You could soon turn this Android handheld into an ultra-powerful Linux handheld

Who says you have to choose between Android and Linux in your hand? Certainly not AYN, as the device maker has previously implemented Linux support on its older handhelds. Now, if you want to run Linux on your Odin 3 then there is good news.

ayam Announced on Discord That it has just brought initial support for Linux (v7.0) in Odin 3. The company says it has also updated Linux support on the Odin 2 series and Thor in line with the new version.

The company also outlined a list of working features, and we’re glad to see that almost everything is up and running. However, the microphone functionality and vibration are not working right now.

So what does this support for running Linux on Odin 3 mean? Owners can possibly try to create their own Linux distribution, but your best bet will be to wait for distributions like Batocera and Rocknix to add support for Odin 3. Both distributions also let you boot from a microSD card if you want a low-risk way to try them out.

This is also great news for AYN’s device as it could be the most powerful Arm-based Linux handheld yet. The Odin 3 comes with the Dragonwing Q8 processor, which is effectively a version of the Snapdragon 8 Elite. So there’s more than enough CPU and GPU power on tap.

One of the biggest reasons to run Linux on your Arm-based handheld is Portmaster. The app facilitates the installation of over 1,000 Linux ports of classic and contemporary games, including Stardew Valley, Balatro, and Celeste. That said, you will need the relevant game files for certain titles.

Linux also opens the door to official ports of emulators (for example, PS3, Xbox, Wii U) that may run better than their Android counterparts. However, it is worth noting that some platforms (for example, PS2) have better emulators on Android.