AYN may have clinched the clamshell battle even before it commenced.
What you should be aware of:
– AYN disclosed pricing and pre-order specifics for its debut clamshell handheld, Thor.
– Two versions will be offered, one utilizing the Snapdragon 865 and the other featuring the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2.
– Retail prices begin at $249 and $299, with pre-orders set to start tonight at 9:30 PM ET.
After kicking off the week with a strong start, AYN continued to unveil more information regarding its first clamshell handheld, the AYN Thor. Now, all details surrounding the forthcoming handheld’s market entry and pricing are entirely revealed.
Interestingly, AYN is launching two distinct models, with the AYN Thor Lite driven by the Snapdragon 865. This chip, also used in the Retroid Pocket 5 and Pocket Flip 2, continues to deliver solid performance years after its debut. The 865 is coupled with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, and is the sole configuration available with this processor.
Next, AYN reverts to familiar grounds with the inclusion of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for the remaining AYN Thor variants. As observed with the Odin 2, Odin 2 Mini, and Odin 2 Portal, customers can select from options of up to 16GB of RAM and 1TB of storage, while AYN notably omits a 512GB configuration.
However, the main headline is the pricing. When AYN Thor opens for pre-orders tonight at 9:30 PM ET, the Thor Lite will be priced at $249, reflecting a $10 discount from its retail price. In contrast, the 8GB/128GB Thor is set at $299, the 12GB/256GB at $349, and the 16GB/1TB model will be priced at $429.
In comparison, the AYANEO Pocket DS Indiegogo campaign launched last Monday, with Early Bird pricing commencing at $399 for the 8GB/128GB variant. Should you desire the premium model with 16GB of RAM and 1TB of storage, it will cost $599 for the Starry Yellow or $639 for the “Limited Edition” Retro Gray version.
What’s remarkable is not just the arrival of dual-screen clamshell handhelds running on Android, but their relative affordability. At $249, the Thor Lite with two screens surpasses the Retroid Pocket Flip 2, which features a single screen and costs $229.
If you intend to acquire one of these for yourself, remember to set an alarm or reminder, as we are uncertain about AYN’s inventory levels. Now, I just have to decide between the “Rainbow” or “Clear Purple.”
