While it's been a rough year in general for handheld gamers, it's been particularly tough for the Android contingent. We've seen brands such as Ayaneo and Retroid discontinue devices and raise prices due to knock-on effects from RAM availability issues and rising costs. Now the Ayn Thor is back in the spotlight, confirming that it's boosting the price of its Nintendo DS-style handheld for the fourth time since it launched back in October 2025.
For those that don't know, the Ayn Thor is a clamshell Android device that has, until now, served as a cheaper alternative to some of the PC picks from our guide to the best handheld consoles. As for the Odin 3, that's the latest version of Ayn's flagship series of devices, offering elite performance, thanks to its Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, in a relatively compact form factor.
The premium Ayn Thor Max with 1TB of storage has been hit the hardest by the price hikes, currently sitting at $549, over $100 more expensive than its $429 launch price. Fortunately, the base model Thor hasn't gone up in price quite as much, but at $319, it's still $20 more expensive than it was. As for the Odin 3, the cheapest version is currently $339, up $10 from its original price. This is all before the latest round of price hikes, though.
At the time of writing, Ayn hasn't confirmed the exact price increases for each model of the Ayn Thor or Odin 3. All we know is that it's taking place after the latest batch of handhelds sells out. With that in mind, if you've been thinking about picking up either of these handhelds, you should act fast before the price increases kick in. We'll also be keeping an eye on the brand's social media and official website for any updates on pricing.
If the threat of boosted prices has put you off either the Ayn Thor or the Odin 3, there are plenty of alternatives to check out. I'd recommend the Retroid Pocket 5, my personal gaming go-to and a top pick from our guide to the best retro handhelds, which you can still get your hands on for around $200. If you've got a bit more to spend, you can also check out our Nintendo Switch 2 review ahead of the hybrid console's own price increase later this year.