For years, GPD has been known for advancing the frontier of what can be achieved in the portable computing arena, and their newest product launch follows that very legacy. The GPD WIN 5 has arrived, and it represents a quantum jump in capability rather than a simple generational update. It seeks to provide desktop-level power in a package that travels with you. With the monstrous new AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 processor at its core, this device is set to reshape our entire framework of what a handheld gaming PC can do. We’ve had early access to an engineering model, so let us present our initial GPD WIN 5 review.

GPD WIN 5 Overview

The moment you handle the GPD WIN 5, it conveys a sense of high-quality construction and intelligent design. With dimensions of roughly 10.95 x 4.3 x 0.94 inches (26.7 x 11.1 x 2.3 cm), the device is impressively small given the hardware inside. Tipping the scales at a mere 600 grams (1.32 lbs), and 951g (2.09 lbs) with the external battery, it is exceptionally comfortable in the hands.

The design foregoes the slide-up keyboard of its forerunner, choosing instead a more streamlined, game-centric form factor. The main attraction is the brilliant 7-inch, 120Hz native landscape gaming display. Featuring AMD FreeSync Premium support and 100% sRGB gamut coverage, it provides a visually rich, seamless, and fluid experience.

The controls are superb, boasting esports-quality capacitive joysticks with no drift and no dead zone. Additionally, GPD has integrated dual-mode Hall Effect triggers, enabling a user to select a long or short pull instantly for ultimate precision.

Regarding connectivity, this compact gaming PC is fully featured. You will find a 3.5mm audio jack, a USB-A port, a pair of USB-C ports (one with full functionality), a dedicated 180W DC input, a Micro SD card reader, and even a Mini SSD card reader for vast storage expansion. This exhaustive array of ports transforms the GPD WIN 5 into a remarkably versatile mobile gaming PC.

One of the most forward-looking elements of the GPD WIN 5’s connectivity is undoubtedly the dedicated Mini SSD card slot. For anyone not yet familiar, this slot is for the new Miniature Solid State Drive (MSSD) standard, a piece of tech that appeared out of China in mid-2024. As the moniker suggests, these drives are exceptionally tiny—about the size of a SIM card—yet they deliver a substantial performance wallop.

In contrast to standard microSD cards that usually peak at 100-200MB/s, the MSSD standard targets lightning-fast NVMe-style speeds reaching 2,000MB/s. This is a complete game-changer for a portable gaming computer. It enables users to maintain several high-speed game collections on exchangeable cards, guaranteeing every title, not just those on the main drive, enjoys swift load times. Its inclusion demonstrates that GPD is building a device prepared for the future of portable storage.

GPD WIN 5 Technical Specifications

This is where our GPD WIN 5 review becomes truly compelling. The internal components are, to put it mildly, astounding for a handheld machine.

Despite this tremendous power, the thermal solution keeps everything running cool. In a dual stress test drawing 70W, the core temperature remained stable at approximately 174.2° F (79° C), a remarkable feat for such a potent handheld gaming computer.

Benchmarks

To properly frame the capabilities of the GPD WIN 5, we ran the 3DMARK Time Spy benchmark. Even when limited to a conservative 30W TDP, the engineering unit achieved a notable score of 6285. This number alone powerfully illustrates the efficiency and raw strength of AMD’s new architecture.

The outcome is astounding. At a mere 30W, the GPD WIN 5 completely eclipses the performance of other current-gen integrated graphics.This is a phenomenal showing for a self-sufficient portable gaming PC, and we anticipate the results of further testing will be even more extraordinary. This marks a very compelling start for our GPD WIN 5 review.

Games Performance

Synthetic benchmarks are one measure, but authentic gameplay is the true crucible. We put several graphically intensive AAA games to the test at 1080p resolution on High presets, with the GPD WIN 5 drawing 70W. The performance figures are self-evident.

• Forza Horizon 5: A visually spectacular open-world racer celebrated for its gorgeous scenery and expansive world. The WIN 5 clocked in a massive average of 149 FPS.
• Cyberpunk 2077: A notoriously demanding and graphically rich open-world RPG that brings systems to their knees. The device handled it effortlessly, clocking an excellent 106.9 FPS.
• Black Myth: Wukong: A forthcoming action RPG rooted in Chinese mythology, awaited for its next-generation visuals. The benchmark ran at a fluid 83 FPS.
• Monster Hunter Wilds: The eagerly awaited next chapter in the monster-hunting saga, which promises huge, continuous maps. The portable gaming computer ran at a superb 117.4 FPS.

The power demonstrated here is simply on another plane for a handheld machine. The GPD WIN 5 is unequivocally capable of running any contemporary game you task it with at high visual settings and exceptionally smooth frame rates.

Final Thoughts

This brings our preliminary GPD WIN 5 review of the engineering model to a close, and our final impression is one of sheer awe. GPD has managed to integrate an incredible amount of power into a polished and ergonomic package.

The advantages are numerous: the groundbreaking performance of the Ryzen AI Max+ 395 and Radeon 8060S, the beautiful 120Hz screen, the excellent esports-level controls, the immense RAM and storage potential, and the ingenious modular battery concept. While the absence of a physical keyboard might disappoint some, the sharp focus on crafting the ultimate gaming machine is impossible to deny.

The GPD WIN 5 is more than just a handheld; it is a titan of performance that stands up to full-scale gaming laptops. We keenly await the final production model to perform an even more exhaustive GPD WIN 5 review, but from this early preview, it’s clear GPD has an absolute triumph on its hands.

GPD WIN 5

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Credit to NITTRX for the device images in this review.