In the 2025 hardware review test, Digital Foundry conducted a detailed evaluation of the newly released handheld Windows game console GPD Win 5. The results showed that its game performance is very close to the standard PlayStation 5, and in some scenarios even reaches 70% to 90% of the latter. In the extremely loaded PC masterpiece "Alan Killer 2", the performance of this device is almost twice that of the ASUS ROG Ally X, while the frame rate is often only about 10 frames lower than the PS5.
In terms of image quality settings, the testers tried their best to align the parameters of the PS5 performance mode: GPD Win 5 can run an average of about 47 frames when the FSR2 performance mode is turned on at 1080p resolution and the power consumption of the whole machine is controlled within 30 watts, while the PS5 uses higher power consumption to achieve mid-to-high 50 frames at 1440p resolution. If you connect GPD Win 5 to the power base and output to a TV or monitor to play Alan Wake 2 at 1440p, its average frame rate can enter the range of just over 50 frames, which translates into about 93% of PS5 performance.
In terms of volume design, GPD Win 5 is also quite aggressive: the body is smaller than the ROG Ally X, and the thickness is better than the rumored Nintendo Switch 2, but a core module that is 57% larger than the PS5 Pro chip is stuffed inside. However, this "stacking" design also brings obvious shortcomings, mainly in terms of battery life and price.
In terms of battery life, GPD Win 5 does not rely on a large battery built into the fuselage. Instead, it uses an external 80Wh battery connected through a cable or installed on the back of the fuselage, which can sustain approximately two hours of gaming time at 30 watts of power consumption. The price is even more restrictive: the starting price is about US$1,800, which is much higher than the price range of mainstream game terminals such as Steam Deck, PS5 and Switch 2, and is almost several times the price of these devices.
In terms of technical roadmap, GPD is not the only manufacturer trying to "stuff" AMD Strix Halo APU into a handheld form factor. This APU was originally designed for high-end notebook computers. One-Netbook plans to launch OneXFly Apex later this month, providing similar specifications to GPD Win 5 and optional liquid cooling solution; the Next II being prepared by another manufacturer Ayaneo has been confirmed to use a 9-inch 165Hz OLED screen with a resolution of 2400×1504, a peak brightness of 1100 nits, and supports 5280-level PWM dimming.
As this generation of high-performance handheld consoles are launched one after another, 2026 is likely to be the year when the performance gap between handheld consoles and home consoles is further eliminated. For many players who only focus on picture smoothness and do not delve into technical details, the experience difference between the two may become increasingly difficult to distinguish.