It’s been more than two years since Chinese electronics maker GPD launched the GPD XD, an Android-powered handheld game console that looks a bit like a Nintendo DS.

Since then the company’s probably gotten more buzz for its Windows devices like the GPD Win and GPD Pocket. But now a refreshed GPD XD is on the way.

It’s called the GPD XD+ and it has twice as much RAM, a new processor and a design that looks exactly like the original’s… at least as far as pre-production units go.

The new model has a MediaTek MTK8176 processor with 2 ARM Cortex-A72 CPU cores, 4 ARM Cortex-A53 CPU cores, and PowerVR GX6250 graphics. And it has 4GB of RAM instead of 2GB.

The key reason GPD is releasing a new model is that Rockchip is no longer manufacturing the RK3288 processor used in the original, but it’s nice to see that the company opted to double the memory when it updated the processor.

While GPD XD+ is set to ship in early 2018, YouTuber The Phawx has posted a hands-on video of a comparison between a pre-production GPD XD+ and the original GPD XD. Among other things, he confirms that the new model scores better on benchmarks and has one key feature the original did not: Bluetooth works properly.

He also notes that some applications that wouldn’t run on the old model work on the new version, including the Dolphin Nintendo GameCube and Wii emulator, which requires a 64-bit processor to run.

via Victor C

 

 

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13 replies on “GPD XD+ handheld game console with 4GB RAM, MTK8176 coming soon”

  1. It’s a little disappointing you be frank. The CPU is more powerful but the GPU is actually weaker. At least if they had gone with the rk3399 they would have maintained parity as far as graphics go.

    1. Nope you are flat out wrong. The new chip and GPU bench higher than the old version. If you just watched the video above you would see that. not to mention you can compare the two on many websites.

      More RAM, 64-bit architecture and a newer OS also play favorably to the new chip.

      Bluetooth and added 5GHz WiFi make it even better.

  3. I’m definitely more interested in something like this than that GPD Win. I’m just not very interested in navigating Windows to setup and navigate an Emulator.

    However, I would be FAR more interested in something like this if it ran Retropie or Recalbox as an operating system.

    1. Same.
      The original is pretty good, just has a somewhat sucky processor.
      I sort of hoped they would pony up for a Qualcomm chipset instead, just to make custom roms possible and extend its lifetime. Even something low-end like the QSD 636 would be okay. However, something mid-range like the QSD 835 would be much much better. I feel like it would cost a bit more for GPD, but they could bump up the price of the unit by a bit ($20), yet the market for it would open up quite a bit more for those wanting the more refined innards.

      However, the MTK8176 seems like it offers solid mid-range performance.
      Only shame seems to be the extra drain/battery life, probably due to the 28nm build and/or less-optimisations in the driver stack.

      1. 835 mid-range? It’s still the processor in most flagships. 630 and 660 would Bre midrange (though the 660 is like twice as powerful as the 630)

        1. QSD 835 is the top of the midrange… when you compare it to the Apple A11, Exynos 9810, and the QSD 845. Or you could say on the bottom of the high-end.

          It has a slower 2.3GHz frequency, and lower IPC than the current-gen high-end SoC’s.
          The Cortex A73 is great for efficiency, and sustained performance, but not-so for total peak/top-end performance.

          The single-core performance is much more important than people like to think.
          I mean even Intel Core i’s with its current ~7% lead over Ryzen, and additional frequency, can show meaningful gains. Even on a task as trivial as gaming.

    2. I’m in the opposite boat. I have a good Bluetooth controller, so this doesn’t really offer me anything above and beyond what my phone does. But something small that can play indies on Steam, and maybe some older AAA titles, that’s what I need. Different strokes, I guess.

      1. I actually just got the XD a week ago and use it mostly to play steam games with moonlight. Sure my phone has a better screen, and could work using a controller to achieve similar results, but there’s something to be said for how insanely simple and convenient it is to just open the GPD and play some games without having to set anything up.

    3. I’m confused, isn’t there both:
      – a version of RetroArch for Android as an app that could be installed on the GPD XD -and-
      – a distribution of linux (lakka / retroarch) that you can install on the GPD Win?

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