Hi, some updates since releasing the video: - The reason the ABXY were swapped in the GamePass app was due to the fact that I had mapped the M2 button to the top-left corner as my "Xbox" button. When using the key mapper the controls somehow automatically swap the ABXY to the Odin/Nintendo format. Works great after removing that keymap, and so in that sense Xbox remote play AND cloud gaming are excellent on this device. - When using the key mapper for look controls like in COD Mobile, if you change the right analog stick to "Adjust view mode" and reduce the sensitivity to around 20% it works fine.
i was wondering about the triggers on the PS streaming, could this be a problem because of the odin settings option? you left it on "both" maybe if it was "analogue", it would work with at least one of the apps? just a thought, i don't use ps streaming myself.
@@IcoKirov yeah I tested all of the various trigger settings in the Odin settings, unfortunately none of them fix the issue. Some downright break the trigger inputs altogether. I think it just has to do with the apps and how they register that double-click trigger on the PS5 controller.
Just wanted to say that you have really been crushing it Russ. All of these videos have really helped me gain perspective of the space and you honestly made things very accessible. That you for taking the hours of your time to put out quality content. Keep up the good work.
This might finally be the machine that ticks all the boxes for me. I think I might wait for the Steam Deck to come out before I make a final decision but this one is definitely at the top of my wish list now. Thanks for always being so in-depth with your reviews, your hard work certainly doesn't go unnoticed ☺️
I’m just an occasional gamer and the Vita still works well for me, but I’ll be first in line if Sony comes out with another. Is there anything on the market that’s like an upgraded Vita? Would that be the Switch Oled?
Excellent, just excellent. And Im just talking about the review here. 👍 Little things like comparing the 4x3 play window size between the Odin, RGB Max, RG552 is just great, we can better see the screen size between each in 4x3 view. Things like that in your videos are very welcomed and appreciated. Oh, very nice device too😁..look forward to your Lite version review as well.
Hopefully you don’t have to wait long but there have been a ton of new orders since first shipment. They have had like 4k new orders in the since first units
@@darkasian755 is it really that long of a wait? In that case, I hope it arrives at the beginning of summer so I can take it out if I end up traveling anywhere!
I've had mine for nearly two weeks now and I think about it all the time. I bought a 512gb SD card and both that and the Odin's hard drive are basically full now. I feel excited whenever I turn it on knowing there's so much I've wanted to play portably for years now and in this way - a great portable system. I'm convinced it has a place and the Steam Deck won't just blow it out of the water, I know I will prefer this device for PS2, Wii/Gamecube and lower because of its design, weight and feel. Ever since I got back into handhelds again which brought me to this channel, this is the best thing I've bought and it'll keep me busy forever.
If you could go back and buy 1 tb card would you. 1tb on Amazon isn't that crazy expensive. I'm still waiting on my odin so I'm thinking either 512 of 1 tb for sd card
1tb sd card here waiting on my pro. My pc steam rpgs and W11 will take up 1/2 of it at least, 1/4 for emulation. We'll see how much of the rest gets filled with GC and PS2 games. I've got cd binders full of PS2 rpgs I bought and never played. Can't wait.
@@pandabearmadness6263 Honestly I think 512gb is enough unless you want like every game ever on one SD card. I have way too much choice and I could easily swap games out if that was a problem, which it isn't. You also have the 100~gb on the Odin left too. But make sure you convert any bin/cue games to chd format, you'll save a ton of space.
What an amazingly comprehensive video, Russ, I am so appreciative and impressed. You and Taki are quickly becoming the ONLY TWO resources I even go to anymore given my limited time to “attempt” to keep up on this rapidly moving emulation handheld scene. Bravo to you both! 👏 🙌 ✊
It’s ok most of the handheld emulation devices aren’t all worth it But the ayn Odin is truly a special standout even with the one x pro, aya neo, and steam deck out now. And the ayn odin is much better bargain than all of those lol
Glad we got a review from you finally! And I can't wait to see what else you cover on this thing. I am patiently waiting for mine to come in. I'm very nitpicky about controls, so I'm happy you noted how they feel. I would like to note that I have heard there is an option to change your input from ODIN to XBOX in the options somewhere. That may resolve some of the issues you were having with streaming Xbox, maybe even PS5.
Loving my Odin Pro and Daijisho setup. Really makes it all feel like a premium handheld console with its own interface on when you have Daijisho setup as the home screen. having my handheld emulators on PC just dont hit the same way as it does on a handheld. So glad I got this.
I appreciate all the content out there on the odin but this is review I've been waiting for. You have great content I'm super excited waiting for my odin to come
Amazing review. Tons of work clearly went into this and I appreciate every second. Honestly, I have been looking for a handheld PC/Emulation option for many years and this one was at the top of my radar for a long time. I bought a Steam Deck a few weeks ago, but I still wondered if maybe I could downsize to this at some point. Extremely helpful with tons of information. I think I know the answer to this already, but will you be doing a review of the ASUS ROG Ally? That's the other handheld device that I might sell my Steam Deck for depending on a few key factors(remote play, ease of use and customizability being chief among them).
Always great, interesting and well made videos from you. I would recommend you to buy a plastic caliper so that the risk of scratching your devices is reduced to zero :)
The thing with these devies is that they are so powerful that playng PS1 and older games on them feels like an overkill and waste of power and since they have widescreren you also get black bars so for 90s and older systems I'd still recommend something like Anbernic and Retroid Pocket 2 though those handhelds could still struggle with N64
Great video! Thanks for breaking this down! All the questions i wanted answered in one spot! Def informed me enough to make a decision! gonna grab me a odin pro!
I've got a Steam Deck coming next month but I really want an android streaming device. Something Switch'esque for xCloud, PsPlay, Stadia, Moonlight....etc. I wish I would have ordered one earlier. Great review. Thanks.
Cheers Russ, top quality review as ever, much appreciated. This will be my first in depth android experience so feel free to go as low brow as you like in any guides, no ... lower than that ... a little bit lower, perfect. :) Now, just the waiting.
I’m debating on whether I should get this ASAP or wait till the steamdeck comes out and see how well emulation is on that. Although to be honest I’d mainly just use the steam deck for just my steam games.
Given the significantly larger size of the Steam Deck, I opted for the Odin. If you don't mind the larger size, and want to play more demanding PC games, the Steam Deck is your best bet. If you are using it primarily for emulation, the Odin probably a wiser choice.
I have an Odin on hand and I can say I absolutely LOVE it. The battery life is insane. Got a steam deck on order and I'm not expecting much from battery compared to my odin TBH lol
Never buy first gen hardware. Especially stuff that comes out of China that you'll have to ship back to them. I did that ONCE with an Ibasso DX50 and for something the size of an ipod, shipping it back to china to have fixed was expensive as fuck.
The steam deck will cost more, likely be less modable/user friendly unless you know a lot about linux, weighs a ton more, will run hotter, and frankly outside of more modern pc games (by more modern I mean like 5-10 year old games) probably won't out perform the Odin either. I was confused why anyone wanted a steamdeck when they announced it, with things like this I am even more confused what kind of mental gymnastics people need to think the Steamdeck is a good buy.
I disagree about the triggers Having more tension at the bottom makes them the first analog triggers I've used that actually work properly with Dolphin
With all your guides and on the Odin I’ve finally managed to also get Amiga to work. I was one of those who requested it back on the rg351 but that device and operating system hated me with passion 🤪 As an apple guy I’m not good with android also but I somehow manage to get it to do what I want 😉 plus the Odin Pro is powerful enough so I don’t need to tweak that much and try different OS or and emulators. I love that device!
Great review Russ, thank you ,I’ve been waiting for this! Certainly interested in knowing more about streaming options (other than moonlight) that could provide Yuzu and Wii U emulation if possible. Edit to add I’ve held back purchasing as I got burned with a crowd funded device previously - Ouya anyone…?
Definitely can't afford this and it's overkill for what I play but I would love a guide on retroarch with your favorite setting per core, filters you use and all that
Ooh I'm gonna get something to eat since this is such a long video! I love the longer in depth videos like this so I'm excited to hear your thoughts :D I'm ready for Steam Deck! I can't wait for the videos on that :)
I'm REALLY considering purchasing this so bad honestly. I also have a very late reservation for the Steam Deck and now I don't know which should I get, I'm leaning towards both. The immense size of the Steam Deck is a bit off putting for me. If the Steam Deck was the size of the Odin (I understand why the Deck is so big) I think it would be PERFECT. When it comes to an emulation device I NEED it to be able to play power stone 2, the arcade version of Killer Instinct, re4, sonic adventure 2.
@@eskimofo9i6 It's a very tough decision to make because ideally I would like ONE device to fit all of my emulation needs, but idk how possible that will be in this modern emulation landscape. The Odin is SUPER promising and appealing tho I will say that. I really wish there wasn't a chip shortage and that The Odin wasn't on Indegogo and instead was on Amazon so I could try it out for a few weeks first that way if it didn't perfectly fit my needs I could EASILY send it back for a refund.
if the steam deck was not coming out, I was totally gonna get this one. but since i'm waiting for my steam deck and I'm not a collector of such devices, i will pass this. still a great device.
If you havent tried switching buttons yet they are keyed, not sure if the keying holds the buttons in but if not you could possibly file down the keys and put the buttons anywhere you like.
After all the pre-release reviews, I pre-ordered and got one. Since I got it, I’m a bit disappointed. :(. It’s powerful - checked. But I was hoping for a tight firmware with tight UI/UX it access emulators and run ROMs out of the box, like the Aberinic handhelds. Is there any custom O/S I can use to get a more turn-key experience? The Odin is basically an Android table with build in controllers that needs to be setup. It took me about 45 mins to get it up and running and get my first ROM running. (Had to setup my Playstore account, download Android apps (such as an EMU for each console). Even after its all said and done, it’s not quite as good of a UX experience as the Abernic or Retroid. Anyway to get the Odin into an experience closer to Abernic or Retroid ?
Sometimes I wonder if it's worth skipping all the lower level stuff and just go straight to the bigger models. On the non-portable side, I went from Rasberry Pi's to various Android Boxes, but when finally dropped some decent money on a small Ryzen based machine, it made all previous cheaper options feel like a waste of time.
Depends on what you want to play. If you mainly play from PS1 downwards when it comes to emulation, then you can handle everything with just an hacked PS Vita. That handheld is perfection once jailbroken
@@TheDorianTube Valve seems pretty confident :) If you have realistic expectations it will be great I think. They have done a amazing job with the index headset, and their software for it seems to be well thought out and optimized. We'll be seeing some hands on with it soon, but considering they seem to have been very bold in the people they've sent it too (LTT, Gamers Nexus, The phawx, and Gaming on Linux) be (all people who will do extensive testing on it and teardowns) I would say they seem confident about it :)
I can see some people being disappointed because it's not doing 60 fps 4k but this is a small form factor handheld gaming PC at the lowest teir for 400 dollars. That was never going to be a thing. And some games won't work because if Linux compatible. But a lot will (I've checked and the majority of the ones I want to play will). But again as long as you keep your expectations in check I expect it to be a very nice device
the daijishou frontend is very good. it allows you to see the apps and the individual retro games all in one package, it has different menus and also themes. it is also quite minimalistic and it fits all of my needs. best frontend in my opinion
Between the Odin for the high end (and Steam Deck or the like for higher end), and the Retroid Pocket 2+ for the low end, we are in a great time for handheld emulation.
I am not a gamer at all but I stumbled upon your account accidentally. And I want to give you high praise for your delivery it is crisp and very informative. However, after listening to you, I may put my feet into the gamer world.
I don't think you'll be disappointed. Don't be afraid to try different genres of games. I thought I didn't like RPG's and only like first person shooters. But I tried games like Skyrim, loved it instantly. Then later my nephew let me borrow a copy of Bloodborne. Another style of games that I fell into love with. And just watching them I would've probably said I wouldn't have liked them
@@terancerainerjr5789 You buy what you want, I just suggested to you that phone if you want it for the specs, the CPU it's from 2018 and the new 8 gen 1 CPU it's more than three times better, so it's not the best, but with that CPU you still can play everything you want (other than ps2 and some GameCube games)
@@Dennis-8095 I'm 11 and I just want to play an old game that I really loved when I was a child it's fairly odd parents breaking the rules (also mortal Kombat Shaolin monks) :)
I doubt you will ever see this or even care n that's ok. I just wanted to say I'm a sub n big fan. You do a amazing job of being informative and also neutral which I admire. So even though I'm on disability from a terminal illness I love learning and I cud never afford any of these. I love that you review all price levels so I can at least recommend things to people. Again ty your one of my favorite RU-vidrs man! P.s. nice ink ✌️
Man, I would 100 percent be buying one if the Steam Deck wasn't coming out. But in this price range, this is incredible! All my childhood I dreamed of playing GameCube games portable!
@@dmaskell92 those are not as bad as you think they are also they are easily replaceable. Even hull joysticks can drift as gullikit's swich replacement hull sticks have started to horribly drift for some users.
@@shlokshah5379 You misunderstand, these analogs are faulty and I'm quite familiar. They use graphite sensors and wear indefinitely no matter your play style. I've replaced the analogs on my Joycons twice since I've owned my Switch. I'm not hard on them either, I have a PS3 controller I've used for years (before I even owned my Switch) with little maintenance. Unless they are physically damaged from abuse, a few drops of mineral oil fixes all drift issues in a full size analog. NX analogs need a redesign full stop, but Nintendo makes $80 from everyone not tech savvy enough to replace them.
@@dmaskell92 You can just call nintendo for them to replace it. Nothing to do with being tech savy. Still I agree the design is bad Also, every joystic will suffer from drift or other problem. They are mechanical after all.
@@alexandrebelair4360 Last I heard Nintendo stopped repairing joycons because of covid. Still, I doubt they will honor that warranty after I've done the repair twice already. Replacements are kind of out of the question since I have a limited-edition console.
For the analog screen mapper issue have you tried, the other settings for it like skill directional mode or movement mode. you can access it when you're setting up the analog joystick on the screen mapping software.
I use a Snapdragon 888 phone to emulate Wind waker for GameCube, I get slowdown on 720p before the device even starts to thermal throttle. If the Odin had a SD 888 and an OLED panel I'd be willing to pay $100 more for it, i think it would be perfect.
I'm pumped for how far these devices are coming. And thanks for the bits about how bright and dim the screen can get, and how well it handles fast-forwarding on some older systems. 😎
Oh man, amazing review! It took me several hours to make my review, which was 5x shorter than yours, so I can only imagine the work that went into yours. Keep 'em coming... can't wait for your next videos!
Really great review - at this point I'm just waiting to see which fits my needs better between this and the Steam Deck. Portable with a docking option is a must for me, and I think these devices have finally now reached the proper balance of cost/function to be worthwhile over, say, a laptop.
@@ancientflames not much better performance tho. Dont underestimate the odin as its single core is higher than the one on the deck. The deck wins in gpu though.
I just want handheld Gamecube and PS2 mostly, and some N64, maybe Wii with classic control support (but I don't think I'll enjoy using the Wii remote on a handheld, I've played Wii on my Wii U gamepad, and besides it being awesome it had a built in sensor bar, I wasn't sold on it), everything else I can play elsewhere (handheld). So basically, this is the best choice right now, and it will play most games better than original hardware? Does gyro work for Wii racing games like Excite Truck? I'm thinking of Eternal Darkness, Timesplitters 3, Resident Evil, Wind Waker, Luigi's Mansion, Splinter Cell Chaos Theory, Hitman 2, Freedom Fighters, Project Zero (Fatal Frame), The Thing, The Punisher, MGS3, Burnout 3, Conker's Bad Fur Day, Perfect Dark,... You know, the stuff that made those the best years of gaming ever.
I was fairly optimistic about this device already, but it exceeded any expectations I had. Very impressive, definitely makes me excited to see what the future of these sorts of devices will be like.
Hail to the king of reviews!! Russ , as always, you did an impressive job here. I've been using your reviews and other materials as a corner stone for any decision in relation to retro gaming handhelds (including my relatives and friends as an extension of the reach of your videos)... Thx a lot for your time and imputs... Cheers from São Paulo, Brazil.
excellent review, this must've taken so much time to record and edit. The hardware is impressive but this thing looks like a nightmare having to set everything up for each game.
You are so good at what you do. I feel like you'd have so much more subs if you reviewed more mainstream things like laptops or phones. You should consider reviewing other things because you're super talented at this.
*This is my first retro gaming/emulation device, I just discovered these things a few weeks ago then was able to pick one up on eBay soon after that. It's been a blast and has really gotten be back into gaming again!*
In some ways I envy you for starting with such as awesome device. I have a huge collection of retro handhelds (about 1/3 the size of Russ's), and some of them were pretty expensive. I think I have about $200 in the PiBoy DMG for example, and I only use it for Gameboy color. So that wasn't the most economical purchase.
The point of my post was that I would have been better off if this device had been available and I had gotten it instead, not to brag about having things.
With Android-based handhelds I always worry about controller input lag. I didn’t see this mentioned during your review. I take it that you didn’t notice any…?
Solid review. This seems like an amazing device for the price, for those that are starting out on retro gaming and portable devices. You really can't beat the price for the value it brings and it seems like a solid build with tons of options and features. Definitely impressed that this is their first device. Me personally, I think I'm still going to get the steam deck. I have a psp, vita, 2dsxl, and an Android phone with USB-C joystick for things like Dreamcast. I'm really all set in terms of retro gaming that I personally am interested in. I don't really see myself playing ps2 games on a 6" screen, as most games that I want to play had lots of reading, which is pretty difficult with a screen size that small. I also have tons and tons of games on steam, and I can dock the deck and use it as a PC. I know it costs more, but I'll get tons more use out of steam deck than this. Anyway, solid review as usual. Totally worth it for lots of reasons, for sure.
first device? there's been a few versions of the Odin out, I personally am a stickler for the indiegogo only PS1 color scheme version. (I paid an extra 50 bucks to bump up the battery)
Ive watched probably a dozen reviews of the Odin Pro but Ive been waiting for yours specifically! I trust your judgement more than any other retro gaming channel. How long did it take yours to arrive from purchase?
I’ve yet to find anybody that is capable of reviewing a product like this..I want to know everything & this is the only place to come in my opinion. You know it’s gonna be a thorough, professional review when somebody whips out a digital vernier calliper..lol..I have two of these..one digital & one conventional 😁👍😂😂
For the LEDs, Taki mentioned in his video AYN is considering offering RGB Upgrade Kits for the LEDs. Would be cool if it actually happens. Also for the Back button, I saw in the Odin Subreddit that someone managed to map Back to the Home button. They mapped it so that one press was Back and then two or three tapping was the home. I wish I saved the post, but that seems promising. I wonder if we could get some slightly taller analog sticks or maybe just some caps to allow the analog sticks to be a bit more precise.
If we can get root on this, we can use those buttons on the back to be the back buttons or use them in combination for macros. I can't wait till mine arrives.
right? I got the PocketGo 1 in June 2019 and thought that was pretty neat. I mostly played GBA and a few SNES games on the bus to work. Now I have the RG351p to do PS1 and some N64 on top of everything the PocketGo could do. I have a pre-order for the Steam Deck, but I still really want the Odin. If for no other reason than it's a bit smaller, and probably better battery life. I'm only guessing because the Steam Deck is a notebook chip set, so it's not gonna compete with a SD845 on efficiency. either way, it's a great time to be into this hobby :)
It really is. Everyone is so hyped for it, and I'm sure it'll perform. But it's so damn big I don't think I'd like it. It's certainly not portable. And even moving around the house with it seems like a chore.
Yeah I think the hype for it and the price seems to overshadow how massive it is, and realistically its not really a portable console, and more like a handheld gaming laptop
Nobody else has the issue with buttons on gamepass. One review even specifically called out how the B was acting as an A. Weird it didn’t work for you…
Fantastic review! My I please ask a favor? When streaming using the moonlight app, what decoding times do you get? The average smart phone's decoding time is between 15-20 ms, which is not ideal for FPS gaming. Even high end tables struggle in keeping the latency as low as possible. Thanks in advance.
Great review, and of the other Odin reviews I've seen, this is the most informational and entertaining. I sure wish someone would review a base or (especially) lite model though. Every single review is for the pro and we have no idea what the differences in specs translate to in the real world. I'd like to get a lite if it's not significantly hobbled, but I have no idea if there's something the pro does exclusively that I'd personally miss. Going to any message board just has everyone saying "just get the pro, bro" but I'd still like some information on what that extra $90 gets me (or probably more by the time anyone reviews a lite and the devices go to full retail) and whether or not that extra is anything I'd care about. As always, thanks for the stellar reviews and especially the guides. You've done a great job at making the emulation handheld scene more accessible and fun.
This thing can play more games than I have time for, but the same could be said about my RK3326 device as well! Looks great but until PS2 runs smoothly, I'll stick to the old tech.
I keep waiting for Lite. They seem to be selling them, but they haven't started delivering it yet. I was meant to be January, and even tho it's May now, still nothing... WTH?
Off to a great start. I personally can't justify spending that amount of money on something that can't do PS2 or Gamecube, but I'll be curious to see if they update this in a year with a faster SoC.
Just as an update, I bought a Lite after getting my Retroid Pocket 2+ and getting the retro itch again, haha. I'm not counting on Gamecube or PS2, but since I'll probably be waiting until the end of the year for a chance at a Steam Deck, this will handle the rest (and the size is far more in line with what I'm looking for)
So Russ, since You seem to be as honest as it gets, can You comment on ayn's event? Like the issues they have been having with the Lite despite collecting the money, the fact that they sold and delivered retail units before deliverying to backers, the fact that now they have effectively swapped to a worse screen and now the Lite blackmail to the 4/64 backers. So the product people Will receive is now very different. What is your opinion regarding that?
