Ayn Odin 2 vs Ayaneo Pocket Air: Battle of the Android handhelds

Ayn’s Odin 2 and the Ayaneo Pocket Air look to compete for the best Android handheld console title. We compare the two portables to help you pick nothing but the best.

Over the last few months, Ayaneo has revealed several handheld gaming consoles and their upgrades at a breakneck speed. While most of these consoles were Windows-powered, the Pocket Air stands out since it runs on Android.

Right on cue, Ayn revealed its plans of introducing a successor to the Ayn Odin, the Odin 2. Compared to the original Pocket Air from Ayaneo, the Odin 2 looks excellent value for money, considering its price and powerful innards. However, like a typical Hollywood drama with endless twists, leaks claim that the Pocket Air will get an upgrade even before it’s released.

So, while the original Ayaneo Pocket Air rocks a “mediocre” MediaTek Dimensity 1200, a new model might rock a far more powerful and capable Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC, lending it the horse-power to compete with the Ayn Odin 2.

We pit the variants with the same SoC under the hood to keep the comparison fair. Let’s determine which of the two upcoming handheld consoles deserves your money.

Ayn Odin 2 vs Ayaneo Pocket Air: Specs

While both devices are yet to be released, Ayaneo revealed details of its MediaTek Dimensity 1200-powered Pocket Air. The new model with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 has been leaked recently, and the company hasn’t revealed the key specifications of this upgraded variant.

The MediaTek-powered Pocket Air, however, might be underpowered compared to the Odin 2 that rocks Qualcomm’s flagship mobile chipset.

While both devices have almost identical specifications, the Ayaneo Pocket Air has a 5.5-inch AMOLED panel compared to a 6-inch IPS LCD panel. Generally, AMOLED panels are ideal as they produce vibrant colors and deeper blacks. These panels are also less power-hungry compared to LCD panels.

However, this is not gospel by any means. There are instances where brands have used superior LCD panels offering way better performance than an AMOLED panel. The displays used on iPhones were LCD panels, considered better than the competition before Apple started using AMOLED panels for newer iPhones.

The Pocket Air could be slightly lighter than the Odin 2, though the latter has a considerably bigger battery pack giving it a direct advantage. The Pocket Air is also rumored to have cellular connectivity. However, Odin 2’s leaked marketing materials do not hint at the presence of cellular connectivity.

Ayn Odin 2 vs Ayaneo Pocket Air: Design

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In terms of design, both devices look similar to any other handheld gaming console. The Ayaneo Pocket Air has a retro theme that makes it stand out. The Odin 2 has a few extra buttons for gaming at the back and a couple of Android-friendly home and back buttons at the front, lending it the functional advantage.

The Odin 2 also has dual front-firing speakers at the front of the console to offer an immersive gaming experience. However, the Pocket Air’s design doesn’t reveal any front-firing speakers.

The Odin 2 also has an LED strip on its side, and though it doesn’t add to the console’s features, it does accentuate the partial see-through design of the Odin 2’s Pro and Pro Max variants.

Ayn Odin 2 vs Ayaneo Pocket Air: Performance

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Both devices are expected to perform similarly. Though, the gaming performance would be dictated by the Android skin’s optimization from the console makers.

Moreover, the memory and storage combinations on offer will also impact the performance. Ayn is expected to arrive in three variants, that are ideal for a gaming-focused Android device. We’ll have to wait for Ayaneo to reveal the specifications for the Snapdragon version of the Pocket Air. 

The MediaTek version, however, is said to ship with only 6GB/128GB and 8GB/256GB variants, which is rather underwhelming for a gaming handheld. We’re hopeful that the Snapdragon-variant will have more powerful internals.

Ayn Odin 2 vs Ayaneo Pocket Air: Operating system

Both handheld consoles will use Android as an operating system. While the Odin 2 will run on Android 13, we’re not sure about Ayaneo Pocket as yet.

Though to make the device gaming-friendly, both the console-makers might add a custom Android skin and a few apps to improve the gaming experience. However, properly implementing both software features is critical for the device’s performance and battery life.

Ayn Odin 2’s price is the key differentiator

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There is little difference between the two consoles. While the Odin 2 might have a bigger battery and a slightly bigger display, the Ayaneo’s OLED panel and cellular connectivity give it an edge. 

Since very little separates the two consoles, pricing could play the deciding role. The Odin 2 will start retailing at $299 and is expected to go up to $449 for the top-end variant. While Ayaneo hasn’t revealed the pricing of its Android-powered console, it is expected to be the pricier. It means that the Odin 2 will offer way better value for money out of the two.

Though it’s been reported that this is Odin 2’s early bird price, the actual retail price could be slightly higher. Even then, the Odin 2’s pricing is a challenge to beat. Ayaneo has hinted that even if they price the Dimensity variant aggressively, it will not be cheap. This suggests that the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 variant could be far more expensive.

We’re unsure how Ayn can achieve such aggressive pricing because even the cheapest Android phone with Qualcomm’s flagship chipset, Nubia Z50, is priced at $499. While many additional components bump up the cost of a phone, smartphone makers get additional discounts for bulk purchases. It is challenging for a gaming console maker like Ayn, or even Ayaneo to get similar prices to the smartphone giants.