The AMD Ryzen AI 300 series of mobile processors was launched about two weeks ago, but the launch turned out to be very limited, since only a small number of companies managed to prepare laptops based on the new chips in time. New mini-PCs based on fresh chips are not expected yet, and the first game consoles with new Ryzen processors will not appear until the fall. One of these new products will be the recently announced hybrid device GPD Pocket 4.
Image source: GPD
GPD Pocket 4 looks like a very compact laptop with a 180-degree rotating screen. The display itself has a diagonal of 8.8 inches. It is based on an LTPS matrix with a resolution of 2.5K and support for a refresh rate of 144 Hz, with a brightness of 500 cd/m2 and 97% coverage of the DCI-P3 color space.
GPD Pocket 4 is not only a gaming device. Although it can be used for gaming, unlike other GPD devices, the new product does not have a built-in gamepad. Instead, the gadget is equipped with a physical keyboard and touchpad. And the display, which rotates 180 degrees, allows you to use the GPD Pocket 4 as a tablet. Thus, it is a 2-in-1 device that is a hybrid between a laptop and a tablet.
The GPD Pocket 4 is powered by a 12-core (four Zen 5 cores and eight Zen 5c cores) Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 processor with a frequency of up to 5.1 GHz for the main Zen 5 cores and up to 3.1 GHz for the Zen 5c cores. The chip also includes 16 execution units of integrated graphics based on RDNA 3.5 architecture. The processor power consumption is dynamic and varies from 20 to 28 W. GPD claims that according to internal tests, the Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 is faster than the Ryzen 9 7950X (in Cinebench single-threaded test) and the Ryzen 9 5950X (in Cinebench multi-threaded test), and its integrated graphics are faster than the Arc A140V “integrated” of Intel’s upcoming Lunar Lake chips.
GPD Pocket 4 will offer up to 64 GB of LPDDR5-7500 RAM, of which 16 GB will be dedicated specifically to the integrated Radeon 890M graphics of the Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 processor. The company assures that this configuration will “ensure a smooth gaming experience.” One fan is responsible for cooling the components in GPD Pocket 4. The device will also offer up to 8 TB of permanent memory in the form of SSD M.2 2280. At the start of sales, GPD Pocket 4 will be offered with an SSD of up to 4 TB.
Another interesting feature of the GPD Pocket 4 is the modular connector located on the back of the device. Users will be able to replace the standard rear connector with a KVM module or a module with multiple USB ports for connecting a mouse and keyboard. For those who need more free space on the drive, the manufacturer will offer a module for reading SD cards. It will also be possible to install a module with an LTE modem.
GPD Pocket 4 is equipped with a built-in 44.8 Wh battery – something between the battery of the Asus ROG Ally (2023) and Lenovo Legion Go portable consoles. The cost of GPD Pocket 4 has not yet been announced. The manufacturer plans to fully present the device in October.