Being an earniest handheld fan since the beginning of noughties, and owner of few GPD Android gaming handheld in my collection, I've had to skip on first iteration of this device back in 2016 because of my personal money problems back then, but when I was at imaginary crossroad last December, thinking what's to get for my upcoming birthday in January, I made my choice for this upcoming Windows 10 handheld over Nintendo Switch (which is amazing device as well, yet it doesn't have a big and interesting enough game library for me at the moment). So I backed (among the first) GPD Win 2 campaign at Indiegogo, which started 15th January, preordering my unit for a limited price of $599, and so far almost 2500 devices was preordered for just ten days of campaign, with anticipated pre-market delivery by late April/May.

GPD Win 2 is a full-fledged Windows 10 Home x64 laptop with inbuild gaming controls of the size of small 7" tablet, highly portable and hands friendly. It's a solid upgrade of GPD Win 1, with most of shortcomings of the first model were removed after the feedback from users community, while most of requested improvements and new features for a next device from end-users were taken into account before its developement had started. It's running x64 PC games up to Doom (2016), Wolfenstein 2 and Fallout 4, although some of most demanding games (including Fallout 4 and unfortunately The Witcher 3) has to be setted on lowest setting/smaller resolution and maybe some optional low-res patches/mods should be applied to get a playable FPS. But most of games of yesteryears it will run great even on high/highest settings! In addition to the PC games and customary office/web/media tasks, GPD Win 2 is also capable of the widest emulation than any other portable device in the world these days, it plays everything from NES and old home computers up to PSP, NDS, PS2, Game Cube, Wii and selected games from PS3 & Wii U. Latter capabilites possibly gave the GPD Win 2 an unprecedent interest from Japanese gamers, noticeable amount of Indiegogo campaign backers at the moment is from Japan and Asia.

Unfortunately, everything has its price and in case of GPD Win 2, its price is not as tiny as device's size, but for an obvious reasons - most of its specs were more than doubled in comparission with GPD win 1:
• CPU was changed from Atom X7 Z8 Z8750 to Core M3-7Y30, giving a 2.2~2.5 times boost in performance of latest PC games;
• RAM was doubled (from 4GB to 8GB), with improved bus frequency and dual channel feature;
• internal storage was changed from eMMC to an easily replacable M2.2248 SSD, which also means increased speed of system boot and performance in games, making possible to upgrade its pre-istalled 128 GB drive for an up to 512 GB one (and possibly for more, if there will be more spacious SSD drives of that form-factor in the future);
• SD slot's speed was incread up to 4 times;
• Win 2 screen stays at 720p but its size was slighly increased (5.5" to 6") to give the device more polished look, and newer generation of Corning Gorilla Glass was implemented to ensure its longevity and protection against scratches;
• battery was increased from 6900 to 2x4900 mAh, with new design of battery compartment making easier for its replacement and GPD promises to sell replacement batteries via shop after the device's release, power system was optimized for using power direct from the source when Win 2 is on charging (full charge cycle is 2.5 hours, working time is 2 hours on high load, but 6~8 hours in conventional tasks, also it may be greatly improved by lowering TDP in bios/XTU utility), and Win 2 may be used as powerbank for other portable devices;
• heatsink system was greatly improved after feedback on GPD Win 1, in results it's much quieter and more effective and the device is getting only noticeably warm in most hardest conditions as opprosed to almost unbearably hot in case of GPD Win 1;
• keyboard was reworked for a better ergonomics and response, and two additional triggers (L3/R3) were added on the back bottom of Win 2.

GPD decided to give the device premium design so third-party acclaimed design team from Germany was involved in designing Win 2. In his recent interview for Japanese press, president of GPD stated its personal proudness in the device's design and concept, claiming that by making GPD Win 1 and Win 2 the company is trying to establish itself as a world brand.

GPD Win 2 comes with pre-installed Windows 10 Home x64 OS (activation key is provided in the box), but it's also supports Linux installation and, probably, optimised Android distributive is coming somewhere in the future as well.

There are just few people in the world that got the prototype of GPD Win 2 for a reviews at the moment, but they're making a steady flow of videos about the device and games running on it, so please check these Youtube channels for more info:
https://www.youtube.com/user/ThePhawx/videos
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpnDsmgMnCn0XZvGIM9yrXg/videos
https://www.youtube.com/user/Deen0X/videos

More info may also be obtained on these forums and GPD Win fan-sites:
https://boards.dingoonity.org/gpd-windows-devices/
http://forum.gpd.hk/f20-gpd-win-2
https://www.facebook.com/4GPDWin/
https://discordapp.com/channels/243411108940087297/313060408170905601

In case if you'd like to preorder your GPD Win 2 for a special price of $649 (tentative retail price when device will be released on market in August is expected to be $899), don't waste your time because there is limited number of units available for that level of price, and all of them are expected to gone in a week or two.

https://igg.me/at/gpdwin2/x/4767665

This is the one of the most typical yet erroneous misconception about this device. "Why you need such expensive device if you could go for a gaming laptop or Nintendo Switch, for even a lower price?"

But no, it's not your average "super-powerful" gaming laptop. Because you can't play your 14"+ gaming laptop on the go, sitting in the subway or bus, without feeling yourself silly and uncomfortable. Laptops are portable only for a transportation, not for prolonged use in such circumstances. Yes, you can plug your laptop off the wall and keep it running on its batteries for a few hours but they're won't last forever. And you can't power your gaming laptop from a powerbank via USB, unlike GPD Win 2. And your laptop weights and requires a lot of space in your bag. The difference is the size of device, it's called the portability. And also the presence of inbuild keyboard and gamepad elements. I've tried various combinations of tablets and laptops with external/wireless gamepads/keyboards and trust me, it's nowhere as comfortable and ergonomic as full-fledged gaming handheld, not saying that these solutions aren't portable enough.

And while Nintendo Switch is perfectly good for gaming as well, it's also less portable than Win 2 and doesn't have such capabilites in terms of PC gaming and emulation as Win 2 have. Mario Odyssey and Zelda BTOW are great, but lack of truly great games for Switch at the moment is obvious thing, while PC ports for Switch costs a lot unlike the same games here on GOG or in Steam.

So, if you'd like to play comfortably on the go, and you like PC gaming/emulation, this is device you shouldn't discard so easily and with such traditional prejudicies to a Chinese-manufactured product. Yes, it's expensive, but nothing comes for a free in this world. It's an unique device in its niche, so it may costs you a lot right now. There is no real competition between manufacturers in this niche at the moment, market is just opening with new hardware developements. Yes, it's from China, but GPD have a history of manufacturing gaming handhelds for years, so it has a some kind of respect and reputation in this area. And it's only question of time before Razer or someone else will release something similar on Western market. Then you probably will have a Win 2 rival for a better price. If you'll wait long enough.

BTW. I'm not a millionaire, but even with my $500 month Russian salary I was able to preorder one, because it's a dream device built specialy for a person like me.

Below are the selection of most impressive GPD Win 2 demonstrations so far:

Doom (2016)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qLX9FiryWE

Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FvJ1aLfLC28

Fallout 4 (ultra-low res/mod)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9YlMs_89xE

Battlefield 1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fR2B2KGwCHQ

Diablo 3
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XM25qy44kek

World of Warcraft
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=627uvtShqzA

World of Tanks
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUU8qwgHFpw

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KsCUFjt5zR8

Resident Evil 4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KiaEUoj5EnQ

Yeah that's true, portable/mobile gaming has its place and if you are in a situations like often having long train trips or waiting in airports, stuff like this can make lots of sense.

I am a bit concerned that these fully handhelds are so dependent on their battery, meaning quite often that if the battery goes poof, the whole system because kinda pointless, even if you could still theoretically use it by having it constantly connected to a charger. Then it isn't a handheld mobile anymore. So nowadays I consider also phones throwaway items, and I am not likely to use many hundreds of euros on them because I think they will probably be both unusable and outdated in two years or so. I guess that is why my Android phones tend to cost max 150€, usually closer to 100€ (like my current Samsung Galaxy J5 (2016 model)). I don't try to keep them alive that long anymore; if the screen becomes cracked and unreadable, or the battery becomes useless, time to buy a new phone then.

(I don't have a similar issue with laptops; my main gaming PC is a gaming laptop (I think it is already five years old), and I even have two ancient laptops (more than 10 years old I think) in semi-active use, even if their batteries are crap nowadays. I use them with connected power only.)

Also for me personally, PC games generally are not the type of games I'd normally play on short spurts while going to work with a train or waiting for a flight. I am not going to play Skyrim or Deus Ex like that, I guess, I want to concentrate on them more. So in that sense I guess mobile Android games are generally more suitable for such, as they tend to be designed to be pick and play type of games, more than most PC games (which I like).

Of course there are such PC games too and you could run emulators to play some simpler older games etc.

Third thing, the screen size. I already feel that for some games smaller laptops' screens are a bit too small for many types of PC games, so a handheld would be even more so.

I guess this gives an impression I am negative about these kinds of devices and think they are a "bad idea", but not really. I like the idea of a portable PC that could basically do almost anything a real PC do (with its limitations like ports, small screen size etc.), and I like the technical aspects of it. I might seeing myself buying one too and I am interested to try out what can it really do. Maybe if it cost like 200-300€, I might very likely buy one.

Looks really cool. My work travel has now dropped considerably, but may pick up again in the future, something like this might be useful. It's a bit expensive, as getting it in the uk will cost more than Us. But will look at.

I can't deny that there are lots of tenable thoughts in your last post's reasoning. The first model of GPD Win had a really bad battery, but there were significant improvements in this area thanks to people's feedback. Phawx, one of prototype's reviewers, managed to successfully replace Win 2 stock battery with another one, which he had bought somewhere else. Also, battery is much easier replacable now, and device won't degrade battery resource while being put on charge. It's the same situation as you mentioned about the laptops - as long as you have a working charger, you don't need to touch battery at all.Same here; actually, right now in anticipation of my GPD Win 2 arrival I'm using a second-hand Sony VAIO P21 subnotebook on my night shift, playing a lots of GOG classic games when I have free time.I guess it's maybe more like your personal approach for these games, since there always was and will be demand for a handheld portable device capable of running classic PC hits such as Civilization, Command & Conquer, Fallout, Skyrim etc. on the go. Progress in that area was steadily improved up to the point where Win 2 emerged from people's requests. These games more than playable on Win 2 on the go, though RTS games may require an additional mouse for a precise control.Yep, some (not many) PC games may be too much detailed for a 720p screen, but there you have an HDMI port on Win 2. You can plug Win 2 into any big TV and get your bigger scale strategy game in all its grandiosity and with recognizable smaller details.Unfortunately, it won't happening at the moment. Intel M3-7Y30 costs ~$280, even considering possible discount for with bulk orders it's quite an expensive for manufacturer to use for a device's production, unlike old Atom CPUs (~$30). Almost everything about GPD Win 2 was significantly improved, and company had put a lot of efforts in device's design and promotion, hopefully in warranty service too, so it's not correct to compare the price of GPD Win 2 to even a featureless Win tablets based on the same CPU (which costs ~$350 at sales, but have no keyboard/game controls/replacable SSD/active heatsink etc.). Pioneering in every area is always meant a higher cost of things. Maybe if this concept will be picked up by more manufacturers in the future the price will go down. But newer SOCs and techs still will cost big bucks for an end-users.

As for your "negativity", I'm sorry but it was just typical comment I've read in many places about the device, and just got tired of these views... Sorry if my response was also offending for you.

None such thing, I just wanted to clarify that i don't consider it as a bad idea, and I could see myself buying one at some point (and at some price) as well. Doesn't have to be the latest and greatest, if you still can buy this GPD2 in a few years with a cheaper price, hey why not?

I generally do like the idea of a portable (even handheld) PC, as PCs have always been kind of the best of all worlds to me for a long time. Less limitations, could even play e.g. games of totally other systems, by just running emulators, etc. Plus all the other things you can do with a PC besides just gaming.

Yes it is the same, I made that thread. Didn't want to bump it up until the new device gets some traction and we get some more tests and info about it.

Linus Tech Tips just made a preview video about the prototype version. It's not a bad video, he was very positive about it, but he could go into more detail and show some games it can play well. Maybe show it can also run Linux and stuff. I feel like the more popular YouTubers get the less effort they put in their newest videos. But any coverage GPD gets at this point is good. His preview of GPD XD+ was terrible.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ghe0LSDrVmA

Warching Doom... That Aliasing tho. Those jaggies were threatening to cut my throat through the screen.

You obviously never saw trailers for 3DS games.

I have the original GPD Win.
It is a marvelous miniature laptop.
Reminds me of the Sony UX180 I had,
except better specs and much less money.

I see people complain about the price of the new Win2 @ $650.
But just think of the technology in the palm of your hand.
I paid over $1,500 for the Sony UX180 10 years ago.

I got the GPD XD to use as an emulation machine and really love it. It feels like using a legitimate portable, but with conveniences like the customization of Android and being able to run a browser in the background for when I need to look up info about games. I've heard good things about the GPD Win, but I think I'll be upgrading to the GPD XD+ when it becomes available. I don't really need a Windows OS, Android has enough great emulation apps and is probably simpler in general to deal with.

I have the GPD Win (the first one I guess) and I really love it when I'm on duty as a driver. lol. My mother has never had a drivers license in her life so when she wants to go somewhere, I'm the driver. And even at 80 years old, she spends unbelievable amounts of time in stores (seriously is this some sort of female thing?? my ex-wife also did this). Anyway for those hours I'm stuck in the car in the parking lot I used to go stir crazy... tried a tablet (android) couldn't scratch my itch with that as it only played mobile games than this... and I do love it.... albeit only for that one area of my life. Right now I'm playing Betrayal at Antara on it, and I just love that you can also use the screen to do everything... Just press the screen over the up arrow (where you usually hold down the left mouse button) and off they go.

But I didn't know anything about all of this emulation stuff. I'm guessing it's just with this new version but thought I'd ask.... does the original one do some emulation like that? Mine has Win 10 on it BTW. And the manual that came with it was.... I'll be nice and say a letdown IMO.

Yeah, emulators are just applications you can install and then use to run games from gaming consoles/portables (Gameboy, Playstation etc). It's a bit of a legal grey area though because while some people take the game files from actual cartridges/discs they own, most people who are into emulation download the files freely from the internet which is basically piracy. But the main reason for that of course is that most games for older consoles are damn hard to find actual copies of these days, so it's kinda the same situation as downloading PC abandonware for free because you just can't buy it legally anymore.