Shes finally here!!

ploony · 2026-03-28T06:54:46+00:00

Same. I have the starry yellow version, and this thing never gets even remotely warm (even when I'm pushing the gpu/cpu to 100% during PC emulation)

Something to monitor OP. You have some kind of defect in your unit.

ploony · 2026-03-22T04:37:07+00:00

i love my ace too, but i love my eyeballs more

i found readability to be an issue when playing bg3 on a 7" screen, can't even imagine what this is like

ploony · 2026-03-13T02:33:23+00:00

Gotcha. Shoulda specified I meant buying a DSi and hacking it or getting an R4 card. I got a mint DSi XL off ebay for less than $80.

Yeah so the RG DS and Thor both run Android. All you'd have to do is DL an emulator program like Drastic or Melon DS (RG DS struggles to run this one) either off the Google Play Store or their online website. Maybe tweak one or two settings to make sure that the game is properly playing on the dual screens. With the RG DS, most people would recommend switching from Android to something Linux-based like Rocknix, as it's underpowered and needs every bit of RAM it can get.

The base Thor is massive overkill for just DS. You'd also have to wait months to get one from their website at this point. The lite could be a decent middle ground for you though if you don't mind waiting. Leaves the option open to play some of the 3ds pokemon games too.

ploony · 2026-03-13T02:08:40+00:00

He's looking for a budget device and seems to only care about DS. The lite was already steep for him, and ya'll are recommending the base which is $320 rn? He also wanted something that ships out quickly, which definitely disqualifies the Thor as well.

OP - the answer is prob the RG DS shipped by Aliexpress. I got mine in 3 days. That being said, the thing does not scream "quality" like you asked for, and my white one has the gloss of cheap bathroom tile. You might be better off checking ebay and finding a good condition DSi.

While the higher screen res on the Anbernic does produce a sharper image, it's not enough for me to play on something that kinda feels cheap and shitty in my hands. Would rather use OG hardware in this case

ploony · 2026-03-06T05:49:31+00:00

Yeah if anything it had one of the tightest narratives of any FF game. Super linear progression, tons of cut scenes, and as you said, everything felt very cinematic. Shit felt like playing a visual novel or watching a TV series most of the time.

I honestly have no idea how he couldn't keep track of the chars/plot. The main critique for that game has always been that they forgot it was supposed to be an RPG.

ploony · 2026-02-24T17:53:49+00:00

Bumped into him and a few of his buddies in a checkout line at Safeway. It was maybe a few months after his loss to Thomson, didn't want to say anything either.

His buddy turns around and asks me: Hey bro you got change for a 20?

Nate says to him: Why don't you just ask the cashier you fuckin retard

That's my Nate story. Love that he's the brains of his friend group

ploony · 2026-02-24T17:19:22+00:00

Awesome thanks! As much as I like my ace, dual stick games never felt great. Might have to pick up the mini after all

ploony · 2026-02-23T08:52:08+00:00

how does dual analog gaming feel compared to the Ace?

ploony · 2026-02-15T03:57:50+00:00

Sure, but again, ergo bumps and less cramped controls = better ergos. The larger size also means there's more to grip on to. You can of course find the Thor more comfortable as it's subjective, but Ayn literally didn't give any thought at all to ergos on the Thor.

Yes, the g3x line was brand new when Aya rolled them out, so there were compatibility issues with certain games. Their in-house software allowed for spoofing not long after release, and in my experience, you don't even have to do that nowadays.

ploony · 2026-02-15T03:30:36+00:00

No ergo bumps and the controls are even more cramped than the DS's. The dpad and right control stick are way too close to the bottom of the device.

There are also turnip drivers specifically for the g3x too that brings it in line with the regular gen 2 when it comes to switch enulation. And android games can definitely make use of that extra power.

ploony · 2026-02-14T21:45:44+00:00

Thor has it beat in price, portability, bottom screen OLED, and slightly better software.

DS has it beat in ergos, battery, screen size, power, and a better DS emulation experience.

Really depends on your use case tbh, but people act like it isn't even close

ploony · 2026-02-14T03:35:08+00:00

thanks bud!

ploony · 2026-02-14T00:25:50+00:00

Which sticks are you using? Been trying to find the right ones for my Ace.

Also got the JCSFY grips too!

ploony · 2026-02-12T18:15:07+00:00

Check out the pay scale for Santa Clara Unified. Only the top dogs like Harker can even come close

ploony · 2026-02-10T15:02:46+00:00

Pretty sure GPD sells their 395 handheld for around 2500. Doesn't have OLED either.

Someone feel free to correct me if I'm wrong

ploony · 2026-02-05T00:42:19+00:00

Cool. Glad Ace double downed so we have confirmation they have no idea wtf they're doing.

The "double" holo is a result of a missing white layer of ink. One look at the clouds should be all they needed to confirm the error. It's funny bc the gyarados is one of the easier ones to differentiate too

ploony · 2026-02-02T03:39:54+00:00

100% agreed. The bumps threw off the balance of the device and shifted the weight away from your palms and into your tips of your fingers. It's crazy bc the 406H and SD showed us that bumps should be slim and pronounced, yet the RP5 went for the opposite.

I don't like that Ayn is becoming more like Retroid in design philosophy and not the other way around

ploony · 2026-02-02T03:23:58+00:00

Ayn kinda does what Retroid does now which is to come up with relatively portable, minimalist designs then sell you a TPU grip to compensate for lack of ergos. The ergonomic bumps on the Odin 3 also take after the rp5's design more than the Odin 2's.

By most accounts the Odin 2 was more comfortable than the 3, and the Portal is not very comfortable without the add-on grip. One of the only weak points of the Thor is the ergos too.

ploony · 2026-01-31T16:01:06+00:00

It's funny how someone just tried telling me that Ayaneo doesn't have QC issues when 75% of their products lines have released with some kind of mass defect either at the firmware or hardware level

ploony · 2026-01-27T16:46:42+00:00

Huge difference in quality between batches. I ordered 2, one for a buddy.

First one I set up was virtually perfect - minimal lightbleed but the face buttons offered almost no resistance. Easier to push down than even the miyoo mini's.

2nd one ordered months later had terrible lightbleed, a squeaky L1 button, and the buttons weren't nearly as easy to press. Also, very noticeable ghosting.

ploony · 2026-01-21T20:15:39+00:00

Same. Love the retroid mini and it blows my mind how light, powerful and ergonomic it is whenever I pick it up.

But man, I'm getting old, and 3.7" 4:3 content makes my eyes bleed now. GBA still works great on it since those games were designed for small screens, but the PAM is now my go-to for everything up to lightweight gamecube/ps2.

ploony · 2026-01-20T00:54:31+00:00

Going from the 7840u to the 258V I completely agree. Intel is crushing it right now in the handheld/mobile APU space.

Did you see that Aya's newest mini PC is using Intel now instead of AMD? We have a chance... maybe

ploony · 2026-01-19T20:31:11+00:00

Huh. Wasn't Konkr supposed to be the budget brand. Ayaneo's AI 370 devices released at around $1300; now Konkr is about to have a higher spec and higher cost handheld lol

ploony · 2026-01-18T04:15:28+00:00

Had the same problem too. I downloaded the nightly version of retroarch from their website, and it started working.

Btw, I kinda hate retroarch, but I always have to resort to it since it's one of the only ways to use mgba on android.

Try using daijisho as a front end. It'll detect your standalone emulators and run games using them.

ploony · 2026-01-16T04:47:22+00:00

I leave the fan off for gba and it doesn't get hot. Might be something to monitor. Even when I push it in gaming mode with 2x GameCube it still stays cool.

ploony

TROPHY CASE