Welcome to our GPD WIN 3 benchmark testing article! In this article we will be comparing the GPD Win 3 i5 vs i7 models, which have the 1135G7 and 1165G7 processors respectively. We will be running some benchmark using software and games, to see the differences in artificial and real world performance of both handheld gaming PC.
The GPD Win 3 is an amazing handheld that we reviewed on launch, you can read our review article here. You can also learn more about and buy the GPD Win 3 here.
GPD Win 3 Comparison Video
We have a video below with the benchmarks, results and comparisons. Or if you prefer reading, scroll down a little further for a text based version of our GPD Win 3 benchmark comparison.
GPD Win 3 Comparison Text Version
GPD Win 3 Technical Specifications
The differences between the two handhelds are essentially down to the Intel processor and integrated graphics, so we will first take a look at those.
| MODEL | Intel i5 | Intel i7 |
| CPU | 1135G7 | 1165G7 |
| CORES: | 4 | 4 |
| THREADS: | 8 | 8 |
| SPEED: | 4.20Ghz | 4.70Ghz |
| GPU | Iris Xe Graphics | Iris Xe Graphics |
| EXECUTION UNITS:: | 80 | 96 |
| SPEED: | 1.30Ghz | 1.30Ghz |
| RAM: | 16GB LPDDR4x @ 4266Mhz – Dual Channel | 16GB LPDDR4x @ 4266Mhz – Dual Channel |
| STORAGE: | 1TB PCIe Gen 4.0, NVMe 1.4 | 1TB PCIe Gen 4.0, NVMe 1.4 |
The i5 has an 1135G7 processor which is quad core with eight threads running up to 4.20Ghz. The i7 processor is the 1165G7 model, which also has quad cores and eight threads, but it runs up to a faster 4.7Ghz.
Both handhelds have the 12th generation Iris® Xe Graphics running up to 1.3Ghz. The i5 has 80 Execution Units and i7 has more with 96 EUs. Execution Units performs the operations and calculations as instructed by the computer program, so the more the better!
The remainder of the GPD Win 3 components are essentially the same as each other in terms of RAM with 16GB LPDDR4x Dual Channel running at 4266Mhz, 1TB PCIe Gen 4.0, NVMe 1.4 SSD and other parts.
GPD Win 3 Benchmarks
For the following benchmarks we will be running the GPD Win 3 at its default resolution which is 1280×720 unless stated. We have updated Windows and all drivers to the latest available versions at the time of testing, and have made any other changes to both devices as closely as possible.
We have not overclocked either device to ensure there is a fair comparison for an average user. To also keep it fair we have run each benchmark once and unless there was an issue, we used those results.
PassMark Benchmark
We will start first with some benchmarking software that will give a direct comparison between the two models. PassMark requires a minimum resolution of 1080P for it to run fully, so for this test we are using this resolution on both devices.
PassMark gives a good general overall view of the main components of a PC including processor, graphics, memory and disk speed. With this, we can get an overview of the differences between the two models performance.
The i5 scores an overall 3,555 and the i7 scores 3,823. This gives an overall difference of around 7%.
We can see from the individual tests that the i7 beats the i5 in every test with a percentage difference ranging from 1 to 13 percent. A 7 percent average difference may not seem much, but this does mean data such as games or large files will be read and saved faster for example.
PCMark Benchmark
Next we move on to PC Mark which is a great piece of software for benchmarking real life day to day tasks on the windows handheld. This includes everything from general web browsing, office documents, media playing, video conferencing, and photo editing.
Although the GPD Win 3 is primarily a handheld gaming PC, you can use the GPD Win 3 docking station to connect it to a TV or monitor and turn it into a powerful desktop mini PC. It is ideal for working at home or even gaming on a larger screen!
The Win 3 i5 scores an overall 4,563 and the Win 3 i7 scores a higher 5,013. This gives an overall difference of around 9.3%.
Looking over the individual tests, we can again see noticeable differences in the results. For example there is 14% difference in software loading times, meaning software in general will open faster on the i7 than it would on the i5.
For day to day tasks both models are very good, but the i7 does have a good increase in overall performance.
3DMark Benchmark
3DMark runs tests on the processor and integrated graphics in a few different ways. This will give us a good indication of how games in general, media viewing and image and video processing will perform.
In the past, having a great graphics processor for games was essential for gaming. But we are now seeing that games such as Forza Horizon 4 and Flight Simulator 2020 also require multi-core and thread processors for the data processing, it is now equally important as the graphics processor. Both the i5 and i7 use the latest 11th generation processors, so we can get a great indication of the performance.
The i5 scores an impressive 1,543, with the i7 scoring and even more impressive 1,766. This gives an overall score difference of around 13.4%.
Both are great scores for the Iris Xe graphics, but there is a good difference in the performance due to the extra clock speed of the i7 processor. Although for some reason in our test it reported lower than the i5 in the results. The extra Execution Units found on the i7 definitely help with that extra boost in performance for the handheld console.
1135G7 vs 1165G7 Gaming Performance Benchmarks
Continuing our GPD Win 3 benchmark comparison, we will compare a few games to see real world gaming performance between the two devices. We start with A Total War Saga: TROY, a great turn based strategy game if you have not already played it!
A Total War Saga: TROY Benchmark
Using the built in benchmark software we have set the graphics settings for both models to Ultra. While the game will not run at full speed on Ultra, we can compare the performance while the GPD Win 3 is under a full load.
The i5 has an average frames per second of 18.1 and the i7 scores an average of 19.9 frames per second. This gives a difference in frames per second of around 9.5%
While it is essentially just over one frame per second difference, which may not seem a great deal, it is while the Win 3 is under full load and a 10 percent difference in performance.
Grand Theft Auto 5 Performance Comparison
Grand Theft Auto 5 is a popular game and one that was not very playable on the previous range of GPD Win models unless you made a lot of tweaks and mods.
The GPD Win 3 runs Grand Theft Auto 5 very well and we spent a bit of time with the graphics settings to get a nice balance of visuals and performance in order to get around 60 frames per second with occasional dips now and again. Both devices have the exact same settings.
You can see this comparison footage in our above video at 7:12. The benchmark for GTA V can vary a little in some scenes, there may be more clouds, random NPC’s and vehicles each time you run the benchmark. So we can not do a like for like benchmark, but you do get a good look at the overall performance of both devices in similar scenarios.
Forza Horizon 4 Benchmark
The built in benchmark for Forza Horizon 4 is great as it gives a breakdown of all the data collected during the tests.
For this benchmark we have changed the graphics settings to the default Ultra settings with a frames per second target of 60. While the GPD Win 3 can run Horizon 4 at a mix of medium and high settings, it is not quite powerful enough to run at full Ultra settings on 60 FPS. But again we can see the performance under a high load.
The i5 reaches an average of 35 frames per second, and the i7 has an average of 40 frames per second. This gives a FPS difference of around 13.3%
Looking at the breakdown you can see differences in the minimum and maximum scores for both the CPU and GPU. There is a noticeable difference in Stutter Count of 26 for the i5, and just 10 for the i7. This means you will have an overall smoother gameplay experience on the i7 compared to the i5.
Benchmarks Summary
Now time to sum everything up to see the difference in performance across the tests we have run. We have not included GTA5 as it is not a fully accurate test.
| MODEL | Intel i5 | Intel i7 | % Difference |
| PASSMARK | 3,555 | 3,823 | 7.2% |
| PCMARK | 4,564 | 5,013 | 9.3% |
| 3DMARK | 1,543 | 1,766 | 13.4% |
| A TOTAL WAR SAGA: TROY | 18.1 FPS | 19.9 FPS | 9.5% |
| FORZA HORIZON 4 | 35 FPS | 40 FPS | 13.3% |
| PRICE | £849.95 | £999.95 | 16.2% |
| AVERAGE | 11.5% |
Whichever model of GPD Win 3 you buy you can be sure it is a great gaming and emulation handheld. The Intel Core i5 and i7 processors with the fast Intel Iris graphics are an excellent combination to provide high performance for your gaming needs.
Our benchmarks are run at the maximum settings in order to really stress the CPU and integrated graphics. Normally you would run games for example at a mixture of settings such as High and Ultra. The i7 however does have the faster processor and graphics, which sees a respectable difference over the i5. Thiswill result in more frames per second and smoother gameplay in these normal circumstances.
We hope you have found our GPD Win 3 i5 vs i7 benchmark comparison article useful in deciding which model is suitable for your requirements. You can learn more and buy the GPD Win 3 here, and also check out our range of handheld gaming PC’s here.
