GPD’s next handheld gaming PC will be a mini-laptop powered by a choice of an Intel Core i7-1260P Alder Lake processor with 12 cores, 16 threads, and Intel Iris Xe graphics or an AMD Ryzen 7 6800U chip with 8-core, 16-threads, and Radeon 680M graphics based on RDNA 2 architecture.
First announced in March, the upcoming GPD Win Max 2 has a 10.1 inch display and supports up to 32GB of RAM, has room for two SSDs, a QWERTY keyboard and built-in game controllers. It will be available for pre-order through a crowdfunding campaign later this year, and GPD has begun sharing real-world pictures and videos showing off the new design.
The Win Max 2 measures 227 x 160 x 23mm (8.9″ x 6.3″ x 0.9″), which makes it a bit larger than the previous-gen model (which had an 8 inch screen and measures 207 x 145 x 26mm (8.1″ x 5.7″ x 1″). But it’s not that much bigger, thanks to slimmer bezels surrounding the screen.
The Win Max 2 has a 2560 x 1600 pixel display, although GPD configures the resolution to 1920 x 1200 pixels in Windows for better gaming performance. Users should be able to adjust this if desired.
GPD had previously opted for lower-resolution displays like the 1280 x 800 pixel panel in the original GPD Win Max, as you generally get better performance from integrated graphics when you aren’t asking the GPU to push as many pixels. But the company says Intel and AMD’s latest chips both bring significant improvements to integrated graphics, allowing many recent games to run at 45 to 60 frames per second at resolutions.
The display also supports 10-point capacitive touch input and has an active digitizer with support for 4096 levels of pressure sensitivity when used with a Microsoft Surface Pen or another stylus that supports Microsoft’s Pen Protocol.
Models with Intel chips use LPDDR5 5200 MHz memory, have a Thunderbolt port, and consume 20 to 64 watts of power, while AMD versions top out at 30 watts and have a 40 Gbps USB4 ports that aren’t Thunderbolt-certified. But a GPD Win Max 2 with an AMD processor does have faster memory, with LPDDR5 6400 MHz RAM.
Both versions will be available with 16GB or 32GB of RAM and 1TB or 2TB of PCIe NVMe solid state storage. There’s also an M.2 2230 slot that can be used to add a second SSD without removing the back cover, as well as a second slot for an optional 4G LTE module.
| GPD Win Max 2 (Intel) | GPD Win Max 2 (AMD) | |
| Display | 10.1 inches 2560 x 1600 pixels 10-point capacitive touch Pen support (4096 levels pressure sensitivity) | |
| Processor | Intel Core i7-1260P 12-cores / 16-threads 20W – 28W power consumption | AMD Ryzen 7 6800U 8-cores / 16-threads 15-28W power consumption |
| GPU | Intel Iris Xe 96 execution units 768 stream processors Up to 1.45 GHz | AMD Radeon 680M RDNA 2 architecture 12 Computer Units 768 stream processors Up to 2.2 GHz |
| RAM | LPDDR5-5200 16GB Supports up to 64GB | LPDDR5-6400 16GB or 32GB Supports up to 64GB |
| Storage | M.2 2280 & M.2 2230 PCIe Gen 4.0 Sold with up to 2TB (M.2 2280) Supports up to 16TB (8TB per slot) SD card reader microSD card reader | |
| Ports | 1 x Thunderbolt 4 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C 3 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A 1 x HDMI 2.1 | 1 x USB4 (40 Gbps) 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C 3 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A 1 x HDMI 2.1 |
| Audio & video | Quad speakers 3.5mm audio jack 2MP Webcam (below display) | |
| Input | QWERTY keyboard (backlit) Game controllers Motion sensors | |
| Security | Fingerprint sensor | |
| Battery & Charging | 67 Wh battery 100W USB Type-C | |
| Wireless | WiFi Bluetooth 4G LTE (optional) | |
| Material | Aluminum-magnesium alloy | |
| Dimensions | 227 x 160 x 23mm | |
| Weight | 1005 grams | |
There’s also an SD card reader and a microSD card reader with support for cards up to 2TB and speeds up to 300MB/s, a built-in camera (below the screen, like the camera on the GPD P2 Max mini-laptop), quad speakers, a built-in fan, a backlit keyboard, and an aluminum-magnesium alloy chassis.
Ports include two Thunderbolt 4 or USB4 ports, three USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports, a full-sized HDMI 2.1 port and the laptop has a bigger battery than the original GPD Win Max, and support for 65W fast charging.
The system is actively cooled, which means there’s a fan inside the case that will generate some noise. But it’d be strange to ship a handheld with this much horsepower, position it as a gaming machine, and not feature active cooling.
GPD has updated the design of the Win Max a bit, with the power button moved to the side of the device (earlier models had it above the keyboard). There’s also a fingerprint reader built into the power button.
And the keyboard has been redesigned, with larger Caps Lock, Tab, and number keys, among other things. While touch typing wasn’t all that hard on the Win Max, it should be easier on the Win Max 2.
GPD is also adding covers for the joysticks to the mix, allowing you to transform the aesthetic of the Win Max 2 so that it looks like a more traditional laptop rather than a gaming device.
There are still dual analog sticks, a D-Pad, X, Y, A, and B buttons, and other keys positioned above the keyboard that allow you to hold the Win Max 2 like an oversized Nintendo DS, but you can cover them up so that only the trackpad is visible.
There are shoulder buttons with linear triggers, dual vibration motors, and 3-axis gravity and 3-axis gyroscopic sensors for motion controls. There are also two buttons on the bottom that can be mapped by users to perform a variety of actions.
All told, the Win Max 2 sounds like a monster of a gaming handheld that’s an upgrade in almost every way over the previous-gen models… but which I have to imagine will also be rather expensive, given its spec sheet. And that could make it a tough sell when the Steam Deck starts at just $399, and other upcoming handhelds (with less horsepower) have even lower starting prices.
More details of GPD WIN MAX 2 pic.twitter.com/AO1TWt0LT0
— GPD Game Consoles (@softwincn) June 11, 2022
That said, the Steam Deck doesn’t have a physical keyboard and while it has some of the most powerful graphics available in a handheld, the Win Max 2 will have a significant advantage when it comes to CPU power, which could make it a better solution for folks looking for a handheld gaming PC that can be used as a full-fledged, all-purpose PC.
The real unit is coming! pic.twitter.com/hK3KbcJ9nz
— GPD Game Consoles (@softwincn) June 13, 2022
Pricing and availability will most likely be announced closer to release, but GPD has recently begun recruiting alpha testers willing to help kick the tires of pre-production prototypes of the Win Max 2. Folks interested in testing models with Intel processors can apply now, while an alpha program for AMD-powered models is set to begin in July.
The GPD Win Max 2 will go up for pre-order July 7 through an Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign, and it’s expected to begin shipping to backers in September, 2022. GPD says there will be five configurations available during crowdfunding, but only four when the device hits retail channels later this year:
| Config | IGG price | Retail price |
| 6800U + 16GB + 128GB | $899 (only 50 available) | N/A |
| 6800U + 16GB + 1TB | $999 | $1159 |
| 1260P + 16GB + 1TB | $999 | $1159 |
| 6800U + 32GB + 1TB | $1199 | $1359 |
| 6800U + 32GB + 2TB | $1299 | $1459 |
| 1TB M.2 2230 SSD add-on | $139 | $145 |
| 4G LTE module add-on | $79 | $89 |
via gpd_devices discord server, /r/gpdwin, @softwincn (1)(2), and GPD QQ
This article was first published March 26, 2022 and most recently updated July 42, 2022.
Compare handheld gaming PC specs (Anbernic, AYN, AYA, GPD, ONEXPLAYER, and Valve)
Is GPD reliable with the hinge and battery now? I’m interested buying again but had issues with the previous Win Max and Win 2
nice , i m waiting for old sony vaio pocket version and wide screen, better keyboard for typing not only gaming
I’ve thought the same thing, but I don’t think that would work well with Windows. I can’t use Windows on a screen below 8″ size unless I have scaling turned up to 150% or 175%, and that requires a taller resolution to be able to fit things on the screen properly. Many settings/properties windows are non-resizable, and can easily exceed the vertical resolution of your screen in that scenario.
As much as I like ultrawide aspect ratios, with Windows 10/11 the smaller the screen is, the more square the aspect ratio needs to be.
I use a 21:9 monitor, and I remote-desktop to my PC very often on a 6.5″ 21:9 smartphone screen. I can say without a doubt that there’s no way I could use Windows effectively, even if the screen was 8″, it would be vertically cramped.
I’ve thought that if I was able to find a small UMPC laptop with an ultrawide screen, I would probably put together a Linux setup using i3wm as the window manager, and configure the window tiling to always tile things to keep two windows side by side.
yes, linux is only one options 😉
I didn’t even think about the unpopular old windows system
I am just curious what application you are using to remote to your computer.
Are you using android or apple?
Can anyone confirm egpu is working?
It’s too bad that GPD is the company making these cool handheld concepts. I would love to buy one, but GPD has been absolutely terrible with support and quality all throughout their company history and they are opportunists trying to increasingly price gouge more and more as the years go by.
Who actually wants a gaming device in this form factor, and size? I don’t get it.
I’m still a bigger fan of just carrying a bluetooth Xbox controller with my tablet/laptop. It’s a more flexible solution, and it helps me avoid buying weird niche laptops from fly-by-night companies in China that offer zero warranty.
I would be one. I hate the ever increasing size of laptops. They are supposed to be PORTABLE. a laptop with a 15in screen is huge, and probably weighs a ton.
Uh…laptop sizes are either trending downward or not changing much at all. If screens are getting bigger it’s due to shrinking bezels. And I have access to a couple of 15″ laptops, both of which weigh less than three pounds, and can be picked up with one hand without straining yourself at all.
Yeah but we’re talking about gaming laptops. My 15 inch weighs about 8 pounds alone. With the charger it’s about 9.
Just for the compute power to price ratio alone it’s already a really shit deal. These handheld computers really are the worst.
For the price range these little shits sitting at, does the overall quality justifiable?
Hey man, I have been waiting for something like this for ever. I have been pining for a modern Sony Vaio P, and this is the closest thing to come since then. If I could my ideal travel computer would be a Vaio P footprint, modern intel board with thunderbolt support for egpu, and rails for joycons. This thing that I really like about this is the keyboard has the symbol keys in the proper spot, touch type coding is doable, and a clamshell design mean i can protect the screen when i toss it into a bag. Don’t ruin this for me 😀
Judging by the reviews on Amazon, this brand seems to be almost comically bad. I would love a true mini laptop but apparently this company has real problems with reliability and battery life. Inexcusable considering the prices they charge.
They basically ignore people who have faulty hardware, and they do not offer warranty. From what I’ve heard from owners of defective GPD products, unless you report a defect within 10 days of receiving the device, you are SOL.
Also, their claimed support for Linux has been a complete joke, the community has resorted to making custom builds of Linux distros to avoid issues.
Idk seems too big for me and whats the point.. I don’t think I can comfortably and proundly use “handheld” this big outdoor
Hi. Anybody knows the estimated price for AMD 6800U version for this GPD winmax2? 1000-2000USD? Wander when will this be available for sale?
Just get a more powerful laptop and more ergonomic controller at this point.
Also, who would use this for work (I’m reading people mentioning this in other places)? Do companies not provide company issued equipment let alone let you connect some random PC to their network? Unless they have some horrible security practices…
This is a tough choice between the Intel and AMD versions. On one hand the Intel version has Thunderbolt 4 and can support much more powerful eGPUs but on the other hand the AMD version has a really good RDNA2 GPU. I wish the AMD version could’ve had Thunderbolt too, there’s no more licensing fees or royalties for that anymore. But aside from that, I can’t imagine that being comfortable to hold as a gaming controller for extended periods of time. However it does intrigue me a lot for sure! If the price is quite reasonable, I might consider it over the Steam Deck.
I believe this amd version’s 2 usb4 ports are thunderbolt capable – egpu capable. The controller is built into amd’s cpu this time.
At 10.1 inches, that’s too big for a handheld and too small for a laptop. Worst of both world, in my opinion.
Really could have done with a redesign of the form-factor. Every time I see the original in action it looks uncomfortable for extended play times. Maybe a reduction in its size could have helped that a bit.
polish keys awayable?
I suspect that the M.2 2232 slot is where the 4G modem will go. So you can pick either the 4g module or a second SSD, but not both. I can live with that.
Also, if you run the original source through google translate, I believe it says that there will be analog triggers on the Max 2.
I hope they offer an AMD 6800U or some other RDNA2 variant.
According to https://www.reddit.com/r/gpdwin/comments/tqe3uh/comment/i2ihnz8/?utm_source=reddit&utm_medium=web2x&context=3 I was wrong about the 4g modem going into the second slot – they say it will be soldered on.
It also sounds like there will be a 6800U option also!
Noooo… what about another 7 inch?
This is wayy too big
Bad choice of hardware, 14 cores with an XE iGPU is terrible for gaming, from a price/performance perspective. The new RDNA2 iGPUs from AMD will crush it with less CPU cores. Heck, maybe even the Steam Deck could outperform it.
It’s got RDNA2 (6800U) after all!
If this is also a 2-in-1 I will throw money at you!