Where Winds Meet with easy scrolling of your favorite gaming portal, where would you go better?
Ne znam točno kako sam otkrio ovaj handheld uređaj, ali kad sam ga prvi put vidio, automatski me privukao. Moderan, a opet poznati dizajn koji ne skriva inspiraciju Nintendovim 3DS-om, s dva ekrana, Android sučeljem i obećanjem emulacije gotovo svega što smo igrali zadnjih 30 godina, izgledao je kao nešto što bi moglu popuniti rupu koju je 3DS ostavio iza sebe. Nostalgija je odradila svoje, razumno razmišljanje je uzelo pauzu za kavu, a Thor je završio u mojoj košarici.
After the success of the Switch, the handheld market exploded. Besides the Steam Deck and ASUS ROG Ally, Android handhelds have been getting more and more attention in recent years; there's Retroid, Anbernic, Ayaneo and a whole galaxy of manufacturers offering their own visions of portable gaming. Different formats, different systems, but the same idea; gaming without compromising mobility.
The Nintendo 3DS was special. You could fold it up, put it in your pocket and play anywhere. The question is simple: did the Chinese manage to make a worthy successor or is it just a pale copy of the legend?
A real 3DS experience in a new guise
Hardware that promises serious things
AYN Thor je ambiciozan uređaj kineske tvrtke koja očito voli nordijsku mitologiju. Već imaju Odina i Lokija, a Thor cilja ravno u srce nostalgije s impresivnim paketom: dva AMOLED ekrana (6“ i 3.92“), touch-screen podrška, refresh rate do 120 Hz, Android 13 operacijski sustav, baterija od 6000 mAh i Snapdragon procesor s Adreno 740 grafičkom karticom. Dolazi u više varijanti – Base, Pro i Max – koje se razlikuju po količini RAMa i interne memorije (do 16GB RAMa i 1TB interne memorije), dok Lite verzija koristi slabiji čipset i jasno cilja budžet-publiku. Sve to upakirano je u kućište od svega 380 grama koje bez problema stane u veći džep.
AMOLED panels are perhaps the most underrated part of this device. Blacks are really black, colors are saturated, contrast and resolution are a huge leap from the old 3DS, and games look better on this screen than we remember them. 120 Hz sounds impressive, but realistically, you rarely use it in emulation. Most content targets 30 or 60 FPS anyway. However, the interface and Android navigation seem extremely smooth.
Zvuk iz ugrađenih zvučnika je prosječan, pomalo tanak, no uz JamesDSP plugin moguće je poigrati se ekvilajzerom i značajno poboljšati kvalitetu zvuka, a AYN izbacuje i redovite nadogradnje pa vjerujem da nas uskoro čeka i službenije rješenje. Bluetooth slušalice rade bez većih problema, a konzola nudi i klasični 3.5mm audio utor. Thor je dostupan u četiri boje: crnoj, bijeloj, rainbow varijanti (siva sa šarenim gumbima) i prozirnoj ljubičastoj.
Android port of Super Maria 64 with HD textures and 60 FPS? Yes, please.
It's not for everyone, and that's the point
If you're looking for a plug-and-play console, Thor probably won't make you happy. Setup and configuration of emulation, drivers and profiles can be time-consuming, especially if you want to use the full potential of the hardware. When I got it, it took me a good couple of hours to set everything up the way I wanted, and I barely scratched the surface of all the possibilities. If you like tinkering, tweaking, experimenting and getting the most out of your hardware, you'll love Thor. The Android system is recognizable, but the real fun begins when you get into the emulators, front-ends and various settings. There are many options, but they require patience and will.
Thor's primary purpose is emulators though. And here comes my biggest surprise – emulation on Android went further than I expected. There are emulators for almost all consoles except current and last generation. It begs the question, how is Thor legal? AYN basically sells you a regular Android device with two screens, and as such is completely legal. It does not use Nintendo proprietary software, firmware or code belonging to other consoles. Yes, they are similar, but they are not the same. The legality actually depends on the user and whether he wants to play his own, ahem, "legal back-ups" or stamp ROMs from dubious sites.
A pleasant surprise is the possibility of playing PC games.
Emulation in practice: how far Android goes
What can we emulate? Of course, there are NES, SNES, Nintendo 64 and PSX games, but Thor also spins PS2, GameCube, PSP, Vita and Wii titles with no problem. The possibility of Switch emulation is also particularly impressive, with a note that it is necessary to experiment with drivers, shaders and settings. With bigger titles this is not an "install and play" scheme, but with a little effort the results are surprisingly good. In my case, Thor has so far handled everything I've thrown at it without too much trouble or frustration. Lighter Switch titles work very well, while larger AAA titles require a compromise in resolution or frame rate, and sometimes patience. Ovo nije zamjena za pravi Switch, ali kao bonus opcija, rezultati su impresivni. For example, Super Mario Odyssey achieves a smooth 60 FPS, while Breath of the Wild can pull 30 FPS with dips.
Special mention should be made of the emulation of DS and 3DS games, where Thor excels. The bottom screen finally brings a real dual-screen experience, instead of compromise solutions with two screens on one panel. This is, without exaggeration, currently the best way to play DS and 3DS titles off the original hardware, and maybe even better, with features like native resolution upscaling, HD textures, 60 FPS modes and camera control via a second analog completely changing the experience. With HD textures and a free camera, Ocarina of Time feels like an unreal, almost forbidden experience.
One of the more interesting options is the GameHub app, which connects to your Steam account and emulates a Windows environment. Expectations should be kept realistic, new titles are out of reach, but games like Witcher 3 and Fallout 4 perform surprisingly well, while newer indie titles also fly smoothly; I just played my last review here on Thor!
The feeling in the hands – 3DS, but more grown up
Thor is very blatantly copying Nintendo's homework. The feel in the hands is almost identical to the 3DS. It's a bit thicker, but the added L2 and R2 trigger and the second analog give a lot more control. Hall-effect analogues are not just a marketing gimmick. They are precise, without noticeable drift and with a good range of motion. Deadzone is reasonable and 3D games feel stable. The D-pad is solid for retro and platformers.
L2 and R2 triggers are functional, but they are not the most ergonomic part of the device, they can seem a bit shallow and awkward during longer FPS games. AYN also has an additional grip in its offer that can help shooters. Pro tip: grips can also be 3D printed if you "know the man". You can adjust the LED ring around the analog, if that is important to you.
The Cocoon front-end gives me a 3DS-like interface.
Battery, thermals and autonomy
Pritiskom na AYN tipku na donjem ekranu dobiva se poseban zaslon s informacijama o temperaturi, FPSu, profilima performansi i ventilaciji, uz mogućnost gašenja drugog ekrana radi uštede baterije. Dva ekrana neovisni su jedan o drugome, pa na donjem možete surfati po webu, gledati Youtube ili biti na Discordu dok igrate nešto na gornjem, ili obrnuto.
The 6000mAh battery is impressive and lasts about 6 hours when playing DS and 3DS titles, while at moderate brightness and lower loads it offers even more. Of course, PC and Switch titles will draw a lot more; Switch emulation gives you 3-5 hours at best, and PC titles put even more strain on the battery and thermal system - 2-4 hours is not unusual here, depending on whether you're playing Witcher 3 or Hollow Knight.
Under load, the device heats up, but not to a level that would interfere with holding. The fan can be heard in performance mode, but it does not go into an unpleasant range. In everyday use, the device works stable and controlled.
The screen is slightly smaller than the Switch, only 0.2 inches smaller
Comparison with Steam Deck and Switch
I didn't have any serious system crashes or problems while using it, but it's clear that Thor is not a closed ecosystem like Nintendo's consoles. Android is Android, an operating system for a million devices and as such, of course it will have occasional small bugs, it is impossible to optimize it perfectly. AYN releases updates regularly, which is a good sign that the device is not left to its own devices.
I have to draw a parallel with other well-known handhelds. The Steam Deck and ASUS ROG Ally are powerful devices, but they're big, heavy, and anything but portable. Although I would love to have a Steam Deck, in a direct comparison Thor still wins for me, precisely because of its compactness, battery and DS and 3DS library. I am of the opinion that this is a unique line of games that primarily focused on pure fun, and only then everything else. On the larger, OLED screen, they look great, and the ability to play PC titles is a big bonus that I didn't expect at all.
Conclusion: Who is Thor for?
After the initial setup phase, Thor turned into a device that I spontaneously take with me and use almost every day. Not as a primary console, but as a natural addition to PC and Switch. It's not a cheap device and it's clearly aimed at enthusiasts. You can buy a more powerful device for the same or similar price. If you want simplicity and a closed ecosystem, the Switch is still the safer choice. If you want power and PC gaming without compromise, the Steam Deck makes more sense. Thor is somewhere in between, as a specific product for people who know exactly what to expect.
The setup can be demanding for the average user, but if you want the best dual screen retro experience outside of the original hardware, with very serious performance and Android flexibility in your pocket, Thor is worth considering. Not as a pale 3DS copy, but as a much more powerful and versatile device that respects nostalgia. It's not for everyone, but for those who grew up on the DS and 3DS, this is the closest we've come to a true successor.
Remark: As part of the AYN Thor device testing, we mention the possibilities of emulation and the use of backup copies of games. Virus.hr does not support or promote piracy. All information refers exclusively to the use of personal backup copies of legally purchased games from your own collection. Downloading and distributing unauthorized copies is a violation of copyright and law.
Igra, piše i pokušava ne komplicirati. Ne uspijeva uvijek.
