Nah dude, it's not coming off as an ad for the Odin 2. I fully agree with you on this and I've been hammering the same point since I started my own channel. Glad to see others share this viewpoint. ❤
hard disagree on this one. look at what AYN did with Odin 2 compared to its first iteration. they did go from SD845 to SD8 Gen 2, not even Gen 1, Gen fucking 2. Obviously they could do Gen 3, but then it would be at a very different price point. Better controls, faster RAM, better connectivity options. I like to think that the next iteration of Odin might be not just an OLED display, but also a bigger one, say 7" or a custom, tad smaller one, but bezelless. They could also add a 5G version, which would be absolutely insane. Software should and will be improved. I mean, some dude just made an app that makes Odin's RGB lighting work as an ambilight with games. If AYN really pay attention to its community, they might ditch the side LED strips for an LED array around the screen and make it do the ambilight magic. There's room for improvement and finally there's a manufacturer that is willing to listen and make the change. So it is up to us to guide them now. Keep saying "oh, it's the previous thing but with this one thing changed" and you'll get exactly that.
Good video! We've already some a long way this year now to the point where we have solid GameCube and PS2 emulation in a smaller handheld device (a dream come true). New retro handhelds will inevitably flood the market, but I guess we'll have to see if any are worth upgrading to if you already own some of the ones out now. I feel like most retro gamers are going to be happy with one (or two) of these devices. One smaller device that can handle more lightweight titles and/or another secondary device that is able to handle higher end games with solid performance.
Went with retroid pocket 4 pro. Yes, it's not as strong as odin 2, but it doesnt need to be. 1 to 2x res on 720p is perfect for me on ps2 and gc. Plus, the portability and screen size is a great compromise
If I would have known about the yuzu/citra issue before, I would have also gone rp4.. Current state of yuzu, citra, and vita3k are still all bad experiences that more power doesn't always help with, but I had high hopes it would get better fast. But now, even the development for turnip drivers that we were using on the odin 2 got shut down in this fiasco.
Thats why I have both. I love both devices and each serve their different purpose for me. Sitting at home im usually on my Odin 2 Max at work or quick rides im usually on my RP4 Pro. Vacation and road trips I take them both.
Hey Joey, I was the guy on the Retro Handhelds discord that posted my pretty negative experience with the RGB10Max3. I just wanted to say I appreciate your perspective on the state of handhelds. I used your RG35XX setup guide over and over last year, setting them up for friends and family. It was so helpful!
You were absolutely bang on and I loved that review, which is why I hearted your comments. Everything you said was right, so thank you and thanks for the support!
appreciate your honesty Joey, this transparent approach helps the consumers to make an informed decision :) fingers crossed for more companies focusing on software now
The “just get an Odin” and “just get a Deck” bros are annoying for sure lol, but I can’t help but agree with the sentiment at this point. I have both (I prefer the smaller form factor of the Odin for emulation so I pretty much exclusively use the Deck for PC games) and I genuinely feel my FOMO has disappeared. Even if something newer and shinier comes out, there just isn’t anything it’ll do that these devices don’t already do well, especially for the Odin in regards to Android based handhelds. It’ll be a WHILE before upgrading is even a conversation worth having imo.
I’m waiting on my 2s to ship. It may not be the most powerful thing but as you pointed out in this video things aren’t really gonna move forward in a meaningful way for a bit anyway. For the form factor it’s gonna be perfect for what I want to play. Anything higher I’ll use my consoles or PC
As a Minimalist, one retroid pocket flip is enough for me. Way more ROMs than I have time to play for the next 10 years at least. One device is enough.
@@NoaTugy Yeah, Steam Deck is too large. Odin 2 is kinda big but still very manageable. I don't need a handheld that fits in my pocket because I'm not 10-years-old. For me, pockets are for keys/wallet/phone/airpods, etc.
I'm honestly so happy with my new Retroid Pocket 4 Pro. I grew up during the early 2000's and being able to play Gamecube games on the go at 2X resolution is just incredible to me. Having tons of fun playing games that I didn't get to play during my childhood, SSX 3 runs soooo good on this thing.
I think while the Odin 2 is great it doesn’t run away with the conversation vs the rp4 pro and the rg566, they all have a reason you would buy it over the others. Odin: power king with no compromises, rp4pro: best power you can fit in your pocket(debatable), rg566: best screen hands down with the oled. While the Odin 2 is great is pretty much a non starter to me as the screen is somewhere I’m not compromising and with my steam deck oled the rg 566 will be a solid complain with another oled screen
Definitely agree with most of your points. I bought an Odin 2 after watching this. I do wish on the lower end Anbernic will release a RG ARD S/D follow up with at least 1 analog stick, analog triggers and hardware powerful enough for full speed Sega Saturn Emulation.
11:20 I think it should be noted too that form factor is key too. Yes the Odin is more powerful but its a bit chunkier, and not as pocketable. Sure its a lot more portable than steam deck, but I am partial to the RP4 pro because of the size and design. :()
If the Odin 2 was $350 or even $400 and had an oled instead of the $300 IPS, I'd have bought it instantly. I had to go for the RG556 instead though, since there aren't many oled choices.
I kind of like the fact that you only need to buy one retro handheld, it's not something you have to keep updating and refreshing like a console, a PC, or a phone, because the games you're playing are deprecated and are never going to get more difficult to run. I recently purchased an Odin 2 based on your recommendations, because it can do everything up to Switch, it's a capable Android tablet, and it can handle Steam streaming, which is all I need it to do. The price and form factor were right for me, because I really didn't want an Ally or a Deck. I foresee myself using the Odin 2 until it literally disintegrates in my hands, and there's never going to be a need for a better processor or a new generation of games. It makes the price point a lot more palatable.
Again RK3566 devices are for people like me who want community support, Portmaster, and like ARM Linux Handhelds. Android Handhelds aren't the same thing. Right now the RK3566 is the best chipset for Price to Performance when it comes to ARM Linux Handhelds. Most likely the RK3588 will be the next great ARM Linux SoC but unfortunately we're not there yet.
Hey Pride, love the comments, but it doesn't address my video issue which is the rate and amount of devices still coming out with RK3566. I know the benefits of it, there's a hundred devices for you to choose from already, but to continue to just release more with minimal changes is lazy and doesn't move this niche forward. TLDR: There's enough RK3566 for anyone's needs, time to move on.
Move on to what tho? I understand that seeing the same Handheld with the same performance can be unexciting but again if the Chipset fills its purpose why ask for something new? Like for example if a Company decides to make a 3:2 or 5:3 RK3566 Handheld would that be unacceptable? These Handhelds are being made with different niches in mind. This means not all of them will have a brand new chipset.
I totally agree with you! ❤ I am still waiting for a high resolution 3:2 compact device with RP2S/4 controls, the power of a SD888, and at least 1080p video output: that would be a gem, maybe not ready for any possible PS3 emulation on Android, but at least upscaling smoothly up to PS2 would be easy and possible. At the moment the Odin 2 is the best choice, but it's just too big for my use cases
I am glad I got the Odin 2 max, that would last 10 years at least! 😊 However, tomorrow I'm travelling to Italy and am bringing my Sony Vita with me, it's smaller of course and easily fits in my backpack. I am planning not getting other devices anytime soon. Great video, keep it up! Keep gaming! 🎮😊
I have the Odin 2 now , thanks to your “repetitive”. 😅recommendations .. which turned a good thing .. and I was just lucky to download YUZU from the PlayStore .. but now since the future of higher end consoles emulation in unknown .. I’m not sure why we need such power ! I hope I wrong ..
Buying big actually saves money, pay £299 now and it won't be out of date in 3 months. Spending £199, then another £199 six months later for a slightly upgraded device doesn't make sense to me.
Completely agree with the Odin 2. Its worth it. it will play any AVAILABLE emulator exceptionally well. I think this will be my go-to for years, especially considering the current state of emulation :(
I waited 3 years for a better RG351P wich can play some N64 and DreamCast and for me the RG35XX-H is THAT device! It's so great to play Paper Mario, Banjo-Kazooie, Rayman 2 and Star Wars Episode 1 Racer on a pocket size device and I can't be happier. Yes, N64 and DreamCast are just bonus systems but it is still perfect for GBA, Genesis and PS1 which are my main systems I play. I mean there are soooo many great PS1 games that I will never play because there are so many of them and this is the reason I bought the H. 2024 is the perfect year to buy a Retro Handheld and play video games. In 2026-27 I can buy an Odin 3 or 4 to play all GameCube and PS2 for 250-300$.
The 3566 runs Linux which is a preferred operating system for many people (including me). The T600 series chips (and above) seem to be exclusively for running Android.
You're absolutely not wrong, but after almost three years of consistent RK3566 releases, you have a hundred to choose from. There isn't anything new being added, and it's just the same recycle all over again. RK3566 existing isn't the issue, RK3566 being still released after all this time is.
@@JoeysRetroHandheldsIt's only been a little over two years the RG503 came out in 2022 but the Chipset hasn't reached the levels we see today until about 9 months into 2022. Like I said the next great ARM Linux Chipset is right around the corner but for what it is the RK3566 is the best ARM Linux SoC for Price, Performance, and Battery Life. Hopefully Rockchip for maybe Radxa makes a A311D2 like chipset with better Kernel Support and Power Efficiency. This would or could replace the RK3566 as a SoC.
Watching this the day after I bought a Miyoo Mini Plus after my friend told me the Anbernic Rg35xx H was probably a bad idea on software. These companies really are lazy, and it's annoying that enthusiast devs have to pick up the slack.
I agree with you on most of this. The direction we need is either higher performing chips for less money like T618 and T820 or Dimensity D900 or what have you. Or we need better higher performing chips period. Like maybe the same power as the SD 8 Gen 2 but much better efficiency or 40% performance gains of that chips. But all this bring us to a question. More power for what exactly? Odin 2 is pretty overkill already for everything on Android as is but I could be wrong.
I know many people hate this but the best thing you can do is use your old phone when you upgrade with a telescopic USB C controller; you can choose your button layout, dome or membrane buttons, analog or digital triggers, etc, you can change it when it breaks and you can leave the phone in there and have a normal-ish handheld. I almost bought the RP4Pro or the Odin 2 then I just bought the Gamesir Galileo and put my old Galaxy phone with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 on it, OLED screen, great speakers and can switch to a more compact controller if I wish....as a bonus it has Samsung Dex, using a USB C dock and a Bluetooth controller I can continue playing on the TV. I think that using your current daily driver phone is cumbersome yes, but an old one is a no-brainer instead of $300+ for an Odin which is basically a phone without simcard
Yep, you're right. I haven't found a controller that's been worth it since the Gamevice Flex, but I try to do telescopic controller reviews when possible.
One future handheld I'd like to see is neither Android nor x86 but Windows on ARM. Asus, Acer, Lenovo, Microsoft, Samsung and others plan to release machined with the new Snapdragon X Elite and the (qualcomm-supplied) performance numbers look incredible. Work is ongoing to support it in the linux kernel but windows could always run a VM. The thin-and-light version of that chip allegedly outperforms an apple m2 with a lower TDP than a 7840u.
I bought the RG35XX-H because that pocket form factor is perfect for me and performance won't be better for years. I can play some DreamCast, some N64 and some PSP with it and for my use case it's good enough for 72$. I mostly play NES, PS1 and GBA on it because those systems are my priority.
@@Pridetoons rk3399 has terrible battery life, and my understanding was that the amlogic chips were a buggy mess in a way that companies like anbernic and powkiddy couldn't do anything about
I agree with you on this if you're living in the US. For me in the Netherlands the Odin 2 is $388 if you include shipping and 21% taxes. I preordered a RG556 for $170 which is $205 incl shipping and taxes. So the Odin 2 for me is almost double the price at $183 more than the RG556. To me that difference doesn't justify the additional benefits it offers now as the RG556 also does PS2 and Gamecube games very good. Not at the upscaled resolution of the Odin 2 and it cannot do Switch as well, but those are really the only benefits then as far as I can see. And yes the Odin 2 is indeed more future-proof, but like you said there's no real point in looking 2 years ahead in time for the tech world. I'd love to know if I'm wrong here with my reasoning as I can still cancel my preorder now, but as I look at it now the more than $180 difference isn't worth the difference as far as I can tell...
Are you sure? I live in Austria so not to far away from you and I only had to pay the 369$ for the Pro version and 20$ or 25$ (not sure anymore) for the shipping. As far as I know AYN has a warehouse in europe now so no taxes for us europeans. At least that's how it was for me.
This is a big question. I'm a huge fan of retro handhelds, but i see no reason to buy another one since i already have my Odin 2. I'm just buying things that i cannot emulate: Vita, Switch, and this kind of stuff. The consequence is that, if there is no new emulators, there is no reason to buy - and also to build - stronger devices....
I think there's still a lot of innovation to be had with sub odin 2 power/cost. it's hard for me to make the case for an odin 2 when you can just get a steamdeck for 350. or buy a trimui, a used nintendo switch and some switch games for the same price. or a trimui and a cheap gaming pc to stream off of. those options will give you more games playing at their top settings than an odin2 will. i think odin will feel more pressure from cheaper steamdeck-alikes in the 300 ish range, rather than retro portables. I agree that there's now kind of a "moat" between the odin and the $200 or less devices.
Since yuzu is gone, and since MOST switch games don't run perfectly on odin 2, a device with an EVEN FASTER soc could just brute force more frames out of switch emulation
**didnt realize i typed so much, skip if you dont wanna read a whole whiney novel lol** "If i see another 16:9 device without a T610/18 or better im gonna scream" Yes! What is even the point? It can't utilize it. And personally, i feel like throwing a 16:9, high res display kills the "retro" aspect of retro handheld. I want 480p in 4:3. At the absolute best, I'm playing PS2/GC on any handheld, I dont want 99% of my time spent with huge black bars or tinkering with widescreen hacks just to accommodate the PSP. I would hope that the success of the RGB30 and hype for the Miyoo flip would be enough of a signal that the market wants more unique devices. For example, why havent we seen a shmup focused device? Virtically oriented 4:3 display with a solid joystick and D-pad? Thatd be a great device to throw a 3566 into, and people would absolutely devour it. Or (and this is just me whining because of specifically what I want lol) a device with a larger 4:3 displau and powerful enough chipset to confortably emulate up to PS2 and Gamecube and SIX face buttons along with two joysticks? Playing N64 on any device sucks because of the need to awkwardly remap controls on a per game basis to accommodate the missing 2 face buttons. Just give us six face buttons, two (ergonomically placed) joysticks, and stacked triggers on a single device with a great chip. Just one lol. That's all it would take and you'd have the perfect layout for literally every N64 game there is, regardless of how that game would've had you holding the original trident controller. Plus, you get the added benefit of Saturn and Genesis 6 button controllers. The fact that they did it on the Arc (just the face buttons, i mean) only to pair it with a chipset thag couldnt actually run Saturn worth a damn is absurd. It really shows how little the care about actually offering a cohesive package. It's just throwing whatever they have lying around into whatever shell they think of that month and once in a while they actually get something worthwhile out of sheer luck. It seems manufacturers are shifting more towards modern design sensibilities with all but their low end devices, all we're gonna get will be candy bar shaped handhelds with high resolution panels and RGB lighting. Everything from the N64 and up is just being ignored unless you want to sacrifice the aspects of those cobsoles that actually make them retro. At what point do you just say "I'll buy a telescopic controller for a fraction of the cost, since that's the setup they want to sell me anyway."?
Rip Yuzu 😢 sure we can find the apk or something somewhere, but the fact they shut down means no more updates and a lot of games still couldnt run 100% and had graphical bugs 😢
The RG3566 is still in a very special spot. It sucks that its there, but its not just because people still buy them, its really the best ARM chip we have that can fit into a sub $100 device with good battery life, run linux perfectly and has optimized driver support, and open source freedom for development. The next chip down that road seems to be the RK3588, but its higher power draw and much higher cost will make it a poor seller when competing with all the much more powerful android only stuff. I'm not really counting on windows handhelds to go anywhere in the budget space, I have doubts that there will be any reasonable options soon for $299 or lower than can compete with the form factor and battery life of ARM. I haven't touched the steamdeck since i got an Odin 2, but I still pull out my RG353V regularly.
I feel the Odin 2 prices itself out of the market. Near 200 $ devices are coming to a point where they can emulate up to and including Gen6 quite decently, and at 400 $ you can buy an LCD steam deck that plays nearly everything you can throw at it. 300+ $ for something that's just an android phone in a controller case is too much imo. What could really blow everything out of the water is a Microsoft made portable Xbox with a custom version of Windows sold at a steam deck level price. You could literally play anything on a device like that. PS: in the meantime I'll take a RP2S (3S then?) with a 4" screen and a T618 thank you very much
Odin 2 looks cool but I wanna get one of these things for portability. And size and battery life while being extremely powerful is kind of a rare combo it seems.
I'm mostly new to the retro handheld scene so I get curious about some of these videos and the situation some seem to be in with it. I usually care about 2 different things for 2 different situations. I like having one device for being more pocketable, can take it anywhere easily, not in a bag or having to carry it. I also like having another device that I can get power and get to play nearly anything and everything on it. On the pocketable device, I mostly want to play ps2, ps1, gba, and DS. So for me, I just use my phone with a razer attachment to it that turns it into a controller lol. If I had something that was roughly the size of a phone, possibly slightly longer and also I want a good quality screen, I'd be completely fine with using that as my go to.
I have an Odin Lite and I still play it especially on planes. Even the Odin 2 doesn't really seem like a big enough upgrade for me to merit the cost when I still have a big backlog of games I want to beat on this thing. I'm just waiting to see if PC handheld is get better and more bang for your buck like if there could be a $300 PC handheld that could run PS3 (maybe a 6600U) that's what I would buy
How is everyone’s experience with trying to consolize there Odin 2? Also is the latency still an issue? These have been the two things holding back from buying an Odin 2.
Great video joey - i was more than happily considering getting the retroid 4 over the odin 2 as both handhelds are limited to ps2 dreamcast n64 emulation etc and especially now that yuzu and citra are pretty much dead - and i prefer the form factor of the rp4 - but after watching your great video on a possible flip 2 i ve decided to hang on abit 😁. Im new to handheld gaming so im not sure what the legality is surrounding emulation - but I cant help wondering joey with handheld emulation exploding at the moment - which is why so many companies are making their own devices - (which i think is a good thing for the consumer) - do you think their might come a point when sony etc might turn around and say enough is enough we need to put a stop to millions of people playing our games for nothing - maybe another video response from you joey 😁
I agree with your takes on the Android and x86 space - it would be nice if more of the manufacturers made more form factors of the best available chipsets (a Flip Snapdragon 8 Gen 2? A Pimax Portal?) Unfortunately - as you point out - we can't even get a good amount of different T618 devices, so the next few years will probably be kinda grim
Good points Joey! You could also think of it this way, if you could spend an extra $100 to get the Anbernic or Retroid of 2025 right now, would it be worth it?
I thought this was an excellent video. Your thoughts about the doughnut hole that exists in the lower end handhelds market echos my own. A sub $50 handheld that can do 4th gen and some 5th gen consoles is fine. But the between $50-$125 space is full of stuff that's overkill for Genesis but can't play Saturn. Or for the Nintendo Ninjas, is super for Super NES but deep sixed by N64. I kind of feel like those devices are overpriced for what they offer. Unless you need the vibes of a bespoke handheld, a used flagship phone or new prepaid phone + a controller can do so much more for the same or less money.
The problem these companies face is that they have a limited lifespan when it comes to retro handhelds. Once you create one with a spec that can run absolutly everything as well as possible, you're done. They're having to slowly, incrementally raise the specs to avoid that doomsday basically. Although Anbernic is clearly going over the top here. I know that the ultimate spec would be too high a price for some right now, but there will come a time when that's not the case. Companies don't want that to be the only place left to go when they get to that point. Also I'd never buy the Odin as the DPad is in the wrong place for me. There are concerns other than the size. Gotta have full comfort for fighting games.
I think we've just lost our way with retro handhelds. The only thing I'm interested in this year is the miyoo mini flip. These mini-PCs that are like ten pound loaves of bread in your hand or handhelds designed primarily for cloud streaming....sigh.
I have a Retroid Pocket 3+ and it’s great…..for certain things. My main problem is the Android versions of the emulators for systems above Dreamcast are extremely lacking even on more powerful stuff like Odin 2. And that’s going to be even worse now due to some emulators getting Thanos snapped out of existence.
The first Odin 845 was supposed to get Linux and never did. A wave of moderate priced sd845 linux devices would spice things up in a hurry. The 3588 is a decent alternative seemingly on the way soon.
I had no idea that we were getting all these new models with the same processor. I sure hope this stops. lol I dare not speculate what the future of these things are going to be, because honestly my mind is boggled by how much this has blown up in a relatively short time. It's like one day around the time I set up a raspberry pi 3B as my emulation thing, there was, like, the Bittboy, and that was it. Now there are entire youtube channels talking about different handhelds constantly and never running out of material.
Sick Odin 2 sponsorship Joey! Jokes aside, fully agree. The space is inherintly iterative, but theres only so many variations of "horizontal 3566 handheld under $100usd" that we can take before fatigue takes over. There is a weird sense of "Journey's End Blues" that takes over with the release of the market breaking Odin 2. Its really hard to get excited.
The RGB10MAX3 might be a decent buy at the current pre-order price of 70 bucks for up to gen 5 emulation. Even though a 16:9 screen on a RK3566 device is pointless imo, 4:3 content will still be a lot bigger than on a 3.5 inch 4:3 screen.
It's such a kick in the teeth to me that he odin has everything I want minus the button layout. I just want either a quality dpad up top or 3ds like sliders and there's huge trade offs for the ones that do fit that need for their price points imo.
I went with the RP4P, but that's mostly because of the form factor. I wanted something a little smaller. But had considered the Oden 2 anyways. But otherwise, I agree with pretty much everything. I never got any of these devices because I had been waiting to be able to play my PS2 games. Up to now Ive just been using my phone. But I don't see any reason to really ever upgrade it till, as the person said, I can get PS3 and 360 emulation, which isn't going to happen for awhile. I might upgrade in a few years if RP keeps making it more and more powerful for PC and Switch Emulation, but over all I don't see many companies pushing it as much. Also I didn't know about the Ayaneo Pocket S till right before watching this... so part of me does wonder if I should have waited.
It's kind of a cliché at this point, but the Odin 2 Pro is endgame for me. It did what I thought wasn't possible, which is make me largely lose interest in paying attention to the handheld space because it does everything I want as well as I could hope for. Every PS2 game I want in handheld form on higher resolution and some bonus Switch games? Yeah, I'm good to go.
Joey, any opinion on the newer Batocera software for the 35xxh? I’ve wanted a plastic 353 size device and the 35xxh seems to hit the form factor but not the software or power. A device that size that can do DC/N64 well with a T610 or A311D would be practically end game for that segment if I could fit it all in.
We all obviously would prefere the higher end stuff... but: Are there guides out there on whats the best (and "cheapest") for each generation? F.ex, me: Im only interested in getting a handheld that has the approx size of a gen1 gameboy: i want to play nintendo nes games on it, thats it. As thats the console i grew up with. It only need the hardware to play those nes games flawlessly.. + a good screen. Which retro handheld should i consider? (questions like that). *edit: i liked the formfactor of that small blue handheld on your table, next to the plant.
Hey Joey. I am debating on jumping at the Odin 2, mainly because it is "future proof" in a way. Is the Max version actually worth it right now over the Pro? I am not super interested in anything over PS2 and Gamecube (I would do Wii U if CEMU is ever ported). Any thoughts?
Honestly the Base is more than fine for your use cases, the Pro is what I have and usually suggest, but I think the Max is mostly overkill from what I can see.
@@JoeysRetroHandhelds I am in the middle of your video and heard you talking about basically PS3, Xbox, and Wii U is kinda longshot for android and that is a bit sad. But if that is a case the Odin could last a while as your main device.
@@spidercoltI agree with Joey here. The only reason why people recommend the Pro version is Switch emulation. Most Switch games would need 9 or 10 GB Ram to run good. That's why the base version wouldn't be enough. Like Joey said for PS2 Gamecube and Wii the Base version is more than enough. And don't let the 128 GB storage scare you. You have the SD Card slot to increase it.
The bottom line is that software & emu-development drives the demand for better hardware on the ARM/Android side of things. The android landscape is going to be pretty rough for continued hardware development without a real, tangible endgame to work towards. This is really bad for AYN & Retroid; any manufacturers pushing stronger SOCs, really. It's okay for x86 & Linux, but that's an entirely different, far less accessible price-point. The challenge with handheld PCs isn't the manufacturing; it's the long-term software support and the community that springs up behind the device or founders alongside it. I really don't think people realize how much touching Yuzu's source on GitHub or GitLab is akin to working with nuclear waste. No one smart or talented is going to engage with it in a country with extradition laws. It's mostly just script kiddies emboldened by community bravado right now. Anyone smart is keeping what they're doing with Yuzu under wraps.
As a recent owner of the 35xxH, I think I'm going to pop it in my drawer for a couple of months and come back to it when better CFW becomes available. I've already wasted so much time trying out Batocera v39, Stock MOD3, Stock Mod 1.3, but they all just feel terrible to me (no offence to the devs).
There is an open niche for a pocketable device that can run all of PS2. Rg405m is close but not quite powerful enough. Rp4pro is close but too big and sticks out in too many places. I hope the next RP or ambernic device focuses on this.
For me it all comes to what is the console i'll like to emulate. I don't think that i should future proof a retro console. Odin 3 will probably have technology paired to PS4. I want to play my own gamecube, n64, snes games collection in a portable factor. So for me time stops in Retroid 4Pro.
The stagnation is really stagnation in linux devices. The A311D in the PK 10max3 pro could be the mid tier upgrade we need to the 3566 that would finally play N64/ DC/ PSP well but PK doesn’t do it’s own software and anbernic made the decision to stick with android and its own mediocre software. Good A311D software could launch a wave of smaller $120 linux devices. The 3588 is promising in the $160-200 range with more power/cooling. What else plays linux that’s more powerful than that?
Imagine if these retro console companies were to develop (or pay to develop) exclusive games. Just to offer something unique instead of the same devices over and over. But nah, that would require actual effort.
Retro handheld first party Linux software/firmware has almost always been garbage. Third Party are the ones that deserve all the credit for improving the experience, and i really wish the retro handheld makers just collab with them for a good profit as well.
I'd rather buy an Ayaneo because in my country, the PC handhelds such as Asus and Steam are on the same price as an Ayaneo device xD Which makes me realise how the market is so awful here
Nah dude, it's not coming off as an ad for the Odin 2. I fully agree with you on this and I've been hammering the same point since I started my own channel. Glad to see others share this viewpoint. ❤
Odin 3 reviews when comes out:
It's just a Odin 2 but with better battery life
Odin 3 is just Odin 2 with an OLED skin.
@@DarkIceKrabbyI would buy the Odin 3 in a heartbeat if all it did was add an OLED lol
Battery on 2 is already insane
hard disagree on this one. look at what AYN did with Odin 2 compared to its first iteration. they did go from SD845 to SD8 Gen 2, not even Gen 1, Gen fucking 2. Obviously they could do Gen 3, but then it would be at a very different price point. Better controls, faster RAM, better connectivity options. I like to think that the next iteration of Odin might be not just an OLED display, but also a bigger one, say 7" or a custom, tad smaller one, but bezelless. They could also add a 5G version, which would be absolutely insane. Software should and will be improved. I mean, some dude just made an app that makes Odin's RGB lighting work as an ambilight with games. If AYN really pay attention to its community, they might ditch the side LED strips for an LED array around the screen and make it do the ambilight magic. There's room for improvement and finally there's a manufacturer that is willing to listen and make the change. So it is up to us to guide them now. Keep saying "oh, it's the previous thing but with this one thing changed" and you'll get exactly that.
@lateralol Please not a bigger one. The size is perfect. An OLED model would be dope though
Good video! We've already some a long way this year now to the point where we have solid GameCube and PS2 emulation in a smaller handheld device (a dream come true). New retro handhelds will inevitably flood the market, but I guess we'll have to see if any are worth upgrading to if you already own some of the ones out now.
I feel like most retro gamers are going to be happy with one (or two) of these devices. One smaller device that can handle more lightweight titles and/or another secondary device that is able to handle higher end games with solid performance.
Went with retroid pocket 4 pro. Yes, it's not as strong as odin 2, but it doesnt need to be. 1 to 2x res on 720p is perfect for me on ps2 and gc. Plus, the portability and screen size is a great compromise
If I would have known about the yuzu/citra issue before, I would have also gone rp4.. Current state of yuzu, citra, and vita3k are still all bad experiences that more power doesn't always help with, but I had high hopes it would get better fast. But now, even the development for turnip drivers that we were using on the odin 2 got shut down in this fiasco.
Thats why I have both. I love both devices and each serve their different purpose for me. Sitting at home im usually on my Odin 2 Max at work or quick rides im usually on my RP4 Pro. Vacation and road trips I take them both.
Hey Joey, I was the guy on the Retro Handhelds discord that posted my pretty negative experience with the RGB10Max3. I just wanted to say I appreciate your perspective on the state of handhelds. I used your RG35XX setup guide over and over last year, setting them up for friends and family. It was so helpful!
You were absolutely bang on and I loved that review, which is why I hearted your comments.
Everything you said was right, so thank you and thanks for the support!
appreciate your honesty Joey, this transparent approach helps the consumers to make an informed decision :) fingers crossed for more companies focusing on software now
The “just get an Odin” and “just get a Deck” bros are annoying for sure lol, but I can’t help but agree with the sentiment at this point. I have both (I prefer the smaller form factor of the Odin for emulation so I pretty much exclusively use the Deck for PC games) and I genuinely feel my FOMO has disappeared. Even if something newer and shinier comes out, there just isn’t anything it’ll do that these devices don’t already do well, especially for the Odin in regards to Android based handhelds. It’ll be a WHILE before upgrading is even a conversation worth having imo.
99% agree with this...however I would still end up buying a miyoo flip
I love my odin 2. I sprung for the max to future proof it even more and im not looking back
Just ordered a Pro which is the sweet spot of price to performance for me, but can't go wrong with any model imo
But it doesn't have OLED which is a huge drawback compared to the RG556...
@VaticanTop that and the ergonomics is all it has going for it imo. The odin 2 screen is fantastic and holds its own against any oled
I’m waiting on my 2s to ship. It may not be the most powerful thing but as you pointed out in this video things aren’t really gonna move forward in a meaningful way for a bit anyway. For the form factor it’s gonna be perfect for what I want to play. Anything higher I’ll use my consoles or PC
2S is awesome.
As a Minimalist, one retroid pocket flip is enough for me.
Way more ROMs than I have time to play for the next 10 years at least.
One device is enough.
I love this style of video Joey! You're good at talking!
Except that one part, talking is hard.
You can't have this conversation without mentioning the Odin 2 which is king! Thanks Joey! 😀
It's kinda ugly and too large to really do much with despite it's power, so I honestly prefer the RP4P.
Still not king 🤣 rp4 pro fits in your pocket, steamdeck and ally cover the rest
@@shilomarie1452 Too large? Looks are not important but too large? I don't see how it's too large
@@shilomarie1452it's the same size as a Switch LOL
@@NoaTugy Yeah, Steam Deck is too large. Odin 2 is kinda big but still very manageable. I don't need a handheld that fits in my pocket because I'm not 10-years-old. For me, pockets are for keys/wallet/phone/airpods, etc.
I'm honestly so happy with my new Retroid Pocket 4 Pro. I grew up during the early 2000's and being able to play Gamecube games on the go at 2X resolution is just incredible to me. Having tons of fun playing games that I didn't get to play during my childhood, SSX 3 runs soooo good on this thing.
I think while the Odin 2 is great it doesn’t run away with the conversation vs the rp4 pro and the rg566, they all have a reason you would buy it over the others. Odin: power king with no compromises, rp4pro: best power you can fit in your pocket(debatable), rg566: best screen hands down with the oled. While the Odin 2 is great is pretty much a non starter to me as the screen is somewhere I’m not compromising and with my steam deck oled the rg 566 will be a solid complain with another oled screen
Definitely agree with most of your points. I bought an Odin 2 after watching this. I do wish on the lower end Anbernic will release a RG ARD S/D follow up with at least 1 analog stick, analog triggers and hardware powerful enough for full speed Sega Saturn Emulation.
11:20 I think it should be noted too that form factor is key too. Yes the Odin is more powerful but its a bit chunkier, and not as pocketable. Sure its a lot more portable than steam deck, but I am partial to the RP4 pro because of the size and design. :()
But, the retroid will not be 300$ like the odin 2. Adding +100$ is A BIG change in terms of hardware
2x Retroid releases = more than an Odin 2, kind of the point I was trying to make.
yeah i understand man, i feel lke they are targetting an other audience than the odin keeping the price under 200$@@JoeysRetroHandhelds
I would love to see a focus on better screen quality and size moving forward. Would be great to have Logitech g cloud competitors with a decent chip
If the Odin 2 was $350 or even $400 and had an oled instead of the $300 IPS, I'd have bought it instantly. I had to go for the RG556 instead though, since there aren't many oled choices.
Great video Joey. The Odin 2 is the best out there
I kind of like the fact that you only need to buy one retro handheld, it's not something you have to keep updating and refreshing like a console, a PC, or a phone, because the games you're playing are deprecated and are never going to get more difficult to run. I recently purchased an Odin 2 based on your recommendations, because it can do everything up to Switch, it's a capable Android tablet, and it can handle Steam streaming, which is all I need it to do. The price and form factor were right for me, because I really didn't want an Ally or a Deck. I foresee myself using the Odin 2 until it literally disintegrates in my hands, and there's never going to be a need for a better processor or a new generation of games. It makes the price point a lot more palatable.
Again RK3566 devices are for people like me who want community support, Portmaster, and like ARM Linux Handhelds. Android Handhelds aren't the same thing. Right now the RK3566 is the best chipset for Price to Performance when it comes to ARM Linux Handhelds. Most likely the RK3588 will be the next great ARM Linux SoC but unfortunately we're not there yet.
Hey Pride, love the comments, but it doesn't address my video issue which is the rate and amount of devices still coming out with RK3566.
I know the benefits of it, there's a hundred devices for you to choose from already, but to continue to just release more with minimal changes is lazy and doesn't move this niche forward.
TLDR: There's enough RK3566 for anyone's needs, time to move on.
Move on to what tho? I understand that seeing the same Handheld with the same performance can be unexciting but again if the Chipset fills its purpose why ask for something new? Like for example if a Company decides to make a 3:2 or 5:3 RK3566 Handheld would that be unacceptable? These Handhelds are being made with different niches in mind. This means not all of them will have a brand new chipset.
I totally agree with you! ❤ I am still waiting for a high resolution 3:2 compact device with RP2S/4 controls, the power of a SD888, and at least 1080p video output: that would be a gem, maybe not ready for any possible PS3 emulation on Android, but at least upscaling smoothly up to PS2 would be easy and possible. At the moment the Odin 2 is the best choice, but it's just too big for my use cases
OKAY, JOEY FINE YOU WIN ILL BUY AN ODIN 2
I may or may not have an AYN odin 2 en route . I agree heavily with your opinion.
I am glad I got the Odin 2 max, that would last 10 years at least! 😊
However, tomorrow I'm travelling to Italy and am bringing my Sony Vita with me, it's smaller of course and easily fits in my backpack.
I am planning not getting other devices anytime soon.
Great video, keep it up!
Keep gaming! 🎮😊
Have fun!
Screen sizes can move up to 4 and 5 inch standard.
More color options would be nice.
Also more niche nostalgia consoles would be great.
I have the Odin 2 now , thanks to your “repetitive”. 😅recommendations .. which turned a good thing .. and I was just lucky to download YUZU from the PlayStore .. but now since the future of higher end consoles emulation in unknown .. I’m not sure why we need such power ! I hope I wrong ..
My Odin 2 will be here Monday! Woohoo!
Buying big actually saves money, pay £299 now and it won't be out of date in 3 months. Spending £199, then another £199 six months later for a slightly upgraded device doesn't make sense to me.
Years from now, the Odin 2 will *_still_* be the one to beat. 👑
Completely agree with the Odin 2. Its worth it. it will play any AVAILABLE emulator exceptionally well. I think this will be my go-to for years, especially considering the current state of emulation :(
I waited 3 years for a better RG351P wich can play some N64 and DreamCast and for me the RG35XX-H is THAT device!
It's so great to play Paper Mario, Banjo-Kazooie, Rayman 2 and Star Wars Episode 1 Racer on a pocket size device and I can't be happier. Yes, N64 and DreamCast are just bonus systems but it is still perfect for GBA, Genesis and PS1 which are my main systems I play. I mean there are soooo many great PS1 games that I will never play because there are so many of them and this is the reason I bought the H.
2024 is the perfect year to buy a Retro Handheld and play video games. In 2026-27 I can buy an Odin 3 or 4 to play all GameCube and PS2 for 250-300$.
The 3566 runs Linux which is a preferred operating system for many people (including me). The T600 series chips (and above) seem to be exclusively for running Android.
yeah, and i mean some people like me prefer linux devices
You're absolutely not wrong, but after almost three years of consistent RK3566 releases, you have a hundred to choose from. There isn't anything new being added, and it's just the same recycle all over again.
RK3566 existing isn't the issue, RK3566 being still released after all this time is.
@@JoeysRetroHandheldsIt's only been a little over two years the RG503 came out in 2022 but the Chipset hasn't reached the levels we see today until about 9 months into 2022. Like I said the next great ARM Linux Chipset is right around the corner but for what it is the RK3566 is the best ARM Linux SoC for Price, Performance, and Battery Life. Hopefully Rockchip for maybe Radxa makes a A311D2 like chipset with better Kernel Support and Power Efficiency. This would or could replace the RK3566 as a SoC.
Watching this the day after I bought a Miyoo Mini Plus after my friend told me the Anbernic Rg35xx H was probably a bad idea on software.
These companies really are lazy, and it's annoying that enthusiast devs have to pick up the slack.
You made the right decision.
I agree with you on most of this. The direction we need is either higher performing chips for less money like T618 and T820 or Dimensity D900 or what have you. Or we need better higher performing chips period. Like maybe the same power as the SD 8 Gen 2 but much better efficiency or 40% performance gains of that chips. But all this bring us to a question. More power for what exactly? Odin 2 is pretty overkill already for everything on Android as is but I could be wrong.
I know many people hate this but the best thing you can do is use your old phone when you upgrade with a telescopic USB C controller; you can choose your button layout, dome or membrane buttons, analog or digital triggers, etc, you can change it when it breaks and you can leave the phone in there and have a normal-ish handheld. I almost bought the RP4Pro or the Odin 2 then I just bought the Gamesir Galileo and put my old Galaxy phone with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 on it, OLED screen, great speakers and can switch to a more compact controller if I wish....as a bonus it has Samsung Dex, using a USB C dock and a Bluetooth controller I can continue playing on the TV. I think that using your current daily driver phone is cumbersome yes, but an old one is a no-brainer instead of $300+ for an Odin which is basically a phone without simcard
Yep, you're right. I haven't found a controller that's been worth it since the Gamevice Flex, but I try to do telescopic controller reviews when possible.
One future handheld I'd like to see is neither Android nor x86 but Windows on ARM. Asus, Acer, Lenovo, Microsoft, Samsung and others plan to release machined with the new Snapdragon X Elite and the (qualcomm-supplied) performance numbers look incredible. Work is ongoing to support it in the linux kernel but windows could always run a VM. The thin-and-light version of that chip allegedly outperforms an apple m2 with a lower TDP than a 7840u.
Most people buying those devices it’s due to Linux
I really wanted to like my rg arc, but its crazy under powered functionality and battery
I bought the RG35XX-H because that pocket form factor is perfect for me and performance won't be better for years.
I can play some DreamCast, some N64 and some PSP with it and for my use case it's good enough for 72$.
I mostly play NES, PS1 and GBA on it because those systems are my priority.
3566 devices are still coming out because it's the most powerful Linux arm chip they can use.
Outside of the RK3399, and Amlogic's A311D, A311D2, and S922x.
@@Pridetoons rk3399 has terrible battery life, and my understanding was that the amlogic chips were a buggy mess in a way that companies like anbernic and powkiddy couldn't do anything about
I agree with you on this if you're living in the US. For me in the Netherlands the Odin 2 is $388 if you include shipping and 21% taxes. I preordered a RG556 for $170 which is $205 incl shipping and taxes. So the Odin 2 for me is almost double the price at $183 more than the RG556.
To me that difference doesn't justify the additional benefits it offers now as the RG556 also does PS2 and Gamecube games very good. Not at the upscaled resolution of the Odin 2 and it cannot do Switch as well, but those are really the only benefits then as far as I can see. And yes the Odin 2 is indeed more future-proof, but like you said there's no real point in looking 2 years ahead in time for the tech world.
I'd love to know if I'm wrong here with my reasoning as I can still cancel my preorder now, but as I look at it now the more than $180 difference isn't worth the difference as far as I can tell...
Are you sure? I live in Austria so not to far away from you and I only had to pay the 369$ for the Pro version and 20$ or 25$ (not sure anymore) for the shipping. As far as I know AYN has a warehouse in europe now so no taxes for us europeans. At least that's how it was for me.
@@mkay6915 You paid $369 without shipping? That's still almost $200 more than the RG556 for me...
This is a big question. I'm a huge fan of retro handhelds, but i see no reason to buy another one since i already have my Odin 2. I'm just buying things that i cannot emulate: Vita, Switch, and this kind of stuff. The consequence is that, if there is no new emulators, there is no reason to buy - and also to build - stronger devices....
I think there's still a lot of innovation to be had with sub odin 2 power/cost. it's hard for me to make the case for an odin 2 when you can just get a steamdeck for 350. or buy a trimui, a used nintendo switch and some switch games for the same price. or a trimui and a cheap gaming pc to stream off of. those options will give you more games playing at their top settings than an odin2 will.
i think odin will feel more pressure from cheaper steamdeck-alikes in the 300 ish range, rather than retro portables. I agree that there's now kind of a "moat" between the odin and the $200 or less devices.
i currently have a Odin 1 Pro and I love the thing
Since yuzu is gone, and since MOST switch games don't run perfectly on odin 2, a device with an EVEN FASTER soc could just brute force more frames out of switch emulation
**didnt realize i typed so much, skip if you dont wanna read a whole whiney novel lol**
"If i see another 16:9 device without a T610/18 or better im gonna scream"
Yes! What is even the point? It can't utilize it. And personally, i feel like throwing a 16:9, high res display kills the "retro" aspect of retro handheld. I want 480p in 4:3. At the absolute best, I'm playing PS2/GC on any handheld, I dont want 99% of my time spent with huge black bars or tinkering with widescreen hacks just to accommodate the PSP.
I would hope that the success of the RGB30 and hype for the Miyoo flip would be enough of a signal that the market wants more unique devices. For example, why havent we seen a shmup focused device? Virtically oriented 4:3 display with a solid joystick and D-pad? Thatd be a great device to throw a 3566 into, and people would absolutely devour it.
Or (and this is just me whining because of specifically what I want lol) a device with a larger 4:3 displau and powerful enough chipset to confortably emulate up to PS2 and Gamecube and SIX face buttons along with two joysticks? Playing N64 on any device sucks because of the need to awkwardly remap controls on a per game basis to accommodate the missing 2 face buttons.
Just give us six face buttons, two (ergonomically placed) joysticks, and stacked triggers on a single device with a great chip. Just one lol. That's all it would take and you'd have the perfect layout for literally every N64 game there is, regardless of how that game would've had you holding the original trident controller. Plus, you get the added benefit of Saturn and Genesis 6 button controllers.
The fact that they did it on the Arc (just the face buttons, i mean) only to pair it with a chipset thag couldnt actually run Saturn worth a damn is absurd. It really shows how little the care about actually offering a cohesive package. It's just throwing whatever they have lying around into whatever shell they think of that month and once in a while they actually get something worthwhile out of sheer luck.
It seems manufacturers are shifting more towards modern design sensibilities with all but their low end devices, all we're gonna get will be candy bar shaped handhelds with high resolution panels and RGB lighting. Everything from the N64 and up is just being ignored unless you want to sacrifice the aspects of those cobsoles that actually make them retro.
At what point do you just say "I'll buy a telescopic controller for a fraction of the cost, since that's the setup they want to sell me anyway."?
New York Time's best seller right here!
Rip Yuzu 😢 sure we can find the apk or something somewhere, but the fact they shut down means no more updates and a lot of games still couldnt run 100% and had graphical bugs 😢
The RG3566 is still in a very special spot. It sucks that its there, but its not just because people still buy them, its really the best ARM chip we have that can fit into a sub $100 device with good battery life, run linux perfectly and has optimized driver support, and open source freedom for development. The next chip down that road seems to be the RK3588, but its higher power draw and much higher cost will make it a poor seller when competing with all the much more powerful android only stuff.
I'm not really counting on windows handhelds to go anywhere in the budget space, I have doubts that there will be any reasonable options soon for $299 or lower than can compete with the form factor and battery life of ARM. I haven't touched the steamdeck since i got an Odin 2, but I still pull out my RG353V regularly.
I feel the Odin 2 prices itself out of the market. Near 200 $ devices are coming to a point where they can emulate up to and including Gen6 quite decently, and at 400 $ you can buy an LCD steam deck that plays nearly everything you can throw at it. 300+ $ for something that's just an android phone in a controller case is too much imo. What could really blow everything out of the water is a Microsoft made portable Xbox with a custom version of Windows sold at a steam deck level price. You could literally play anything on a device like that.
PS: in the meantime I'll take a RP2S (3S then?) with a 4" screen and a T618 thank you very much
Got a used PR3+ on ebay for $85. I am very happy with it right now
Odin 2 looks cool but I wanna get one of these things for portability. And size and battery life while being extremely powerful is kind of a rare combo it seems.
I'm mostly new to the retro handheld scene so I get curious about some of these videos and the situation some seem to be in with it. I usually care about 2 different things for 2 different situations. I like having one device for being more pocketable, can take it anywhere easily, not in a bag or having to carry it. I also like having another device that I can get power and get to play nearly anything and everything on it. On the pocketable device, I mostly want to play ps2, ps1, gba, and DS. So for me, I just use my phone with a razer attachment to it that turns it into a controller lol. If I had something that was roughly the size of a phone, possibly slightly longer and also I want a good quality screen, I'd be completely fine with using that as my go to.
I have an Odin Lite and I still play it especially on planes. Even the Odin 2 doesn't really seem like a big enough upgrade for me to merit the cost when I still have a big backlog of games I want to beat on this thing. I'm just waiting to see if PC handheld is get better and more bang for your buck like if there could be a $300 PC handheld that could run PS3 (maybe a 6600U) that's what I would buy
I just can’t decide what to get for on the go with a bigger screen then the xxxH and sp also. I have the steam deck and switch any advice around $150
How is everyone’s experience with trying to consolize there Odin 2? Also is the latency still an issue? These have been the two things holding back from buying an Odin 2.
Great video joey - i was more than happily considering getting the retroid 4 over the odin 2 as both handhelds are limited to ps2 dreamcast n64 emulation etc and especially now that yuzu and citra are pretty much dead - and i prefer the form factor of the rp4 - but after watching your great video on a possible flip 2 i ve decided to hang on abit 😁. Im new to handheld gaming so im not sure what the legality is surrounding emulation - but I cant help wondering joey with handheld emulation exploding at the moment - which is why so many companies are making their own devices - (which i think is a good thing for the consumer) - do you think their might come a point when sony etc might turn around and say enough is enough we need to put a stop to millions of people playing our games for nothing - maybe another video response from you joey 😁
Hah, thanks for the comment! Sony's pretty much left us alone, I don't think they'll care, it's not their style.
I agree with your takes on the Android and x86 space - it would be nice if more of the manufacturers made more form factors of the best available chipsets (a Flip Snapdragon 8 Gen 2? A Pimax Portal?)
Unfortunately - as you point out - we can't even get a good amount of different T618 devices, so the next few years will probably be kinda grim
Good points Joey! You could also think of it this way, if you could spend an extra $100 to get the Anbernic or Retroid of 2025 right now, would it be worth it?
I thought this was an excellent video. Your thoughts about the doughnut hole that exists in the lower end handhelds market echos my own. A sub $50 handheld that can do 4th gen and some 5th gen consoles is fine. But the between $50-$125 space is full of stuff that's overkill for Genesis but can't play Saturn. Or for the Nintendo Ninjas, is super for Super NES but deep sixed by N64. I kind of feel like those devices are overpriced for what they offer. Unless you need the vibes of a bespoke handheld, a used flagship phone or new prepaid phone + a controller can do so much more for the same or less money.
The problem these companies face is that they have a limited lifespan when it comes to retro handhelds. Once you create one with a spec that can run absolutly everything as well as possible, you're done. They're having to slowly, incrementally raise the specs to avoid that doomsday basically. Although Anbernic is clearly going over the top here.
I know that the ultimate spec would be too high a price for some right now, but there will come a time when that's not the case. Companies don't want that to be the only place left to go when they get to that point.
Also I'd never buy the Odin as the DPad is in the wrong place for me. There are concerns other than the size. Gotta have full comfort for fighting games.
I think we've just lost our way with retro handhelds. The only thing I'm interested in this year is the miyoo mini flip. These mini-PCs that are like ten pound loaves of bread in your hand or handhelds designed primarily for cloud streaming....sigh.
I have a Retroid Pocket 3+ and it’s great…..for certain things. My main problem is the Android versions of the emulators for systems above Dreamcast are extremely lacking even on more powerful stuff like Odin 2. And that’s going to be even worse now due to some emulators getting Thanos snapped out of existence.
Yep.
as they have said, the odin 2 is the best android handheld you can get atm
The first Odin 845 was supposed to get Linux and never did. A wave of moderate priced sd845 linux devices would spice things up in a hurry. The 3588 is a decent alternative seemingly on the way soon.
i love your set up sir.
Thanks!
welp jelos had a bad day lol
I had no idea that we were getting all these new models with the same processor. I sure hope this stops. lol I dare not speculate what the future of these things are going to be, because honestly my mind is boggled by how much this has blown up in a relatively short time. It's like one day around the time I set up a raspberry pi 3B as my emulation thing, there was, like, the Bittboy, and that was it. Now there are entire youtube channels talking about different handhelds constantly and never running out of material.
Sick Odin 2 sponsorship Joey!
Jokes aside, fully agree.
The space is inherintly iterative, but theres only so many variations of "horizontal 3566 handheld under $100usd" that we can take before fatigue takes over.
There is a weird sense of "Journey's End Blues" that takes over with the release of the market breaking Odin 2. Its really hard to get excited.
The RGB10MAX3 might be a decent buy at the current pre-order price of 70 bucks for up to gen 5 emulation. Even though a 16:9 screen on a RK3566 device is pointless imo, 4:3 content will still be a lot bigger than on a 3.5 inch 4:3 screen.
It's such a kick in the teeth to me that he odin has everything I want minus the button layout. I just want either a quality dpad up top or 3ds like sliders and there's huge trade offs for the ones that do fit that need for their price points imo.
I went with the RP4P, but that's mostly because of the form factor. I wanted something a little smaller. But had considered the Oden 2 anyways.
But otherwise, I agree with pretty much everything. I never got any of these devices because I had been waiting to be able to play my PS2 games. Up to now Ive just been using my phone. But I don't see any reason to really ever upgrade it till, as the person said, I can get PS3 and 360 emulation, which isn't going to happen for awhile. I might upgrade in a few years if RP keeps making it more and more powerful for PC and Switch Emulation, but over all I don't see many companies pushing it as much.
Also I didn't know about the Ayaneo Pocket S till right before watching this... so part of me does wonder if I should have waited.
It's kind of a cliché at this point, but the Odin 2 Pro is endgame for me. It did what I thought wasn't possible, which is make me largely lose interest in paying attention to the handheld space because it does everything I want as well as I could hope for. Every PS2 game I want in handheld form on higher resolution and some bonus Switch games? Yeah, I'm good to go.
I just ignore Anbernic, Powkiddy, and Trimui. Miyoo is ok though.
Joey, any opinion on the newer Batocera software for the 35xxh? I’ve wanted a plastic 353 size device and the 35xxh seems to hit the form factor but not the software or power. A device that size that can do DC/N64 well with a T610 or A311D would be practically end game for that segment if I could fit it all in.
I love my Odin 2. An amazing device but what is the futur oh hansheld if Emulation fall apart?
AetherSX2, yuzu, citra.. who's next?
We all obviously would prefere the higher end stuff... but:
Are there guides out there on whats the best (and "cheapest") for each generation?
F.ex, me:
Im only interested in getting a handheld that has the approx size of a gen1 gameboy: i want to play nintendo nes games on it, thats it. As thats the console i grew up with.
It only need the hardware to play those nes games flawlessly.. + a good screen. Which retro handheld should i consider? (questions like that).
*edit: i liked the formfactor of that small blue handheld on your table, next to the plant.
Is the Odin base any good or just wait until I can afford the 2
I'd wait for the 2.
Hey Joey. I am debating on jumping at the Odin 2, mainly because it is "future proof" in a way. Is the Max version actually worth it right now over the Pro? I am not super interested in anything over PS2 and Gamecube (I would do Wii U if CEMU is ever ported). Any thoughts?
Honestly the Base is more than fine for your use cases, the Pro is what I have and usually suggest, but I think the Max is mostly overkill from what I can see.
@@JoeysRetroHandhelds I am in the middle of your video and heard you talking about basically PS3, Xbox, and Wii U is kinda longshot for android and that is a bit sad. But if that is a case the Odin could last a while as your main device.
@@spidercoltI agree with Joey here. The only reason why people recommend the Pro version is Switch emulation. Most Switch games would need 9 or 10 GB Ram to run good. That's why the base version wouldn't be enough. Like Joey said for PS2 Gamecube and Wii the Base version is more than enough. And don't let the 128 GB storage scare you. You have the SD Card slot to increase it.
I felt exactly like this when I got my Odin 1. Do you think it's worth the upgrade to move up to the Odin 2?
The bottom line is that software & emu-development drives the demand for better hardware on the ARM/Android side of things. The android landscape is going to be pretty rough for continued hardware development without a real, tangible endgame to work towards.
This is really bad for AYN & Retroid; any manufacturers pushing stronger SOCs, really. It's okay for x86 & Linux, but that's an entirely different, far less accessible price-point. The challenge with handheld PCs isn't the manufacturing; it's the long-term software support and the community that springs up behind the device or founders alongside it.
I really don't think people realize how much touching Yuzu's source on GitHub or GitLab is akin to working with nuclear waste. No one smart or talented is going to engage with it in a country with extradition laws. It's mostly just script kiddies emboldened by community bravado right now. Anyone smart is keeping what they're doing with Yuzu under wraps.
As a recent owner of the 35xxH, I think I'm going to pop it in my drawer for a couple of months and come back to it when better CFW becomes available. I've already wasted so much time trying out Batocera v39, Stock MOD3, Stock Mod 1.3, but they all just feel terrible to me (no offence to the devs).
I am eager to get me Ayn Odin 2 Max for mobile gaming and Ayn Loki Max for PC gaming
The Odin 2 can run Linux. Not a perfect solution but with box64 it could run even more things
Edit : yo is that a Greek flag tattoo ?
It is!
@@JoeysRetroHandhelds καλά απίστευτο είμαστε παντού 😂💪 Ωραίο βίντεο!
There is an open niche for a pocketable device that can run all of PS2. Rg405m is close but not quite powerful enough. Rp4pro is close but too big and sticks out in too many places. I hope the next RP or ambernic device focuses on this.
ROG ally and legion go emulate PS3 and 360 really well.
I just want to see the Retroid Pocket 4 Pro in the Pocket 2S form factor with a 4 inch 720p 4:3 screen haha
This is my favourite topic. I feel like you should hop into my podcast and we can have an argument…
You know where to find me!
Get help for your skittles addiction and I’ll buy another Odin 2 okay Joey!
For me it all comes to what is the console i'll like to emulate. I don't think that i should future proof a retro console. Odin 3 will probably have technology paired to PS4. I want to play my own gamecube, n64, snes games collection in a portable factor. So for me time stops in Retroid 4Pro.
Just saying the Odin 2 is perfect and that I love my bby :)
The stagnation is really stagnation in linux devices. The A311D in the PK 10max3 pro could be the mid tier upgrade we need to the 3566 that would finally play N64/ DC/ PSP well but PK doesn’t do it’s own software and anbernic made the decision to stick with android and its own mediocre software. Good A311D software could launch a wave of smaller $120 linux devices. The 3588 is promising in the $160-200 range with more power/cooling. What else plays linux that’s more powerful than that?
They just need more square screen handhelds.
Imagine if these retro console companies were to develop (or pay to develop) exclusive games. Just to offer something unique instead of the same devices over and over. But nah, that would require actual effort.
Retro handheld first party Linux software/firmware has almost always been garbage. Third Party are the ones that deserve all the credit for improving the experience, and i really wish the retro handheld makers just collab with them for a good profit as well.
The Retroid 2S is T610, not T618.
It sure is.
I'd rather buy an Ayaneo because in my country, the PC handhelds such as Asus and Steam are on the same price as an Ayaneo device xD
Which makes me realise how the market is so awful here
Dude you look like Pablo Schreiber so much
id only buy an odin device if it was OLED