We May Have Discovered the Perfect Device for Mobile PC Gaming

When people shop for a mobile computing device, they typically choose from one of three technologies; a smartphone, a tablet, or a laptop. If you’re looking for a fourth option (perhaps a handheld device equipped with Windows 10 and joysticks), then look no further than GPD’s WIN device.

The WIN device is another example of new and exciting technology made possible by crowdfunding, raising $719,623 on the Indiegogo platform (a whopping 535 percent of GPD’s crowdfunding goal). The WIN device resembles what you would get if you were to merge the flip phone (with keyboards) from last decade with the Nintendo DS (Nintendo’s handheld gaming console). The idea is to have a fully functional laptop that can easily fit in your pocket. Plus, while you can very easily get work done using the WIN device, it’s clear that the device’s primary purpose is for gaming.

The device itself runs with an Intel Atom Cherry Trail X5-Z8500 processor, with a 720P resolution. Here are some other specs for the GPD WIN:

• 5.5 inch, 1280 x 720 pixel touchscreen display
• 4GB of RAM
• 64GB of eMMC storage
• microSD card slot with support for 128GB cards
• mini HDMI port
• USB 3.0 port
• Headset jack
• 6,000 mAh battery

While the specs aren’t particularly impressive from a gaming perspective, the handheld PC runs a full version of Windows 10, and it can be picked up from most major online electronics vendors for around $350 (price varies from site to site). Considering how this device can do a lot of the same tasks that a Windows 10 laptop can do, it might make a good buy for remote work (especially if you’re a gamer at heart).

Looking beyond practical business uses that this device may have, it’s a beast of a handheld gaming machine. In addition to its keyboard, it has a classic directional pad, two joysticks, four buttons, and shoulder-buttons, giving it the control scheme necessary to play video games from any number of consoles. The WIN’s Indiegogo page suggests that it’s great for playing games on emulators, which should please fans of classic games.

Although, as great as a device like this is, it presents a question if you’re shopping for a mobile device: if you want a portable version of Windows 10, why not go with a Windows 10 smartphone, or a Windows 10 tablet? This is one intriguing question that the free market will certainly decide.

What about you? Is this the mobile device you didn’t know you needed? Or is this just another gimmick destined to be a curious footnote in gaming history? Share with us your thoughts in the comments below.