Video Summary - DON'T buy the AYN THOR if these things bother you.

Product reviewed

AYN “Thor” (also mentioned: “Thor Max” and “Thor Pro”) — a clamshell handheld with dual screens aimed at DS/3DS emulation (Gen 6 and below), plus some Wii U and Android/PC-game support via third-party apps.

Key features mentioned

Pocketable clamshell form factor (more portable than Steam Deck).
Dual screens for a more authentic-ish DS/3DS emulation experience.
OLED display described as very good:
- Crisp touchscreen
- “Perfect” blacks on the black model
- Bezels nearly invisible
Adjustable hinge with three fixed viewing angles:
- Sturdy, but limited angles
Touchscreen responsiveness:
- Fluid and crisp
Controls / ergonomics
- Flat L2/R2 buttons: awkward to press; may need modding
- Face buttons: responsive and “clicky,” with some audible noise
- Analog sticks: smaller than Steam Deck; may overshoot/undershoot; requires adaptation
Software/setup customization
- Significant setup time to unlock capabilities
- Reviewer setup took ~5 days, following guides (Retro Gamecor, Joey’s Retro Handhelds)
- Mention of Wallpaper Engine to achieve preferred OS look (skipped “Daishu” front end)

Performance / emulation experience (highlights)

General performance
- Boots and runs games the reviewer struggled with on Razer Edge
- Strong overall performance (“chewed through almost anything”)
Emulation breadth
- Adds/improves emulator experiences, including turning on VA 3K
Borderlands 2
- Runs phenomenally once the correct Turnip driver is installed
- Example: Kimchi v26 revision 2
Wii U performance (Thor Pro)
- Struggles and requires tweaking/testing different Turnip drivers
- Batman Arkham City: playable but not ideal; requires a lot of effort
- Even “known to run well” games can be problematic (e.g., Luigi’s Mansion Dark Moon)
  - Reviewer states Luigi’s Mansion Dark Moon wouldn’t work in their case
- Claim: bottleneck may be emulators, not hardware
3DS emulation
- Overall described as “phenomenal”
- Reviewer personally did not notice input delay (despite someone else complaining)

PC gaming on Android (lukewarm / beta-ish)

Replacing a Steam Deck as a primary PC system is not recommended.
Some PC gaming can work via third-party apps:
- GameHub
- Win Later
Key caveats:
- Games are not ready immediately after install
- May require researching boot parameters / optimization
- Some games work, others won’t
- Steam cloud save syncing issues
- Overall described as “beta, if not alpha phase”
Reviewer still calls it impressive that people can successfully boot Steam games.
If you want PC gaming, recommendation: Thor Max with 16GB RAM.

User experience / comfort / controls

In-hand comfort
- “As comfortable as my phone”
- Surprisingly not bulky in pocket
Accidental wake issue
- Required enabling autosleep to prevent edge button presses from waking it
- Reviewer observed heat-up in pocket; device stayed awake even with lid shut
- Claimed to be fixed by the latest firmware update
Trigger ergonomics
- Main comfort complaint: flat triggers feel awkward
- Reviewer expects to mod trigger buttons with snap-on clips
- Curved triggers would’ve been better
Grip adjustment
- Reviewer sometimes reorients grip when using shoulder buttons
Analog stick precision
- Takes time to adapt
- Precision can suffer initially (notably for precise movement in Borderlands 2)

Build quality / reliability issues (cons)

Fan noise defect (serious)
- “Lightsaber noise” behavior at startup, then “motorcycle mode”
- Replacement process:
  - ~8–9 days
  - “Easy to replace,” but still not ideal
Hinge crack / line concern
- Many Reddit users reported a hairline crack on the left hinge
- Reviewer also noticed a faint line
- AYN response (Ian): the line may be a mold joint line if thin and evenly distributed
- Reviewer concern: it may be an actual crack after removing the top cover
- Reviewer is less worried personally (due to prior mod/fix experience), but says it’s unacceptable for new buyers

Pros and cons (as stated)

Pros

Great for DS/3DS-focused emulation (dual-screen experience).
Strong general performance for Gen 6 and below.
Excellent OLED + touchscreen quality.
Pocketable for day-to-day convenience.
3DS emulation is “phenomenal” (no input delay noticed by the reviewer).
Builds feel premium/expensive overall.
PC gaming can work, but with caveats.

Cons / negatives

PC gaming isn’t a clean replacement for Steam Deck:
- Beta-like
- Setup-heavy
- Inconsistent game compatibility
- Cloud save issues
Flat trigger buttons feel awkward (likely requiring mods).
Small analog sticks may affect precision at first.
Fan defect reported; replacement required.
Potential hinge cracking ambiguity (mold line vs actual crack).
Hinge only offers three viewing angles (limited adjustment).
Setup time can take days (~5 days for the reviewer).

Comparisons / alternatives mentioned

Steam Deck
- Brilliant, but not pocketable
- Reviewer: Thor is not a good replacement for Steam Deck as a primary PC system
- Still suggested if DS/3DS isn’t important
Retroid Pocket 6 and Conquer Pocket Fit
- Suggested if DS/3DS emulation isn’t a priority
Odin 2 Portal
- Also suggested as an alternative
Io Pocket DS
- Mentioned for form factor comparison
- Reviewer implies it’s bigger and may fit users differently
Razer Edge
- Reviewer’s prior device struggled with PS2 emulation; Thor performed better for their goals

Pricing mentioned

Thor Pro: $349.99 (before taxes/shipping)
Mentions Thor Max (16GB RAM) as the best option for higher-demand titles (price not stated in the subtitles)

Overall verdict (concise recommendation from the video)

The reviewer recommends you “wait” / don’t buy immediately due to serious flaws:
- Fan issues
- Potential hinge crack concerns
- Overall “beta-ish” experience for PC gaming
However, if your must-have is DS/3DS emulation, they still believe the Thor is currently the best option—with the expectation that you may need patience for refinements.

All unique points mentioned about the product (condensed list)

Pocketable clamshell; convenient for real-world use
Dual screens improve DS/3DS experience versus typical horizontal handhelds
PC gaming possible but inconsistent; requires tinkering and setup
Not a Steam Deck replacement for primary PC gaming
Steam cloud save syncing issues
Recommend Thor Max (16GB RAM) for PC/higher-demand titles
Accidental wake/button presses; addressed via autosleep firmware update
Fan defect noise reported; replacement took 8–9 days
Strong performance for Gen 6 and below; boots previously troublesome games
VA 3K and broader emulator support noted positively
Borderlands 2 runs extremely well with correct Turnip driver (Kimchi v26 rev 2)
Wii U performance can struggle (Thor Pro); heavy driver tweaking required
Some games fail; emulator bottlenecks suspected
3DS emulation described as phenomenal; reviewer noticed no input delay
Triggers feel awkward (flat buttons); likely to mod with snap-on clips
Face buttons are clicky and can be noisy
D-pad is “absolutely amazing”
Small joysticks; overshoot/undershoot; precision takes time
Premium feel; sturdy opening angles
Hinge only has 3 fixed viewing angles; desire for slightly better adjustment
OLED: stunning indoors; perfect blacks on black model; crisp/fluid touchscreen
Setup can be time-consuming (~5 days for the reviewer) and may need guides
Emulation isn’t exact; not all games will boot or run perfectly
Reviewer suggests researching game compatibility before buying
Hinge issue: reported hairline cracks; AYN calls it mold joint line if thin/even; reviewer saw faint line but some owners later suspect an actual crack after opening
For DS/3DS users: best option; for non-DS/3DS: consider Retroid Pocket 6 / Conquer Pocket Fit / Odin 2 Portal / Steam Deck

Speakers/views

Single primary reviewer throughout (no distinct additional speakers).
Mentions third-party community/reviews (e.g., Reddit hinge reports; comments about input delay; channels like Retro Gamecor and Joey’s Retro Handhelds), but these are presented as reported by the main reviewer—not separate speakers.

DON'T buy the AYN THOR if these things bother you.

Key takeaways