@Pemalite

I wouldn't say SoC is complete garbage, it does what's supposed to do, DS and, fairly good, it seems, PS1, Dreamcast and N64. 3DS was in question from the get go, and most didn't expect it (though, as I said, there are SoCs that can, as proven by AYANEO, go in sub $100 device capable of descent 3DS emulation).

So for what it does, having dual screens and being able to emulate DS under $100, it's descent. What I honestly have more beef with is 640x480 screens - that's non integer scaling of DS's 256x192.

https://anbernic.com/products/rgds

So, $109 with 128GB card. Weak SoC and low res non-integer scaling screens...I think it's kind of missed opportunity, since first dual-screen handheld that's next in line is AYN Thor Lite (SD865) at $249, but with much better SoC and screens.

I'm thinking there will be more announcements next year in ~$150 range - if AYANEO can put Helio G90T in $70 device, I bet they (or someone else) can put something like Helio G99, or even maybe T820, Dimensity 900 or Snapdragon 695 inside dual screen device for that price.

Great comparison of AYN Thor and AYANEO Pocket DS

Finally got my Thor a couple of days ago. Very impressed with the efficiency. Runs Mario Kart 7 at 1080p with only 4.5w. Battery life is great. It's very nice having a device with a 6" screen that's actually pocketable.

Tried out PC gaming with gamehub lite for Dirt 3 and I was impressed. There's something going on with framepacing as even when I had locked 60fps in-game it wasn't as smooth as it should have been, but still, ended up bumping up the resolution to 1080p as locking at 40fps felt about the same so might as well. Not sure how much I'll actually use it in practice but it's impressive I can just connect my steam account, download old games and play. Probably runs a lot better than PS3/360 emulation ever will on it so for those era of games it's great.

The problem I have with DS/3DS format is that they're super uncomfortable to hold for me, so I wouldn't even consider buying one.
When it comes to handheld emulation in general, Steam Deck is versatile and affordable. The DS emulation in particular works great with two monitors setup. It's not out of the box solution, and it's finicky to configure, but when it works, it's an ultimate DS/3DS experience IMO. Example: https://steamdeckhq.com/tips-and-guides/how-to-play-3ds-games-dual-screen-with-citra-and-steam-deck/

Well, that works for playing at a desk, but it's not the most practical solution. Compared to just having a pocketable device you can open and play on the couch, in bed, or anywhere else. That's not really how I would want to play DS/3DS games. I also don't really enjoy using my Ally/Deck or other large devices for lower end emulation in general. It's fine for PS2/GC etc but it seems silly using a big heavy device to play something like SNES/GBA/DS.

But yes, the Thor for example is similar in comfort to a 3DS XL, which is to say not great. I have a grip coming for it though so will see how that improves the ergonomics.

So 4px is reliable after all? Managed to dodge the taxes?

Compared to candybar handhelds, yeah, they are less comfortable. But they fit pretty much everywhere, even 7" AYANEO Pocket DS, which is significantly bigger than Thor, can be easily slipped into even smaller satchel (something I use), unlike candybars with same screen size.

Personally, I find that Deck, Switch 1/2, ROG Ally and all the similar devices fall into separate new category of Portables, as opposed to usual pocketable Handheld category - though, technically, all handhelds are portables, so Luggables is probably more correct.

Had no additional fees. Took them 13 days to deliver it to me in the UK after it was dispatched by AYN. The tracking is sporadic though, I had an update that it departed from an airport in China then heard nothing for another 6 days. Have seen some people in the UK used DHL and didn't get fees either, but whether they just got lucky or not IDK.

Great to hear that - after much deliberation (and lamentations over G3 Gen 3 being in KONKR Pocket Fit and not in AYN Thor), I will be finally pulling the trigger by the end of the week.

My only real cons with the device.

1. When the fan is going and you move the device around it makes a weird lightsabre esque sound with the moving air. Though should never be a problem in gameplay unless you're playing a game with gyro, slight movements don't cause it.

2. The USB charger is on the bottom, making it awful to use while playing, thankfully it has great battery so you shouldn't really need to do this much.

3. When you plug it in to charge it wakes the device and screen, even with the lid closed. They are working on fixing this with an update IIRC.