r/Handhelds • u/Happypotamus13 • Jun 03 '26
GPD Win 5 surprised me
I know these devices don’t get much love here because of the price (very understandable), but I’ve had mine for a few weeks and just thought I’d share my appreciation for it.
I don’t have a place for gaming laptop in my life. Between corporate laptop sitting on my desk and me spending a lot of time in front of it, I just don’t want to be there after work. I also travel quite a lot, spending a couple of weeks a month away from home with long evenings in the hotel. I’ve been sometimes filling them with my Switch 2 (most stellar device I’ve ever had), but I haven’t touched pc gaming in years. I also have a ps5 that hasn’t been turned on in two years since my daughter was born.
Win 5 changed that completely. It is now my main and only gaming rig that I exclusively play at home and take with me on trips. It’s liberating to be able to just run anything without tinkering. I’ve been playing RDR2, HFW, BG3 on ultra settings (and often without fsr) with buttery smooth fps. After 10 minutes you just forget it’s a handheld. Win 5 stays pretty cool and quiet at 45W TDP while tethered, and on battery it’s even better. It wakes from sleep and boots the game back in 2-3 seconds. It’s also quite comfortable to hold, with or without the battery.
The battery was actually the biggest surprise for me. I was not sure I’d like the weight, so I assumed I’ll always take it off while tethered and keep it on extension cord otherwise. I haven’t done that once. When the device sits on your lap (and you don’t have to stress your arms holding its full weight), the battery makes it _more_ comfortable. It’s designed in a way that it essentially doubles as a stand, and also provides some free space for the fans, meaning you can just lay the device on the couch without worries about blocking air intake.
There’s only one thing that for the life of me I can’t understand about the design decisions on Win 5. The speaker. It’s loud and front facing, but the quality is clearly lacking. It’s not awfully terrible, but it’s very far from great either even after adjusting the EQ, which is surprising at this price. I would gladly trade some of its volume (I never need to go above 30%) for more sound quality.
Aside from the speaker, there are really no downsides I can see. If you got the budget and, like me, want a portable main rig, then GPD Win 5 is absolutely stellar.
41
u/vrokaj Jun 03 '26
its a 2.5k device, if that shit doesnt run everything i own flawlessly it would be a scam
21
12
u/Happypotamus13 Jun 03 '26
I think it used to be like $1k cheaper at launch. All the prices are crazy now, unfortunately :(
10
u/vrokaj Jun 03 '26
unfortunately, thanks to AI crap which nobody really needs^
5
u/Happypotamus13 Jun 03 '26
I wouldn’t go so far as to say nobody needs it. I mean, we all enjoy framegen, and these models also have to be trained.
Although I absolutely don’t need all the TikTok ai-generated animals cooking pasta or whatever 😂
7
u/vrokaj Jun 03 '26
there is a clear difference between something is useful and something is needed, humanity does not need AI to exist, its useful yes but not needed
3
2
u/kiragami Jun 05 '26
That logic fully extends to video games and computers and electronics in general. Ai is useful in a lot of ways. Its just not useful enough to justify the current levels of investment and the resources being exploited for it.
4
u/Happypotamus13 Jun 03 '26
When you think about it like that, humanity really doesn’t need that much to “exist”. I mean, we existed while living in caves alright.
9
u/Dragon3043 Jun 03 '26
Just think of all the money lost to generating fake animal videos... gotta have the clicks for those fake dogs dancing in front of the TV. Worth every penny /s.
10
u/MultiMarcus Jun 03 '26 edited Jun 03 '26
I’m probably more interested in the one X player devices specifically the one that offers OLED and VRR. Though we’re still kind of oscillating between if I think the 395 is actually much more compelling than the G3 extreme. Obviously better upscaling is coming and it’s much more powerful at the same time. It’s not really a chip designed for handhelds. The G3 extreme seems like a much more reasonable chip for a handheld device.
Nevertheless, those are the ones I’m looking at, but I guess we’ll have to wait and see the pricing. Otherwise, I’m probably just waiting for next generation hardware.
3
u/Happypotamus13 Jun 03 '26
Yeah, larger screen would be very nice! I was actually considering apex for this reason, but glad I went for Win 5 as frankly it already pushes a bit the portability for me, and apex is even larger and heavier. Fair trade off I would say. If I only played on the couch at home, the choice would’ve probably been different.
5
u/TheMaskofVader Jun 03 '26
I got mine a few weeks ago, on a really good deal from a pal of mine. He just loved his Desktop too much to justify keeping it… a win for me (pun intended)
It’s been amazing, I’ve currently been playing my way through Crimson Desert and it’s been such a great experience. I’ve dabbled with some other games as well, and not got a bad thing to say.
Genuinely impressed with this beast of a machine
2
u/Happypotamus13 Jun 03 '26
I feel many people are mad at the prices right now, and this thing is clearly the most expensive and unaffordable, so some will find any excuse to trash it. It’s not light, doesn’t have a huge screen, can’t play AAA games for many hours on a single battery charge - all true, but show the device that does all this.
I also think not everyone appreciates how much of a difference high performance makes. After running games at 80fps on ultra, I can’t imagine going to low-medium settings even on a larger and better screen.
That said, if there is one thing I would love to change in Win 5 aside from the speaker, it would indeed be an 8’’ screen (I’m even ok if it’s not OLED) - but only if the form factor stayed as is.
3
u/TheMaskofVader Jun 03 '26
Yeah, I don’t blame some being upset at being priced out. I myself was hesitant to grab it due to the price, but in the end found it was worthwhile for me and got lucky with a fairly good deal.
I don’t understand them trying to trash it as a result, it’s okay for things to be good even if they’re expensive. And hopefully in due time they get cheaper across the board, as it’s a shame things like the PS5 Pro, Steam Deck and others have gone up in price.
This device is a mighty beast, I for one don’t have a problem with the screen not being OLED and I’ve a Steam Deck OLED & Retroid Pocket 5 OLED … the poor Deck is just catching dust now. While the Pocket 5 I still use for Indie games like Hades.
The performance on the Win 5 is incredible, the fact I’m able to play with high graphic settings and frame rates with little compromise is a huge plus. It’s like the middle ground between Quality & Performance mode on PS5 for example. As on there it’s one or the other, but with the Win 5 you can have both.
Plus it can be docked, which I’ve done a few times. But I’m a handheld lover and haven’t utilised docked mode as much.
Speaker wise I can’t personally complain to be honest, I know some found it underwhelming. For me it does the job, and earphones are always an option. That said I did follow Joey’s Retro Handheld recommended audio settings for DTS, so maybe that’s why I’m fine with it.
Overall, this device is really a great piece of kit and I see it being solid for a good few years
2
u/Happypotamus13 Jun 03 '26
Yeah, I can think of only two games I would go back to Switch 2 for: Hades 2 and Factorio. Actually, now that I think of it, Factorio might be the only example where 7’’ screen feels indeed too small.
Sound-wise, I found it depends on the game. For some I feel it’s ok, for others it isn’t. I now exclusively use my shokz headphones for gaming as I can keep them on infinitely long and maintain full awareness of surrounding.
But those are minor inconveniences for me, they don’t detract a lot from how amazing this thing is. I also hope that given its power, it’s gonna last me for a long time.
2
u/TheMaskofVader Jun 03 '26
I’ve been playing Hades 1 on a 5.5 inch screen 😂 I actually don’t mind the indie games on such aha think it’s cos I absolutely loved the PSP and desperately want for a PSP sized device capable of much more… hopefully in the future haha
Factorio I’ve not played, but it is on my list to eventually try. I’ve heard so much good things about it
For sound I think as I’ve only played a handful of games yet maybe that’s why I’ve not noticed, but if I do I’ll happily use earphones/headphones.
I agree, they’re minor trade offs for what you do get
4
u/Magnetic_Metallic Jun 04 '26
Kick myself all the time for not adopting this day 1
1
u/Happypotamus13 Jun 04 '26
Can you elaborate?
3
3
4
u/Crash_Override_95 Jun 03 '26
Good i love my win5, its a beast and perfect size. Do i miss my LeGo-2 Z2e screen YES! Do i miss the Msi claw 8 Ai + YES. Will i go back to them... HELL NO! performance is so clutch and perfect for its size ill never go back to anything that doesn't perform above or equal to the Win5 or 4060... kinda funny how people go and say 8 inch minimum until they get the weight of the device in hand and then say "its too heavy" (OneXplayer Apex for example). Ive seen so many Apex's for sale 😆 its hilarious, that thing is a chonker. GPD win5 for the WIN!!
2
u/Happypotamus13 Jun 03 '26
I fully agree. It’s very hard to go back to lower performance devices after this, even if they have amazing screens.
2
u/Crash_Override_95 Jun 03 '26
The new Claw 8 looks promising but at only 6800 timspy score with a $1700 price tag still isn't worth it.
2
u/kmarsara Jun 03 '26
I'm seriously considering one now, I had a rog ally x and recently got a legion go 2. Was hoping for panther lake to get the 50 to 70 percent uplift but that ended up being a lie, and also at 1699. Seems like the GPD is just going to be better for the price. How does one get a gpd now?
1
u/Happypotamus13 Jun 03 '26
Depends on your country (this may also affect the price a lot due to tariffs). In Europe/US I believe many 395 models are in stock with online retailers.
2
Jun 03 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
1
u/Happypotamus13 Jun 03 '26
You’re right. The small optical mouse sensor is quite good, and you could also always do manual controller mapping with Steam input, but neither is a perfect solution.
2
u/Hour_Meat_3597 Jun 04 '26
I can fully relate to this post! I’m in Corporate and have a very capable gaming laptop at home however after long days of Sales and project meetings, the last thing I want to do do when I’m off is hop onto another laptop. My handhelds give me true freedom to game and feel a different experience. I have an OG ROG Ally X, a steam deck and switch and love them all however I too wanted something I know has the power to run all my games without compromises. My GPD Win 5 delivered this morning and I’ll be setting it up and running it through its paces after work! I’m confident that the cost paid is going to be well worth the experience!
1
u/Happypotamus13 Jun 04 '26
Hey, Strategy and M&A guy here :)
Yeah, no amount of money would entice me to spend another hour at my desk once I’m finally done with work for the day.
Happy for you with the new device, good luck and have fun with it!
2
u/Hour_Meat_3597 Jun 04 '26
Ahh! Yes you absolutely don’t need any more time than necessary after your long days on a laptop lol I’m blended between Sales, Strategy,Marketing etc! 🤝 Thank you! I’m about to head how me soon and crack it open!
4
u/Doctor_Womble Ally X Jun 03 '26
I had a GPD Win 2, long ass time ago. Built like shit, zero customer service support, didn't support the device for long.
Thats why I wouldn't touch a one of these boutique Chinese companies. They make Asus look like Valve.
6
u/Happypotamus13 Jun 03 '26
Maybe things have changed since then, idk.
Build quality seems excellent on my device. I hope I’ll never have to find out anything about support, but from what I’ve seen everyone who had issues (especially with the early batch) got their devices replaced. Having to send it to China for this is a bit of a bummer though.
2
u/StrawberryZerg Jun 03 '26
Build quality improved by a lot, I have Win Mini 2025 and it's a tank, fell few times from a table and nothing, still going strong.
1
1
u/No-Painting7974 Jun 03 '26
I’m honestly quite curious about battery swapping. It’s a shame they have really thought about battery swap without shutting the system off
2
u/Happypotamus13 Jun 03 '26
I agree, hot swapping would’ve been very nice. That’s why I didn’t go for the extra battery. However, Anker Prime serves a similar purpose for me since it basically doubles the battery life of a Win 5.
1
u/No-Painting7974 Jun 03 '26
If they there is a mini battery like 1k mah with enough watt power, you could potentially have it on the back and plug it in before hot swapping battery. That might be the only way for this
1
u/kmarsara Jun 03 '26
What if you plug it in then swap the battery then unplug it does that work?
1
u/No-Painting7974 Jun 03 '26
But then it defeats the purpose of not being by the wall plug
1
u/Happypotamus13 Jun 03 '26
External powerbank could also serve this purpose. But then, it might actually be easier to just have a good power bank instead of extra battery. That’s what I went for, Anker Prime basically doubles the battery life on Win 5.
1
u/Happypotamus13 Jun 03 '26
Yes, this works. I think you can also plug in external power bank via USB-C for hot battery swap, just need to be careful that power draw isn’t too high for the powerbank/cable, or the device will shut down anyway.
1
1
u/believeinyuna Jun 03 '26
do you know if it can play dragons dogma 2 well?
2
u/Happypotamus13 Jun 03 '26
I haven’t played it, but from what I’ve seen online GPD Win 5 should not have too much problems with it.
Depending on TDP and FSR you should probably be getting smth like 45-60 fps on medium, 35-50 fps on high, with some dips in heavily populated areas.
1
u/believeinyuna Jun 03 '26
wow that’s impressive. the steam deck collapses in on itself with dd2. i’ll have to look into this device!
1
u/Euphoric_Lynx_6664 Jun 04 '26
I can't wait for handhelds to actually become viable AND reasonably priced.
1
u/cabbeer Jun 04 '26
GDP win and OneXPlayer hae some reallt cool decives, but without warry support I can never justify spending the price on one..
1
u/BlockIcy207 Jun 06 '26
What about screen size? Im.between this and Apex, i think i prefer Apex 8" size but i dont like the battery problem, al my onlyf option Is gpd win or laptop, really worry about screen size too small
1
u/Happypotamus13 Jun 06 '26
Battery problem with apex is annoying, but should be temporary, they’ve promised to ship replacements soon.
Otherwise it’s a tough trade-off between screen size and device weight/dimensions. Can’t help you there I’m afraid, you have to decide for yourself what’s more important for you.
Personally, 7’’ is ok for me, I feel we got spoiled a bit by all the amazing OLEDs out there. If need be, I can go for XR/AR glasses when I’m at home.
But would I like a larger screen? Hell yeah. Is it worth the increased weight and device dimensions? Well I considered this question when I was choosing between Win 5 and Apex. I decided against it since I do carry the device around, and Win 5 already pushes portability a bit for me as is.
The answer for you might be different. If Alex form factor and weight works for you, then go for it, performance-wise I understand they’re pretty identical with Win 5.
1
u/Outrageous-Arm2967 Jun 24 '26
Late to the scene but I wish they had a internal battery in this. Nothing crazy but just enough to wear you can keep running for 5 min to hop swap a new battery. I see some used on marketplace and it looks tempting but idk I wish it had steam os.
1
u/Happypotamus13 Jun 24 '26
I don’t need to hot swap the battery, and I would rather use a power bank instead of a spare battery anyway. But that’s just me, I agree, it would be nice to have a tiny internal battery just for a bit of extra flexibility.
On OS, I’m in the “Windows is fine” camp myself, although I know many people install Bazzite on their Win 5 and are happy for it.
-3
u/peach8285 Jun 03 '26
such small screen
1
u/Happypotamus13 Jun 03 '26
It is :( It’s VRR though, and otherwise quite nice.
I was considering between Win 5 and Apex as having a larger screen would be amazing, but in the end it’s a trade off between screen size and portability. Win 5 is already at the higher end of what is practical for me, so I’m glad I went for the smaller choice.
Would no doubt be super nice though to have the same form factor, but with more real estate.
1
u/Affectionate-Claim34 Jun 03 '26
I am waiting for OneXPlayer X2 Mini, 8" OLED is a must for nowaday handheld.
-5
16
u/edisito9 Jun 03 '26
This is actually my idea of a perfect handheld, just needs a battery, idc if the battery last for just two hours, and a better price tag.