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Image Credit AYN. Source https://www.ayntec.com/
AYN's Odin 3 Portal preorders open tonight, October 22, at 9:30 p.m. Eastern. I'm planning to order one immediately, and unlike my last Odin purchase, I don't think waiting around for a massive discount is going to pay off this time. It's turning into a pretty interesting week for my retro handheld collection. At around 4 a.m. this morning, I received an email confirming that my Retroid Pocket Duo had finally shipped. I preordered that handheld the moment orders opened roughly a month and a half ago, and now, almost perfectly timed, I'm preparing to preorder another handheld tonight.
This time it's the AYN Odin 3 Portal, and I have to say, I'm pretty excited about this one. I've owned and tested quite a few retro handhelds, and AYN has become my favorite manufacturer so far. My Odin 2 Portal has been fantastic. The screen size, controls, build quality, and overall experience have been excellent, and I really don't have much to complain about. Well, other than the fact that I wouldn't mind having something faster. And that's exactly why I'm buying the Odin 3 Portal.
But there's something else about this launch that I think deserves some attention. After watching what has happened with handheld pricing, memory costs, and AYN's previous sales, I'm starting to think the old strategy of waiting six months for a massive discount might not work nearly as well anymore. In fact, I think preordering could be the smartest financial move this time around.
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My Odin 2 Portal Has Been One of My Favorite Handhelds
One of the reasons I'm so interested in the Odin 3 Portal is that I've had such a good experience with the previous model. My Odin 2 Portal has been an outstanding handheld. The large display is excellent for the types of games I enjoy, the controls feel great, and the overall quality is right up there with the best retro handhelds I've used. And I've used quite a few at this point. AYN seems to understand what makes these devices enjoyable beyond simply putting a powerful processor inside a plastic shell. The screen, ergonomics, controls, and overall design all matter, especially when you're spending hours playing older console games.
That's where my Odin 2 Portal has really impressed me. I don't feel like I'm fighting the hardware when I'm using it. It's comfortable, the screen is large enough to really enjoy games designed for televisions, and the controls are excellent. Frankly, if the Odin 2 Portal were substantially faster, I probably wouldn't have much reason to replace it. But that's the fun part of this hobby. There's always another generation of hardware around the corner, and the performance improvements can make a real difference when you're pushing more demanding emulators. The Odin 3 Portal looks like a pretty natural upgrade for someone like me. I already love the general design, and now I'm looking forward to seeing what the newer hardware can do. I'm also thinking about ordering the white version this time. I've owned plenty of darker-colored handhelds, and I think a white Odin 3 Portal would look pretty cool.
The Odin 3 Portal Looks Like a Serious Upgrade
AYN is offering the Odin 3 Portal in three main configurations at launch, with preorder prices starting at $399. The Base model includes 12GB of RAM and 128GB of storage for $399, the Pro offers 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage for $479, and the Max increases that to 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage for $549. Those are introductory prices, with regular pricing expected to be $419, $499, and $579, respectively. All three versions feature Qualcomm's Dragonwing Q8 processor, a 7-inch 120Hz OLED display, and a large 9,000mAh battery. AYN has also made some changes to the grips and thumbsticks, which I'm looking forward to trying.
The processor is the big attraction for me, though. I already know I enjoy the Odin 2 Portal's form factor, so getting considerably more processing power in a similar design is exactly what I've been waiting for. Of course, until I actually have one in my hands, I'm not going to make any claims about how much better specific games or emulators will run. FYI I am buying the base model Portal 3 and for $400, it’s not to bad compared to the $300 I paid for my Portal 2, since I only got 8gb of ram. That's something I'll be testing when mine arrives. And considering how much I already enjoy my Odin 2 Portal, I'm particularly interested in whether the newer model feels like a substantial upgrade or more of a refinement.
I Got an Incredible Deal on My Odin 2 Portal, but I Don't Expect That to Happen Again
Here's where things get interesting. When I purchased my Odin 2 Portal, I managed to get it for approximately $300 shipped, including a bunch of accessories. That was an incredible deal, especially considering the quality of the hardware. At the time, waiting for a sale worked out extremely well for me. I ended up with one of my favorite handhelds for a price that was difficult to argue with. But I don't expect the Odin 3 Portal to follow the same path.
My suspicion is that AYN is going to have a very successful launch with this new model. Between the popularity of its previous handhelds, the improved hardware, and the large-screen design, I think there's going to be substantial demand. And if AYN is selling through inventory at a healthy pace, there's much less reason for the company to offer aggressive discounts. Now, I don't know how much inventory AYN will have available or how quickly the Odin 3 Portal will sell. I'm not claiming to have access to the company's sales forecasts. But I do think the conditions surrounding this launch are different from those that allowed me to buy my Odin 2 Portal so cheaply. That's why I'm not planning to sit around waiting for another clearance-style deal.
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Memory Prices Are Changing the Handheld Market
Another factor I'm watching is the cost of memory and storage. We've already seen significant pressure on RAM and storage pricing across the technology industry, with demand from AI infrastructure contributing to tighter supply conditions. And that's particularly relevant to handheld manufacturers. These companies are trying to deliver powerful hardware at prices that enthusiasts are willing to pay. But when components become more expensive, manufacturers don't necessarily have the flexibility to keep lowering prices as products get older. AYN has already announced price increases for some of its existing handhelds during 2026, which makes me even less confident that waiting will automatically result in a better deal.
That's a pretty unusual situation for consumer electronics. We're accustomed to products becoming cheaper as they age. New models arrive, older inventory gets discounted, and buyers who wait can often save quite a bit of money. But when component costs are moving in the opposite direction, that traditional strategy becomes less predictable. And with the Odin 3 Portal, I think there's a real possibility that the introductory preorder pricing will end up being among the best prices available for quite some time. Could AYN eventually offer another massive sale? Absolutely. Could demand fall short of expectations, leaving the company with extra inventory to clear out? That's possible too. But I wouldn't personally bet on it this time.
AYN Handhelds Also Seem to Hold Their Value
Something else I've noticed while shopping for retro handhelds is how well desirable AYN models can hold their resale value. It's not unusual to see used AYN handhelds listed for prices that make buying a brand-new device seem more attractive, especially once shipping costs and accessories are factored into the equation. Of course, asking prices aren't the same as completed sales, and resale values can change quickly when new hardware arrives.
Still, the strength of the AYN brand is another reason I'm comfortable getting in early. If I eventually decide to sell my Odin 3 Portal to upgrade to something newer, I'd rather have purchased it at an introductory price than paid more several months later. That doesn't guarantee I'll recover most of my money, but it does make the preorder pricing more appealing.
My Retroid Pocket Duo Just Shipped, and Now I'm Ordering Another Handheld
The timing of all this is pretty funny. I preordered my Retroid Pocket Duo as soon as orders opened, and after waiting roughly a month and a half, I finally received the shipping notification this morning. Now, on the exact same day, I'm preparing to preorder the Odin 3 Portal. And I think these two handhelds are going to complement each other nicely.
The Retroid Pocket Duo caught my attention because of its dual-screen design, particularly for Nintendo DS and 3DS gaming. That's a very specific use case, and one I've wanted a better dedicated handheld for. The Odin 3 Portal is a different kind of device. For me, it's about having a large, high-quality display, excellent controls, and enough processing power to push demanding emulation further. I don't really see these as competing purchases for my collection. They're designed around different strengths, and that's one of the things I enjoy about the retro handheld market.
Manufacturers are experimenting with different screen arrangements, sizes, designs, and performance levels. There are more interesting choices than ever, even if the prices are starting to creep upward.
I'm particularly excited to see how the two compare once I have both in hand.
Is Preordering the Odin 3 Portal Actually the Smart Move?
Normally, I'm not a huge advocate of preordering electronics. There are obvious disadvantages. You're paying for something before independent reviews are available, you're relying on the manufacturer to deliver the hardware as promised, and there's always the possibility of early production or software issues. Those concerns don't disappear just because I happen to like AYN. But I think there's a difference between preordering from a company you've never dealt with and preordering a successor to a product you already own and enjoy.
I've had an excellent experience with my Odin 2 Portal. I know I like the controls, the screen size, and the general approach AYN takes with its hardware. That doesn't guarantee the Odin 3 Portal will be perfect, but it gives me a pretty good reason to be optimistic. And with introductory pricing starting at $399, I'm not convinced waiting several months will necessarily save me money. The Base and Pro models are receiving a $20 introductory discount, while the Max gets $30 off. Those aren't enormous savings, but they are guaranteed launch discounts rather than hypothetical future sales.
Given the current market, I'd rather secure the model I want at a known price than gamble on a much larger discount that may never happen. That's a personal purchasing decision, not a blanket recommendation that everyone should preorder one. If you're perfectly happy with your current handheld, there's nothing wrong with waiting for independent testing and seeing how the market develops. But if you already know you want an Odin 3 Portal, I think the preorder pricing deserves serious consideration.
My Take: I Think AYN Has Another Winner Coming
I've been reviewing technology long enough to know that newer doesn't always mean better, and higher specifications don't automatically guarantee a better product. But AYN has earned a lot of confidence from me with the Odin 2 Portal. It's been one of my favorite retro handhelds, and the combination of the large display, excellent controls, and overall build quality has made it a device I genuinely enjoy using. The Odin 3 Portal looks like it addresses the one thing I'd most like to improve: performance.
I'm planning to preorder one tonight when orders open at 9:30 p.m. Eastern, and I'm leaning toward white this time. What interests me almost as much as the hardware, though, is what happens to its pricing over the next several months. I got an incredible deal on my Odin 2 Portal, but I don't think we're necessarily going to see a repeat of that situation. Between demand for powerful handhelds, higher memory costs, and AYN's existing pricing trends, I suspect the introductory preorder price could turn out to be the best opportunity for buyers for quite a while. Maybe I'll be completely wrong and AYN will surprise us with another enormous sale next year.
But this time, I'm not waiting around to find out. And with my Retroid Pocket Duo finally on its way, it looks like I'll have plenty of new handheld hardware to keep me busy.
