GPD Win Mini 2024 Review - Super Interesting

[@thenarrator5746]

I definitely hopped on this during the IGG campaign. Couldn’t resist this much power in a clamshell form factor!

[@JoeysRetroHandhelds]

Let me know if your experience matches mine!

[@ryanbane]

I think it’s also worth mentioning the after-sales support you will get from GPD, or rather lack thereof. If you absolutely have to buy a GPD device, please buy from a trusted online retailer who will support your GPD device when the keyboard is faulty or the right trigger is non-functional right out of the box or your battery stops working after 3 months. (All issues I’ve personally faced on 3 separate GPD devices.) A respectful email to GPD and they told me to kick rocks.

[@thedd5534]

being a tech enthusiast sucks i guess

[@MultipleInterface]

This sucks to hear...but it's a good heads up. Just looks awesome for slow days at work

[@commander_nojj]

great review! Couple notes, the heat issues are valid but even playing an intense game during travel situations for an hour or 2, the heat never gets too bad, as long as you have something managing the TDP levels on the fly (like handheld companion) it should help keep thermals down. If you're willing to do the tweaking a lot of games are playable for long sessions. I did carry a portable battery with me to keep it juiced longer than the battery normally runs. Actually holding the device for those lengths of time and playing with the gamepad can be a little crampy on the hands, the separate grips you can purchase does mitigate this almost completely. The grips also help mitigate heat issues on the back side, your thumbs may still feel a bit of heat on the top side. The problem with the grips is you'll want to take them off quite often as the form factor of the device is ruined by them, I usually carry the little box they came in with me just in case so I can quickly screw them in and unscrew them when I'm done. Some of the more intense games might be worth trying a 720P upscale if possible as the screen size you won't really see a big hit in quality and the performance boost + wattage decline will help battery life and thermals. I also think the device is fantastic as an in bed moonlight streaming device, I go back and forth between this and the odin 2 as a moonlight streaming device. You are totally right, people looking for something that will be pick up and play fully, they should look elsewhere. If you're willing to put the time and effort into making it work, it's such a cool device in an amazing form factor. If you do decide to pick one up I highly recommend getting on the GPD discord as there's plenty of people there chatting about the device and you can find answers to many common and sometimes uncommon questions searching around the discord.

[@washuai]

Once you're hauling a big battery bank and grips, do you really have any space or weight savings left for carrying the netbook over some other laptop and gamepad?

[@commander_nojj]

@@washuai the mini is so small already when closed and the box for the grips is also pretty small. I have been thinking about maybe making a 3D printed case to make the grips have an even smaller footprint in my backpack. As for the battery bank, I carry that for all my stuff so it’s multipurpose, it just happens to be great for juicing the mini.

[@ryanwwest]

A magnetic version of the grips would be the best imo, snap them on when you want them and leave them off for portability otherwise.

[@commander_nojj]

@@ryanwwest agreed, I really hope gpd incorporates that functionality in their next revision of the win mini.

[@lilalj07]

I have the Win Mini 2024, and this thing is compact! It is one of my primary computers in my house. Only wish battery was better undocked, for AAA titles , otherwise you could easily tweek the TDP and fan settings on the fly. It's pricey, but usually for a device like this, you pay a premium for the form factor.

[@ianmacd]

"…I love Windows and windows is exactly where I want to be…" Now, there's something you don't hear every day.

[@born2biscuit]

Linux is ass it's wonderful if you want to not be able to play half your pc library

[@doolittle_]

Joey, I like listening to you talk about handhelds.

[@JoeysRetroHandhelds]

I like talking about them!

[@rahmat1234]

I have my win max 2 for almost 2 years, and still use it today, love it every second of it

[@thienly3307]

do you have any issuse with win max 2?

[@rahmat1234]

@thienly3307 yep, as of today the battery is bloated and the max capacity of the battery has reduce to probably like 30-40%, otherwise it works just fine, no issue at all, still playing asscreed odysey just fine today. Rn stil waiting for battery replacement from gpd, althought Im pretty scared to replace it my self

[@AuntieWendy]

​@@rahmat1234 man.. bloated battery in two years? Any warranty?

[@rahmat1234]

@@AuntieWendy I dunno but I dont think so, I just spend $40 for it

[@danandtab7463]

I really love miniature versions of things, whether its kid play groceries that look like grown up groceries, minibikes, model cars, Miyoo Mini, SNES mini and certainly miniature laptop computers that are fully functional. I wish the price was miniature, but I get it. ;)

[@peejae082004]

i'm excited for an ARM based (Snapdragon X Plus/X Elite) GPD Win Mini. Hopefully with amazing 8-10hr battery life when browsing the net.

[@lilalj07]

Hopefully Windows gets way better on ARM with running x86 applications.

[@Zedisdeadbaby666]

It's not a laptop and it's not a handheld but probably the most unique handheld that he had the chance to review 😉

[@allenfrisch]

You'll enjoy the Win Mini more if you use it the way it was intended to be used: with the grips attached so you can type and utilize the touchpad with your thumbs. With the grips attached I found this to be the MOST ergonomic gaming handheld I've ever used. Plus it's the only portable gaming PC that you NEVER have to connect a keyboard or mouse! The battery life does suck though.

[@Chairemy]

I just wish they had a laptop this size with the Mac M3 arm chips. I want a powerful pocketable work laptop the most.

[@AishTalksTech]

Great video man! the win mini is one of those devices I have to pick up at some point

[@JoeysRetroHandhelds]

You definitely should!

[@Ksescel]

Honestly, if it was cheaper, that would be kind of cool

[@cho-v4n]

Great review joey! Keep it up buddy 💪

[@dagabbagool2600]

The keyboard is a thumb keyboard. It's useful for navigating windows, and for binds in keyboard and mouse PC games. I play MMO's on my mini and can fire off a sentence or two to chat without problem, the keys have a nice depress and it's really not bad for what it is.

[@MatthewJefferis808]

Thanks Brother! For your perspectives

[@MatthewJefferis808]

Can type your resume on it ?😅

[@joeymcjoeysalot6596]

More interested in the full size win max i think.

[@FS-zt6tm]

I found that the Win Max 2 was quite uncomfortable to use as a handheld because of it's weight and is a bit too small to use as a laptop for productivity so it's stuck in this awkward middle ground between a handheld and a laptop imo. The Win Mini's a lot more comfortable to use as a handheld and it's portability is unmatched compared to any other handheld with this chipset. The built in keyboard on the mini is useable enough to quick reply to emails or do quick google/youtube searches. For more involved productivity tasks, I just hook it up to a portable monitor and use a bluetooth keyboard with it without any issues. The only thing I miss about the Win Max 2 was the longer battery life.

[@mantapdjiwa9768]

how can you charge if you are pluggin external monitor ? as I understand usb4 is for both external monitor and charging ? meaning if you pluggin external to the other usb c , it will not directly connected to your igpu ?

[@Patriotic_Eagle1995]

That looks like a painful to use nightmare, but i love that there are still companies out there making absolutely mental tech

[@dgevert]

I have the win max 2 and it's not all painful to use. I wouldn't recommend it to someone who just wanted a handheld but as a hybrid device it's amazing. I use it as a laptop a lot but as a handheld it's quite comfortable in bed. Edit - there's actually ergonomic advantages to the clamshell design with the screen at an angle. You can have a higher viewing position with your head at a more natural angle without having to hold the device itself up.

[@brosplit]

If you think using this is considered painful... I will assume you are morbidly obese with chonky hands. Plus plenty of comfort grips accessories avb; switch, LeGo, Ally & Sd have it

[@FS-zt6tm]

it's actually more comfortable to use than it looks

[@CellPhish]

Great review

[@jokatech]

This is on my wish list at the very top.

[@hihellokitty85]

Later this yr, GPD Win Mini will release refresh with much more powerful processor. I got it anyways to match my GPD Win Max 2.

[@karlgreene2177]

Why have a win mini and a win max 2?

[@JonnTM]

You can use the DTS:X thats preinstalled to amp up the volume.

[@JimProfit357]

I bought an Oculink model with 64gb to "future proof" it for office use. I'm contemplating using it a my daily driver, connecting it via USB docks to my multi-monitor setup, and only use my Gaming PC for games that the GPD can't max out (I do a lot of retro stuff so that is not a lot in my case). With the obvious advantage of having the ability to just unplug it and go, without having to to a backup to from main to laptop all the time. The investment in extra cables and adapter would be quickly recouped by the drastically lower power consumption.

[@EzaneeGires]

Re oculink, go for it! It really turns the experience into a desktop one.

[@JimProfit357]

@@EzaneeGires I'm glad I got the Oculink model and all, but I need to build a new 4K 120+fps gaming PC next year, and I simply don't see myself using a 5090 through Oculink on a CPU that is basically Ivy Bridge equivalent (or should I say, at the level of a top-tier desktop CPU ten years prior). It certainly doesn't hurt to buy an Oculink adapter to recycle older GPUs and power supplies though.

[@EzaneeGires]

@@JimProfit357 true2. I use a 4070S via oculink for my win max 2. It's good enough for what I want from it. I have desktops for more power

[@JimProfit357]

@@vackerkylskap3915 Yes, an USB-C dock, preferably one that has USB4 bandwidth. I will be able to display on 4 UHD screens, have plenty of USB slots and have ethernet, card readers etc, with the two docks I bought.

[@JimProfit357]

Well, to my surprise, the CPU (7840U) is actually far beyond the 4790K in my main rig. It might be a question of setting the highest TDP, but my 2080TI is better exploited via oculink on the Mini than on my desktop at full bandwidth. With that in mind, I'm in the same boat as you. I want a GPU that will finally exploit my 4K 120hz TVs. Knowing the fact that CPU bottleneck mostly affects lower resolutions, I think I might simply buy that 5090 and accept a 15% penalty (probably mostly because of Oculink bandwidth, since the new Blackwell cards are actually PCI-e 5.0 at last), and spare myself $2000+ for desktop parts. I'll wait for the reviews though, specifically PCI-e lanes scaling.

[@Strigulino]

I don’t see it being uncomfortable to hold because it really is just a large Nintendo DS and that was fine. It might be a bit heavy for long time use.

[@MarkRosengarten]

Hey,Sonny, we 60-year-old guys were using technology long before you came along. 😂

[@XFactorSports]

You could reuse this title for an eventual look at the Ayaneo Flip DS lol. Loved my time with it before going Ally X.

[@jokatech]

I love when I see QWERTY keyboards period. No matter how low grade, it beats the stupid swipe text of this generation.

[@Autotrope]

I want this one. I can't justify the cost but if someone gave me one I would not complain one bit.

[@natalyakeane]

i ended up getting the win 4 6800u last year. but if they made the mini a little more handheld friendly i would definitely get it. i just want something as compact as that with a 7 inch display for gaming. add in a z2 or hx 370 and i would be throwing money at gpd for one. wouldnt actually mind if they shrunk the keyboard to get there either. its not a big enough step up from the win 4 to make a real difference, so it seems redundant. having access to any keyboard is better than none, but until its touch type-able like the win max 2 its just for ocassional inputs imo.

[@cme9241]

Where did you get the controller looks cool and smaller

[@JoeysRetroHandhelds]

It is! Check the description.

[@Morgaknite]

I had a question about folder naming in Retroarch. I know its off topic from the video, but I don't know anyone else with this knowledge. On the RG35XX Plus, using Retroarch, can I rename the folders to something else? Like FC to NES or Nintendo and SFC to SNES. Or will this mess with how the whole thing works?

[@JoeysRetroHandhelds]

On the 35XX Plus, unless you're running muOS, it'll ruin things yep. It looks for specific folder names.

[@Morgaknite]

@@JoeysRetroHandhelds You're amazing! Thank you so much! If you have time to answer another, muOS has some sort of function to name systems their preferred names? Or should I go check out muOS and see for myself? Not sure what OS I should run on the 35XX Plus yet. The stock seems fine so far.

[@JoeysRetroHandhelds]

@@Morgaknite muOS you can name the folders anything you want, there's no naming convention.

[@MrKniferton]

When i got mine. Like i said before i really liked it but the controls got so hot and it was soooo not easy to use to change things for me.

[@ilkeryoldas]

The only other alternative to this form factor is ayaneo flip kb, no?

[@JoeysRetroHandhelds]

Kind of, yeah.

[@AngelaJonesReviews]

It’s so tiny and cute

[@warlockboyburns]

I heard that these overheat and the 10" win max 2 is better

[@FS-zt6tm]

I found that the 2230 SSD is the main culprit generating heat. I did a 2280 SSD shell mod and since then, heat wasn't an issue

[@born2biscuit]

Win max 2 has 10 inch 2560 x 1600 screen but its only 60hz

[@STR82DVD]

After I was burned on buying the GPD Win1, pass young lad. Enjoy though man.

[@OneRedKraken]

What do you mean you got burned with your GPD Win1?

[@taoooyz5044]

At a size of 7 inch screen, this is the most power you can get. Other options are too big,

[@ajh21313]

Over a $1000 ??? Right.

[@JoeysRetroHandhelds]

$990 with my code, but not a cheap device, no.

[@ajh21313]

@@JoeysRetroHandhelds If only China can create something cheaper... One day.

[@FS-zt6tm]

@@ajh21313 aliexpress often has sales, you can get the 16GB model for as low as $700 (even lower with coupon codes) which is comparable to the mainstream handhelds (Steam Deck, Legion Go, Ally)

[@mickeymouze5]

with the latest Games they should've up the battery capacity cause 1 hour for me will not be nice

[@OneRedKraken]

That's if you run it at 20W or higher. This thing is meant to be run at 15W or lower. The performance gains of 20W over 15W aren't worth the lower battery life.

[@ottawa123456789]

I want it but its so expensive

[@steveybiggunzgaming8118]

My deck oled outperformed my win mini at 15 watt time and time again. To me anything over 10 watt gets too loud and too hot. Wouldn't be too bad but low tdp in this device is noticeably worse than my other devices with the same chip. And to top it off, I bought the grips to mitigate the heatt feeling and the screws aren't long enough. I paid $1200 for this and it's a huge disappointment. I had last year's model and return that as well.For the same issues, except the grip actually did fit. I was really hoping they would have improved the thermals. Instead, they gave us a vrr screen, which is nice, but it wasn't the biggest issue. You're paying for the form factor and the experience is worse across the board. And don't get me started with gyro and my many issues with motion assistant

[@manman9765]

1100$ is criminal 500 at most since i can get a 40 series laptop for the same price

[@OneRedKraken]

Custom/niche electronics come with a matching price tag. Go buy an ROG Ally or Steam Deck when it's on sale if you don't like these prices. :)

[@OneRedKraken]

Also, it's worth noting that the site recommended in the video is price gouging the hell out of the device. It's currently 899$ USD for the 8840U 32GB 1TB Model, with the grips for free. I wouldn't be surprised if they buy these directly from indiegogo & resell them with the markup being their profit.

[@adtsiriusstarr112]

i can play FF14 at 12-15W comfortably for around 90-120 mins

[@Ducklordess]

2 hours. geez. shame its not much longer.

[@OneRedKraken]

Keyboard can only really shine in 'handheld' mode and typing on it like you would an old blackberry. You have the opposite problem with something like the Win Max 2. Great on a desk, virtually unusable to type while in your hands. It's pretty heavy and big that there is no comfortable way to type on this other than placing on your lap, or holding it in one hand and typing with the other. Both suboptimal ways compared to using it on a desk. I like to play strategy games, and those sometimes require using the keyboard from time to time. And I found it generally annoying to have to change my grip completly to be able to type in a few words or a city name. Also, nobody really mentions it. But the Win Max 2 has a HORRIBLE screen with some of the worst ghosting I've seen since the very first LCD screen I bought back when the Xbox 360 was first released. Like I said I play strategy games like Stellaris. And playing those games it is actually distracting how the screen looks when you pan a map with text on it. Looks like you're high on peyote and it's just starting to hit you. I can't wait to get the mini! Really looking forward to having a GPD Device with a great screen!

[@ianwalters451]

I'm nearly 60, FU.

[@JoeysRetroHandhelds]

I'm honored you spent half of your day typing those four words. Hehe, I kid I kid, I hope to live to see 60 and still follow these handhelds!

[@ianwalters451]

@@JoeysRetroHandhelds You will have to speak up I can't hear you. Steam Deck and Anbernic 35xxsp👍

[@emilianomontanari283]

512gb for the base is not honest 😢 if i upgrade i have to install windows

[@ready2]

To me the oculink removal is a dealbreaker. Not gonna get it for that reason alone.

[@FS-zt6tm]

this is why I settled with the 7840U model. Performance is pretty much identical and if you use an eGPU, the lack of VRR becomes a non-issue. Heck, even without using an eGPU, frame gen really helps in keeping a stable frame rate

[@seethruhead7119]

if this could run bazzite 100% flawlessly that would be amazing, windows is still trash on handhelds

[@mrwoodcat]

W Review

[@randomcommenterurl]

I’d say it’s a handheld & not a laptop. Who’s gonna put that on their lap 😅

[@stevep8217]

1099 $cash buys me poor speakers, hot in the hands and lack FPS in psp games neighborhood? sounds like a bad deal off the rip to me

[@projectkordamye1361]

Not a fan of that fan? Soooo you aren't going to join that fan's onlyfans page? :(

[@slicvm]

That looks so uncomfortable to hold

[@matheusgomes9343]

It’s not, my hand is very big and it fits perfectly

[@manaswinipanda6695]

Karli Pines

[@kntwing23]

OVER PRICE FOR MY WALLET..

[@nathancasey7712]

Damn i thought this had oculink. That breaks my heart.

[@jcc4543]

Gpd 4 is better, I don't like the design of tbis hand held.

[@vincentnguyen777]

So it kinda sucks at being a laptop and a gaming handheld. AND for $1100?! Hard pass.

[@ninjason57]

That's basically why i skipped it. It seems like if you want a laptop that can double as a handheld youre better off with the GPD win max 2 but even then it is still expensive

[@derekday3896]

Should've been half the price

[@Patriotic_Eagle1995]

It makes a decent camping stove though

[@colt-_-jonson1743]

Insert bait comment: just say you're poor 😂

[@AstroKarp33]

FR not worthy

[@busterhoodstar6598]

The form factor is garbage.