i've read are about people and how much they love it after purchase.
How long will those sticks stay white? Can we exchange them?
I don't know how long they'll stay like that but you can pop them off and replace them.
It supports Vulkan ray tracing. Would you mind running the 3D Mark Solar Bay ray tracing benchmark for Android?
I can try.
-Aish
That would be brilliant, thanks!
Wow this thing slays in white
Is there a use case for the 16gb model? I don’t suppose it can run ps3, so what’s it for?
Considering buying it, but can’t decide on the model. Everyone says 12gb is the most anyone could want, but 16gb model exists, so there gotta be some reason for it.
The 16gb model is potentially useful for windows emulation and the Linux OS they're working on.
Thanx. But how good could win emulation be? By that point it’s probably better to consider Steam Deck?
One reason could be because people will pay extra and buy it (same as the dock) even if it is nothing but some sort of technological placebo. It creates a psychological effect/reaction which probably boosts the optics and the middle option sales and draws people who would buy Base into the Middle too. People debated about the 8GB vs 4GB on the Odin1 too and really there was no real viewable evidence it mattered at all for majority of players, although that was a much less powerful emulation handheld so mattered less.
I'd say 8GB should be fine for 99% emulation purposes, except maybe TOTK on switch. And that is probably just a matter of optimisation of emulators... Switch itself has 4GB of RAM. More than 8GB RAM could be useful if in the future there's a WiiU or PS3 emulator for Android, but at that point we'll have Odin 5 :D
@BrokenOpus That’s the feel I been getting too. Probably cos I worked with marketing departments before. 😂
Is this an emulation device or meant to replace -- or be a good substitute for -- something like the Steam Deck or ROG Ally?
I wouldn't say it replaces the deck or ALLY but there's definitely overland, it really depends on what kind of games you want to play and what you prioritize.
It looks like the Odin 2 is crushing blacks in the image you show. Notice how the hill in the foreground is missing detail towards the bottom as compared to the Switch. that isn't a better black level, that is called black crush. This means shadow content will be missing on the Odin. Hopefully that is a setting that can be adjusted otherwise detail in some darker content will be missing entirely. Maybe it is just the angle of the screen while it was captured? LCDs tend to be more directional than OLED.
It could also be my camera and the processing, I agree the oled screen is still better but I don't think it's as big of a gap as others make it out to be.
I hope you see this message. Is the Odin 2 Base enough to run PS2 and GameCube games smoothly? As I am not interested in playing android games here, just emulation.
Oh yeah the base has more than enough RAM, you should even be able to run most switch games that yuzu/skyline support it's just a few of the heavier titles like TotK that need the higher ram. But even those games could be playable in the near future once yuzu becomes more optimized.
@@retrohandhelds oh my... This is the one for me, the chosen one. Perfect screen, solid hardware, power enough to run retro emulation, his handheld for me is perfect!! Thanks for your review. I can't wait to order mine 😎
Hey man, do you think there is a noticeable difference in performance, or any difference at all, between the 12 and 16GB versions during Switch emulation?
On Android no the ram use never gets that high, but if you decide you want linux there are some games like tears of the kingdom that do need more than 12gb.
Great video, thanks for the review,
Do you know how good do switch games play on it ( botw/tok) and specifically skyrim ..i rly wanna play skyrim on the go
Skyrim has some light issues in doors but runs full speed, botw I only played on the great plateau but it seems to run steady with minor graphical issues and dips for shaders but completely playable, Totk was rough in some areas with frame and resolution dips but I played till the first shrine.
@@retrohandhelds thnx for the reply, means a lot when someone who reviews answers questions about the product, I'm rly struggling with the decision to buy this but as you said PS2 has no future on android (for now) and yuzu is still an early build.... switch emulation will take it or break it for me
dam, banger intro tune
Hi, and thanks for the review ! I would like to ask what games you're playing at : 20'38'' - 20'55'' - 21'16" - 21'28'' - 21'37'' - 21'46". Sorry for such a picky one ahah :)
Just bought one in white as well, as my first android handheld, and those games seem very interesting to me !
Thank you again, and have a good one !
Hi sorry for the late reply
28:38 is marvel vs Capcom 2 for Dreamcast
20:55 is I believe star wards battle front or the force unleashed I'm sorry I'm not sure but it's for ps2
21:16 the lord of the rings the fellowship of the ring for PS2
21:28 star wards rogue squadron for GameCube
21:37 baten kaitos for GameCube
21:46 Pandora's tower for wii
-Aish
Thank you veeery very much !! I was then rather talking about 20:54 - the guy riding a horse - wonder what game it is ahah !
That's shadow of the colossus
@@retrohandhelds thank you !!
Is it the case where you can insert a blank SD card into the Odin 2 and it will format the file structure? Then you can populate the SD card with all files thereafter?
Yeah you could do that, or format yourself (choose ExFat)
@@retrohandhelds perfect thank you so much for the advice! Your video was great
Zero hour gang
I know this is old but all you have to do to solve the external controller not being player 1 is before you dock it, swipe down on the notification shade and change the controller to "disabled/disconnected" and turn Bluetooth on, then connect the controller. problem solved...
Where have you bought those joycons?
Those are re-shelled original joy-cons with the extremerate dpad shell.
amzn.to/495Q9k5
Does this have a SIM card slot like the pocket air?
Nope no sim support
What about it's input latency?
What about it ? It's not really something I noticed when playing so I didn't mention it. Most reviewers usually won't talk about it unless it's a problem.
Well, in the first one no one talked about it either, and it turned out to be huge.
@@leonardomatheus1888 According to Retro Game Corps the Odin 2 has identical input lag to OG Odin.
Awesome video… 16gb ram / 512gb internal storage… emulation has begun…. Viva emulation…👌🧐🤔
Thank you glad you liked it
@retrohandhelds Indeed... enjoying those handheld content... Hopefully... Front/rear cameras / stylus support and a Microsoft: Surface Pro like kickstand would be nice addition features...🤓🥸
I actually was looking at my Odin Lite last night and it is amazing how good the LCD screen on it is.. the blacks are so deep and the colors really pop. (I heard the screen is from an iPhone 6 Plus and really that seems to be the case). I'm glad Ayn is keeping the same screen for the Odin 2.
I didn't know about the iphone screen, I know people were saying the Retroid pocket 3 uses old iphone screens. But regardless the screens are really good.
The celebration is cool and all but I got a real question here- How long can I play Crazy taxi 2 on a full charge?
You're asking the hard hitting questions here 😂
It's a shame only the white version doesn't have some weird asymmetrical black bars around the screen .
They didn't want a Panda edition... Just white snow bear...
I actually prefer a black bezel 😂
What did you mean PS2 no longer in development...solid video
Thank you.
The emulator for PS2 is no longer being developed because the developer decided to step away after some community issues, so for now there won't be any more improvements.
@@retrohandhelds I thought they were multiple emulators for PS2 android
How are you getting BOTW to play when I had rather extreme frame rate drops and lags just playing some of my ps2 games??
You shouldn't be having issues with PS2, some games might not be compatible but for the most part PS2 should be plug and play.
Did you adjust any setting on aether or nether sx2?
When the Odin 2 came out I was getting around 26-30 fps in BotW on the great plateau, I haven't tried in a while but Yuzu has gotten a lot better. All I did was use Yuzu early access and the latest turnip drivers at the time, I would suggest using the latest GitHub version and trying different drivers.
-Aish
@@retrohandhelds Its mostly just the SSX series that it drops so much its not even close to playable so far. Every setting is at its lowest although I just got this thing so I could be missing something. But all the other games I've tried work so I'm stoked on that
Can someone tell me if this will perform better than my s23u with Emulation specifically PS2? I am using it with a Gamesir controller and it does give my hands cramps, but overall will this make my games run better since it has cooling and such? I would love to know anyone's opinion! ❤
Not necessarily better since it's the same chip but more stable since you don't have to worry about thermal throttle, plus you get better battery life and great ergonomics.
Very good review, but dude you really need to level the sounds, the music kicks in with much higher volume!
It's supposed to be leveled sorry about that, would you mind telling me where it happened so I can make sure it doesn't happen next time ?
@@retrohandhelds Both music in the intro section and games section. I was listening with headphones and difference was much higher, now I listened again with speakers and that seems fine.
What do you need to do when playing ps1 multi disc games?
Convert them to CHD and just use the emulator option when it's time to load the next disc.
Does any emulator emulate .pbp bc that would be easier
Is there any latency when using bluetooth headphones?
Sorry but I never use Bluetooth headphones for games, but I can check.
@@retrohandhelds Sorry for the hassle and thank you in advance!
Can you expand more on what you said about PS2 emulation is no longer in development? The main reason why I want this is for PS2 emulation 😢
The PS2 emulator for Android is no longer being worked on, so we won't be seeing any improvement to game performance anytime soon. But the majority of the games will be playable, many can even be upscaled 4 to 5 times resolution and still play full speed.
Can you play modern games like rdr2, Fortnite, and mortal combat on it?
Only by streaming since those games aren't on Android.
Only if it had full size thumb sticks, it would be awesome.
I would have loved some bigger analog sticks but these aren't bad at all, they have a good amount of travel and resistance.
You can also connect this to find my phone too so you shouldn’t lose it too fast
21:25 what is the game please?
There's 2 gamas right at that mark so im not sure exactly which one you mean 😆 but the first is Metroid prime and the racing one is automodelista.
@@retrohandhelds thanks bro
In which emulation u play skyrim ?
Switch using YUZU but I need to test skyline too
Switch using YUZU but I need to test skyline too
That fat bezel reminds me of the 2009 eras....
I wish we had something this good back in 09 😂
@@retrohandheldsI would've been the coolest kid on the block lol at least dreams are being fulfilled now
Hello
It s android and touch screen ?
I can use it to watch RUclips too ?
🤪🤪🤪
Hello
Yes and yes 😆
What are you saying? PS2 emulator not in development? I am seeing all these videos playing PS2 games
Can I charge my odin 2 with a 67w charger? I don't want to burn it haha
Yeah I use a 100w on mine all the time, AYN sells a 100w charger too so I don't think you'll have any issues.
-Aish
@@retrohandhelds thank you so much!
The top-tier model is called Odin 2 Max, not Pro Max. Did you confuse it with the iPhone?
Just slipped on that part, I corrected myself right after.
Friendly Tip : DO NOT buy the white version Odin 2. The plastic quality is bad and absorbs everything that it touches that is a different color. Mine became red after swiping the screen with a microfiber cloth used for glasses. So I tried that same cloth of a white ps5 controller...and it did leave some red color as well, but it was super easily wiped off with an alcohol wipe....but on the Odin 2, its IMPOSSIBLE to clean, I tried alcohol wipe, even toothpaste and ended up damaging the shell finish even more, but the red stains didnt come out. I regret not buying the black model. I paid so much money to have the Max model too, and now after 2 weeks it looks like crap.
I'm really sorry to hear that, I didn't have any issues like that and this is the first time I hear of it happening. Unfortunately white handhelds tend to scuffed up easier, so on that I agree it's probably best to grab a darker color.
-Aish
I was here!
The Original Switch was the best Switch. I'll take overclocking over an OLED screen anyday of the week. Also the PImax Portal Screen is pretty meh to me. 😕
Cool story, Bro. Smh
Table top handheld award contender? Pocket winner is still Rp3, imo
It's going to be hard for anything that's not x86 to beat the complete package the Odin offers
Nah, RP2S is pocket king
KTR1 is pocket king.
@@saqqawattuhb7505 KTR1 is a mess 😬 too pricey for what it is
Very small gaming test section for a GAMING handheld review :( Would rather watch that and less dimensions/shell things that already know from dozen reviews. After all, you gonna play games on it and not measure
I understand but we previously did a video showing just emulation on it.
ruclips.net/video/_tS8E226ikc/видео.htmlsi=W_9LbkHKaRhD4h8m
Pro max for me in blue
Same one I backed as well! - Stubbs
Those specs dont matter to me if it just gonna run android software
It is already possible to run a Linux distro on the Odin 2 and it should be able to run ARM x64 Windows at some point in the future like is possible on the original Odin. The performance wasn't too great on the original but this new chipset is far more powerful and I've heard it suspected to potenentially at least exceed the performance of the Loki Zero. Only time will tell if this is true.
What's wrong with android ?
@@retrohandheldsandroid lately has been having a lot of Security issues and software not working well because of complex android 11 to 13 file structures changes which has more Restrictions on access on your own files if it was using windows or Linux than the specs would be excellent for the device but its using android Version that hated by the community
best android/emulation handheld? 100% yes
"the only handheld you need"? no
It just can't compete with the ambernic products when it comes to convenience. Yes u have all that hardware but u have to add your own emulators and games.
It's not hard to do and the amount of power available is more than worth it.
@@retrohandhelds for those that have the time. Most of us just want something good to go
Fixed 60hz screen = NO.
Retro games don't run higher than 60fps so a higher refresh screen wouldn't help at all, maybe for some android games but that would drive the price up for something not a lot of people want.
-Aish
Downside of video..no name of game or system given when showcased performance of console.
We have a dedicated emulation video if that helps, I didn't want to make the video 40 mins long 😂
too expensive :(
For what you're getting it's actually an amazing deal
It's not cheap but I also wouldn't call it expensive for what it can do.
Third
Nobody cares