Dual-Screen Handhelds: Every Model on Sale and Coming Soon, Compared
Every dual-screen handheld you can buy or pre-order, from the $94.99 Anbernic RG DS to the AYN Thor, with prices, screens, chips and ship dates.
As of 19 October 2026 you can buy or pre-order seven dual-screen handhelds and one clip-on screen. The cheapest are the Anbernic RG DS and RG DS Plus at $94.99. The Retroid Pocket Duo ($269, shipping from 21 October) is the best value with two AMOLED screens. The Anbernic RG DDS ($284.99 pre-order, shipping from 10 December) is the newest. The AYN Thor (from $469.99) has the fastest chip. The table below compares all of them, and each section after it covers who each one suits.
Two years ago this would have been a short list. Now every major Chinese handheld maker sells a clamshell, and two of them launched in the last six weeks.
The Anbernic RG DDS in its three colours. Image: Anbernic.
Why dual-screen handhelds are everywhere now
The short answer is the AYN Thor. Searches for "ayn thor" averaged 368,000 a month in August and September 2026, according to DataForSEO, up from 135,000 in October 2025. A device that sells to that kind of interest gets copied, and it has been. Retroid's first clamshell, the Pocket Duo, went on pre-sale in September. Anbernic now sells three. Searches for "dual screen gaming handheld" jumped to 14,800 in April and 12,100 in July as the announcements landed.
The reason people want two screens is the Nintendo DS and 3DS. Both were designed around a top screen and a touchscreen below it, and on a single-screen handheld you have to squeeze both onto one display or flip between them. A clamshell plays them the way they were designed. Our list of the best DS games shows how much of that library depends on it.
Every dual-screen handheld compared
Prices were checked on each store's own listing on 19 October 2026.
| Handheld | Screens | Chip | System | Price | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ANBERNIC RG DS | Two 4" 640x480 IPS touch | Rockchip RK3568 | Android 14 or Linux | $94.99 at Anbernic | In stock |
| Anbernic RG DS Plus | Two 4.3" 1024x768 IPS, bottom touch | Rockchip RK3568 | Linux | $94.99 at Anbernic | In stock |
| Retroid Pocket Duo Lite | 5.5" 1080p + 4.2" 960p TFT | Qualcomm QCS6125 | Android 15 | $149 at Retroid | In stock |
| Retroid Pocket Duo | 5.5" 1080p 120Hz AMOLED + 4.5" 960p AMOLED | Dragonwing Q-7790 | Android 16 | $269 at Retroid | Ships 21 October |
| Anbernic RG DDS | 4.7" 1200x720 + 4" 960x720 IPS | Snapdragon G2 Gen 2 | Android 16 | $284.99 at Anbernic | Pre-order, ships 10 December |
| AYN Thor | 6" 1080p 120Hz AMOLED + 3.92" AMOLED | Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 | Android 13 | From $469.99 at LitNXT; Base $329 pre-order at AYN | In stock |
| AYANEO Pocket DS | 7" 1080p 165Hz OLED + 5" 1024x768 | Snapdragon G3x Gen 2 | Android 13 | $519 retail (base) | Crowdfunded in 2025 |
| Retroid Dual Screen Add-on | Adds one AMOLED touchscreen | Uses your handheld's | Android | $69 at Retroid | In stock |
Anbernic and LitNXT pay this site a commission through these links. Retroid's store does not, and the Duo, Duo Lite and add-on are only sold there. We have not tested any of these devices; hands-on impressions below are credited to the outlets that did.
Anbernic RG DS and RG DS Plus: the $94.99 pair
The Anbernic RG DS Plus. Image: Anbernic.
Both cost $94.99 at Anbernic, and both use the same Rockchip RK3568 chip, so the choice comes down to screens and software. The original RG DS has two 4-inch 640x480 touchscreens and 3GB of RAM, and it runs Android 14 or Linux. The RG DS Plus has larger 4.3-inch screens at 1024x768, which is exactly four times the DS resolution in each direction, so DS games scale with no blur. It runs Linux only, with 1GB of RAM, and the stylus stores inside the body.
Pick the RG DS if you want Android apps. Pick the RG DS Plus if you only care about DS games and want the sharper screens. Neither is a 3DS machine. The RG DS Plus is also $139.99 at MechDIY, so Anbernic's own store is the place to buy it.
Retroid Pocket Duo and Duo Lite: the best value
The Retroid Pocket Duo. Image: Retroid.
The Retroid Pocket Duo is the first clamshell from the company behind the Pocket 5 and Pocket 6. It has a 5.5-inch 1080p AMOLED at 120Hz on top and a 4.5-inch 960p AMOLED below, the Dragonwing Q-7790 with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, Android 16, active cooling and a 6,000mAh battery. At $269 it is the cheapest way to get two AMOLED screens. Retroid confirmed shipments begin on 21 October, PC Guide reported on 16 October, and the code DUO takes $20 off until 31 October.
The Duo Lite costs $149 and keeps the clamshell shape, with a 5.5-inch 1080p and a 4.2-inch 960p screen, both TFT rather than AMOLED. Its Qualcomm QCS6125 is a much slower chip than the full Duo's. It began shipping on 17 September. We could not find a full review of either model by 19 October.
Anbernic RG DDS: the newest, built around the 3DS
The RG DDS is Anbernic's fastest clamshell and the one most clearly aimed at the 3DS. Its 4.7-inch 1200x720 top screen and 4-inch 960x720 bottom screen are exactly three times the 3DS's two resolutions, and it has a Snapdragon G2 Gen 2, Android 16, a fan, a 6,000mAh battery and a stylus stored in the body. It is $284.99 for 8GB/128GB or $349.99 for 12GB/256GB, as a pre-order.
Anbernic says shipping starts on 10 December 2026. Our RG DDS launch piece has the full spec sheet and how it compares with the Duo and the Thor. On paper it costs $15.99 more than the Duo and has the faster chip, but IPS screens instead of AMOLED.
AYN Thor: the fastest you can buy today
The AYN Thor. Image: AYN.
The AYN Thor is the device that started this wave. It pairs a 6-inch 1080p AMOLED at 120Hz with a 3.92-inch AMOLED touchscreen and runs on a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, which gives it headroom for 3DS, PS2 and GameCube as well as DS. LitNXT sells it in four tiers: the Base at $469.99, the Pro at $599.99 and the Max at $789.99, with the $399.99 Lite out of stock on 19 October. AYN's own store sells the same tiers for less as batch pre-orders, from $329 for the Base, if you can wait for shipping. DROIX rated it 4.6 out of 5 in its review and found systems up to PS2 ran well.
It is the most expensive mainstream option, and its Android 13 is older than the newer clamshells' Android 16. Our AYN Thor piece covers the tiers, and Cartridge is a free frontend designed around its second screen.
AYANEO Pocket DS: the biggest screens
AYANEO's clamshell has the largest screens of any of these: a 7-inch 1080p OLED at 165Hz and a 5-inch 4:3 panel below, on a Snapdragon G3x Gen 2 with an 8,000mAh battery. It launched on Indiegogo in August 2025 at $400 for early backers and $519 at retail for the base 8GB/128GB model, 9to5Google reported.
Retro Dodo's review scored it 8.6 and called it "a remarkably fun Android handheld", but noted that DS emulation "can be very buggy at times" and that its right bumper stuck on almost every press. None of this site's partner stores sell it.
Retroid Dual Screen Add-on: a second screen for $69
If you already own a Retroid Pocket 5, Pocket Mini or Pocket 4 Pro, Retroid sells a $69 add-on that clips to the back and adds a second AMOLED touchscreen, turning it into a clamshell. It began shipping in August 2025, and Notebookcheck reported that it also works with some third-party devices. It is the cheapest way into dual screens if your handheld is supported.
The AYANEO Flip DS is the one dual-screen device here that runs Windows. It is a full gaming PC with a 7-inch main screen and a 3.5-inch touchscreen, and PC Gamer reviewed a $749 configuration. It is a different kind of machine from the Android clamshells, built for PC games first.
Which one should you buy?
- DS games only, lowest price: Anbernic RG DS Plus, $94.99. The 4:3 1024x768 screens are the best match for DS games of anything on this list.
- DS games plus Android apps: ANBERNIC RG DS, $94.99, or the Retroid Pocket Duo Lite at $149 for bigger screens.
- DS and 3DS, best value: Retroid Pocket Duo, $269, with AMOLED screens and shipping this week.
- 3DS first, and you can wait until December: Anbernic RG DDS, $284.99 pre-order.
- Everything, including PS2 and GameCube: AYN Thor, from $469.99.
What is coming next
The Retroid Pocket Duo ships on 21 October and the Anbernic RG DDS on 10 December, so both will have hands-on reviews by the end of the year. We will update this page as those reviews arrive and as prices move. The full catalogue, single-screen handhelds included, is on the devices page, and the compare tool puts any two side by side.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the best dual-screen handheld?
- For most people it is the Retroid Pocket Duo at $269: two AMOLED screens, Android 16 and a current Qualcomm chip, shipping from 21 October 2026. The AYN Thor (from $469.99) is the pick if you want the most power and AMOLED screens for 3DS, PS2 and GameCube. On a budget, the Anbernic RG DS and RG DS Plus are both $94.99 and built for DS games.
- What is the cheapest dual-screen handheld?
- The Anbernic RG DS and RG DS Plus are both $94.99 at Anbernic's own store as of 19 October 2026. The RG DS has two 4-inch 640x480 screens and runs Android 14 or Linux; the RG DS Plus has two 4.3-inch 1024x768 screens and runs Linux. If you already own a Retroid Pocket 5, Pocket Mini or Pocket 4 Pro, Retroid's Dual Screen Add-on adds a second screen for $69.
- Can dual-screen handhelds play 3DS games?
- The Android models with current Qualcomm chips are aimed at it: the AYN Thor, the Retroid Pocket Duo, the Anbernic RG DDS and the AYANEO Pocket DS. Anbernic sized the RG DDS screens at exactly three times the 3DS resolution. The RK3568-based RG DS and RG DS Plus are DS and older-console devices, not 3DS ones.
- When does the Retroid Pocket Duo ship?
- Retroid confirmed that shipments start on 21 October 2026, PC Guide reported on 16 October. The Duo is $269 at Retroid's store, with a $20 pre-order discount using the code DUO until 31 October. The cheaper Duo Lite began shipping in September at $149.
- When does the Anbernic RG DDS ship?
- Anbernic's pre-sale graphic says shipping starts on 10 December 2026 and that every pre-order will have shipped by 31 January 2027. It costs $284.99 for 8GB/128GB and $349.99 for 12GB/256GB at Anbernic's store.
