The GPD Win 4 is a handheld gaming PC that looks like a large PlayStation Vita with a 6 inch FHD touchscreen display positioned between a set of controllers with curved edges. But it also borrows a trick from the old-school Sony Vaio UX or OQO handheld computers: you can slide the display upward to reveal a keyboard for thumb typing.
GPD launched the Win 4 in late 2022Â with an Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign. Now the company is launching a crowdfunding campaign for a 2023 model that has a faster processor, improved graphics, and optional support for more memory and storage. The GPD Win 4 (2023) is up for pre-order through an Indiegogo campaign with prices ranging from $700to $1300 during crowdfunding, depending on the configuration. It’s expected to begin shipping to backers in September, 2023.
The lowest price model features an AMD Ryzen 5 7640U processor, 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. It has a retail price of $830, but is going for $130 off during crowdfunding. That processor features 6 AMD Zen 4 CPU cores and 6 RDNA 3 compute units, but odds are that most folks looking for a high-performance handheld game system will want to opt for a model with a Ryzen 7 7840U chip, which has 8 Zen 4 CPU cores and 12 RDNA 3 compute units.
Prices for Ryzen 7 versions of the GPD Win 4 range from $840 for a model with 32GB of RAM and 512GB of storage to $1300 for a 64GB/4TB configuration. Those prices are marked down from suggested retail prices of $970 and $1500, respectively.
Most models are available in a choice of black or white colors, but the Ryzen 5 model only comes in black.
The new Ryzen 7040U version of the GPD Win 4 has the same design as last year’s model, but in addition to upgrading the processor for the 2023 model, GPD has moved to LPDDR5x-7500 memory and doubled the maximum amount of memory and storage available.
Folks who buy a model with less than 4TB of storage will be able to perform their own upgrades though, as the SSD is placed in an accessible M.2 2280 slot. The RAM is soldered to the mainboard, so it’s nice to see that even the cheapest models have 16GB (and honestly, it’s unlikely that you’ll find any games that demand more than 32GB in the next few years).
GPD has also added an Oculink port with support for 63 Gbps data transfer speeds, which allows users to connect a high-speed external graphics dock like the company’s GPD G1 eGPU.
In order to make room for that connector, the Win 4 (2023) loses its USB Type-A port, but otherwise the rest of the specs are largely the same as for the original.
That means the new system has a 40 Gbps USB4 Type-C port, 3.5mm audio jack, and microSD card reader, a fan for active cooling, a fingerprint sensor for quick logins, and an optical touch sensor that works like a mouse or tiny trackpad for navigation.
There’s no webcam, but the GPD Win 4 does have a microphone for voice chat or voice controls. And it has stereo front-facing speakers.
Game controllers include dual analog sticks, a D-Pad, action buttons, and linear analog triggers. And the keyboard features physical keys (unlike the GPD Win 3) and a backlight.
One other thing that helps set the GPD Win 4 apart from most handheld gaming PCs is that GPD offers an optional 4G LTE module for $100, with support for global networks. There’s also an optional $90 docking station that lets you quickly connect an external display and other peripherals.
Here’s a run-down of key specs for the GPD Win 4 series:
| GPD Win 4Â (7840U) | GPD Win 4 (7640U) | GPD Win 4 (2022) | |
| Display | 6 inches 1920 x 1080 pixels Slider (covers a physical keyboard) | ||
| Input | Touchscreen Backlit physical Keyboard Joysticks | ||
| Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 7840U 8 Zen 4 CPU cores / 16 threads Up to 5.1 GHz 15-30W TDP | AMD Ryzen 5 7640U 6 Zen 4 CPU cores / 12 threads Up to 4.9 GHz 15-30W TDP | AMD Ryzen 7 6800U 8 cores / 16 threads Up to 4.7 GHz 15-35W |
| Graphics | AMD Radeon 780M 12 RDNA 3 compute units | AMD Radeon 760M 6 RDNA 3 compute units | AMD Radeon 680M 12 RDNA 2 compute units |
| RAM | 32GB or 64GB LPDDR5x-7500 | 16GB LPDDR5x-7500 | 16GB or 32GB LPDDR5-6400 |
| Storage | 512GB / 2TB / 4TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD (M.2 2280) microSD card reader | 512GB PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD (M.2 2280) microSD card reader | 1TB or 2TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD (M.2 2280) microSD card reader |
| Battery | 45.62 Wh | ||
| Ports | 1 x Oculink (63 Gbps) 1 x USB4 (40 Gbps) 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A 1 x microSD card slot 1 x 3.5mm audio jack | 1 x USB4 (40 Gbps) 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A 1 x microSD card slot 1 x 3.5mm audio jack | |
| Wireless | WiFi 6 Bluetooth 5.2 4G LTE (optional) | ||
| Audio | Stereo speakers 3.5mm audio jack built-in mic | ||
| Security | Windows Steam OS dual boot supported | ||
| Dimensions | 220 x 92 x 28mm | ||
| Weight | 598 grams | 570 grams | |
| Price | $840 – $1300 (crowdfunding $970 – $1500 (retail) | $699 (crowdfunding) $830 (retail) | $800 – $1200 (crowdfunding) |
Update: According to a video review from The Phawx, new models with Ryzen 7 7840U chips offer about 10-30% better performance per-watt than the original GPD Win 4 with a Ryzen 7 6800U processor, feature a better display that doesn’t suffer from the stuttering issues that affected the 6800U models.
via @softwincn, GPD, Indiegogo, and NotebookCheck
This article was first published June 28, 2023 and most recently updated July 16, 2023.Â
More Win “Mid” photos:
https://www.reddit.com/r/gpdwin/comments/14n13a8/more_photos_of_the_win_mini_looks_nice_usbc/
There’s a non-blurred Win Mini mockup now:
https://www.reddit.com/r/gpdwin/comments/14lv70w/win_mini_they_didnt_fix_the_keyboard_layout/
I wonder how much connections like oculink or USB4 bottleneck external graphics cards. After all, they don’t compare in bandwidth with PCI 4.0 x16, but how much of that does the graphics card actually use?
eta prime on YT has a new video about this… he’s working on a full review on a oculink/usb4 device.
yes, still bottlenecks, but much much better.
Damn, the USB-A port was nice to have. On the Win Max 2 refresh, they also swapped a USB-A for Occulink, but there are two more USB-A ports on the side, so it wasn’t as big of a deal. The one is loosing it’s only USB-A port.
I kinda wish they dropped one of the USB-C ports instead. Maybe if they moved the USB4 port to the bottom, replacing the USB 3.2 Type C port there, and then put Occulink where the USB4 port is on the top, so that it could keep the USB Type-A port. Oh well…
The GPD Win Max-2 is the one to get. It may be much larger and heavier than this…. But functionally they are the same. Both cannot fit into a pocket, both are for indoors use, both require a backpack for travel, and both get heavy after an hour of playtime.
The difference is, the GPD Win Max-2 uses it’s larger frame to be a bit more ergonomic, whilst the larger screen and keyboard are much more comfortable to use as a laptop alternative.
Ideally just look at three handhelds: Valve SteamDeck, ASUS ROG ALLY, and GPD Win Max-2. Each have certain advantages.
And you can combine them with a companion device, something pocketable, like the Anbernic RG 353m, Miyoo Mini, or Retroid Pocket 3+.
optional 4G LTE module
it is external module
A keyboard to be useful first must be usable. This handheld is mostly used helding it with both hands and using your both thumbs to pusch controls or buttons (and index and middle fingers for shoulder buttons). How can your thumbs reach all keys on keyboard comfortably with that big size and very big sides with gamming buttons? Simply thet can, so it ins’t very useful. You must torture your hand elements (including you joints) to use it.
On other side keys are totally flat and stuck.
I have seen a video review (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQFfC2bY5uE&t=120) and it comfirms what I say: look as how much he needs to force its hand and joints to use it.
Do you need to sit it on a desk to use its integrated keyboard? Then it ins’t very useful.
It is a keyboard ti use it very little time, for example to enter a password, but it isn’t good for using it like a handheld keyboard computer or as a computer where you use keyboard a lot of time. There were a lot of pocket computer on old times where keyboard was the main way, and on much cases the only way, to interact with the computer. This CPD Win 4 can’t replace those computers.
So finally: on this device you get a keyboard, but only for very little usage.
PD: At least this time it is backlighted.