70 POPULAR SCIENCE
Nintendo’s 3DS clamshell-style handheld
games console is a robust alternative with a
huge catalogue of excellent games. But its
low price means it has to go easy on the high
tech. Graphics and sound are basic, and only
the bottom screen has touch capability.
Sony’s PlayStation Vita is essentially
abandoned, and the Nintendo Switch also
lags behind modern consoles when it comes
to graphics - though not by much.
Indeed it’s the Switch that inspired HongHow 2. 0
Kong outfit Gamepad Digital to take the
latest ultracompact PC components and jam
them into a teeny tiny case.
The company’s first result, the GPD Win
(main image previous spread), is only a little
fatter and about the same weight as the
Nintendo Switch. But its clamshell design,
with a folding 5.5-inch display, makes it much
more compact and pocketable than
Nintendo’s latest indulgence.
Like the Switch, the display resolution is
1280x720. That’s low compared to a hardcore
gamer’s preferred 2560x1440 or 4K monitor,
but tiny pixels mean excellent image clarity.
Unlike the Switch, and a mobile phone (and
many full-size notebook PCs come to think of
it) the GPD Win has a serious collection of
ports on the back.
There’s a full USB-A port, mini HDMI out, a
stereo headphone jack, microSD card slot, and
even a USB-C port.This last is what really separates the GPD
Win from a games console. Plug the Win into a
monitor that supports power and video over
USB-C, and this tiny PC becomes a full
Windows 10 desktop, outputting 4K at 30Hz.
So what makes it a gaming device rather
than just a really tiny PC? The integrated
controller. Two thumbsticks, four face buttons,
a direction-pad and four shoulder buttons on
the back take care of most games.
Extra buttons next to the keyboard take
care of the rest, including substitutes for
clicking the thumbsticks (a function on all PC
gamepads), start/select, and more.
Oh the technical specs? You want to know
how powerful the GPD Win is? Yeah... we were
kind of avoiding that.Good Idea But...
There’s no point trying to claim the GPD Win is
something it isn’t. GPD itself admits this firstGPD Win 2
Materials and specs: Aluminium
and plastic. 6.0-inch 1280x720
touchscreen. Gaming controls.
QWERTY keyboard. Intel Core
m3-7y30, 8GB RAM, 128GB
upgradeable storage, 802.11ac
Wi-Fi, USB-C, 162mm x 99mm
Awesome Factor:
Price: $1200
More info: http://www.gearbest.com