The handheld gaming market has never been this crowded. Steam Deck, ROG Ally, MSI Claw, Lenovo Legion Go — the list keeps growing. Yet somehow, a small company called AYN managed to steal the spotlight with a device that doesn’t even run Windows or SteamOS. The AYN Thor is an Android-powered clamshell handheld with dual OLED screens and some fairly powerfull hardware, and it has become a really popular handheld emulation device, maybe partiaally thanks to a very posivitive IGN review.
A modern take on the Nintendo 3DS
Nintendo discontinued the 3DS back in 2020, and millions of fans have been mourning its loss ever since. The dual-screen form factor was unique. Nothing else on the market came close to replicating it.
The AYN Thor fills that gap in a way nobody expected. It features a 6-inch AMOLED top screen and a 3.92-inch AMOLED bottom screen, both with touch support. The clamshell design folds shut just like a 3DS. But unlike Nintendo’s handheld, the Thor packs modern hardware that runs circles around the original.
For DS and 3DS emulation, reviewers have called it “the definitive way to play all the great dual-screen games.” Both screens light up exactly as they should, and the touch-enabled bottom display makes stylus-heavy games feel natural again.
Four models for every budget
AYN launched the Thor with four distinct tiers, giving buyers flexibility based on what they need. Here’s how they stack up:
| Model | Processor | RAM | Storage | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lite | Snapdragon 865 | 8 GB | 128 GB | $249 |
| Base | Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 | 8 GB | 128 GB | $319 |
| Pro | Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 | 12 GB | 256 GB | $399 |
| Max | Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 | 16 GB | 1 TB | $489 |
The Lite model sold out almost immediately and remains listed as “indefinitely out of stock” on AYN’s official store. The Base and Pro models have been shipping in batches, with Batch 4 pre-orders currently open. Prices have gone up twice since launch — first in March 2026 — driven by rising memory costs.
The sweet spot for most buyers is the Pro model. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip handles everything from PS2 to GameCube emulation smoothly, and 12 GB of RAM gives plenty of headroom for multitasking on Android. I will order to the 1tb max model soon and are really looking forward to both the tinkering, setup and mostly gaming on the Thor. The Rainbow versionwith the coloured buttons will be my weapon of choice.
More than just a 3DS replacement
While DS and 3DS emulation is the Thor’s headline feature, the device does much more. Reviewers at 4Scarrs Gaming called it their “everything handheld,” and for good reason. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 handles emulation across a wide range of systems:
- Nintendo systems — NES through Switch (with varying results on Switch titles, but ever imporoving turnip drivers and diy adding thermal paste broaden both support and overal performance)
- PlayStation — PS1 and PS2 run beautifully with upscaled resolution – Looking forward to trying out shadow of the colussus on my Thor.
- Sega and others — Dreamcast, Saturn, and arcade emulation are all strong
- Android gaming — Native Android titles and cloud streaming via Xbox Game Pass or GeForce Now
The 6,000 mAh battery keeps the Thor running for hours (though varies depending on how heavy the game is), and hall-effect analog sticks mean no stick drift — a problem that has plagued the Switch for years. At just 380 grams, it’s lighter than most competing handhelds too.
AYN’s track record built trust
The Thor didn’t appear out of nowhere. AYN has been building Android handhelds for years, starting with the original Odin and continuing through the Odin 2 series. The Odin 2 Portal, released in October 2024 with a 7-inch 120Hz OLED display, proved the company could deliver premium hardware at competitive prices.
That history matters. The Thor uses many of the same tried-and-tested internals from the Odin 2 lineup. Reviewers noted that even though the clamshell dual-screen form factor was new territory for AYN, the device felt polished from day one. Retro Handhelds described it as “lightning in a bottle,” while Retro Dodo went further, calling it “the last dual-screen handheld you’ll ever need.” I have a galxy tab S9 with 12gb of ram with the exact same internals as the thor and its the most powefull android device have tried to this date. I have played a bit of Luigis Mansion and a bit of the rom hack Super Mario eclipse on it with a PS4 controller.
What this means for handheld gaming
The AYN Thor proves that the handheld market isn’t just about raw power and x86 Windows compatibility. There’s a massive audience for a well-designed, purpose-built emulation device — especially one that fills the hole Nintendo left behind. And the fact that retro gaming is so popular proves both that even thoug games are old, in 2D and with lesser graphics, theese previus generation games still holds up to this day.
Multiple batches have sold out. Prices keep climbing because demand outpaces supply. YouTubers put it on their “best of the year” lists. The community response has been overwhelming. Right now you could get your part of the fourth batch, althoug it could take some time from your order to shipping has started.
For anyone who grew up with a DS or 3DS in their pocket, the Thor is a very much imroved time machine with better screens, faster hardware, and a library that spans decades of gaming history. And at $249 to $489, it’s priced to move — even if AYN can barely keep up with orders.