AYN says Odin 3 doesn't feature Snapdragon 8 Elite as originally marketed

AYN launched the Odin 3 in October 2025 as a flagship gaming handheld that's powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite. However, with a recent adjustment in the marketing materials, the company has revealed that the device isn't actually powered by that SoC.

The interesting bit is that users have nothing to worry about, as the SoC is actually a modified version of the Snapdragon 8 Elite. As spotted by Retro Handhelds, it's the Qualcomm Dragonwing Q8 that's powering the AYN Odin 3, and the key difference lies in the modem.

While the Snapdragon 8 Elite features the X80 5G modem, the Dragonwing Q8 doesn't have one. However, this isn't a big deal as the AYN Odin 3 doesn't have any cellular features to begin with. Developer Jdewitz reveals that the Dragonwing chip removes camera processing as well, and these changes allow the modified SoC to offer slightly better performance and operate at lower temperatures.

Jdewitz further notes that the WiFi and Bluetooth performance is more stable on the Dragonwing Q8 than on the Snapdragon 8 Elite. So, the former is actually a better option for gaming handhelds.

Again, the removal of camera processing from the SoC that's inside the Odin 3 isn't a problem, as the gaming handheld doesn't have a camera. Besides these, the other core specs of the two SoCs are the same, but it's unclear who is at fault for this marketing error.

This name change also raises the question of whether the Snapdragon 8 Elite was powering the recently discontinued Konkr Pocket Fit Elite from Ayaneo. Check out our launch coverage to learn more about the AYN Odin 3 (available on AliExpress).