AYN's dual-screen Thor handheld is getting a $10 stylus

AYN has released a $9.90 self-adhesive stylus for the Thor, its upcoming dual-screen Android gaming handheld. The accessory is a simple solution to a glaring problem in the modern retro handheld space: how to play touch-heavy games without a built-in pen slot.

The Thor Self-adhesive Stylus is available in four colors. Buyers can choose between black, black grey, white, and purple. These options map cleanly to the Thor's own colorways, which include black, white, rainbow, and clear purple. Because the Thor's chassis does not include a molded silo for a pen, AYN went with a stick-on holder that attaches directly to the back of the device. I can't wait to test this. I am curious to see how well the adhesive holds up after a few weeks of being shoved into a backpack.

Two AMOLED screens

If you missed the initial hardware reveal, the AYN Thor is a dedicated attempt to modernize dual-screen gaming. The base model costs $249 and pairs a 6-inch Full HD AMOLED top screen with a 3.92-inch AMOLED touch display on the bottom. It runs Android 13 and includes Hall effect joysticks alongside a 6000mAh battery.

Under the hood, the standard and max tiers rely on a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor. A cheaper Lite model drops down to an older Snapdragon 865. The 8 Gen 2 is massive overkill for basic Nintendo DS emulation, but it provides enough overhead to run 3DS titles at high internal resolutions. It also handles PlayStation 2 and GameCube libraries without breaking a sweat.

The entire appeal of this form factor is dual-screen emulation. Standard single-screen handhelds force players to rely on awkward side-by-side screen layouts or hotkeys to swap between displays. A physical second screen solves the layout issue, but you still need a way to interact with the bottom display accurately.

The stylus problem

The modern dual-screen handheld market is incredibly small. The Thor's primary competition is the Ayaneo Flip DS. That device costs considerably more and runs Windows instead of Android. While some models, such as the Ayaneo Flip 1S DS, include an electromagnetic stylus with 4096 levels of pressure sensitivity, other versions of the Flip DS may not offer a dedicated pen, potentially leaving owners to rely on generic capacitive styluses.

The original Nintendo DS and 3DS solved this by building a storage slot directly into the plastic shell. Modern handheld manufacturers are hesitant to dedicate internal chassis space to a plastic stick, especially when they need every millimeter for battery capacity and cooling fans.

We have reached the point in handheld evolution where we are taping pen holders to the back of $250 devices. It works, which is the nicest thing I can say about it. An adhesive loop is a compromise. It adds a slight bump to the back of the console and might get caught on tight carrying cases. It is still better than losing a loose pen in the couch cushions.

Playing games like Trauma Center: Under the Knife or The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass with a finger is miserable. Playing them with an analog stick mapped to a virtual cursor is worse. A proper stylus is mandatory for a huge chunk of the dual-screen library. At ten dollars, this add-on is basically a required purchase for anyone picking up the Thor.