GPD WIN MAX 2 2024 Review with video – AMD Ryzen 8840U handheld gaming PC

The final model in the GPD trilogy of handheld gaming PCs is with us for review. Let’s find out how in our GPD WIN MAX 2 2024 review how it compares with the 2023 model, as well as the GPD WIN 4 2024 and GPD Win Mini 2024 models.

GPD WIN MAX 2 2024 Review Video

Unboxing the GPD WIN MAX 2 2024

We start the GPD WIN MAX 2 2024 review with the unboxing. Inside the box we have the GPD WIN MAX 2 2024 itself, we will take a closer look at it shortly.

Underneath is a user manual which is in English and Chinese Next we have a power supply, we will include the correct plug adapter for your country. And last but not least is a USB Type-C cable for charging.

GPD WIN MAX 2 2024 Overview

Next in our GPD WIN MAX 2 2024 review we take a closer look at the portable gaming PC. The GPD WIN MAX 2 2024 measures 8.9 x 6.2 x 0.9 inches (22.7 x 16 x 2.3 cm) and weighs 1005g.

The display is a 10.1 inch touchscreen with a default 1200P resolution, supporting up to 1600P. It’s a great sized screen for both work and gaming on this handheld gaming PC.

The lower half of the device contains a decent sized backlit keyboard that is great for typing on, I wrote this review with it and had no issues at all. The keys are low profile and require little effort to press.

Above the keys are the removable covers which slide into the back of the device. Underneath are your standard gaming controls with hall sensor analogues, D-Pad and gaming buttons. In the middle is a Microsoft Precision TouchPad. And on the hinge is a built-in camera for video conferencing.

On the left side are micro and full sized SD card slots. And on the right are two USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports.

The front has a power button with a built-in fingerprint sensor for fast and secure logging into Windows.

The back has triggers and shoulder buttons, and there are USB 4 and USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports. Next there is a full size HDMI port for output to a display, and an Oculink port for connection to eGPU docking stations such as the GPD G1. And last but not least there is a 3.5mm headphone port.

On the bottom are two additional macro buttons that can be configured in the supplied software. On either side are removable covers, one for m.2 2230 SSD expansion and the other for the optional 4G LTE module.

GPD WIN MAX 2 2024 Technical Specifications

We continue our GPD WIN MAX 2 2024 review with a look at the technical specifications as well as running our own battery life, fan noise and temperature tests.

CPU	AMD Ryzen 7 8840U, 8 cores, 16 threads, up to 5.1GHz
GPU	AMD Radeon 780M, up to 2700 MHz
RAM	32GB/64GB LPDDR5x 6400Mhz
STORAGE	2TB/4TB M.2 NVME SSD
DISPLAY	10.1″ IPS touchscreen, 1920×1200 resolution, supports up to 2560×1600, 16:10 aspect ratio, 299 PPI
I/O	1x USB 4 1x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C 1x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A 1x OcuLink (SFF-8612) 1x HDMI 1x Micro SD card reader 1x SD card reader 1x 3.5mm audio port
COMMUNICATIONS	Wi-Fi 6 Bluetooth 5.2
BATTERY	67Wh Li-polymer

In our tests while running Cinebench on a loop we got 1 hour 52 minutes battery life. On average usage you will get the usual 6-8 hours.

In our fan noise and temperature tests we got a highest fan noise of 60 dB and highest temperature of 43 °C on the keyboard area, and 63 °C on the exhaust grill.

System Benchmarks

We will now perform some system benchmarks and use the results to compare against the 2023 model as well as other devices with the 8840U CPU such as the GPD WIN Mini 2024. 

PCMark

We start with PCMark which performs a series of your more day to day usage of a PC from web browsing to image and video editing.

We got a score of 7,085 which takes the lead over the GPD WIN 4 2024 handheld gaming PC. It is also a considerable improvement over last year’s WIN MAX 2 model which is good to see.

Cinebench

Cinebench tests the single and multi core performance of the processor.

We got single and multi-core scores of 1,768 and 12,997 respectively. Again, it takes the lead in single core and falls just shy of the GPD Win 4 2024 mobile gaming PC in multi-core performance. There is a good improvement over the 2023 model.

3DMark

3DMARK tests the CPU and GPU working together for graphics related performance such as gaming and video encoding.

In Time Spy, Night Raid and Fire Strike, we got scores of 3,114, 27,221 and 7,307. Not much difference to last year’s model, although the Win 4 ’24 is not much higher either apart from on Night Raid.

Gaming Benchmarks

As this is a portable gaming computer as part of our GPD WIN MAX 2 2024 review we will benchmark some popular games. We test with a range of TDP from 5W to 28W and at 1080P and 720P resolutions to compare.

Forza Horizon 5

We are running the Forza Horizon 5 benchmark on the lowest graphics settings.

At 1080P 28W we see a few frames difference in performance compared to the GPD Win 4 ’24, and a decent  improvement over the 2023 model by 30 FPS.

At 720P we do see near identical FPS, but there’s a noticeable performance drop when compared to the other models as we go down the TDPs.

Shadow of the Tomb Raider

At 1080P we again see similar scores to the other 8840U models. And at 720P we initially see similar scores again for 28W and 20W TDP, as we go lower we do see a drop in comparative performance though.

Call of Duty Modern Warfare III

For Call of Duty MW3 we are running on the minimal graphics settings with no FSR enabled.

At 1080P we get very good scores, not far off those on the WIN 4 2024. And at 720P we see overall lower comparative performance until 5W TDP.

Street Fighter VI

We are running Street Fighter Vi on the highest graphic settings to push the hardware.

We see a mix of ups and downs on both 1080P and 720P performance, but do keep in mind this is generally 1 or 2 frames per second so there’s not a massive difference.

Oculink Benchmarks

As part of the GPD WIN MAX 2 2024 review, the GPD WIN MAX 2 2024 has an Oculink port. With this we are able to compare the performance of the GPD WIN 4 2024 with the GPD G1 2024 eGPU docking station.

3DMARK

We see similar scores comparing the WIN MAX 2 24 and GPD WIN 4 2024 models, minor variations which if you rerun the benchmark would have differing scores.

Forza Horizon 5

The same with Forza Horizon 5, we see similar scores on the WIN MAX 2 2024 to the Win 4 2024. Freeing up the 780M GPU really helps to get the best out of the CPU.

Shadow of the Tomb Raider

At 1080P we got similar frames per second, there is a slight drop at 720P though.

Call of Duty

We get identical scores for the GPD WIN MAX 2 2024 and GPD Win 4 2024 compact gaming PCs. The game is dependent on GPU power rather than CPU so we have the same scores.

Gaming Performance

In this section of our GPD WIN MAX 2 2024 review we will now show a few games and the best settings on screen for 60 or above FPS when possible.

Emulation Performance

The 8840U CPU has some improvements over last year’s model. You may be able to run older consoles at lower TDP than before, and for newer systems you will have a smoother experience than before. Let’s check out a few consoles from older to new.

Final Thoughts

Time to sum up our GPD WIN MAX 2 2024 review now. The GPD WIN MAX 2 2024 was the final of GPD handheld gaming computers to be updated and overall  it is a good improvement over last year’s model. We see improved performance when comparing the 7840U and 8840U processors. Like the other models, perhaps not enough to warrant upgrading if you have the 2023 model, but if you are looking for a device that is ideal for work and gaming, the Win MAX 2 2024 is an excellent option.

Gaming on the WIN MAX 2 series has always been a talking point. It’s not a mobile gaming PC you can freely hold, you will be resting it on your lap or on a table for example, or maybe using an external controller instead. But it is quite comfortable and easy to game on as well as do work with. If perhaps you are more of a gamer than using it for work, it is worth considering the GPD Win Mini 2024 instead.

The 10.1 inch screen is great to work with and even better to game on. You will be playing the more demanding games at 1080P or even 720P, but for work you can happily crank the resolution up to 1600P and enjoy the full benefits of higher resolutions and larger screen than the GPD WIN 4 2024 and GPD WIN Mini 2024 models.

You can learn more about and order the GPD WIN MAX 2 2024 here. Use the discount code WM2245OFF on the Checkout for 5% off. The code expires one month of this review being posted, and can not be used during store sales or other promotions.

That wraps up our GPD WIN MAX 2 2024 review, we hope you have found it useful. If you do have any questions please feel free to ask in the comments. Thanks!