GPD Win 5 handheld PC reaches 70-90% of PS5 performance

[Daniel Sims]

Forward-looking: With the GPD Win 5 in the wild, real-world testing is beginning to confirm the impressive results of its unusual performance and power profile. Recent benchmarks suggest that 2026 will see a new wave of handheld gaming PCs that resemble console performance so closely that many casual users might not be able to tell the difference.

During a review of 2025's hardware releases, Digital Foundry's rigorous testing of the newly released GPD Win 5 shows that the Windows-based handheld comes within spitting distance of the base PlayStation 5's performance. In Alan Wake 2, one of the most demanding PC games, it is nearly twice as fast as the Asus ROG Ally X and often lands within 10 fps of the PS5.

Using graphics settings comparable to the PS5 version's performance mode, the GPD Win 5 delivers roughly 47 fps at 1080p while drawing under 30W, with FSR2 set to performance mode. By comparison, Sony's console requires significantly more power to reach framerates in the mid-50s at 1440p.

Docking the GPD Win 5 to a power outlet and playing Alan Wake 2 at 1440p on a TV or monitor pushes the average framerate into the low 50s – about 93% of the PS5's performance. That result suggests the Steam Deck competitor can likely handle games that remain just out of reach for Valve's popular handheld.

One of the most striking aspects of GPD's design is that the Win 5 is smaller than the ROG Ally X and thinner than the Nintendo Switch 2, despite housing a die that is 57% larger than the one inside the PS5 Pro. Its battery setup and price, however, remain notable drawbacks.

The GPD Win 5 relies on an external 80Wh battery that connects via cable or mounts to the rear of the device, delivering roughly two hours of gameplay at 30W. The price is another hurdle: starting at around $1,800, it costs several times more than devices such as the Steam Deck, PlayStation 5, and Switch 2.

GPD isn't alone in attempting to squeeze AMD's Strix Halo APU into a handheld form factor – it was originally designed for high-end laptops. One-Netbook plans to launch the OneXFly Apex later this month, offering similar specs to the GPD Win 5 along with optional liquid cooling. Less is known about the Ayaneo Next II, but the device is confirmed to feature a 9-inch 165Hz OLED display with a 2,400 × 1,504 resolution, peak brightness of 1,100 nits, and 5,280 PWM dimming.

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GPD Win 5 handheld PC reaches 70-90% of PS5 performance

 

[AlexIL]

At that price point it’s a flop

 

[kingmustard]

At that price point it’s a flop

Absolutely agree.

 

[Watzupken]

The price itself don't make sense, not to mention that one is buying an obsolete iGPU that AMD themselves are not providing full software support anymore.

 

[Lew Zealand]

The price itself don't make sense, not to mention that one is buying an obsolete iGPU that AMD themselves are not providing full software support anymore.

LOL, what iGPU are you imagining there? The 8060S has been out less than a year and is still supported.

 

[toooooot]

It is not very portable with that thing hanging outside.

 

[R00sT3R]

At that price point it’s a flop

Flop?

It's not a mass market product. It's a niche, low volume production run item, being sold to those with the disposable income to play around with it.

They will likely sell every single one of them they make, which won't be many but they'll make a profit on each one of they do sell, as they will only place new factory orders after selling out each batch they make.

They are not going to end up with a warehouse full of unsold stock.

So from their perspective, it will be a successful, profitable venture.

 

[Eldrach]

The device is too small to offer sufficient cooling without sounding like a jet turbine unfortunately.

The new 9 inch device however could probably fit better cooling. As for the powersupply being external...Well - it does give you the option to mount it if you want to, but it'll be very heavy.

Once we get these devices down to around 15w with equal amount of performance - I think we'll have some winning products on our hands.
Just look at the switch 2 - it runs cyperpunk 2077 at 30 fps at medium/high settings at 8,9w ..that's just insane

 

[ScottSoapbox]

I’d get the model with the larger 13” screen and detached controller instead.

50% more performance due to better cooling and no tiny text.

 

[Burty117]

The price is another hurdle: starting at around $1,800, it costs several times more than devices such as the Steam Deck, PlayStation 5, and Switch 2.

You mean, you can buy a PS5, SteamDeck and a Switch 2 and still have enough money leftover for some games for each?

The price is way to high, the fact it can't beat a PS5, if anything, is kinda disappointing, it's more expensive than a 4090 for crying out loud.

Strix Halo Ai Max 395+ Total Chiplet Area: Roughly (2 * 70.6) + 308 = ~449.2 mm²
Nvidia RTX 4090 die size = Approximately 609 mm²
Both utilise TSMC 4nm

Now I understand the AMD chip is strapped to a screen and battery, but even so, it is very expensive.

 

[Theinsanegamer]

You mean, you can buy a PS5, SteamDeck and a Switch 2 and still have enough money leftover for some games for each?

The price is way to high, the fact it can't beat a PS5, if anything, is kinda disappointing, it's more expensive than a 4090 for crying out loud.

Strix Halo Ai Max 395+ Total Chiplet Area: Roughly (2 * 70.6) + 308 = ~449.2 mm²
Nvidia RTX 4090 die size = Approximately 609 mm²
Both utilise TSMC 4nm

Now I understand the AMD chip is strapped to a screen and battery, but even so, it is very expensive.

Can you play games on just a 4090? Or do you need a PC for that? Can you take your PS5 on the bus or train and play a game on it?

Steamdeck is way slower then this. Switch 2 is stuck in Nintendo's walled garden.

People are comparing apples to potatoes and complaining the potato applesauce doesnt taste good. This may shock you, but there is a market for these low volume halo portables, and GPD has had no issue selling out of them before.

 

[yRaz]

You mean, you can buy a PS5, SteamDeck and a Switch 2 and still have enough money leftover for some games for each?

The price is way to high, the fact it can't beat a PS5, if anything, is kinda disappointing, it's more expensive than a 4090 for crying out loud.

Strix Halo Ai Max 395+ Total Chiplet Area: Roughly (2 * 70.6) + 308 = ~449.2 mm²
Nvidia RTX 4090 die size = Approximately 609 mm²
Both utilise TSMC 4nm

Now I understand the AMD chip is strapped to a screen and battery, but even so, it is very expensive.

Something I'd like to point out really quickly is that the 1080ti is slower than these iGPUs. Take away Ray tracing and these are 4k GPUs.

Now I've always thought the 395 was expensive, but this handheld is price competitive with other 395 products. If you want a 395, you'll spend a lot more than $1800 for one in a laptop and this is only slight more expensive than 395 mini PCs. That said, the 8060s is the best iGPU currently available and it is supposed to be used more as an AI accelerator than a GPU.

In the same way that the 5090 is going to start selling at $5kUS for the best desktop GPU, you are going to pay a premium for a 395 with an 8060s as the best handheld GPU available.

People like you and me might look at this and think that's money poorly spent, but as the 5090 showed, people who want the best will pay for it and no one cares about budget minded consumers like us.

I spend lots of time on the road and I've been eyeing the 395 for awhile because I use my personal laptop more than my desktop. I want an all AMD gaming laptop as I use Linux, this is a big deal, and I can find things that get close, but I'm still spending $1500+ for things like a 8core laptop with a 7700m in it.

I don't think this is an unreasonable product, just that the people it is targeting have unreasonable amounts of disposable income

 

[Burty117]

Can you play games on just a 4090? Or do you need a PC for that? Can you take your PS5 on the bus or train and play a game on it?

Steamdeck is way slower then this. Switch 2 is stuck in Nintendo's walled garden.

People are comparing apples to potatoes and complaining the potato applesauce doesnt taste good. This may shock you, but there is a market for these low volume halo portables, and GPD has had no issue selling out of them before.

I never said there wasn't a market, my brother is frothing at the mouth for one of these, what I'm saying is that AMD is charging too much for their chip, not just this device, everything the 395+ is in, it is too expensive for what you get.

It's performance is impressive because of it's power consumption, I'm very impressed how good it is at 30 watts, but value? You can build a PC that's far superior for the money. I get adding a little extra when it's a niche product like a portal gaming handheld, but the "little extra" here is massive.

Something I'd like to point out really quickly is that the 1080ti is slower than these iGPUs. Take away Ray tracing and these are 4k GPUs.

Now I've always thought the 395 was expensive, but this handheld is price competitive with other 395 products. If you want a 395, you'll spend a lot more than $1800 for one in a laptop and this is only slight more expensive than 395 mini PCs. That said, the 8060s is the best iGPU currently available and it is supposed to be used more as an AI accelerator than a GPU.

In the same way that the 5090 is going to start selling at $5kUS for the best desktop GPU, you are going to pay a premium for a 395 with an 8060s as the best handheld GPU available.

People like you and me might look at this and think that's money poorly spent, but as the 5090 showed, people who want the best will pay for it and no one cares about budget minded consumers like us.

I spend lots of time on the road and I've been eyeing the 395 for awhile because I use my personal laptop more than my desktop. I want an all AMD gaming laptop as I use Linux, this is a big deal, and I can find things that get close, but I'm still spending $1500+ for things like a 8core laptop with a 7700m in it.

I don't think this is an unreasonable product, just that the people it is targeting have unreasonable amounts of disposable income

I have a 4090, fully custom looped PC with a 7950X3D, I do excessive, But I couldn't put 4090+ money down on something like this unless it performed better. I use my SteamDeck a few days a month, as I travel for work and have nothing to do in the evenings... Just looked up my Steam profile and it claims I actually used the SteamDeck for nearly 40% of all my playtime last year, which is more than I expected!

I just don't think AMD's 395 chip is the right call, it was primarily built for AI work, it just so happens to play games pretty well as well, I just don't think it's good enough for that amount of money, I guess this is what happens when there's not much competition around, Who else can build something like this? Maybe that Intel and Nvidia colaboration is to counter this?

 

[redgarl]

It is more a proof of concept than anything else. AMD said this chip was never supposed to be used this way. Power and heat constrained is obvious for this handheld.

I hope AMD takes note and make an APU tailored for handhelds.

 

[Lew Zealand]

It is more a proof of concept than anything else. AMD said this chip was never supposed to be used this way. Power and heat constrained is obvious for this handheld.

I hope AMD takes note and make an APU tailored for handhelds.

All of this. It's an APU for 100+W applications in SFF cases and priced accordingly. A handheld does not need 16 CPU cores nor 2560 GPU cores as those all take expensive die space and is largely wasted when restricted to less than 1/3 wattage.

Half of both specs would cost half as much and still get the lion's share of the performance as long as quad channel memory is retained. LOL which is ridiculously expensive nowadays.

Maybe in 2 years after memory infrastructure gets built out.

 

[cfenton]

I wish the 395 had shown up in more laptops at better price points. The Z13 Flow is really cool, but it's crazy expensive and doesn't make much sense unless you really want the tablet form factor. As far as I know, the only other laptop is made by HP and otherwise unappealing. Something like the Blade 14 or Zephyrus G14 would have been a good place for it.