GPD Win 5 Handheld Gaming Device Needs External Power; Lacks Built-in Battery

Okay, so here’s the thing—I just stumbled upon this whole new gadget, the GPD Win 5. And let me tell you, it’s like that one quirky friend who’s both a genius and a bit all over the place. Can’t lie—I didn’t expect to be so thrilled by a piece of tech I hadn’t heard much about before.

So, let’s just dive in. GPD, which I kinda love for their handheld PCs, just dropped a hint about their Win 5 console. Crazy thing is, it’s packing this AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 chip, and even though the teaser didn’t spill much, thank goodness for The Phawx on YouTube! They dished out all the juicy details, talking about things like an 80Wh removable battery. Yes, removable. Kind of a blast from the past, and I’m digging it.

Swapping batteries is like swapping socks—super easy. Plus, you don’t have to trash the device when the battery dies. More than that, you can go buy a replacement battery, slap it in, and keep chugging along. Also, you can mount this battery on the back? Like it’s some sort of power backpack. Maybe it’s my over-imagination, but being unchained from built-in batteries feels oddly liberating.

Oh, and about this mounting thing. When did gaming consoles start moonlighting as power banks? Wild. I’m picturing this setup where you’ve got the battery chilling on a desk, connected via a cable. Less weight means longer sessions. My shoulders are already thanking me.

Let’s not forget the less chatty but still robust AMD Ryzen AI Max 385 option. Fewer cores, sure, but sometimes you don’t need a full-on beast mode chip for a bit of on-the-go gaming. Flexible with its RAM, by the way—I’m talking anywhere from 32GB up to a whopping 128GB. Storage? Yeah, you won’t be begging for more. Just pick a size: 1TB, 2TB, or—you guessed it—4TB. M.2 NVMe 2280, but only one slot, so choose wisely.

Quick sidebar—I wonder if anyone else gets misty-eyed over smart I/O port layouts. Anyway, what’s in this little guy? USB4, mini SSD slot, among others. They even tossed in an analog stick or two, some haptic joy, and… wait, RGB power button? Along with a Windows Hello scanner? Fancy.

The Win 5 has ditched the old 6-inch display and gone for a 7-inch, 120 Hz one, complete with 1080p resolution and touch controls. Corning Gorilla Glass 6, though not the freshest, is kind of like an unexpected bonus gift you appreciate after the fact.

I’m not usually one for future gaming predictions, but August 1 at ChinaJoy 2025? That’s going to be something. Fingers crossed it doesn’t empty my wallet like I fear it might. Let the gaming begin, I guess?

And if you’ve stuck around till the end of this ramble, maybe hit up Tom’s Hardware for more tech bits. They’ve got the goods.