Should I Get Rid Of My AYN Thor And Get A Retroid Duo?

That’s one of the very many questions I have been asking myself in the past 48 hours, and the short answer is no.

The AYN Thor is a better device, I’m not a power user, and I only got it two months ago! So why do I need another device that does the same thing, but less powerful?

If you have bought a handheld device in the last 12 months, you’ll know the response to this: I need it, ok?

Yes, I was previously a naysayer of all things handheld, though now I have the itch and the form factor is fitting nicely into my lifestyle. The Steam Deck was the gateway drug, and like mobile phones and desktop PCs, smaller really is better. At least that’s what I’ve been proclaiming to my wife.

What’s The Retroid Duo?

Either you clicked here for the sake of it, or a handheld noob like me. Everyone else will already have had this on their radar and been hopping around Reddit and know all there is already. For the fellow noob/handheld adopter, humour me.

The Retroid Duo is a handheld device that operates on Android. It’s a smartphone without the phone bit, typically running the most common phone chipsets – sometimes the flagships (currently the Snapdragon 8 Elite).

Another key factor about the Retroid Duo is it’s a clamshell. That means it looks like a pocket laptop – or Nintendo DS, and not a prop that would be found under the sea. Unlike Retroid’s earlier clamshell, the Pocket Flip 2, it features two screens.

How you use the device is up to you. Use it as a paperweight if you like, but the consensus is to run retro video games on it either through the Play Store, or your backed up copies of games and using emulators.

Not everyone uses these devices for retro gaming. Yours truly uses their AYN Thor to play Steam games via GameNative, study, watch Netflix, and make phone calls. Scratch the last. Thankfully, these devices don’t have cameras. That’s bent.

But… I have been playing Shenmue again as it’s a pain to connect my Dreamcast up in the bedroom while the fam are in the lounge, and this led me to also play old Gameboy games and whatnot.

So Why Get Another Device?#

Apart from being new and shiny, it’s also the branding aspect and matching things up. More on that in the conclusion.

The real factor is also why I bought an AYN Thor: influencers. These bums are dangerous with their convincing tones, low-fi music, and sexy close-up shots. Of the devices. If I hadn’t fallen down that rabbit hole, I’d be playing point and click games on my Steam Deck.

It might be because of how cool it looks and the consensus that Retriod products are well-made. Toy-like, but well-made. There’s a generous selection of colours and extras to personalise it, but the two biggest reasons to get another device are:

1. It’s cheaper
2. It has a better second screen

Cheaper only really matters when you have neither and/or not much money. However, clamshells are prone to weak hinges, dodgy hips and difficulty with chewing solids. What happens should it snap? Repairs probably outweigh the cost of the device.

The AYN Thor Lite model is around the same price as the Retroid Duo is, and you’ll have to pay more if you want something better than that. And, if you can decipher shipping times via the Discords, Retroid are seemingly faster with their despatch.

The second screen should only matter if you’re actively using it. For me, the AYN Thor’s secondary screen is for multitasking or stats. I’ll either look up something on Brave, switch to an app such as Flip Clock to keep an eye on my play time, or peruse the temps to ensure it doesn’t melt into my skin.

I never had a DS. My eldest had/has a 3DS but I saw it as a novelty and bought in Japan to help her with her Japanese. She hasn’t used it in 9 years.

That said, I’ve dabbled with a few DS games since, and with a stylus, the AYN Thor is a brilliant experience, with the context that I wasn’t a DS player. The recent feels from YouTubers et al are now quite quick in reporting that the Thor’s screen wasn’t good enough.

Well, you could get an Anbernic RG DS Plus – that looks more like a DS than the DS.

The AYN Thor’s secondary screen ratio is the memorable 8:7. This sounds horrific, but it works for me. Besides, with apps like Megingiard, you crop sections of a map, or enlarge a JPEG of a cat in Speedos. It’s up to you.

With the Retroid Duo, the screen ratio is 4:3, which makes more sense. It’s also at 120Hz whereas the Thor is 60Hz. But… number crunching aside, does it matter for retro games? I think not.

So Is The Retroid Duo Worth Buying?

Yes. If you don’t have an AYN Thor. While the screen is better on the Retroid Duo, the build quality is more premium on the Thor, with it’s smudgy glass covering the entirety of its sexy bottom, and the somewhat hefty weight. The Thor also has a better processor, but unless you’re playing Switch games, they’re not too different and shouldn’t make a difference.

Also, why play Switch games when you have a Switch?!

I think I prefer the Thor (bearing in mind I’m no different than you and giving an opinion, not any sort of authority). However, a lot of the handheld content creators repeatedly comment on the ergonomics of Retroid buttons compared to the awkward shoulder buttons of the Thor.

A grip would alleviate this issue, but I don’t play for extended periods and if I did, would blow it up on the TV. That is, run it through HDMI and an external controller.

So yes, totally worth buying, but I wouldn’t get it as well as the AYN Thor. The Thor 2 will probably come out next year. After the Loki 2 anyway.

How Much Is The Retroid Duo?

At the time of writing, the sold out [edit: the units say sold out until going to pre-order] Retroid Duo is $269.00 for an 8+128GB device, ignoring extras and shipping. The AYN Thor is $259 for the Thor Lite, which is also 8+128GB though with the SD865 processor, which is not as good. The Thor Max 16+512GB that I have is $479.00, also ignoring extras and shipping.

Yes, the Thor model I have is significantly better, but it’s almost $200 more, there’s a bit of a wait, and quite frankly, you could play games on your mobile. My RAZR is a Snapdragon 8 Elite and I’ve not noticed much difference, though that’s probably driver compatibility and its infancy.

Final Thoughts

Despite this relatively confident post about not getting a Retroid Duo when I already have an AYN Thor, throughout that 48 hour period, I almost was going to get one until coming to my senses.

I since ordered the Retroid Nova.

I saw this a couple of times, showing up on TechDweeb and Retro Game Corps, but Retro Handhelds really sold it to me. While I also don’t need this device, where I’ve been playing Shenmue a lot, I felt that playing on one screen made more sense and probably more comfrotable without resorting to a garish grip.

Switching between the screens, it did look better on the smaller Thor screen. like all Dreamcast games should be played, and considering that’s my fav console, why not get another device? My Miyoo Mini Flip can’t play Dreamcast.

The Odin 3 is too powerful, and the Retroid Pocket 6 too long (it’s not that long). So, after a week of switching back and forth between the Retroid Nova and Abernic RG777M, I ordered the former.

I’ll let you know how it goes with the Nova, but if you get a Duo, let me know!