If you’re finding the Steam Deck, ROG Ally, and Lenovo Legion a bit too straightforward, the OnePlayer X1 Mini might catch your interest. This upcoming 8.8-inch, 144Hz Windows gaming tablet is set to be the most gadget-filled handheld yet, boasting a range of features.
- Two detachable gamepads, like a Nintendo Switch
- A magnetically detachable keyboard cover, like a Surface tablet
- A kickstand
- An easy-access SSD slot under that kickstand (new for handhelds, I believe!)
- An Oculink port to connect one of a growing number of eGPUs
- Windows Hello automatic face log-in, as well as a fingerprint reader power button
- A 65 watt-hour battery, one of the largest in handhelds
- Multiple USB4 ports
- A controller grip to snap its Joy-Con-alikes together into a wireless gamepad
- “Harman EFX tuned audio”
And, importantly, it’s got a AMD 8840U processor instead of a Intel Core Ultra chip.
The OneXPlayer X1 Mini, a smaller variant of the 10.95-inch OneXPlayer X1 released earlier this year, follows a similar path with an AMD 8840U processor instead of the Intel Core Ultra chip found in the larger version. This change comes after the underwhelming performance of the Intel chip in devices like the MSI Claw, prompting OneXPlayer to reduce the price of the Intel-powered model and introduce the AMD-powered version.
Choosing between the 10.95-inch and 8.8-inch versions, all other factors being equal, would likely come down to portability for me, assuming the keyboard on the smaller version isn’t uncomfortably cramped. I’m definitely interested in trying it out, but pricing will be a deciding factor. The OneXPlayer X1 Mini hasn’t launched its Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign yet, but I’ll keep an eye out for updates and share them once available.
