GPD Win Mini gets Zen4/RDNA3 APU and supports external GPUs through OcuLink-2
YouTuber The Phawx is sharing the very first details on the next-gen handheld console by GPD.
The GPD Win Mini is an upcoming handheld console with a clamshell design. It is supposed to be an even smaller design compared to previous GPD Win consoles which have grown in size for sure. This new design is departing from a PSP-clone or small laptop design approach and now wants the console to fit into a pocket.
The company is finding itself in a new handheld console market with not one but at least six big players now in the game: Valve, Ayaneo, OneXplayer, AOKZEO, AYN and soon ASUS. All of these brands are now working on next-gen devices, powered mainly by AMD Phoenix silicon with Zen4 and RDNA3 architectures.
The upcoming Win Mini clamshell design will give GPD a chance to differentiate itself from the competition. The console is said to feature a 7-inch screen, just like the ASUS ROG Ally, but the device would be significantly smaller. The screen itself would be just as good as ASUS’ with 1920×1080 resolution and 120 Hz refresh rate, but early information provides no details on the brightness or the panel type.
GPD Win Mini, Source: GPD
According to the report, the console is equipped with Thunderbolt 4 and OcuLink-2 port. The latter technology gives more bandwidth for PCIe GPU docks for external graphics. The GPD just so happens to have their “G1” graphics dock which is said to support up to Radeon RX 7600M XT GPU (AMD discrete RDNA3 GPU).
This is a very similar approach to the ASUS XG Mobile connector that allows gamers to attach powerful GPUs without sacrificing bandwidth. The only issue with ASUS’ design is the cost (XG GPU costs $1.5K to $2K). Meanwhile, OcuLink-2 is an open standard that may kick-start new eGPU designs in the future.
GPD Win Mini, Source: GPD
What should also be mentioned is that the back cover can be replaced with a flat version. Gamers can use the design with handle grips for a better experience, but those who prefer a more compact design (that can actually fit into a pocket) may use an alternative cover instead.
The console is said to be launched in June through the Indiegogo crowdfunding site. We do not recommend buying hardware this way, but GPD has established their brand and has successfully launched many products through this platform since 2016.
The Mini is said to launch in two variants, either with Ryzen 7 7840U 8-core or Ryzen 5 7640U 6-core APU, which is reportedly launching at around $700. The pricing for the higher-end 7840U version is currently unknown.
| Handheld Gaming Consoles | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| VideoCardz | GPD Win Mini | ASUS ROG Ally | Steam Deck |
| Picture |  |  |  |
| Architecture | AMD Zen4 & RDNA3 | AMD Zen4 & RDNA3 | AMD Zen2 & RDNA2 |
| APU | AMD Ryzen 7 7840U 8C/16T AMD Ryzen 5 7640U 6C/12T | AMD Z1 Series (7840U?) 8C/16T | AMD Van Gogh 4C/8T |
| SoC GPU | 780M 12CU RDNA3 760M 6CU RDNA3 | 780M 12CU RDNA3 | AMD RDNA2 8 CU @ 1.6 GHz |
| External GPU | OcuLink-2 | ROG XG Mobile (up to RTX 4090) | Not officially |
| Memory | 16GB LPDDR5 | 16GB LPDDR5 | 16GB LPDDR5-5500 |
| Storage | 256GB/512GB/1TB NVMe PCIe Gen4x4 | TBC | 64GB eMMC (PCIe Gen2x1) 256GB/512GB NVMe (PCIe Gen3x4) |
| Display | 7″ 1920×1080 120Hz | 7″ 1920×1080 120Hz | 7″ 1280×800 60Hz |
| Connectivity | TBC | TBC | Wi-Fi 5, Bluetooth 5 |
| Battery | 47 Wh | TBC | 40 Whr |
| Weight | TBC | 608 g | 669 g |
| Dimensions | ~16.7 x 10.8 x 2.5 mm | 28.0 x 11.3 x 3.9 mm | 29.8 x 11.7 x 4.9 cm |
| OS | Windows 11 | Windows 11 | Steam OS/Win 11 |
| Release Price | $699 (7640U+16G+256GB) $??? (7840U+16G+512GB/1TB) | $649+ | $399 (16G+64GB) $529 (16G+256GB) $649 (16G+512GB) |
| Release Date | Q2 2023 | Q2 2023 | February 2022 |
Source via Liliputing:
