Imagine a gaming console that could be used as an AI workstation? GPD may be working on a prototype with the AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 at its core

GPD STX Halo handheld prototype
(Image credit: HXL)

  • Gaming handheld prototype spotted with AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 inside
  • Strix Halo offers triple the performance of current handheld APU solutions
  • GPD could combine console-class graphics with workstation-level AI processing

GPD has made a name for itself by building compact gaming consoles and ultra-portable laptops, often blurring the lines between console and PC.

Its devices, like the Win series and Pocket line, have found favor with enthusiasts looking for performance in tight form factors and, in 2024 GPD expanded its lineup with a dual-screen OLED laptop aimed at creators - we even said the GPD Duo “may be the best mobile workstation ever.”

Now, a newly leaked image spotted by Videocardz suggests GPD could be preparing something far more ambitious - a gaming handheld powered by AMD’s high-end Ryzen AI Max+ 395 APU.

Power efficiency concerns

The prototype “GPD STX Halo handheld”, shared on X by HXL (see above), shows a 3DMark TimeSpy score of 10,393, with a graphics score of 10,366 and a CPU score of 10,552. That’s a steep jump from what current Strix Point-based handhelds can achieve.

The chip inside, which is a Ryzen AI Max+ 395 with Radeon 8060S graphics, packs 16 Zen 5 CPU cores and 40 RDNA 3.5 Compute Units.

It’s AMD’s most powerful integrated GPU to date, offering more than twice the GPU hardware found in chips like the Ryzen 7 8840U or 8945HS.

Based on the benchmark figures in HXL's image, GPD's prototype could outperform current-generation handhelds by a wide margin.

Power efficiency remains a concern, however. As Videocardz notes, Strix Halo has a default TDP of 120W, which would normally be too much for a handheld. The architecture can scale down to 20-25W however, and early testing indicates it still retains a performance edge over Strix Point even when throttled.

It’s unclear if this is close to being a final product or just an internal test unit as GPD hasn’t made any official announcements yet.

That said, the prototype points to a possible future where handheld consoles offer desktop-class power, and we’re definitely here for that.

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Wayne Williams
Editor

Wayne Williams is a freelancer writing news for TechRadar Pro. He has been writing about computers, technology, and the web for 30 years. In that time he wrote for most of the UK’s PC magazines, and launched, edited and published a number of them too.

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