So while writing up a full review on AYN's new Odin 3 handheld, one of my teeth decided to give up the ghost and deliver me with agony and trepidation.
Somehow I've managed to finish this one, but I also want to share that I've got a bunch more articles and things on the way. Some interviews with developers (one is a big program/project if you're in the Steam Deck space!), some features, retrospectives and more reviews for upcoming handhelds too (the RG DS which is...going to be a hard one).
I felt like this needed to be a bit of an explanation/apology, normally I share my things here regularly but tooth time is the worst time.
(this is me, discovering tooth shittiness)
Anyway, you can either follow the link to my full review, or just go for my tl:dr here:
If you're a first-time user of these Android retro handhelds then this won't be for you. Being a Snapdragon Elite chip powering it, the compatibility with emulators and games is in its infancy. This will change in time, but for now...it's simply not plug-and-play.
If you're into tinkering, enjoy the setting up, testing and finding the perfect settings to make things work well? If you want to be at the bleeding edge of where Android gaming is heading (literally, this thing plays AAA Steam and GOG games. Its mind-blowing!), the this really is for you.
AYN sent me the Odin 3 Max version to test and review, and I've thoroughly enjoyed my time. There's some frustrations, but if you're anything like me and wish you were around for The Homebrew Computer Club back in Steve Wozniak's time - hacking and testing and trying every little bit to eke out the best of a crazy future of tech? Then the Odin 3's a safe bet for you.
I hope you enjoy this, it's a fair read, but here is the link to my full review!
So now, keep an eye out for more 'regular' articles and interviews from me, and for all that is good in this world, keep your fingers crossed for me when I get to the dentist. Ugh.
Thank you so much! It's always a bit of a nervy experience when I'm sharing a review. Even more so when I linked it in their own Discord, because if anyone will rip through details and point out flaws...its gaming fans. So hearing this? SO kind of you!
I'm lucky that I manage to somehow convince all these people (the devs and other creators!) that they should in fact be friends with me, and that they're all kind enough to listen to my requests. In fact, the PortMaster team are going to let me interview them soon, so that's something to look forward to!
Battery depends on settings, like always. But one example was Nier: Automata with high settings across the board, for around 1:25 playing, it took just under 20% of battery. But that's because I pushed the settings. Emulating PS2 it coasts, but best to limit to to say 2.5x upscale (obviously), unless you're going for a full 4K in a monitor. And further down, the old systems will go for eons. Android native games gave me 7ish hours at the highest settings I could opt for? While running at 120FPS and not dropping a single frame.
Take this with salt, because I'm hopped up on codeine waiting for Tuesday when I can get tooth pain sorted!
(thank you again SO much for the nice comment!)