Moveable hand held PCs and mini-PCs are getting increasingly more well-liked. Those gadgets are in keeping with cell parts which might be predominantly utilized in laptops. On the identical time, iGPU efficiency is repeatedly bettering with ever extra robust SoCs. Main the best way is AMD, whose present line of Zen 4 Phoenix processors permit the corporate to boost the bar even upper relating to 3-D efficiency. The Radeon 780M is the quickest iGPU to be had at the moment, thus placing AMD some distance forward of Intel in built-in graphics. Alternatively, many fashionable video games are already pushing the Radeon 780M to its limits. The GPD G1 is right here to take on this factor. However first, you can want to remember to have a tool with a USB4 or an OCuLink port with the intention to use the eGPU. The latter is natively supported by means of GPD’s personal hand held gadgets (i.e. 2023 model of GPD Win 4).
The exterior graphics answer properties an AMD Radeon RX 7600M XT graphics chip with 8 GB of VRAM. The producer has additionally controlled to pack the whole lot right into a reasonably compact enclosure, together with the facility provide. The exterior GPU even gives further exterior interfaces, equivalent to USB ports and an SD card reader, and displays can also be attached to the tool by means of DisplayPort or HDMI. Priced at €630 (US$655) sooner than tax, the eGPU docking station is without a doubt no a scouse borrow. Nonetheless, there may be recently no similar merchandise of this dimension that may spice up the 3-D efficiency of mini-PCs or well-liked handhelds so simply and considerably.
The field contents are rather barebones: instead of the eGPU, you’ll best discover a energy twine and a USB-C cable. Those that need to attach the GPD G1 the use of the speedier OCuLink interface would require an extra cable. Relying at the type, you’ll be expecting to fork out more or less any other €50 (US$54) for an M.2-2230 adapter and an appropriate cable.
GPD signifies that the G1 eGPU has a base clock pace of two,023 MHZ however is able to boosting as much as 2,469 MHz. All the way through our trying out, regardless that, the tool was once nearly at all times in a position to head past the spice up clock. The cell Radeon RX 7600M XT runs reasonably slower than the desktop model of the Radeon RX 7600. The decrease energy draw is the basic explanation why for this resolution. That mentioned, no concession needed to be made in relation to VRAM. Similar to the the Radeon RX 7600, the GPD G1 options 8 GB of GDDR6 VRAM paired with a 128-bit reminiscence bus. In consequence, they each have the similar reminiscence bandwidth of 288 GB/s.
The GPD G1 eGPU can hook up with a tool by means of USB4 or OCuLink. We first used our GPU check gadget fitted with an AMD Ryzen 9 7950X to learn how the G1 stacks up in opposition to the desktop graphics playing cards in our trying out. For the reason that Asus TUF Gaming X670E-Plus doesn’t have a local OCuLink interface, we needed to hotel to the use of an M.2 adapter. At this level, we want to point out that the eGPU is best attached at PCIe 3.0 pace regardless of having make stronger for PCIe 4.0. The usage of it with different M.2 slots likewise didn’t yield upper knowledge switch charges. As some degree of reference, you’ll say that the 40 Gbps pace of USB4 is reached on this case. To have an instantaneous comparability between USB4 and OCuLink, we additionally carried out further assessments by means of pairing the GPD G1 with a Minisforum UM780 XTX. The Minisforum mini-PC is likely one of the few gadgets available on the market which might be supplied with this interface. On this mixture, the GPD eGPU was once in a position to exhibit its complete energy with PCIe 4.0 x4.
We first when compared the efficiency of the GPD G1 with more than a few desktop graphics playing cards so as to take a look at the way it measures up in an an identical check gadget. The cell graphics chip within the GPD G1 is best round 20 share issues in the back of its desktop counterpart (AMD Radeon RX 7600). However this was once to be anticipated owing to the decrease energy intake. By contrast, our overview unit is solely 15% much less robust than an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060.
AMD persistently plays nicely in benchmarks associated with rendering efficiency. The GPD G1 likewise controlled to supply a reasonably excellent end result. That mentioned, the G1 doesn’t be offering fairly sufficient efficiency for pro use. AMD has the PRO Collection of their lineup for such packages, while Nvidia markets their authentic graphics playing cards underneath the Quadro emblem. You’ll without a doubt use the Radeon RX 7600 XT within the GPD G1 for smaller tasks in a private or semi-professional atmosphere. It additionally helps the preferred AV1 layout for interpreting and encoding movies.
The GPD G1 has nice gaming efficiency and is in large part higher than a Radeon RX 6600. Nevertheless, it’s missing reasonably in energy to check the Radeon RX 7600. Making an allowance for its efficiency, you shouldn’t be expecting to make use of the eGPU for anything else greater than Complete HD gaming. However it’s excellent sufficient as a spread for hand held PCs. As a result of the RX 7600M XT is paired with best 8 GB of VRAM, the eGPU would possibly occasionally hit its VRAM restrict when working video games at max settings, leading to reasonably deficient P1 values (1% low). The Radeon RX 7600M XT additionally helps ray tracing, regardless that we will best say this can be a excellent advertising gimmick. In follow, enabling ray tracing reduces body charges such a lot that it’s not imaginable to recreation very easily.
Taking a look on the video games examined, we see that the GPD G1 can most commonly produce excellent body charges at excessive presets. Alternatively, there was once a significant outlier in Ratchet & Clank: Rift Aside. We weren’t in a position to get playable body charges without reference to the preset decided on. At the present time, we will’t completely rule out the chance that that is led to by means of motive force problems. However while you imagine how a lot the GPD G1 prices, the effects got listed below are obviously now not excellent sufficient. Related desktop graphics playing cards in the cost vary could be one thing just like the AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT and Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070.
To exhibit the most productive efficiency you’ll get from the GPD G1, we ran further benchmarks with the eGPU attached to the Minisforum UM780 XTX. This mini-PC options each USB4 ports and an OCuLink interface, which we could the Radeon RX 7600 XT perform at PCIe 4.0 x4 pace. In direct comparability, it is vitally simple to look the efficiency distinction between the 2 interfaces. With optimum connection, the mini-PC plays at a an identical stage to our GPU check gadget. The OCuLink interface supplies 16% extra efficiency than USB4 because of its upper bandwidth.
With regards to gaming efficiency, the GPD G1 is in a position to ship significantly better effects over OCuLink. At decrease resolutions, we’re already soaring across the bandwidth restrict of the USB4 connection. This isn’t the case when the use of the OCuLink interface. In different phrases, if in case you have the way to take action, you must without a doubt attach the GPD G1 the use of OCuLink with the intention to get the most productive efficiency from the tool.
GPD has positioned a fan in the course of the unit, which attracts in air from the highest and the perimeters. This design is essentially sound and well-conceived. That mentioned, you’ll without a doubt listen the fan working. Even at idle, we have been already measuring 36 dB(A) of noise from the unit. The eGPU reached as loud as 55.7 dB(A) throughout the tension check – a degree that may be described as demanding. Somebody who doesn’t have a couple of fine headphones goes to stay listening to the graphics card working within the background. The noise feels even louder since the fan produces a reasonably high-pitch sound. We want the GPD G1 had a significantly simpler cooling answer. The usage of an exterior energy provide would possibly were a better choice, as this would depart more room within the enclosure for a bigger cooler.
Given the excessive noise stage, it’s protected to suppose that the fan should paintings very arduous to stay the GPU’s temperatures in take a look at. The tool does this rather nicely in follow: we noticed GPU temps of 73°C (163.4°F) throughout the tension check. However GPU hotspot temps did height at 88°C (190.4°F). The cooling unit is designed to direct air out of the case from the facet. This could also be the place we recorded the absolute best temperatures at the case. Additionally, the ground will get considerably hotter, which means that GPD makes use of this floor for warmth dissipation as nicely.
In terms of energy intake, the GPD G1 advantages from the usage of a cell graphics chip. As much as 100 watts of energy is allotted to the Navi 33 chip itself – a degree persistently reached throughout our trying out. In line with our energy meter, the eGPU by myself had a height energy draw of more or less 130 watts, together with using different parts and more than a few energy losses led to by means of the PSU. It’s thus no marvel that the facility necessities of the total setup (the eGPU plus our GPU check gadget) are reasonably low: round 260 watts when gaming and 245 watts throughout the tension check (FurMark). Those are respectable numbers and as an entire reasonably less than what you wish to have with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060.
The GPD G1 helps Energy Supply at as much as 60 watts over its USB4 port.
With the GPD G1, we’ve taken a take a look at a reasonably other more or less GPU on this overview. As an exterior graphics card, the tool is proscribed relating to use circumstances. There are without a doubt eventualities the place it is sensible to make use of such an eGPU. However the query is whether or not you’re keen to shell out the asking value. It’s because the GPD G1 is certainly not a discount at over €700 (US$750). You might want to possibly put out of your mind the hefty value if the product has the efficiency to check. However all you’ll be expecting from the cardboard is the facility of a Radeon RX 6600, which can also be had for as little as €205 (US$220) relying at the type. After all, you wish to have to think about the cost of an eGPU enclosure, however such merchandise don’t generally value greater than €400 (US$430). Presently, the tiny shape issue is something the GPD G1 has going for it. The tool additionally natively helps OCuLink, which is a miles sooner interface. This can be a characteristic now not discovered on present eGPU enclosures from Razer or Sonnet. That mentioned, the tool paired with the G1 must also have an OCuLink interface if you would like to get optimum efficiency. The Minisforum UM780 XTX is a kind of uncommon mini-PCs with the sort of port, which permits a noticeably upper efficiency than a USB4 connection. It thus is still observed whether or not different producers also are going soar in this educate and provides their upcoming mini-PCs an OCuLink interface.
The GPD G1 permits you to easily turn out to be a tiny laptop right into a compact gaming gadget. However the efficiency doesn’t fit the asking value in any respect.
GPD itself gives the GPD Win 4 (2023), a compact hand held gadget similar with a Steam Deck. This tool is likewise able to connecting to the GPD G1 natively the use of OCuLink. Although at this level, chances are you’ll ask your self whether or not this setup remains to be moveable in any respect, as a result of it really is not any longer.
As opposed to its compact shape issue, the GPD G1 additionally brings further interfaces to the desk, equivalent to USB ports, show outputs and an SD card reader able to UHS-II speeds. That mentioned, we truly can’t sugarcoat issues in relation to noise stage. The eGPU is just too loud and distracting underneath load, hitting upwards of 55 dB(A) throughout out trying out. The corporate must imagine the use of another cooling answer. Any other level of our grievance is the package deal contents – offering just a USB4 cable isn’t sufficient. Making an allowance for how a lot the product prices, an OCuLink cable must were incorporated as nicely.
The GPD G1 is recently to be had from Amazon for round €960 (US$835). Costs and availability are matter to switch.
Allow 48h for review and removal.