amd-ryzen-7-6800u-powered-gpd-win-max-2-crushes-intel-model-in-early-gaming-benchmarks

We’re followers of GPD round right here. The Shenzen-based startup has been efficiently promoting super-portable micro-PCs operating full-fat Windows for half a decade now, and its newest mannequin, the Win Max 2, seems to be its strongest but—even when it stretches the bounds of “portability” a bit.

As you could possibly surmise from the title, the GPD Win Max 2 is the second-generation of “Win Max” machine. These techniques sacrifice some slenderness for the sake of improved efficiency in comparison with the mainline “GPD Win” portables. While the opposite GPD machines are within the “can play some games” class, the Win Max is decidedly within the “gaming system” class—regardless of missing a discrete GPU.

We reported on Tuesday that GPD had revealed the pricing of the assorted configurations for the Win Max 2; you’ll be able to go take a look at that put up in the event you’re inquisitive about these particulars. The vital context for this story is that there are two SoCs out there within the GPD Win Max 2: an Intel Core i7-1260P or an AMD Ryzen 7 6800U.

Seeing this, some of us could have been confused about which mannequin to purchase? Longtime lovers will not be stunned to listen to that the Intel machine typically has the quicker CPU, whereas the AMD machine has the quicker GPU. Much quicker, really, on this case; YouTuber Cary Golomb—identified extra broadly as “ThePhawx”—obtained his arms on each machines already, and put them by way of their paces.

In his exams, which embrace Horizon: Zero Dawn, Cyberpunk 2077, Borderlands 3, and Batman: Arkham Knight, the Win Max 2 geared up with the AMD chip completely runs away from the Intel processor, delivering as a lot as double the efficiency in some circumstances. His full evaluation contains further exams; you’ll be able to test it out on YouTube.
One of a number of exams. You can see the remainder by clicking the tweet picture above.

This actually is no surprise for a number of causes; AMD’s drivers are far more refined than these for the Iris Xe graphics within the Alder Lake chip, AMD’s SmartShift function helps significantly, and the AMD system is supplied with quicker 6400 MT/s LPDDR5 reminiscence versus the 5200 MT/s RAM within the Intel system. Still, it does imply that folk who’re buying the GPD Win Max 2 primarily for gaming—more likely to be nearly all of the consumers—ought to severely think about the AMD machine over the Intel machine.

Notably, these specs additionally put the GPD Win Max 2 nicely forward of the Steam Deck when it comes to efficiency. While each techniques use RDNA 2 graphics, the Steam Deck’s SoC makes use of the older Zen 2 structure and has simply 4 CPU cores. Plus, its reminiscence is clocked at 5500 MT/s, considerably slower than the super-fast velocity of the GPD Win Max 2’s shared RAM.
Downright puny compared. Probably lots comfier for prolonged play, although.

Of course, that comparability is a bit foolish when the Steam Deck begins at $399, whereas the most affordable GPD Win Max 2 begins at $999 USD for early adopters on Indiegogo, or $1159 after the very fact. That value will get you a ten.1″ mini-laptop with robust gaming controls built-in that can totally serve as your portable PC, perhaps with the addition of some external peripherals, but it’s still a lot for an integrated graphics gaming PC.

Head over to Indiegogo if you’d like to get in on the action, but be fast—as of this writing there are only 67 of the $999 model left!