NOTE - This Preview/Review is on the current prototype that was sent out to me. GPD is working on adding an isolating layer to restrict thermal radiation to the middle metal shell. However, I don't know how this will operate until it's available, so *for right now* based on what I have, I would advise to keep up with news regarding the Win Mini on the GPD Discord. You can find the link here: discord.gg/gpd-devices-243411108940087297 Also apologies this review took so long to get out. My vacation interfered with getting this out in a timely manner. I'm still on vacation in Italy now and I have both my WM2 and Win Mini with me.
I wonder if the 7640u version would have better thermals. I'm not into AAA games I would use it for Mainly Emulation. I wonder if the 7640u version can Run PS3 like the 7840u version can
Thanks a lot for actually mentioning the native portrait screen orientation in terms of old games' compatibility. I swear, you're like the only person ever talking about in-depth stuff like that. Ty, Phawx! :)
Appreciate the honest review! Sad to hear you apologize so much for being on vacation though (even though you're still working on the vacation...), please feel entitled to your vacation! We'll still be here when you get back :)
The quality of your reviews is absolutely exemplary. The level of (essential) detail you highlight and address is truly impressive. Many youtubers and established review sites should take yours as a template. Thanks a lot!
Great preview! That heat level is around the same as the left side of the AYN Loki Max display gets and I was extremely concerned at first because it was too hot to touch. Apparently the temperature is actually fine for the components themselves, but I can't imagine having that heat under my hands all the time. Looking forward to see how the final unit does.
Knowing their history, I think this prototype is pretty much the retail product from GPD. It's a bit shame, but I'm sure some people will try MODding their units with better thermal zones and fans. That could mitigate the problem. The unfixable problem I see is that this is a "weird" device. It's not built for outdoors, you can't just grab it with your keys, wallet, phone, and slip it in a pocket. You're going to have to pause, grab a backpack, and stow it inside. Which then begs the question, why not grab something better? The Valve SteamDeck would be much more ergonomic. The ASUS ROG ALLY is better all-round. And the GPD Win-Max-3 is like the others and also has a keyboard. So yeah, in that scenario you might instead grab something like the Retroid Pocket 3+, or grab your bag and get one of the other devices. It makes this device, which is in a niche, an even smaller niche for those people with very very special use cases when they need the smaller size of the GPD Win-Mini. Hence "weird".
@@ekinteko It totally will fit in a pocket, though? I mean, if the dimensions on the website are accurate. It's small enough for cargo pockets, most pockets on the inside of jackets, and even some front pockets depending on who makes your pants. I mean, if you're wearing skinny jeans it might be an issue, sure.
@@TheKrossRoads Try Denim Straight Jeans, Regular Shorts, Flat Chinos, or any Business Attire. It won't fit. Only on a workers pants, like big cargo, will it fit. Having a regular jacket, it doesn't fit on the inner pocket, I tried. The only jacket it does fit inside is for oversized ones, because they have more width. So there's a VERY narrow circumstance you can possibly ever call it "pocketable". Yet the same was true back in 2012 when we had a flurry of 7inch Android Tablets. But we never classified them as pocketable, just merely portable. All things said, it is not pocketable. Even when it fits, it is not comfortable, and comfort is an important factor. After a couple times, you would stop carrying this device with you, or just bring a backpack. Again if you're bringing a backpack... why not bring something more worthy? I know I know, the GPD Win-Max-3 is more expensive. But as they say: Buy once, Cry once!
Can u please demonstrate win mini performance using an external fan for cooling? If the tradeoff for the small size requires a cooling dock to run 35 watts it will be worth it to me.
Thank you Phawx for the unbiased review/preview on the Mini. Will you be doing an update in the future when the final production units are using the added insulation? That's too bad about the heat issues and will have to pass on this iteration.
@@kawag2780 usually reviewers who are sent pre-prod units don't say anything bad about the unit that would affect sales. The fact that Phawx pointed out a major flaw in the design is as unbiased as it gets
Missed opportunity to be using a potholder to hold the device in the thumbnail. But honestly, great review. Appreciate your thoroughness. You've been the first resource for me when it comes to educating myself on the flood of handhelds we've been seeing. Hopefully GPD can iron out these thermal issues.
The quality control reputation of a company should be more important than a spec sheet. Doesn't matter how powerful it is if it breaks and you can't get proper support. That has been a problem with GPD from the beginning.
@@0LoneTecheven with that, the disproportionately high amount of people on UA-cam, Reddit, and Discord talking about their GPDs breaking is scary. You being lucky is good but even if you never witnessed it a problem is a problem.
I'm so sorry to hear that... This is the handheld i've always been waiting for... I'm glad i waited before pulling the trigger on igg but man... I really hope they fix this isuue...
Your videos are so informative and in-depth, and I always look forward to them for all the different handhelds out there. Ever since I got priced out of the GPD Win 3 (cries in Canadian), I've been happy with the Steam Deck. Seeing this, makes me want to get it, but I know I just can't afford it. So, I'm envious, but happy to see you really liked the device (minus the heat issue).
I am glad that GDP win is working on fixing the thermals because if it stays hot for any length of time over long periods in that area where the trackpad is it could cause the components in that area to fail quicker than they would normally.
Dude, I remember from years ago your videos on GPD Win 2 and how I pretty much made my mind up on getting one based on just your opinions on it. The little wonder is still running strong - although now with Tiny 11, replacement hinges and its second battery - It's still my nightstand device and my Hollow Knight machine for longer bus and train rides. Thanks for introducing me to GPD all those years ago and I hope you keepmaking videos for all the future devices too :)
That sounds unfortunate. FWIW, I got the 2023 GPD Win Max 2 in a few weeks back and it has been rock solid so far. I can't even tell that it puts out any heat at all unless I put my hand next to the exhaust vent. Really quite impressive but I guess the bit of extra bulk makes a big difference.
The thermals is really a shame considering it's the hottest in the areas where your fingers go. Once GPD fixes this I will take a look at it, most likely next year. But by then they may have an updated version with an 8000 series chip if it comes out next year.
I really enjoyed this review. It's a shame about the heat, but something about the presentation felt nice. Maybe it was the new setting or feeling of authenticy. I'm not sure, but I liked the video.
Adding this here for visibility, so sorry for the spam. But 2 Things: 1) Comparison vs 7640U?? (Including heat!? -- Literally no one does the the lower-end models. Ever. And it's annoying.) & 2) Where'd you get the dope Zelda skin for the mini? (Seems like it fits perfectly.) And if this is going in / out of my pocket all the time that's a MUST have. | If anyone knows pls lmk!! ❤
Completely agree. Low spec reviews & skin links would rock. ❤️ Dun wanna ding this one up & I'd hate to put a case on it with those thermals. (If one even exists.) Anyone know for the Zelda skin??
The Win 2 was a 7-watt device that pretty much peaked at 11 watts. So it's cool that this device can do more, but I'll probably keep mine in that 7-11w ballpark.
Thank you so much Phawx, i appreciate your real true opinion, maybe GPD will fix it now, we need people like you, to get better products, if GPD will fix it i will still buy it, but for now i have to wait for your next GPD Win Mini release version, hope u enjoy italy ❤
Any chance you could compare the Win Mini with the Win 4 in a future video? I love your in-depth analysis but was really surprised you've never had them side-by-side now that you have a physical Mini, despite comparing the Mini to a ton of other devices in your previous video. I'd like to see how they compare in terms of size to determine if the smaller form factor would be worth an upgrade or not. Thanks Phawx!
Very detailed as always. I can't wait until solid state airjets become good enough to be used in devices like this. I've seen their sample mini pc done in concert with zotac and the efficiency of removing heat while being quiet and using a fraction of power as a fan is amazing. I think 3-4 of those airjets would sufficiently cool in tandem with more insulation the 7840u sufficiently, more quietly and still use less power than their current fan. I love my win max 2, so I was hopeful for the mini as I love small, powerful devices. Your reviews as always are wonderful, thanks for the honest critique. It's a bummer, but it happens. I hope they can make sufficient changes to it in the future.
I've been waiting to upgrade from my GPD MicroPC and this looks like it on steroids. I might still bite even with the heat issues cause I don't NEED to use it to play the latest AAA games on high settings... also curious on it's performance with an external GPU. I'm getting torn between this and the Lenovo Legion Go because if in not mistaken, it has a feature where it doesn't overheat while it's plugged in... my MicroPC gets decently hot when I'm using it while it's plugged in, though it hasn't really cause THAT much of a problem
@ThePhawx I sold my GPD Win Max 2 because the thumb sticks were too small, and the proximity to the edge on the left side forced my thumb into a really cramped position (think a tiny controller) and made using the device too uncomfortable. I would have kept it if the D pad and thumb stick were swapped positions. Can you speak to this on this Win mini?
GPD really should have used a line doubling chip for this for 2X 540p, this would have allowed to run it at half the watts for the same FPS/performance, and you would not be able to tell a difference on a 7" screen, this would also give double the battery life as well as less than half the temps, hardware line doublers are much better than any software scaling, and it would just work under the hood out of the box without having to do or set up anything, you could even have a 4X 270p mode via a simple toggle switch this would be perfect for Indies and pixel games, I'd love to see them collaborate with Marseille for their Mclassic chip, this would be a perfect match for a device like this, the Mclassic also adds antialiasing and works extremely well, it does an amazing job with the N Switch @ 1080p line multiplied to 4X with antialiasing on a 65" screen, it looks almost like native 4K, imagine then what it could do with a 7" screen with the same tech.
I guessed that the Win Mini would have a tiny chip like an intel N300 and when the new dropped about the 7640/7840, i was certain it would be a hot boy.
Really appreciate the honest review, thank you. The IGG campaign page claims the Mini is able to run PS3 God Of War at 60fps due to AVX512 however the other video about the WinMax2 needed 30W to achieve this, it doesn't look feasible on the Win Mini considering the heat and the 18w cap. Could you please try some PS3 emulation on the mini to see if it's really possible? Thanks
I kinda figured this problem might crop up. Latest top-of-the-line mobile chipset in such a small form factor? Especially while basically every other device with this is chonked to the max? Yeah, this was an inevitability, but it'll be nice to see it when GPD has had some time to hopefully resolve the issue.
That zoom in option is incredible and so sleepless. Games aside this looks like a fantastic travel option for a laptop with full productivity without the bulk.
@@ReIigionlsForIdiots We're likely hitting a mythology barrier, with the bronze age dinosaurisms sliding into the tar pits during the information age. Behold, the aerogel enhanced computer casing. Aerogel is not expensive really, it can be produced from many materials and have different uses. It can feel cool, it can be a sound insulator that could shape vent systems like The Hall of Silence at the Ontario Science Centre without needing tons of material. I saw someone running with aerogel on the shoes, you couldnt even hear them! Normally, you would hear shoes hitting the ground.. Happy atheism.
Obviously no device can be everything to everyone, but so many come so close to my ideal-basically: give me a Steam Deck sized console with the GPD Win4's sliding screen/keyboard configuration, just scaled up to 7". It doesn't need a SoC stronger than the 6800U, but if it could support USB4-and preferably Oculink-that would be ace. Finally, make the backplate (where no one's fingers can reach) some semi-ferrous metal so that you can strap on a ridiculous cooler and pump the TDP up to 65W.
I'm a big fan of portable consoles and I want to highlight the enormous effort that this small company GPD has made for a few years in delivering increasingly improved products to the market through customer reviews. now...they always had a big problem! heat. my experience: win 1, extremely hot. win 2, hot. win 3, a little hot, with the grip you don't feel the heat. Win 4, I don't have it. win mini, I would like to have it but I don't want it because of the same problem...heat. they have to be comfortable in terms of weight, ergonomics and heat dissipation. what I just currently use... steam deck!
Where are you staying in my home country Italy? I have been waiting so long for your review and now I know the delay was very much motivated and justified 🇮🇹🏖️
Okay this thing is amazing idc about the heat as long as its not overheating this things is amazing and i have a steam deck oled and this thing is just beautiful still. Def buying in a few checks!
I hope they solve the heat issue. I've really liked my Win Max 2, it has become my favorite laptop I've owned but it is a little heavy to use as a handheld. I was looking forward to have both of these, the WinMax 2 as a notebook and this as a handheld and maybe if I could type fast enough on it replace my Win Max 2. I'll be watching it, probably won't back their indigogo though. Saving 14% on something with a heat issue isn't worth it, I'd rather wait and see if the issue is resolved before I buy it. Maybe wait for the revision.
I was so excited for this, hopeful that they could fix it but if 13w for an hour gets uncomfy, i doubt my ideal scenario (21w) would work. oh well, maybe next time
Thank you. The lack of VRR, the vertical display, and the heat are all deal breakers for me. I play some old games where the vertical display just causes too many issues, as with my win2. I definitely want VRR for when i'm playing games at
That heat issue should have been addressed very early in the prototyping phase and not during the indiegogo campaign. 40-ish degrees is the absolute highest one should tolerate for comfort reasons. The fact it gets that high probably means the cooling system used is not sufficient and all the insulation used won't help much.
The GPD Wini Mini is a perfect candidate for the Frore Systems AirJet solution. It will solve the thermal and fan noise problem. We still need to move to more advance process nodes to have a proper Handheld experience. I think Microsoft are waiting for when we can get an APU that will perform like the Series S at 10W before the they through their hand in.
You’re right and I agree and I would love if that were the case but that’s not gonna happen for a while. Frore is not cheap - gpd wants to remain price competitive, so until the tech becomes much more common and price is reduced we won’t likely see it on a sub $1500 handheld for the next 5 years imho
@@Herwees in 5 yrs there will be no need for such advance cooling since we will be using advanced process nodes that offer enough performance power efficiency.
Im glad you mentioned you can remap the keys on the controllers to have keyboard controls. this is great when games dont support controllers natively or native controller support is partial/clunky. I can see myself using it for casual grinding in a mmorpg or a android game via bluestacks
Man the one I was most excited for, and yet the quickest one I may be turning away from. I appreciate Phawx being as honest as he can be about it, and I really hope there is a solution. I've been following Phawx since the Win 1, and if he thinks this device is uncomfortably hot, especially compared to the experiences of the Win 1 and Win 2, then it must be very noticeable if not more so. I was hoping the grips were going to take away from the hot touch, but if it's on the front side where the buttons are, then grips ain't gonna help with that. If they don't find a solution, I may just finally get a GPD Win 4, but hey at least I can still support my favorite PC handheld company that way.
@@ThePhawx I'm nagging GPD a bit but not only am I glad you confirm they are actively working on it, I've grown to really trust them, as I'm sure many of your viewers have as well. No brand is perfect but they have come a long way in that space and they've shown many times that they care about their devices and their loyal customers. I'm excited to have mine in hand!
Wow Im not tech savy but I didnt know about the v sync thing before. This is why my first stop when it comes t this type of stuff I come to The Phawx. Thank you.
We need that solid state cooling sooner than we think as we have reached the peak of fan innovation and it can not keep up with the heat output of these small devices at this scale
Interesting prereview. Still use mine Win Max which is good enough doing what I need for now, but would be intersting to know if this device would handle VR like HL Alyx, using like Quest2;) that is like the new benchmark test, if you don't have Crisis lying around.
@thephawx I do not understand why, but I cannot activate on my OSD on MSI afterburner that line "total system power".... well besides I think that using portrait screen is an step back for GPD
This isn't a device I would purchase, but I am glad GPD seems to be responsive to concerns. Hopefully whatever solution they come up with can fix the thermal issue because that is a major problem.
Some of those temps, albeit brief, were scorching in terms of the touch of skin is concerned. Then there would have to be a discussion about whether that heat could shorten the life of any components in specific areas not conventionally protected frpm excessive heat.
For a mobile game development computer it's the best though, because of the low tdp it can run off of a car or camping battery. My gaming laptop takes up 90 watts
Amazing video, the heat problem really is something to look out for, 50-60C is considered hazard by the electronic device work surface standard (around ~48C), prolonged use can lead to some health problem.
my gpd win max 2 gives me pain in my hand up to the roof of my mouth, same with the gpd win 3, im now considering selling it as it makes me nervous to even hold it, anything 15 watts and above causes pain. not good, and ive only heard a couple of people talk about it. maybe im sensitive, i did however buy emf gloves but didnt really help. :/
To give some hope to people, GPD has time to fix/mitigate this issue before shipment and they are taking it seriously. And supposedly they've already implemented some things that have begun reducing heat. And historically they've been good about making pre shipment adjustments to widespread issues. As an international backer there were a number of situations domestic orders were having that were fixed by the time I got mine (e.g Win 2 wifi issue). But Phawx did the right thing publicizing this as it does effect many people's decision to purchase and there's always a chance it can't be solved. I'm not shilling, I will possibly cancel mine if there isn't an update within the next month or so and have had issues with GPD that made me cancel (e.g The Win 3's existence). But I'm generally optimistic about this and the point of the beta units was to get real feedback on things that need to be fixed which seems to be happening.
I can see them taking this seriously, they are sitting on a pile of money if they manage to get this right. I'm going to prefer the Win Max 2 for the keyboard and laptop usage, but they've made me doubt it for a while with this one and, if the heat and fan noise issues are addressed, then this really is a device hard to keep in stock.
Pretty much exactly how I'm feeling about this situation. They got the time to fix it and enough investment to really care about it. I would say heat is the only real big problem and screen tearing. Little adjustments will be fixed and filtered out by these reviews. I really don't care about fan noise as long as it's cooled.
I really want to sell my ROG Ally and buy a GPD Win4 7840U, but I've been reading horror stories of their warranty (or lack thereof), and I feel like losing VRR will be rough. I just want to be able to use a universal eGPU dock instead of the XG Mobile.
Very sad news, I loved the Win 2 clamshell form factor and the Mini looked an almost perfect successor, but i'm not going through the same expensive thermal hardware mod debacle this time. Thank god for honest reviewers like the Phawx that has all of our interests at heart. I've cancelled my Indiegogo contribution for now. GPD needs to learn by this - stop rushing out prototype review models until all of the deal breaking faults are fixed.
I’ll probably hold out on getting it until they deal with the hot control panel issue & ppl confirm that it’s been resolved. It’s a shame… literally everything else about it seems perfect to me.
I don't think they can fix the heat problem as your dome switches are soldered on the mother board so your controls will not get any insulation in between the button contacts. Otherwise they could try making the case thicker with a bigger air gap away from the main board and increase the exhaust vent size. On a more drastic fix would be to swap the right analog with ABXY buttons. But this entails making a longer length of the main board and case which would allow moving those usb-c ports to the center of the device instead of burning your cables right on top of the skinny exhaust vent. But I doubt they would ever fix this proper given how far along they are with trying to ship it. It's so unfortunate that we don't know if the 7640U runs any cooler. That APU no body says jack about and we're getting past launch day. This totally sucks I don't feel safe in buying any handheld. I wish GPD had access to the Z1E but in the end heat is your worst enemy for small and lite. And when it's that hot you know battery life sucks. I'm done. Edit: Not done, 🤣. Imagine GPD partnered with Valve to create the Deck Mini to target lower TPD. I'd say take my money. 🤑
To me it seems like the heat issue is to be expected given how ridiculously tiny and powerful this thing is. I probably still gonna buy it and just run at 10W max.
when it comes to handheld, the ergonomic and the comfort when you hold it in long term is very important, it affects directly to your feeling and enjoyment when you play games on it. People usually forget about it and only focus on how powerful is the device. This GPD is very good in term of power look promising but after all it doesn't seem ideal to me to actually play games on it.
They ought to revise this with an 8' display. That way, they will also have more room for fans/battery in the body. Seems like it was just a bit too portable for the 7840U power requirements.
I play old pc games on my 4K modern 16:9 MSI laptop - I don't know what you mean about wrappers, the game sets itself to 4:3 correctly and I just get black bars on the side, like when retro gaming. Is there anywhere I can get a further explanation of this?
I'm looking for a device like this but not sure which one yet. To replace my phone and be an all in one. Anyone have any suggestions ? I'll be switching to a portable wifi that I can turn off and on to not be tracked. If I need to run apps I can run them in waydroid etc. Seems like this would fit the bill and fit in a bigger pocket, backpack. If I want to take photos I can pull out a normal camera etc.
NOTE - This Preview/Review is on the current prototype that was sent out to me. GPD is working on adding an isolating layer to restrict thermal radiation to the middle metal shell. However, I don't know how this will operate until it's available, so *for right now* based on what I have, I would advise to keep up with news regarding the Win Mini on the GPD Discord. You can find the link here: discord.gg/gpd-devices-243411108940087297
Also apologies this review took so long to get out. My vacation interfered with getting this out in a timely manner. I'm still on vacation in Italy now and I have both my WM2 and Win Mini with me.
I wonder if the 7640u version would have better thermals. I'm not into AAA games I would use it for Mainly Emulation. I wonder if the 7640u version can Run PS3 like the 7840u version can
If they fix it would be better to take this video down and uploading a new one. That`s such a cool device if they fix this.
@@marcgtsra little impertinent telling a content creator how to manage their channel, don’t you think?
Aww the PHAWX LOVES GPD so much he took his devices on a romantic vacation to Italy❤ FREE LOVE🕊️❤❤🎮🕹️
@@YokiBrewster💀
Thanks a lot for actually mentioning the native portrait screen orientation in terms of old games' compatibility. I swear, you're like the only person ever talking about in-depth stuff like that. Ty, Phawx! :)
Everyone should care about having a handheld gaming PC that can actually play ALL PC games easier :)
Appreciate the honest review! Sad to hear you apologize so much for being on vacation though (even though you're still working on the vacation...), please feel entitled to your vacation! We'll still be here when you get back :)
Thanks so much!
The quality of your reviews is absolutely exemplary. The level of (essential) detail you highlight and address is truly impressive. Many youtubers and established review sites should take yours as a template. Thanks a lot!
As someone who just found this channel, I very quickly realized the same thing.
This guy is a step up from the rest!
Great preview! That heat level is around the same as the left side of the AYN Loki Max display gets and I was extremely concerned at first because it was too hot to touch. Apparently the temperature is actually fine for the components themselves, but I can't imagine having that heat under my hands all the time. Looking forward to see how the final unit does.
Knowing their history, I think this prototype is pretty much the retail product from GPD.
It's a bit shame, but I'm sure some people will try MODding their units with better thermal zones and fans. That could mitigate the problem.
The unfixable problem I see is that this is a "weird" device. It's not built for outdoors, you can't just grab it with your keys, wallet, phone, and slip it in a pocket. You're going to have to pause, grab a backpack, and stow it inside. Which then begs the question, why not grab something better?
The Valve SteamDeck would be much more ergonomic. The ASUS ROG ALLY is better all-round. And the GPD Win-Max-3 is like the others and also has a keyboard.
So yeah, in that scenario you might instead grab something like the Retroid Pocket 3+, or grab your bag and get one of the other devices. It makes this device, which is in a niche, an even smaller niche for those people with very very special use cases when they need the smaller size of the GPD Win-Mini. Hence "weird".
@@ekinteko
It totally will fit in a pocket, though? I mean, if the dimensions on the website are accurate. It's small enough for cargo pockets, most pockets on the inside of jackets, and even some front pockets depending on who makes your pants.
I mean, if you're wearing skinny jeans it might be an issue, sure.
@@TheKrossRoads Try Denim Straight Jeans, Regular Shorts, Flat Chinos, or any Business Attire. It won't fit.
Only on a workers pants, like big cargo, will it fit. Having a regular jacket, it doesn't fit on the inner pocket, I tried. The only jacket it does fit inside is for oversized ones, because they have more width.
So there's a VERY narrow circumstance you can possibly ever call it "pocketable". Yet the same was true back in 2012 when we had a flurry of 7inch Android Tablets. But we never classified them as pocketable, just merely portable.
All things said, it is not pocketable. Even when it fits, it is not comfortable, and comfort is an important factor. After a couple times, you would stop carrying this device with you, or just bring a backpack. Again if you're bringing a backpack... why not bring something more worthy?
I know I know, the GPD Win-Max-3 is more expensive. But as they say: Buy once, Cry once!
Can u please demonstrate win mini performance using an external fan for cooling?
If the tradeoff for the small size requires a cooling dock to run 35 watts it will be worth it to me.
His thumbnail still was literally his intro, just for that I gotta give a like, wish more people did that.
Thank you Phawx for the unbiased review/preview on the Mini. Will you be doing an update in the future when the final production units are using the added insulation? That's too bad about the heat issues and will have to pass on this iteration.
How is it unbiased if he received a pre-prod unit?
@@kawag2780 usually reviewers who are sent pre-prod units don't say anything bad about the unit that would affect sales. The fact that Phawx pointed out a major flaw in the design is as unbiased as it gets
This is why I was curious to have you test the 7640U model.
Respect, thanks for the honest report on the heat issue
Missed opportunity to be using a potholder to hold the device in the thumbnail.
But honestly, great review. Appreciate your thoroughness. You've been the first resource for me when it comes to educating myself on the flood of handhelds we've been seeing. Hopefully GPD can iron out these thermal issues.
The quality control reputation of a company should be more important than a spec sheet. Doesn't matter how powerful it is if it breaks and you can't get proper support. That has been a problem with GPD from the beginning.
I've had good experiences with GPD support, unlike Lenovo or ASUS.
I bought mine through a retailer for warranty but yes they will take MONTHS to fix your product 😂
Cries in GPD XD (original)
@@0LoneTechsame, my WM2 6800u is far more reliable than my Ally, already on my 3rd device
@@0LoneTecheven with that, the disproportionately high amount of people on UA-cam, Reddit, and Discord talking about their GPDs breaking is scary.
You being lucky is good but even if you never witnessed it a problem is a problem.
I like the setting you chose to record the video, just a little touch of ambiance with those beautifully designed stairs, very nice
Great honest review
Thank you so much for the support!
I have watched a few different videos on this device but yours has been the most comprehensive and meaningful. Thank you for your honest opinion.
Thanks!
Wow! This is insanely generous of you! Thank you!
@@ThePhawx I appreciate your work, passion and perspective.
"unfortunately I had to go to Italy" hahaha enjoy there Phawx! Tks for the review and your screen and temps concerns
I'm so sorry to hear that... This is the handheld i've always been waiting for... I'm glad i waited before pulling the trigger on igg but man... I really hope they fix this isuue...
Your videos are so informative and in-depth, and I always look forward to them for all the different handhelds out there. Ever since I got priced out of the GPD Win 3 (cries in Canadian), I've been happy with the Steam Deck. Seeing this, makes me want to get it, but I know I just can't afford it. So, I'm envious, but happy to see you really liked the device (minus the heat issue).
Finally, after 5+ years of cooperation of gpd you describe issues found in review, not in discord chanel to 100 peoples. Bravo!
I am glad that GDP win is working on fixing the thermals because if it stays hot for any length of time over long periods in that area where the trackpad is it could cause the components in that area to fail quicker than they would normally.
Always transparent and honest! Thanks for that!
I love all the handhelds you brought with you. A suitcase for you and the wife, one for the kids and one for the handhelds!
The plane ride to Europe is long. Why bring external batteries when you can pull out a new handheld?
I thought you had a biased opinion about GPD, you earned my respect even more
Dude, I remember from years ago your videos on GPD Win 2 and how I pretty much made my mind up on getting one based on just your opinions on it.
The little wonder is still running strong - although now with Tiny 11, replacement hinges and its second battery - It's still my nightstand device and my Hollow Knight machine for longer bus and train rides. Thanks for introducing me to GPD all those years ago and I hope you keepmaking videos for all the future devices too :)
Hollow Knight yes! Much respect
50°C is actually insane heat. I dont think a new insulating layer is going to really help enough...
Really excellent, thorough, knowledgeable and informative video. GPD is doing such interesting work right now. Thanks for sharing!
That sounds unfortunate. FWIW, I got the 2023 GPD Win Max 2 in a few weeks back and it has been rock solid so far. I can't even tell that it puts out any heat at all unless I put my hand next to the exhaust vent. Really quite impressive but I guess the bit of extra bulk makes a big difference.
The thermals is really a shame considering it's the hottest in the areas where your fingers go. Once GPD fixes this I will take a look at it, most likely next year. But by then they may have an updated version with an 8000 series chip if it comes out next year.
I'll be waiting for the next model and hope they can control temps better and use a native landscape screen with VRR
I really enjoyed this review. It's a shame about the heat, but something about the presentation felt nice. Maybe it was the new setting or feeling of authenticy. I'm not sure, but I liked the video.
Adding this here for visibility, so sorry for the spam. But 2 Things:
1) Comparison vs 7640U?? (Including heat!? -- Literally no one does the the lower-end models. Ever. And it's annoying.)
& 2) Where'd you get the dope Zelda skin for the mini? (Seems like it fits perfectly.) And if this is going in / out of my pocket all the time that's a MUST have. | If anyone knows pls lmk!! ❤
This ^ WHEREBUYSKIN!? 😁
Completely agree. Low spec reviews & skin links would rock. ❤️ Dun wanna ding this one up & I'd hate to put a case on it with those thermals. (If one even exists.) Anyone know for the Zelda skin??
Yo @The Phawx | This ^ PLEASE
OH MAN THAT THUMBNAIL TRANSITION WAS ON POINT SON
Fantastic video as usual. Thanks for the review!
Sick! New background unlocked!
The Win 2 was a 7-watt device that pretty much peaked at 11 watts. So it's cool that this device can do more, but I'll probably keep mine in that 7-11w ballpark.
Fantastic review/tests, love your videos!
Thank you so much Phawx, i appreciate your real true opinion, maybe GPD will fix it now, we need people like you, to get better products, if GPD will fix it i will still buy it, but for now i have to wait for your next GPD Win Mini release version, hope u enjoy italy ❤
Any chance you could compare the Win Mini with the Win 4 in a future video? I love your in-depth analysis but was really surprised you've never had them side-by-side now that you have a physical Mini, despite comparing the Mini to a ton of other devices in your previous video. I'd like to see how they compare in terms of size to determine if the smaller form factor would be worth an upgrade or not. Thanks Phawx!
The trackpad and keyboard looks fantastic. What I mostly dislike about this device is the D-Pad location. Great review!
Honest review, thank you Phawx!
Very detailed as always. I can't wait until solid state airjets become good enough to be used in devices like this. I've seen their sample mini pc done in concert with zotac and the efficiency of removing heat while being quiet and using a fraction of power as a fan is amazing. I think 3-4 of those airjets would sufficiently cool in tandem with more insulation the 7840u sufficiently, more quietly and still use less power than their current fan.
I love my win max 2, so I was hopeful for the mini as I love small, powerful devices. Your reviews as always are wonderful, thanks for the honest critique. It's a bummer, but it happens. I hope they can make sufficient changes to it in the future.
thank you Cary. Homer part was hilarious! ;D
I've been waiting to upgrade from my GPD MicroPC and this looks like it on steroids. I might still bite even with the heat issues cause I don't NEED to use it to play the latest AAA games on high settings... also curious on it's performance with an external GPU.
I'm getting torn between this and the Lenovo Legion Go because if in not mistaken, it has a feature where it doesn't overheat while it's plugged in... my MicroPC gets decently hot when I'm using it while it's plugged in, though it hasn't really cause THAT much of a problem
@ThePhawx I sold my GPD Win Max 2 because the thumb sticks were too small, and the proximity to the edge on the left side forced my thumb into a really cramped position (think a tiny controller) and made using the device too uncomfortable. I would have kept it if the D pad and thumb stick were swapped positions. Can you speak to this on this Win mini?
GPD really should have used a line doubling chip for this for 2X 540p, this would have allowed to run it at half the watts for the same FPS/performance, and you would not be able to tell a difference on a 7" screen, this would also give double the battery life as well as less than half the temps, hardware line doublers are much better than any software scaling, and it would just work under the hood out of the box without having to do or set up anything, you could even have a 4X 270p mode via a simple toggle switch this would be perfect for Indies and pixel games, I'd love to see them collaborate with Marseille for their Mclassic chip, this would be a perfect match for a device like this, the Mclassic also adds antialiasing and works extremely well, it does an amazing job with the N Switch @ 1080p line multiplied to 4X with antialiasing on a 65" screen, it looks almost like native 4K, imagine then what it could do with a 7" screen with the same tech.
I guessed that the Win Mini would have a tiny chip like an intel N300 and when the new dropped about the 7640/7840, i was certain it would be a hot boy.
Love your work. I was so pumped for this device, as the ROG Ally was a giant let-down for me. Sigh. Guess back to the Steam Deck for now.
How about making the whole bottom plate copper to transfer heat there? Passive cooling as an extra.
When winter comes around, you are going to appreciate that heat.
Really appreciate the honest review, thank you. The IGG campaign page claims the Mini is able to run PS3 God Of War at 60fps due to AVX512 however the other video about the WinMax2 needed 30W to achieve this, it doesn't look feasible on the Win Mini considering the heat and the 18w cap. Could you please try some PS3 emulation on the mini to see if it's really possible? Thanks
I kinda figured this problem might crop up. Latest top-of-the-line mobile chipset in such a small form factor? Especially while basically every other device with this is chonked to the max? Yeah, this was an inevitability, but it'll be nice to see it when GPD has had some time to hopefully resolve the issue.
Background is awesome
That zoom in option is incredible and so sleepless. Games aside this looks like a fantastic travel option for a laptop with full productivity without the bulk.
It's so frustrating that all these handhelds always have something holding it back from being "perfect".
Every single time. Its usually a battery/heat issue too. Its like they don't test these devices before selling them.
We’re likely hitting a technology barrier.
I mean yeah they could make them out of aerospace grade parts but no one could afford them.
@@ReIigionlsForIdiots We're likely hitting a mythology barrier, with the bronze age dinosaurisms sliding into the tar pits during the information age.
Behold, the aerogel enhanced computer casing. Aerogel is not expensive really, it can be produced from many materials and have different uses.
It can feel cool, it can be a sound insulator that could shape vent systems like The Hall of Silence at the Ontario Science Centre without needing tons of material.
I saw someone running with aerogel on the shoes, you couldnt even hear them!
Normally, you would hear shoes hitting the ground..
Happy atheism.
Obviously no device can be everything to everyone, but so many come so close to my ideal-basically: give me a Steam Deck sized console with the GPD Win4's sliding screen/keyboard configuration, just scaled up to 7". It doesn't need a SoC stronger than the 6800U, but if it could support USB4-and preferably Oculink-that would be ace.
Finally, make the backplate (where no one's fingers can reach) some semi-ferrous metal so that you can strap on a ridiculous cooler and pump the TDP up to 65W.
nice thingy you did with the thumbnail
I'm a big fan of portable consoles and I want to highlight the enormous effort that this small company GPD has made for a few years in delivering increasingly improved products to the market through customer reviews.
now...they always had a big problem! heat.
my experience: win 1, extremely hot. win 2, hot. win 3, a little hot, with the grip you don't feel the heat. Win 4, I don't have it. win mini, I would like to have it but I don't want it because of the same problem...heat.
they have to be comfortable in terms of weight, ergonomics and heat dissipation.
what I just currently use... steam deck!
Where are you staying in my home country Italy? I have been waiting so long for your review and now I know the delay was very much motivated and justified 🇮🇹🏖️
Nobody going to talk about how the thumbnail faded into the intro? 🥶🥶 never seen that before
Oh so close to the perfect device! I want something like this so that I can stream 4k videos on my living room tv :D
Okay this thing is amazing idc about the heat as long as its not overheating this things is amazing and i have a steam deck oled and this thing is just beautiful still. Def buying in a few checks!
I hope they solve the heat issue. I've really liked my Win Max 2, it has become my favorite laptop I've owned but it is a little heavy to use as a handheld. I was looking forward to have both of these, the WinMax 2 as a notebook and this as a handheld and maybe if I could type fast enough on it replace my Win Max 2. I'll be watching it, probably won't back their indigogo though. Saving 14% on something with a heat issue isn't worth it, I'd rather wait and see if the issue is resolved before I buy it. Maybe wait for the revision.
I was so excited for this, hopeful that they could fix it
but if 13w for an hour gets uncomfy, i doubt my ideal scenario (21w) would work. oh well, maybe next time
Thank you. The lack of VRR, the vertical display, and the heat are all deal breakers for me.
I play some old games where the vertical display just causes too many issues, as with my win2.
I definitely want VRR for when i'm playing games at
Thumbnail thief! Kidding. Sorry to hear Phawx, I know you've been extremely excited for this one. Loved the video.
That heat issue should have been addressed very early in the prototyping phase and not during the indiegogo campaign.
40-ish degrees is the absolute highest one should tolerate for comfort reasons. The fact it gets that high probably means the cooling system used is not sufficient and all the insulation used won't help much.
Can't wait for the win mini airjet version announcement next year
What's the difference the trackpad has compared to Win Max 2?
I suspected heat would be a big issue with this device. Thanks for your detailed review.
The GPD Wini Mini is a perfect candidate for the Frore Systems AirJet solution. It will solve the thermal and fan noise problem. We still need to move to more advance process nodes to have a proper Handheld experience. I think Microsoft are waiting for when we can get an APU that will perform like the Series S at 10W before the they through their hand in.
You’re right and I agree and I would love if that were the case but that’s not gonna happen for a while. Frore is not cheap - gpd wants to remain price competitive, so until the tech becomes much more common and price is reduced we won’t likely see it on a sub $1500 handheld for the next 5 years imho
@@Herwees in 5 yrs there will be no need for such advance cooling since we will be using advanced process nodes that offer enough performance power efficiency.
Im glad you mentioned you can remap the keys on the controllers to have keyboard controls. this is great when games dont support controllers natively or native controller support is partial/clunky. I can see myself using it for casual grinding in a mmorpg or a android game via bluestacks
Man the one I was most excited for, and yet the quickest one I may be turning away from. I appreciate Phawx being as honest as he can be about it, and I really hope there is a solution.
I've been following Phawx since the Win 1, and if he thinks this device is uncomfortably hot, especially compared to the experiences of the Win 1 and Win 2, then it must be very noticeable if not more so.
I was hoping the grips were going to take away from the hot touch, but if it's on the front side where the buttons are, then grips ain't gonna help with that.
If they don't find a solution, I may just finally get a GPD Win 4, but hey at least I can still support my favorite PC handheld company that way.
They said they plan to change the front panel to plastic lol, also win4 gets hot around the buttons too😅
Temperature on the surface seems similar to the ayaneo 2s/geek1s ' screen temperature when screen is on the high brightness?
We have come full circle, of all devices, it’s only fitting that Win Mini is « lava stone 3.0 », great review and journalism Phawx, thanks!
I'm hearing some really positive news from GPD so I'll keep my fingers crossed
@@ThePhawx I'm nagging GPD a bit but not only am I glad you confirm they are actively working on it, I've grown to really trust them, as I'm sure many of your viewers have as well. No brand is perfect but they have come a long way in that space and they've shown many times that they care about their devices and their loyal customers. I'm excited to have mine in hand!
What was typing score without grips
Wow Im not tech savy but I didnt know about the v sync thing before. This is why my first stop when it comes t this type of stuff I come to The Phawx. Thank you.
Looking foward for the legion go Review
We need that solid state cooling sooner than we think as we have reached the peak of fan innovation and it can not keep up with the heat output of these small devices at this scale
ayaneo has one coming out, will probably be better at cooling, hopefully the rest is as great though
The slide or the flip because if so I wanna pick this these up if the fan doesn’t get fix much here
Interesting prereview. Still use mine Win Max which is good enough doing what I need for now, but would be intersting to know if this device would handle VR like HL Alyx, using like Quest2;) that is like the new benchmark test, if you don't have Crisis lying around.
@thephawx I do not understand why, but I cannot activate on my OSD on MSI afterburner that line "total system power".... well besides I think that using portrait screen is an step back for GPD
This isn't a device I would purchase, but I am glad GPD seems to be responsive to concerns. Hopefully whatever solution they come up with can fix the thermal issue because that is a major problem.
I would really like to see how this responds to copper shims/better thermal paste. Worked wonders on my WM1.
The thing is better cooling on the cpu would means more heat on the shell
@@popohim That's actually a pretty astute observation. Still might get some more performance in docked mode though.
Some of those temps, albeit brief, were scorching in terms of the touch of skin is concerned. Then there would have to be a discussion about whether that heat could shorten the life of any components in specific areas not conventionally protected frpm excessive heat.
I can't wait to get this along with the grips(I got big hands), Stanfield and The Witcher 3 on the go is going to be awesome.
You forgot the issue if you use Left Dpad plus L1 on mouse mode it double clicks
For a mobile game development computer it's the best though, because of the low tdp it can run off of a car or camping battery. My gaming laptop takes up 90 watts
Amazing video, the heat problem really is something to look out for, 50-60C is considered hazard by the electronic device work surface standard (around ~48C), prolonged use can lead to some health problem.
damn, what kind of disease is it going to give me?
@@mDayShamangahabash considered it in the palm of your hand maybe some numbness, rash or pain.
my gpd win max 2 gives me pain in my hand up to the roof of my mouth, same with the gpd win 3, im now considering selling it as it makes me nervous to even hold it, anything 15 watts and above causes pain. not good, and ive only heard a couple of people talk about it. maybe im sensitive, i did however buy emf gloves but didnt really help. :/
@@davidmays7052What causes the pain? Is it electrical shock, high temperature or what?
@@davidmays7052 that's weird, how does the pain feel like?
Enjoy your vacation 🎉
To give some hope to people, GPD has time to fix/mitigate this issue before shipment and they are taking it seriously. And supposedly they've already implemented some things that have begun reducing heat.
And historically they've been good about making pre shipment adjustments to widespread issues. As an international backer there were a number of situations domestic orders were having that were fixed by the time I got mine (e.g Win 2 wifi issue).
But Phawx did the right thing publicizing this as it does effect many people's decision to purchase and there's always a chance it can't be solved.
I'm not shilling, I will possibly cancel mine if there isn't an update within the next month or so and have had issues with GPD that made me cancel (e.g The Win 3's existence).
But I'm generally optimistic about this and the point of the beta units was to get real feedback on things that need to be fixed which seems to be happening.
I can see them taking this seriously, they are sitting on a pile of money if they manage to get this right.
I'm going to prefer the Win Max 2 for the keyboard and laptop usage, but they've made me doubt it for a while with this one and, if the heat and fan noise issues are addressed, then this really is a device hard to keep in stock.
Pretty much exactly how I'm feeling about this situation. They got the time to fix it and enough investment to really care about it. I would say heat is the only real big problem and screen tearing. Little adjustments will be fixed and filtered out by these reviews. I really don't care about fan noise as long as it's cooled.
I really want to sell my ROG Ally and buy a GPD Win4 7840U, but I've been reading horror stories of their warranty (or lack thereof), and I feel like losing VRR will be rough. I just want to be able to use a universal eGPU dock instead of the XG Mobile.
Very sad news, I loved the Win 2 clamshell form factor and the Mini looked an almost perfect successor, but i'm not going through the same expensive thermal hardware mod debacle this time. Thank god for honest reviewers like the Phawx that has all of our interests at heart. I've cancelled my Indiegogo contribution for now. GPD needs to learn by this - stop rushing out prototype review models until all of the deal breaking faults are fixed.
It's 28 watts in a tiny package buddy. . .
What's the mini's default TDP out if the box?
I’ll probably hold out on getting it until they deal with the hot control panel issue & ppl confirm that it’s been resolved.
It’s a shame… literally everything else about it seems perfect to me.
I don't think they can fix the heat problem as your dome switches are soldered on the mother board so your controls will not get any insulation in between the button contacts. Otherwise they could try making the case thicker with a bigger air gap away from the main board and increase the exhaust vent size. On a more drastic fix would be to swap the right analog with ABXY buttons. But this entails making a longer length of the main board and case which would allow moving those usb-c ports to the center of the device instead of burning your cables right on top of the skinny exhaust vent. But I doubt they would ever fix this proper given how far along they are with trying to ship it. It's so unfortunate that we don't know if the 7640U runs any cooler. That APU no body says jack about and we're getting past launch day. This totally sucks I don't feel safe in buying any handheld. I wish GPD had access to the Z1E but in the end heat is your worst enemy for small and lite. And when it's that hot you know battery life sucks. I'm done. Edit: Not done, 🤣. Imagine GPD partnered with Valve to create the Deck Mini to target lower TPD. I'd say take my money. 🤑
To me it seems like the heat issue is to be expected given how ridiculously tiny and powerful this thing is. I probably still gonna buy it and just run at 10W max.
when it comes to handheld, the ergonomic and the comfort when you hold it in long term is very important, it affects directly to your feeling and enjoyment when you play games on it. People usually forget about it and only focus on how powerful is the device. This GPD is very good in term of power look promising but after all it doesn't seem ideal to me to actually play games on it.
for that reason alone, i kind of feel like grips would be a must for my mini (should arrive tmrw)
They ought to revise this with an 8' display. That way, they will also have more room for fans/battery in the body. Seems like it was just a bit too portable for the 7840U power requirements.
I play old pc games on my 4K modern 16:9 MSI laptop - I don't know what you mean about wrappers, the game sets itself to 4:3 correctly and I just get black bars on the side, like when retro gaming. Is there anywhere I can get a further explanation of this?
You were the chosen one!
Win Mini *burning your hand:* I hate you! 🔥🥲
I'm looking for a device like this but not sure which one yet. To replace my phone and be an all in one. Anyone have any suggestions ? I'll be switching to a portable wifi that I can turn off and on to not be tracked. If I need to run apps I can run them in waydroid etc. Seems like this would fit the bill and fit in a bigger pocket, backpack. If I want to take photos I can pull out a normal camera etc.