With the GPD Win 5 now officially on the market, real-world testing is starting to confirm just how impressive its performance and unusual power profile are. Recent benchmark scores suggest that 2026 will bring a new wave of handheld gaming PCs with power approaching that of game consoles like the PlayStation or Xbox, to the point where many everyday users may not notice the difference. Among them, the GPD Win 5 is emerging as a standout, narrowing the gap between mobile devices and home consoles.
GPD Win 5 Performance Compared With the PS5 and Rivals
In a broad review of hardware released in 2025, the rigorous testing process at respected tech outlet Digital Foundry found that the newly released Windows-based GPD Win 5 reaches performance very close to the standard PlayStation 5 (PS5). Specifically, in Alan Wake 2, one of the most demanding PC games available today, the GPD Win 5 ran nearly twice as fast as its rival, the Asus ROG Ally X, and frequently landed within about 10 fps (frames per second) of the PS5.
Using graphics settings equivalent to the PS5 version's performance mode, the GPD Win 5 delivers about 47 fps at 1080p. Notably, the device draws less than 30W of power, with FSR2 set to performance mode. By comparison, Sony's console needs considerably more power to reach a frame rate in the mid 50 fps range at 1440p. That makes the GPD Win 5 extremely efficient in terms of power consumption.
Even more telling, when the GPD Win 5 is connected to wall power (docked) and plays Alan Wake 2 at 1440p on a TV or external monitor, the average frame rate rises to the low end of the 50 fps range, which is roughly 93% of the PS5's performance. This impressive result shows that this Steam Deck competitor can comfortably handle games that Valve's popular handheld cannot yet reach.
Compact Design, but the Price Is a Barrier
One of the most notable aspects of GPD's design is that the Win 5 is smaller than the ROG Ally X and thinner than the Nintendo Switch 2, even though it houses a die that is 57% larger than the one inside the PS5 Pro. However, this compactness and power come with significant drawbacks in battery setup and price that buyers need to weigh carefully.
The GPD Win 5 relies on a separate external 80Wh battery, connected by cable or attached to the back of the device. That battery provides roughly two hours of gaming at 30W. Price is also a major barrier for the vast majority of users: starting at around 1,800 USD, the machine costs many times more than devices like the Steam Deck, PlayStation 5 or Switch 2. It is priced for true tech enthusiasts who want maximum power in the palm of their hands.
GPD is not the only company trying to bring AMD's Strix Halo processor (APU) to a handheld, even though the chip was originally designed for high-end laptops. One-Netbook also plans to launch the OneXFly Apex later this month, offering specifications similar to the GPD Win 5 along with a liquid cooling option. Details on the Ayaneo Next II are still fairly scarce, but the device has been confirmed to feature a 9-inch OLED display with a 165Hz refresh rate, a 2,400 × 1,504 resolution, 1,100 nits of peak brightness and 5,280 PWM dimming, promising a lively race in the handheld gaming market in the months ahead.
