Both run a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, so they emulate the same systems. The $239 Nova is a 4.5-inch 4:3 pocket machine; the $259 Portal is a 7-inch 16:9 OLED. Prices checked 4 Oct 2026.
Put these two side by side and it looks like a $20 price fight. It isn't one. They share a processor, so they run the same emulators about equally well. What you're really choosing is a shape: a small 4:3 handheld for your pocket, or a 7-inch slab for the couch.
$239
Retroid Pocket Nova
4.5" AMOLED 4:3 · 8+128 GB
$259
AYN Odin 2 Portal
7" OLED 16:9 · 8+128 GB Base
Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
Shared silicon
Adreno 740 GPU on both
5000 vs 8000 mAh
Battery
Nova is smaller; Portal lasts longer
Retroid Pocket Nova vs Odin 2 Portal: which should you buy?
Pick by screen, not by chip. The Nova's 4:3 screen fills edge to edge with SNES, PS1, N64 and Dreamcast games, and it fits a pocket. The Portal's 7-inch 16:9 OLED suits PS2, GameCube, Switch and Android games, and its 8,000 mAh battery is 60% bigger.
Mostly 8-bit to PS1, DS on one screen, and you travel: the Nova.
Mostly PS2, GameCube, Wii or Switch, played at home: the Portal.
Game streaming from a PC or console: the Portal, because streamed games are 16:9.
Same chip, so what actually differs?
Everything except the processor. GoRetroid lists the Nova's chip as the QCS8550 with an Adreno 740 GPU, the same GPU as the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 in the Portal. The differences are screen size and shape, battery, storage speed and body size.
Spec sheet, base models (official stores, read 4 Oct 2026)
Price (8 GB + 128 GB)
Retroid Pocket Nova
$239 ($244 in some colours)
AYN Odin 2 Portal
$259 (Base)
Upgrade model
Retroid Pocket Nova
12 GB + 128 GB, $269
AYN Odin 2 Portal
Pro 12 GB + 512 GB $369, Max 16 GB + 1 TB $449
Chip and GPU
Retroid Pocket Nova
QCS8550, Adreno 740
AYN Odin 2 Portal
Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, Adreno 740
Screen
Retroid Pocket Nova
4.5-inch AMOLED, 4:3, 960p, 120 Hz
AYN Odin 2 Portal
7-inch OLED, 16:9, 1920 x 1080, 120 Hz
Battery
Retroid Pocket Nova
5,000 mAh
AYN Odin 2 Portal
8,000 mAh
Storage
Retroid Pocket Nova
UFS 3.1 + microSD
AYN Odin 2 Portal
UFS 4.0 + microSD
Software
Retroid Pocket Nova
Android 13, OTA updates
AYN Odin 2 Portal
Android 13
Wireless
Retroid Pocket Nova
Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.3
AYN Odin 2 Portal
Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.3
Retroid Pocket Nova
AYN Odin 2 Portal
Price (8 GB + 128 GB)
$239 ($244 in some colours)
$259 (Base)
Upgrade model
12 GB + 128 GB, $269
Pro 12 GB + 512 GB $369, Max 16 GB + 1 TB $449
Chip and GPU
QCS8550, Adreno 740
Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, Adreno 740
Screen
4.5-inch AMOLED, 4:3, 960p, 120 Hz
7-inch OLED, 16:9, 1920 x 1080, 120 Hz
Battery
5,000 mAh
8,000 mAh
Storage
UFS 3.1 + microSD
UFS 4.0 + microSD
Software
Android 13, OTA updates
Android 13
Wireless
Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.3
Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.3
The Portal's spec sheet comes from AYN's authorised reseller DroiX, because AYN's own product page shows its specs as images. The prices come from both makers' stores.
Which one is better for PS2, GameCube and Switch?
The Portal, mostly because of the screen. Joey's Retro Handhelds reports PS2 at "3x for 1080p" as "a given" on the Portal, GameCube at 3x running smoothly, and Switch emulation as still "hit and miss as usual". The Nova has the same GPU, so it has the same ceiling, but its 4:3 screen letterboxes widescreen games into a smaller strip.
That letterboxing is the real trade. On the Nova, a 16:9 PS2 or GameCube game uses the full width of a 4.5-inch panel and leaves black bars top and bottom. On the Portal, it fills a 7-inch screen. For 4:3 games the story flips: the Nova fills its screen and the Portal pillarboxes.
Is the Nova worth it over the Odin 2 Portal for retro?
Yes, if your library is mostly 4:3. NES, SNES, Genesis, PS1, N64, Saturn and Dreamcast were all made for 4:3 TVs, so the Nova shows them at full height with no bars. You give up battery (5,000 mAh against 8,000) and faster UFS 4.0 storage, and you save $20.
Buy the Nova for a pocketable, 4:3-native machine for 8-bit through PS1, N64 and Dreamcast, with PS2 as a bonus.
Buy the Odin 2 Portal for a big 16:9 OLED for PS2, GameCube, Switch and streaming, plus the bigger battery.
Check the price on the day. The Nova launched at $229 and is $239 now. AYN shows the Portal Base at $259 against a struck-through $329.
Do the Retroid Pocket Nova and Odin 2 Portal have the same chip?
Effectively, yes. GoRetroid lists the Nova's chip as the QCS8550 with an Adreno 740 GPU, and the Portal uses the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 with the same Adreno 740. Emulation performance should be close to equal.
How much do the Retroid Pocket Nova and Odin 2 Portal cost?
On 4 October 2026 the official stores listed the Nova at $239 for 8 GB + 128 GB and $269 for 12 GB + 128 GB. AYN listed the Portal Base at $259, the Pro at $369 and the Max at $449.
Which has the better battery?
The Odin 2 Portal, with 8,000 mAh against the Nova's 5,000 mAh. The Portal also drives a bigger screen, so the gap in play time depends on the game and settings.
Is the 4:3 screen on the Nova bad for PS2 games?
Not bad, but smaller. Widescreen PS2, GameCube and PSP games are letterboxed, so they use the full width and leave bars top and bottom. 4:3 games fill the screen.
Which is more pocketable?
The Nova. It has a 4.5-inch screen against the Portal's 7-inch, and the Portal is a two-handed couch device.
