Forward-looking: Since AMD introduced its Strix Point Ryzen AI 300 mobile processors, many have been eagerly anticipating their integration into handheld gaming PCs. As a pioneer in this sector, GPD is gearing up to showcase the first glimpses of the improvements these new processors bring to pocket PC performance.
The GPD Pocket 4 has been unveiled with a full spec sheet and a launch window of October 2024. The 8.8-inch laptop is poised to be the first handheld PC featuring the AMD Ryzen AI 300 CPU, also known as Strix Point. The specifications indicate several significant upgrades over the Pocket 3.
GPD has transitioned from the 11th-generation Intel Core i7-1195G7 to a Ryzen AI HX 370 SoC, which includes a Radeon 890M integrated GPU. While the company's "Pocket" products are primarily marketed as nano workstations rather than handheld gaming PCs, recent benchmarks suggest that the 890M could offer a substantial performance boost over the chips powering devices like the Asus ROG Ally and the latest GPD Win models.
Although the tests were conducted at unspecified wattages, Geekbench results place the Pocket 4's GPU performance close to that of a desktop Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 or AMD Radeon RX 580. If these predictions hold true, the Pocket 4 – or theoretical Strix Point-powered successors to the ROG Ally and GPD Win – could easily run blockbuster games from a few years ago or newer titles with less demanding graphics.
The Pocket 4 also boasts significant upgrades in screen resolution, memory, storage, and connectivity compared to its predecessor. The display has been upgraded from 1080p to 2,560 x 1,600 at 144Hz, with an increase in size by nearly an inch. Additionally, the minimum RAM option has doubled, moving from 16GB of LPDDR4 to either 32GB or 64GB of LPDDR5.
Meanwhile, storage capacity options have increased fourfold, offering 2TB or 4TB configurations, with the addition of a microSD card slot for further expansion. The Pocket 4 retains the high-bandwidth USB ports of its predecessor and now includes HDMI 2.1 support. Additionally, the battery has been upgraded from 38.5Wh to 44.8Wh.
GPD's upcoming GPD Duo, shipping this month, also features the AI HX 370 processor. This unique dual-screen laptop has two 13.3-inch AMOLED panels, one of which can rotate 360 degrees, allowing it to transform into a tablet-like form factor (the Pocket 3 and 4 achieve a similar effect by rotating the screen 360 degrees). For those willing to wait until October, the Pocket 4 will offer comparable performance in a much smaller package, measuring just 206.8 × 144.5 × 22.2 mm. While pricing details are still unclear, the Pocket 3's MSRP starts at $800, so the new model is expected to be priced around $1,000.