Hello,
First of all we are overwhelmed by the amount of people joining this subreddit and very happy to have you all here.
We are building this sub as a community and our love for the AYN Thor.
With that said, there has been posts with some missinformation regarding the hinge and a crack.
The original OP of the image had the crack when they received the device from factory, therefore a defect and AYN replaced it after contact.
Otherwise as far as we know there are no official reports of cracks in the hinge.
There are mould seems in the hinge that may be perceived as cracks, but these looks for now simply as “scratches” from the injection mold.
Please also remember that time will tell if the hinge holds up or not.
Instead of flooding this sub with hinge posts, we are creating this announcement as a megathread as well so if there are any concerns, reports or updates it can all be posted here.
Again, happy to have you all here.
Happy gaming (Or tinkering, let’s be honest)
*UPDATE #1*
Very fiery day yesterday. Nicole over at AYN posted an update regarding this hinge question with schematics.
The mark on the hinge that most of us have is indeed a molding joint where the plastic meets during the melting process. This of course is mixed news since it is not a crack for most people but it is a point of weaker structure which again only time will tell. (A better explanation to this was made by u/childofcrake in this comment https://www.reddit.com/r/AynThor/comments/1ozcby3/comment/npdv5uk/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button)
As for everyone with concern AYN is taking this very seriously and Nicole refers that you contact their support if so. (Referring to the few cases of actual cracks that has happened)
Rainbow Pro, No issues for one month. No Line at the hinge or any other Problem (order 75xxx)
I'll wait a few months before buying a Thor. Thank you so much to you and everyone in this sub who bought one of these to test/check how good the hinge is! Happy Gaming!
It took 6-9 months for the flip 2 to start becoming an issue I think, and to add to that the Ayn plastic was slightly improved in that area so I would say we won't know if it's fixed for sure for at least a year, although it is a much more popular product so it could happen widespread sooner. The second I see two confirmed I am popping mine open and adding glue.
5-7 months, reports started by september when the device was getting into the public by may
Why is this being downvoted? I also appreciate everyone chiming in while I wait on my rainbow max to arrive
I didnt downvote, but I simply hate the effin "community agency" response that Ayns Crisis Marketing has spun up here to hoodwink people three times over.
The sense of "Wow - we are looking after each other, the company just created a stress line, at the very spot they knew they couldnt, and then didnt check the hinges before they left the factory - all while still using a plastic so brittle they could use it for the structural integrity of a 1,2mm liddepth, then created this godawfull excuse of this is normal, because on some devices the plastic didnt bond perfectly - no its not a production issue, its its, its, m its.... I worked 50 years with molding and this stuff is hard (!) --is just so unsufferabe - that I can see the crisis manager behind it every step of the way. In managing behavior of the masses. So when someone is happy, that this great community will check their cracks for him - I want to.....
The only reasonable response, from a company not lying their asses off in this instance would have been full product recalls, or extended warranties, which Ayn never does. Or releasing their durability testing instead of their effin cad files which gave people the impression that the structural weakening was meant to be there.
Issue - Ayn also doesnt do those tests.
So the next thing they do is they go to a crisis marketing firm, and turn you all into a crazed bunch of belieber superfans on the tough tough problem of is three cracks, and many having this structural weaking - enough, or should we still keep watching when it breaks for more people?"
Even the notion, that engineering wanted a video is just... I mean... I cant deal with people being lead as masses to this kind of behavior, I just .. I clink out.
Little more: Essentially, Ayn has now behaviorally modified you into adhering to their interpretation of sending videos that clearly show a crack, not just the structural weakness that under no circumstances should be in that spot, before you get a replacement greenlit. I mean - you have to look at this from Ayns point of view, it could break one day after your warrenty runs out - so - now as the perfect costumer community you have all acknowledged, that you all look forward to that scenario.
This thoughtless compliance to an induced behavior that serves Ayn well, is only superseeded by the reaction of one of the first three people reporting this issue, that wanted to accuse one of the structural weakness sufferers of "reusing their image without a license agreement", because they werent sure yet - that word should be out again, that Ayn messed this up - royally, for the third time. As in the third device in a row. On three distinct devices, one after the other.
Sometimes in private - I think to myself - people like you, that let this be done to themselves and their fellow peers, really deserve the youtubers that are your sole source for information in life. Just from stoping me from hitting my forehead against a wall for two minutes or so.
It feels good, when the pain lessens.
People really are defending this stuff like it's personal to them. The whole thing on a different thread about some guy being a specialist in the field was one of the worst parts:
"If you're so smart as a non-engineer then why don't you say how to solve this problem then, hmm? Us engineers are waiting for your brilliant response"
"Well I think the mold shouldn't have a seam at the weakest part of the device"
"T-that's not real answer! You have to give me a solution that doesn't involve actually changing things!"
People were almost personally offended that someone would dare to be concerned about a problem in an expensive device like this.
It's Reddit, people don't have any logic for downvotes if you don't follow the status quo :P
(Barely do they know that I'm also buying only in a few months because I'm poor, from a Third World Country, and I cannot buy one now lol)
Same here Rainbow pro order 917xxx (no line at the hinge)
Use your phone flash light and put your face 2-3 inches from the hinge area, doing this I can see the same scratch looking line on my rainbow pro, it is extremely small. I only have like 4 hours of use, it appears it has been there since shipping.
Both sides of this issue are correct.
My day job involves design, setup and production specifically plastic injection molding production in a very similar tech based field. I don’t know Ayn’s exact production setup or flow BUT I can tell you from 15+ years of experience in this field that both sides of this argument are correct.
Allow me to explain.
There are many types of defects that can develop from PIM but the one I will focus on, and the one I believe to be the culprit here is one called: Kniting
What is Kniting? Well simply put Kniting occurs when hot plastic travels in two paths and meets up, bonds, and leaves a noticeable indication on the surface of the part. This almost always occurs when plastic has to go around a bolt hole or some sort of obstacle.
See: https://share.google/iICKtrWxH0YQzCUYG
I’ve had a similar issue with a part I worked on not a month ago. The final solution was a redesign of the mold to allow for the flow to not terminate in the hinge area.
https://preview.redd.it/m1d7tmxwwv1g1.jpeg?width=460&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=eb804f1fcf6dacf6e2ea61ac340bd428b14d5948
The crudely drawn-over picture I’ve attached is the probable flow of molten plastic in the mold since it has to go around that hole, and the seam is likely when the two flows meet.
Now, here’s where the other half of my statement comes in: knits are more likely of a failure point than a normal piece of molded plastic. Not to say ALL knits are going to fail, but in my experience there is a certain amount of failure rate that happens.
So yes, I believe that the indication most are seeing IS normal for PIM, and likely the ones affected are due to that seam failing to bond appropriately and propagating. Take what you will with this information, it’s simply my experience with similar processes.
Hopefully Ayn will make good on the unbonded units for replacement, and with further use we don’t have additional units breaking at this knit point. Only time will tell unfortunately.
Happy gaming o7
Update: Ayn employee posted on their discord a video of their injection flow and a sample of an incomplete unit which all but confirms my suspicion. You can tell from this photo that this is where the two halves of the flow meet and form that seam.
https://preview.redd.it/wau7r3h4sx1g1.jpeg?width=3072&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7661e3faaa7b5c243f37be6b1b69d50c11ca8cfd
I would venture to say 99%+ of these are simply cosmetic but one should definitely contact Ayn if they suspect it has separated. More than likely a knit would show up fresh out of the box already propagated and separated, which follows trend of those who have had legitimate “cracks.”
Shoutout you for explaining this
This is pretty much exactly what I thought was happening, thank you for explaining it so thoroughly.
The only question I'm left with is why it only seems to be visible/occurring on only one hinge? Most (maybe all) of the images with the seam people are posting are from the left hinge specifically, with the way these are made I would have expected a similar mark on both sides.EDIT: Actually just saw the reason why for anybody interested: the hinges are molded in completely different ways, an AYN employee posted a "Mold Flow Analysis Report" video on their discord. Only the left is a "doughnut" shape that would cause this Kniting problem
Amazing posts, thanks for the walkthrough of this, makes total sense.
I think this fits with everything I have seen so far.
This explains why it looks like a scratch that is almost the exact same in every case, but not quite identical, which would eliminate a scratch in one of the moulds as a likely cause.
It explains why most only seem to be a nearly imperceptible surface blemish that doesn't extend deeper.
It also explains why there have been a handful of cases where it does appear to be a crack. Those would be units that unfortunately had a poor bonding at this seam.
It also would mean that in the vast majority of cases, this is just cosmetic, but it could be a weak point and thus a potential future failure point. Some units might have a poor bond internally that has not yet propagated to the surface.
We need to get this up the top of the post. Can this be stickied somehow lol. Pretty much explains everything everyone has been saying about this the entire time.
Thanks for taking the time to explain it.
Thanks! Just trying to help cut through the noise and provide a little insight as best as I can!
I tried to post my entire post here as its own thread but was instantly deleted by mods. I’m not sure what rule I violated as it never told me, so I put it all here instead.
Thanks again. I’ll update again if I find any more info
I have just now updated the post with the given information from AYN. I also want to thank you u/childofcrake for the very good explanation of the process for the molding
Great post. Think everyone needs to take a breath on this topic for the time. Let's wait and see if legitimate cracks start occuring on folks handhelds in larger quantities before pointing to these "seams" as actual cracks.....which they are NOT.
Thank you so much for this, you've greatly put my mind at ease!
As a person that has experience with play doh — this has fed my confirmation bias.
If this happen to me, i will super glue the crack
I'm using JB Weld baby. Using a needle, pushing some of that good ol' JB in and that hinge ain't going nowhere.
Does this work?
https://preview.redd.it/5fvga0m8ju1g1.jpeg?width=666&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=62dff21dce19e9edf603b3e80c189d14eb2e9978
https://preview.redd.it/eruw1utrsw1g1.jpeg?width=4080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=466eb3b1ee147fda21731351fa7c408753a9de8d
Mine is definitely cracked. Not just a scratch.
Another angle. It widens when I push the lid to close it.
https://preview.redd.it/xz30zq1ysw1g1.jpeg?width=4080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=238a17bbf790008d743e12ea4ecee5e351f07ec3
Here's a picture of the side of the hinge, after popping the top lid off. It's cracked all the way through.
https://preview.redd.it/w2lfwd55tw1g1.jpeg?width=4080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1245569334068f16a849f60109d082c664ef4050
Damn, that's much more pronounced than my Flip2's crack.
ok all discussion can rest, things are clearly cracking.
Some of them yes. Time will tell if it’s a defect or outliers.
Saw your post in the Discord, that's so disappointing. Waiting for a response from AYN still.
This is my first time buying anything from AYN, but I've heard they have good customer service so right now I'm not too worried. Hopefully it's not too widespread.
Same here on the first time buyer. I REALLY love this device too, hoping for the best.
Damn sorry to hear.
Thing is, all products will have a certain percentage of manufacturing errors, no matter how good the quality control is. Some people will, unfortunately, actually have cracks.
Issue is, because of the multiple people now contacting ayn over nothing because of this hysteria, it will take them longer to help people with actual issues, like yourself.
This is clearly a crack, just on the "mold line". Other raimbows have the line but no that crack
How did AYN respond?
They asked me to send a video so they could show it to their technical team. I haven't heard back since sending the video. I'm guessing they won't reply until tomorrow at the earliest.
Please hit me up with their Response.
They've offered to send me a replacement for the top screen and linked me to a disassembly video, so I can do the replacement myself. In the video, the screen isn't removed until the Thor has been completely torn down, so I've responded asking how much will actually be necessary to remove in order to replace the screen. I really don't want to have to deal with all those little ribbon cables and screws. It's just another opportunity for something to break.
Thats not acceptable imo. They should offer a full replacement or refund. It's not your fault they are sending out defective units. It's a warranty case.
Also why would it not break again? They need to confirm they changed the production of this part. And they can't assume people are doing this themselves
Is this white?
Sorry, I should have said. It's a rainbow model.
Oh damn.
https://preview.redd.it/692d574ubt1g1.jpeg?width=2160&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=367ab36181dfc651ee6be3f582808b0e2ba3cb9f
Maybe i need to open it
https://preview.redd.it/2ww3e4wftu1g1.jpeg?width=1356&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8ab279d01c9a62ce70d882f4dc722936581183b2
Here
so no internal damage on your thor. good to know. I also have the exact same slightly tilted line as yours
So no crack? At least I don't see it.
Seems like it yes
That hinge certainly looks like a tighter fit than the Flip2's.
Why don't you try the Flip 2 preemptive fix?
I actually don't know what this is
Oops, sorry. I'm talking about doing this https://www.reddit.com/r/retroid/s/yW5WGxYdZr
Since the crack is appearing in the exact same way and the internals look the same, I guess this will work too? I did it on my flip when the crack was starting to appear and everything is perfect so far. I did that since I saw that post.
I just dropped a comment on that thread to see how that fix has held up over time. If all good, I have no problem doing this to fix the Thor preemptively. From what I can see the hinge design looks pretty similar to me!
Even when I did the fix myself I'm still very careful when opening or closing my Flip. So far, the microcrack still the same and everything is great.
Good to know. May just say eff it and go for it.
From what I understand, this fixes a problem the original Flip 2 hinge design had that this doesn't. The stress put on the plastic that was fixed with the revised Flip 2 hinge design. I'm not sure this'd do anything for this issue.
These lines are on the left side of the device right?
That's correct
I'll just say, it's wild to me that the blemish is on the exact same spot, and in the exact same shape, on every reported black unit so far.
As I've said elsewhere, I'm really hoping this is a trivial scratch left over from the manufacturing process, but I suppose time will tell. I caved and emailed support with a picture, if only to have it on record.
Can you follow up with the response?
Absolutely.
https://preview.redd.it/qn7uonc5iu1g1.png?width=1080&format=png&auto=webp&s=0fbb63c323425ec8f3203c7314a343ce814ba379
This is mine. Personally, I haven't seen it until the hinge crack posts. It doesn't have texture, so it could be perfectly the mentioned injection mold mark.
I will try to calm myself down because I didn't live the RP Flip 2 situation, but it had been months of saving for an expensive product and now I feel a little bit insecure, like: "Oh f**k, this was expensive, is it going to break by default just by opening it sooner than later?"
i have an identical line, everyone in this post has these. seems like a large batch of units have this identical line but it doesn't indicate hinge damage at all, just a few ppl on here had actual defective hinges
Thanks for your answer, it's reassuring. As I said I didn't live the Flip 2 situation and I like to enter to this Reddit and read what games people play, or the nice custom on their consoles, and then this morning was post after post [Understandable, people are afraid], but certain answers were almost dooming the console to 100% break and that creates certain doubts and a feeling of insecurity.
Again, thank you for you kind and reassuring answer, I'll try to keep it in mind, and also please do have a nice day!
Thanks, im so adamant about it cuz the reddit amplified this so hard😭 even the ones opening their console are doing it for nothing, its just how they made the plastic that holds the metal hinge inside. The hinge still feels great on mine good luck to us🍻
I just got my Thor a little while ago after picking it up directly from the DHL Express Service Center and was able to get this photo of the same line on a newly unboxed Rainbow Thor Max. I have not yet even opened the hinge when this photo was snapped. I had to use a secondary light to get it to reflect just right off of the line to even be able to see it, either with the naked eye or on the photo.
https://preview.redd.it/4b7r3k2g9v1g1.jpeg?width=1663&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=aa7bbef0bd204fce41c421cd58c29c351e28eee1
Thanks for catching this picture! I'm keeping a close look over at the AYN discord as well
This is very interesting. I guess this gives more credit on the line being there because of the manufacturing process? Idk
Maybe it's caused by the automated testing done by robots? (It was a theory with the flip 2)
Meh,..probably just someone's hair that fell into the mold, lol.
https://preview.redd.it/cq1k9qwnjt1g1.jpeg?width=2268&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9a7d7cead0a1d39905bed8e3d256fef74d717a67
This is what I can see (not really without a camera and a flashlight) on my Rainbow Thor Pro. Idk, seems very superficial, like a scratch (?)What do you all think? I know I'm overreacting but I've been burnt with the Flip 2 in the past
I have something exactly similar on my white model. Can’t tell if it’s a crack or not but it’s identical, almost impossible to see or picture unless light is hitting it the right way.
Mine doesn't seem to go from edge to edge, it's just a line in the middle. But again, really difficult to see
Mine looks the exact same, using a flashlight in the gap I was able to confirm no crack inside, just a superficial mark. Not sure if it will change over time but again almost impossible to see to the naked eye.
I have exactly the same line on my Rainbow Max, it's so light that without going out of my way to look at it for 3 minutes I wouldn't have even noticed it.
I *do* believe it's a hairline crack, but it doesn't really change anything - I'm just going to keep using it. If it's a crack it will likely break further within the next year and I'll figure it out with warranty, and if not then even better. Really unfortunate and lame situation but it won't stop some gaming in the meantime
https://preview.redd.it/n0ipuuqvnv1g1.jpeg?width=2560&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f736d5ae87d2d0db8c7a962703fc52be92ef7ccf
UPDATE:This is how mine looks under a microscope
https://preview.redd.it/95ckhvh5kt1g1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=aa6a7dadad1ae5c582a47aa9cbbb2373ff2c39a2
These are the ones that look like a mold issue, rather than a crack. Still could lead to it cracking if it's deep enough.
i have the exact same slightly tilted line on my black pro but no internal damage. i feel like a large batch of units have that line but this doesn't indicate a defective hinge
Thought I’d contribute. Been using mine about daily for the past 2 weeks. It currently doesn’t seem to be more than a superficial scratch but will update if that changes.
https://preview.redd.it/l31g5rpxuu1g1.jpeg?width=903&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0128f45c9413715cd678199e0987ecc4096b166d
This is extremely helpful. Because I just saw mine and it too has this subtle line. I think most of our models share a similar mark and it must be part of the molding process? I'm no expert but I think mine is fine. Even if it does crack I have some JB weld on standby.
Had my rainbow pro for a few weeks, no issues yet thankfully.
I wonder if it was a bad batch?
OK, so mine was delivered, I turned it on, it worked and then I gave it to my wife to wrap for Christmas. It's never been used and the hinge has only been opened a couple of times.
I just opened it up to check for cracks...
https://preview.redd.it/vatixuubjw1g1.jpeg?width=1904&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=36be4b0d1bb3613e9df3bb5a40376064bd5dbcc3
It's got the line, but it isn't cracked, it's just a surface artifact. I couldn't get a good photo of the inside but under a strong magnifier looking at the plastic around the hinge pin, I can clearly see that the line is surface only.
It's worth taking the top of the lid off, it's easy, I did it by just running my thumbnail around the lid to pop the clips.
Black max confirming line on my hinge. Batch 850, barely used, I baby it.
Anyone who believes they have a crack should be listing their order number to see if they all came from the same batch or not
I photographed mine straight of the box around 1pm, no issues. Now 6pm tinkered a few minutes and the exact same line has appeared. Not complaining just documenting.
Are there any purple owners that have this crack?
I have a purple and I have the same tiny hairline. I haven't taken the lid off, so I don't know if it goes all the way through or not. The transparent nature makes it almost impossible to show up on camera with, I can only see it by holding a light at the right angle.
An actual crack would be really obvious on the transparent plastic if the fault line ran right through it. Far more so than the opaque colours.
My purple max doesn't have that "crack"
I also daily my Thor. It goes in my bag everyday. I have a tpu shell on it and not in a case. I have pocket carried it a few times as well.
I've seen one or two (not full cracks as they didn't open it, but same hairline)
I work in a plastic injection molding factory. I can say from what I’ve seen of images posted on the sub lately, it COULD be a scratch on the mold itself. If these “cracks” all appear in the same spot, the mold could be damaged, causing it to replicate this “blemish” on every unit it produced after it was damaged, until it was noticed by quality control, and hopefully fixed. This “blemish” could also lead to structural failure in the unit, RESULTING in a crack. Most plastic injection factories also run MULTIPLE MOLDS at a time, so it could be on some units within a certain time frame, and not on others. Most molds are dated, so each unit SHOULD have a code or date on the B side that would allow you to trace your unit back to a certain production date. If this “scratch on the mold” theory is true, that would mean that this isn’t a design issue, but rather a quality control issue. Take this with a grain of salt, as I am simply one human being and not the end all be all just because I work at a place. But if this helps ease peoples minds, cool. If I’m fueling the fire, I’m sorry lol.
I've seen people with more recent deliveries claim it's not there, so let's hope you're right. But I'd expect it to only happen to one color variant if that was the case? Anyway, my black one is on the way, I wish I knew this sooner so I could switch to purple but oh well. Definitely gonna record my unboxing for proof for the future if it's there and something bad happens.
I remember at some point, AYN told us in the discord that they were pausing production for 3 or 4 days.
I now wonder if there was a reason for it.
It’s very possible that the mold was damaged and had to be shipped out for repairs before they could resume production. Especially if they only have one mold.
Unfortunately in terms of color choice, that may not save you. At least, my factory runs multiple colors of plastic into the same molds. If it WERE a color issue (which it very well could be, unless I’m mistaken we’ve only seen the cracks appear on the black model) then it would come down to the material mixture used to create said color of plastic. Kind of like how with the anbernic rg35xxsp, people who got the clear plastic version experienced more frequent cracks or even full breaks in the hinge. Now that doesn’t mean that ALL clear plastic is weak, any color of plastic’s structural capacity can be compromised if the material is mixed wrong.
that's actually good news, I thought that one equipment would be used for one colour. thanks!
I've seen multiple posts today of people unboxing their devices and noticing a crack/hairline before even taking it out of the box.
yeah sorry, but you clearly aren't impartial here, just like the guy who calls you an Ayaneo agent mind you, you both act like this case is something more to you than just bringing this to people's attention, and you both exaggerate in the opposite directions. I've been monitoring this whole day and haven't seen a single comment about "unboxing it today".
Well I have, but it's cool if you don't believe me. I am surely an agent. 🕵️ Doing my typical agent stuff.
I literally wrote that the guy calling you an agent exaggerates, just like you do. But whatever.
I think you're offering a solid reason for the issue, and also a good point in terms of not just saying "it's just a scratch". You're right that this could lead to a crack.
That makes the most sense by now. It's tragic how a mold defect could appear right at this critical spot, it's comically bad luck right? Almost sounds like some saboteur in the factory lol (if something like this is possible). Just a crazy conspiracy theory of course. But you need to admit something is very wrong here.
If the theory is actually the truth, and the blemish would lead to a full crack of the shell part, AYN upon fixing the mold would need to replace probably (tens of) thousands of affected units if all of these people notice the defect. As almost every unit seems to be equipped with this scratch/hairline crack/whatever, and the Thor been selling exceptionally well (+at a pretty high price), this appears like a much bigger tragedy than with the Flip2 where not 100% of the units seemed to be affected.
https://preview.redd.it/cxnipkumut1g1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=78335ff3c74b5396529f2919048c640e07d7a3d6
I honestly can't tell if that's a scratch, seam line, or a crack on mine.
Mine looks exactly like that. I can't feel it though, so I'm not panicking about it atm. I haven't even used mine heavily either.
Same here, just noticed (black max - early batch from October)
https://preview.redd.it/8kie25idcy1g1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ba3715be430801d495017a39d7a76ac8cc72cef0
It's almost identical.
white pro 899xx here, have had it for 5 days and so far no marks on the hinge
White Max, no issues so far.
it is concerning that this defect only happens where the hinge is though, can’t we agree? like you’d think they’d see 5-10 units, put them under different lights to see all these defects and determine what’s what?
and you’d think they’d know the hinge would be the most concerning part so did they see the defect and didnt care? i’d say that’s still piss poor quality control.
also here we have someone, outside of the original post, whose device is cracked.
It's in the exact same spot where all the marks are appearing. I'm not buying the scratch thing.
I mean I can verify that mine has it, and it doesnt go deeper than the surface. Idk what you would call that
Probably a stress line. I would be surprised if it did not become more pronounced with time/usage.
Thats what Im curious about. I've seen about lot of videos of people testing the durability, and can say I don't believe this device is fragile. But its not great
Hopefully it will only happen to a small percentage of people. Hinges are tricky to engineer and are always a weak point for any device.
That one is definitely a crack, some of the others look like a small line or scratch but might also be a crack that hasn't completely split. Thankfully we're getting more posts in here to confirm.
OP there are some recent posts that show the outer line extending down to the other side of the plastic.
That's exactly what we saw with the Flip 2 before the mass hinge failure posts started.
So how many of these have been reported by now? I know of one white and one black.
https://preview.redd.it/i6jjppmorw1g1.jpeg?width=4000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=348c88d7bbaafe066fca48d9824577c0fa43c286
Here's mine, I'm not opening it to prove anything right now. If I start to have problems or it gets bigger then ill open it up. That looks like a crack though. Hoping it's like some others that doesn't go all the way through
None of these pictures are cracks ffs
https://preview.redd.it/tmgvkeedru1g1.jpeg?width=2056&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=67fae71d5fe27ee4b1528095b9ead74e6f7408dd
Contributing to the hingegate megathread. No idea whether that's a crack forming or a cosmetic blemish, but it sure looks consistent with the other reports.
if you drag your nail on the edge of the hinge, can you feel the crack at all?
Did you contact em?
Thats number three so far afaik
🪦
What is the warranty for the hinge and other parts? 12 months I presume?
Just wanted to chime in and say that I can see the smallest line on my Rainbow Max (order #930) that I've had one week.
It's got no texture and I have to be in the absolute correct light (hence I can't get a good picture) but it's in exactly the same spot and looks exactly the same as the issue we've seen in black models just less severe.
Will follow up here if it gets any worse and I can actually get a picture, and if I can I will take the lid off to see if it goes through. Otherwise, going to use it as normal and monitor.
https://preview.redd.it/c74ffa5f6v1g1.jpeg?width=4080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b09e519f3fa51436ef55fda3827e3ea5af42b789
This is the best pic I could manage. It does go all the way across though, but not sure how deep
White Max from the first wave of preorders, been using my Thor daily for a month with no problems.
https://preview.redd.it/at4zuzslmx1g1.jpeg?width=1320&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=deb0474d7765c708b2bfb59478ac684b45c8a4a7
From the AYN rep in the Discord.
https://preview.redd.it/1jmx13frmx1g1.jpeg?width=1320&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b033bfec8a96643bcfc37df39b6d746f1004595a
https://preview.redd.it/blaysjgqmx1g1.jpeg?width=1320&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=faf609a9cec5a608c1ae4ce1c50bbbf05eb10488
FYI: Original post is now updated with the information given from AYN.
Just got my thor delivered less than 5 minutes ago. Never opened the hinge and that line, seem or crack whatever you wanna call it is there. I have a Thor max in black #936.
https://preview.redd.it/xqc6lhagpa2g1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0e1fcd37fcd43724d350e42451b4b49300f0c65b
https://preview.redd.it/6qb4x8jhpa2g1.jpeg?width=4284&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=995db64ba8b590b48a4bbf4900cd2c0c371fc065
https://preview.redd.it/h7ayfesipa2g1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=fe8106b994c167679113e97e1ec35e8410b948b7
Update just opened my thor and there is no seem/crack inside so its just a cosmetic scratch. 10/10👍
https://preview.redd.it/69rbmk4ubb2g1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=17819fea92b7456ae9fbea63487fd84e96478ceb
Good for you! I'm still waiting for mine to arrive.
Curious if those scratches can develop into cracks down the road though.
I think you guys are freaking out too much. I just looked at mine with a flashlight. White pro is pristine condition.
I can repport that my Rainbow Pro 3DS Clone (Thor) after 3 Weeks did not got any cracks, and i dont touch it whit special gloves: i pocketcarry it, in an Pocket between my Leg and my Wallet , and some times i have to knew on it as i have an Leg Hinge issue on the right side (my body, not the Thor)
My Rainbow Pro also has no crack issue so far. But I do baby it.
The mold location is not in the same place as people are seeing this issue its located further back closer to the triggers.
Also if its genuinely happening it will happen more on the black due to black plastic being more brittle, it should happen least on white or translucent plastics.
So people posting pictures of their white or translucent devices trying to somehow dismiss people with black devices that have genuine worries are not actually helping.
Also lets say that in bizzaro land somehow the position of the mold line magically moved on the black model (it didnt) a mold line is uniform it would look the same on every device.
These "cracks" or "scratches" depending on your thoughts are not all exactly the same, if it were a manufacturing thing they would not have variance like they do
> black plastic being more brittle
this is not inherently true at all
I oversimplified what I was saying.
Black plastic if not heated and cooled to account for the fact you are using black plastic can be more brittle.
Basically in layman's terms
Not all plastics in the same family (consumer grade abs in this case) have the same characteristics by virtue of the added pigments.
So if you dont vary the process to account for that your introducing the potental for weakness in some colours in your line that are not as much of a risk in others
You’re seeing it more on black because it’s the most popular color. Just more of them in the wild
Mine also has a fine scratch on this exact hinge position (Max)
I have the same scratch on my barely used Black Max
Anyone want to borrow my tube of B-7000?
Any chance its because of the TPU shell/grip?
Nah I have the little "scratch" on my hinge as well and haven't used my TPU shell nor my grip
https://preview.redd.it/gpgiv7bihu1g1.jpeg?width=1179&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=faf5f254c1644465957ba0aef4f4e45f55d36197
Heres the line on my rainbow one. Didn‘t see it till I zoomed in with perfect lighting
I really hope it just stays like this forever :(
Have the exact same mark on my Rainbow Pro. Im pretty ginger with my devices, so I don't think its from my use, but idk. Keeping an eye out.
A crack wouldn‘t look the same on every device, right? Especially not in this wave form or does this happen with plastic usually?
I hope it‘s just a scratch from a random sharp piece in one of the manufacturing machines
Mine looks EXACTLY the same.
Asked this on a different post: I'm new to these kinds of devices (besides having multiple DSs), so what impacts do hinge cracks have on usability?
I've seen a post on here with a crack going all the way through the plastic. Beyond aesthetics, does a complete crack make the system or hinge not work correctly? I have a clear purple max being prepared, I'm wondering if I should be concerned with these crack situations popping up.
It’s too early to tell but I think it could eventually lead to the plastic losing grip on the hinge if the crack gets wider. That would likely cause the device to not stay open as easily.
White max, no issues
I just unboxed my new Thor and it had a line before I even opened it. It’s honestly so faint though that I would have never noticed it until I put harsh light on it. Definitely a mold line.
Brand new Max 973. Recorded my unboxing so if it progresses in any way, I will be able to prove it was like this from the beginning. Not concerned for now.
https://preview.redd.it/d8r48595zm3g1.jpeg?width=3000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1c43836e45e5f7ee884be2dca3fab8a7259b345d
Here's another report of an actual crack (not just a mould seam): https://www.reddit.com/r/AynThor/s/BNvQzcNRhY
Hi, after all i think is a mould seam. at the moment, at least
I made a post yesterday about my mark. Yes, the crack goes all the way down. My camera does not pick it up though.
Can not post the video here but Nicole At AYN over on the discord server posted videos and images of the manufacturing process in which you can see how the line we are seeing is actually where the plastics meet and bond, This is not to say its not AN ISSUE as if the bonding is not done correctly it can lead to that spot being fragile however it is normal to see it as that is where the plastics would meet and adHere, this is an image explaining this. TL:DR I flew to china and did science, Line is from manufacturing, rather or not its an issue as of yet? we shall see. Hit up AYn if it breaks.
https://preview.redd.it/i3gunh69xx1g1.png?width=1080&format=png&auto=webp&s=7cf82bc6ac339d0db1be96434e25bdac7ddf4471
Someone with the crack visible all the way through when opening the lid sent a photo to AYN and they said it was cosmetic. It's all bullshit, the plastic part is cracking at this point because they messed up with engingeering and now try to avoid any warranty case replacement or refund.
You are unhinged heh get it?
can you share the link?
Crack brothers!
https://preview.redd.it/662986wlby1g1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ff818a01a36258aee691326533f69c7c7015075e
Would epoxy work as a fix for those with the issue?
So mine just arrived today although I'm not home yet to open it yet. That being said.. can someone smarter than me tell me whether or not this crack stuff is something to be worried about? Feels like every other comment is saying a new thing and I am having a lot of trouble telling if I should actually care or it won't affect anything. Or do we even know yet?
Pretty sure I can see the same hairline in my purple model, order in the 804 batch.
Been using my Rainbow Pro (order 82xxx) heavily for 2 weeks, I think there's a mark but what I'm seeing is so faint even when using a light on it that it may legitimately just be my imagination, and it doesn't show up at all in any picture. Also removed the lid and there's no signs of a crack at all.
Rainbow pro. No hinge issues
https://preview.redd.it/hg2fz3mrpx1g1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=fa9fd2ff3d8f052e27da90e379f3fcc1f11d98c1
Seems to be a common stress point
https://preview.redd.it/joh3yltwk32g1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8e4f5b91fc8e72f008eef705fe83911319a9df9b
I noticed this seam on mine is open… I literally just pulled this out of the box and took pictures of it as I did. Anyone know if I can fusion glue this seam back together??
Wrong side dude.
It's supposed to look like that, so no worries
https://preview.redd.it/rrz8cadun32g1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7cc85e653d3e9f2cfb460f0463ef984d93342108
The other side looks like this. That is why I was concerned. One side has gap while the other does not. I understand about the seam.
You're still viewing the wrong spot. Look at the other pics closely to find where this line is on every unit.
Oh I got it figured out that it’s normal on that side. Not worried now
Before you ask yes I can stick a fingernail in there and this seems to cause the hinge to wobble a little bit on that side. Other than that it’s perfectly fine
Rainbow Pro, no hinge issues yet but I’m seeing the line…
https://preview.redd.it/ydpx7yb8c82g1.png?width=1576&format=png&auto=webp&s=30ddd331fff62eea527c5635c2bcd136cb97349a
https://preview.redd.it/09wqvkumbw4g1.jpeg?width=1430&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ba60beba95d1a210e4f17d0765e6493d105e169e
White pro 1000 batch fresh out the box never opened. Line is faint and I can't feel it but its there.
Definitely going to wait for revision. There is no way AYN will continue using these molds regardless of quality, just because of the optics now.
Black max Thor checking in. No seam on mine and still no crack. Mine was from batch1 pretty early and ive had almost daily use with no issues.
All this is killing my hype! On preorder till the 30th so it'll probably be close to Christmas till I get mine
Glad to see this, I was just commenting on another thread that a mega-thread would be a great way to solve this issue. Great job, mods! Good thinking.
It's weird how you seem to be bending the truth here. There are reports of cracked hinge parts. And these "scratches" are clearly not molds as they seem to develop to full cracks. They have been reported growing bigger, too.
where are the reports and pictures of cracked hinge parts? we need to look at these and dissect the real cases from the "i have a scratch" cases. A large batch of models has these IDENTICAL scratches which indicates its a mold scratch. It's a line around the entire plastic piece that holds the metal hinge in place, not the actual hinge. People are just posting pictures of the side of the line, NOT a crack.
So far there have been three reported full cracks of the part, from people removing the lid. I try to gather them here, pic 3 of the post shows the first one, and under Edit and Edit2 I added the two other ones. Out of maybe 5-10 opened lids there are already three full cracks.
The first post looks legit and is concerning for him, the rest seem like nothing. Someone posted their freshly unboxed purple model earlier today and it had the same identical scratch, thats why it seems like not a big deal. I don’t doubt some could be defective and it may or may not be a big issue. But i guess we’ll see in time
That makes absolutely zero sense as it seems that from these lines a full crack will develop. We have seen five of them after one day of people taking a look under the lid to check. No big deal?
I am not bending any truths, simply saying what I know from my perspective.
There is one report of a cracked hinge which was cracked at arrival.
And as for the “scratches” everything is just speculations as of yet. It points to everything from developed after a while to being there from the start, cosmetic and going all the way through.
Regarding these growing bigger I must have missed these, but please refer to them here if you have them available.
Otherwise, again, I am simply mentioning what information I have found and only time will tell what it is. (Or until AYN comes with a official response about it)
I just posted a few pictures of mine. It's definitely cracked. Here's a link to the first picture https://www.reddit.com/r/AynThor/comments/1ozcby3/comment/npertnc/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button
So far there have been three reported full cracks of the part, from people removing the lid. I try to gather them here, pic 3 of the post shows the first one, and under Edit and Edit2 I added the two other ones. Out of maybe 5-10 opened lids there are already three full cracks.
If these full cracks have been there right from the beginning or after short use we can't know. Either way this needs to be investigated. AYN obviously sends out flawed devices.