AYN Raises Prices on Thor, Odin 3, and Odin 2 Portal Again (2026)
What Changed on July 3
AYN pushed the new pricing live at 10 AM Beijing time on July 3. Every Thor configuration went up by $10, except the Thor Max 1TB model, which jumped $30. The Odin 3 and Odin 2 Portal both went up $10 across every storage tier. AYN cited the ongoing RAM and NAND storage shortage as the reason, the same crunch that pushed prices up on the Steam Deck OLED, the MSI Claw 8 EX AI+, and the ROG Xbox Ally X20 over the past two months.
This is not AYN’s first price bump this year. The company already raised Thor and Odin pricing once in the spring, when most configurations went up by $10 to $20. That means some Thor Max buyers have now paid two increases in 2026 alone, adding $40 to $50 total compared to what the device cost in January. Memory suppliers like SK Hynix and Samsung have both signaled the shortage could run through 2027 or later, so more increases across the handheld market are likely.
AYN Thor: New Prices
The Thor lineup took the biggest hit, especially at the top end. Here’s the full breakdown.
| Model | Old Price | New Price | Increase |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thor Lite | $249 | $259 | +$10 |
| Thor Base | $319 | $329 | +$10 |
| Thor Pro | $399 | $409 | +$10 |
| Thor Max 512GB | $469 | $479 | +$10 |
| Thor Max 1TB | $549 | $579 | +$30 |
The Thor Max 1TB absorbed the biggest jump because it carries the most storage, and storage is exactly what’s in short supply right now. If you need the 1TB model specifically, waiting won’t help. Prices are more likely to climb again than drop back down.
Odin 3 and Odin 2 Portal: New Prices
Both the Odin 3 and Odin 2 Portal saw a flat $10 increase across every storage configuration. AYN didn’t single out any specific tier for a larger hike on these two devices, unlike the Thor Max. If you already had an Odin 3 or Odin 2 Portal in your cart before July 3, check the total again. Some retailers were slow to update listings, and a few pre-order batches locked in the old price for buyers who ordered before the deadline.
The Odin 3 is the newer of the two, built to replace the aging Odin 2 as AYN’s flagship Android handheld. The Odin 2 Portal keeps the original phone-style slide-out design but with more RAM and storage than the base Odin 2. Both now start at $10 more than their launch pricing from earlier this year, even before accounting for the spring increase.
Why AYN Keeps Raising Prices
This isn’t AYN being greedy. RAM and NAND flash prices spiked hard in the first half of 2026, driven largely by AI data center demand eating up global chip supply. Handheld makers buy the same memory chips that go into servers and laptops, and they’re losing that bidding war. Smaller companies like AYN feel it faster than Valve or ASUS because they don’t have the volume to lock in long-term supply contracts at fixed prices.
You can read more about the broader shortage and how it’s hitting the entire handheld market in Why Handheld Gaming PC Prices Are Surging in 2026. Short version: this isn’t a one-brand problem, and it isn’t ending soon.
Should You Buy Now or Wait?
If you already decided on a Thor, Odin 3, or Odin 2 Portal, buy now. Every signal points to prices going up again before they come down. SK Hynix has already said publicly that the memory shortage could stretch into 2027 and beyond. Waiting to save $10 or $20 usually means paying $20 or $30 more a few months later.
If you’re still deciding between devices, the math has shifted a little. The Retroid Pocket 5 hasn’t seen the same aggressive price increases and still covers most of the same emulation range as the Odin 3 for less money. Check our Retroid Pocket 5 Review if you want a cheaper alternative that skips the AYN price creep entirely. If you specifically want AYN’s higher-end Android chipset and screen quality, the AYN Odin 2 Max Review covers the tier just below the new Odin 3.
How AYN Compares to Other Handheld Brands Right Now
AYN isn’t alone here, but it isn’t raising prices at the same pace as everyone else either. The Steam Deck OLED went from $549 to $789 this year, a jump of over 40%. The MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ launched at $1,799, already priced for the shortage. Against that backdrop, AYN’s $10 to $30 bumps look small. The frustrating part is the frequency. Two increases in six months trains buyers to expect a third, which makes every AYN purchase feel like a countdown rather than a one-time decision.
Retroid has mostly held its line on pricing so far in 2026, which is part of why it keeps coming up as the budget-friendly alternative in this article. That could change if the shortage deepens, but as of July 2026, Retroid remains the safer bet if price stability matters more than raw specs.
What You Actually Get for the New Prices
The price hike doesn’t change any of the hardware. The Thor still runs a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 with a 6.3-inch AMOLED display and full controller-grip ergonomics. The Odin 3 steps up to a newer chipset than the Odin 2 lineup, with better sustained performance for PS2 and GameCube emulation. The Odin 2 Portal keeps the phone-style slide-out form factor that made the original Odin 2 popular, just at a higher storage ceiling than before.
None of these devices got a spec bump alongside the price bump. You’re paying more for the same hardware AYN was selling in June. That’s worth knowing if you were hoping the increase came with something extra.
What This Means If You Already Own One
If you bought a Thor, Odin 3, or Odin 2 Portal before July 3, nothing changes for you. Your device works exactly the same, and AYN isn’t retroactively charging existing owners anything. The price increase only affects new orders placed after the change went live.
Where this matters is resale value. Higher new prices usually push used prices up too, since buyers comparing a used Thor to a brand new one factor in the higher retail cost. If you were thinking about selling an older AYN device to upgrade, now is a reasonable time. Used listings on Facebook Marketplace and r/SBCGaming’s trading threads tend to track new pricing within a few weeks.
FAQ
When did the AYN price increase take effect?
The new prices went live July 3, 2026, at 10 AM Beijing time.
Which AYN devices are affected?
The Thor (all five configurations), the Odin 3, and the Odin 2 Portal. AYN did not announce changes to older models like the Odin 2 or Odin 2 Mini in this round.
Will AYN raise prices again?
Likely, yes. This is the second increase in 2026, and memory suppliers expect the RAM and NAND shortage to continue into 2027 or later. Other handheld makers have raised prices multiple times this year for the same reason.
Did pre-orders placed before July 3 get grandfathered in?
Some did. A few retailers honored the old price for orders placed before the deadline, but this varied by seller and wasn’t guaranteed. Check your order confirmation email for the price you actually paid.
The Bottom Line
AYN’s July 3 price hike adds $10 to $30 across the Thor, Odin 3, and Odin 2 Portal lineups. It’s the second increase this year, and it won’t be the last while the RAM and storage shortage drags on. If you want one of these devices, buying sooner beats waiting. If budget matters more than brand, the Retroid Pocket 5 is holding its price better right now.