We’re really stretching the definition of a gaming “handheld” these days. With a 10.95-inch display and Intel’s latest Core Ultra mobile chipset, the newly announced OneXPlayer X1 might just be the biggest and most powerful handheld gaming PC ever made.
You may think that a display that’s almost 11 inches diagonal is excessive for a handheld, but just like with phones and tablets, people are demanding larger screens. And once you go big screen, there’s no going back to smaller ones.
The screen might be the main reason to consider the OneXPlayer X1, but the tried-and-true 3-in-1 design is also a selling point. The handheld maker has done this before with its OneXPlayer 2 Pro, which switches between a traditional gaming handheld, a laptop with a detachable keyboard, and a plain old tablet.
A Seriously Impressive Screen
OneXPlayer hasn’t shared full details in its X1 teaser, but we do know that it will have a 10.95-inch display with 2.5k resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate. Any one of those specs would make the X1 a notable mobile gaming device, but all three combined make it a serious frontrunner in the race for the best handheld display. It will even support stereo sound thanks to its dual speakers.
For comparison, the Asus ROG Ally features a 120Hz display that tops out at 1,920 x 1,080 resolution on a 7-inch display. Not even the Steam Deck OLED can compare with its 7.4-inch (1,280 x 800) display running at 90Hz. Even looking at display size, GPD’s Win Max 2 features a 10.1-inch screen that’s limited to a 1,920 x 1,200 resolution with a 60Hz refresh rate.
It’s worth noting that OneXPlayer is going with Intel’s latest mobile processors while most other handhelds are using AMD Ryzen chips. We should expect some improved performance and energy efficiency compared to the X1’s predecessors, thanks to the Intel Core Ultra 1st Gen processor. So far, the only other handheld we’ve heard of using Intel’s upcoming mobile processor is Emdoor, which is more known for building rugged laptops and tablets.
OneXPlayer also confirmed in its Discord that the X1 will have an OcuLink connection that lets you pair it with external GPUs. That makes a lot of sense since OneXPlayer just launched its OneXGPU on Indiegogo in November.
Coming In January 2024
Surprisingly, OneXPlayer says the X1 is set to start shipping in January 2024. That’s an extremely tight release window, with the handheld maker saying it will announce the X1’s specs and features later.
We have no idea how the X1 will be priced, but it will likely occupy the flagship spot for OneXPlayer’s handheld lineup. Don’t be surprised at a wild price tag since the OneXPlayer 2 Pro retails at a whopping $1,299.
