OneXPlayer X2 Mini Gaming Handheld Packs A Big OLED Display And Ryzen AI Max+ 395

Gaming handhelds are relatively small by nature, and as a result, it's not really possible to put a discrete GPU in one. That means gaming on integrated graphics, necessarily. Well, what faster SoC with integrated graphics than AMD's Ryzen AI Max family? None, really, outside of perhaps Apple's finest, and those aren't going to fit in a handheld either. So it goes that One-Notebook has just teased the OneXPlayer X2 Mini, the company's second handheld (after the OneXFly Apex) to make use of AMD's premier APU.

Despite having "Mini" right there in the name, this thing is actually shaping up to be an absolute unit. It steps up from the 8-inch screen on the Apex to a massive 8.8-inch OLED panel boasting a buttery smooth 144Hz refresh rate with variable refresh rate (VRR) support. OneXPlayer is clearly gunning for the Lenovo Legion Go 2 with that same-spec OLED, and also because the new machine features detachable controllers that feature hybrid analogue/digital triggers and an optional magnetic keyboard, essentially giving you a portable workstation when you aren't blowing up bad guys.

Under the hood is the main event: the AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395, otherwise known by its code name "Strix Halo." As you likely know, this chip comes with fully 16 Zen 5 CPU cores and a beefy Radeon 8060S integrated GPU that packs in 40 RDNA 3.5 Compute Units. To keep this monstrous 120W TDP chip from melting right through your lap, OneXPlayer is bringing back the optional external water-cooling pack, along with a user-swappable 85Wh battery so you can theoretically survive a decent flight without hunting for a wall outlet.

But honestly, I have to ask: why did they go with the flagship Max+ 395 for a gaming device? Don't get me wrong, the specs are drool-worthy, but throwing 16 full-performance CPU cores into a handheld is total overkill for games. It would have made way more sense to use the newer Ryzen AI Max+ 388 SKU instead. That chip sheds the second CCD, dropping it down to a far-more-reasonable 8 cores while keeping the same 40-CU GPU. You get the same graphics grunt, but with less heat and a much better power budget dedicated directly to the integrated GPU where it actually matters for frame rates.

That's not to ignore the elephant in the room, which is pricing. Given that the current memory shortage is absolutely wrecking the market right now, you should probably start saving your pennies immediately. OneXPlayer's recent OneXStation mini PC launched at $2,999 with the same specs (but no screen), and the older Apex handheld recently shot up to $2,300 just for the 48GB model due to supply constraints. Considering the X2 Mini will likely push configurations with up to 128GB of ultra-fast LPDDR5X to feed that Strix Halo APU, I wouldn't be surprised to see top-tier models easily clear the $4,000 mark. And considering the superior efficiency and strong performance of Intel's Panther Lake, maybe wait for an Intel handheld instead?