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Handheld gaming PCs have come a long way in recent years thanks to advances in mobile chips with high-performance integrated graphics capable of delivering decent frame rates for many recent games. But handhelds with the best processors can be pricey.
A new models sold by several Chinese PC brands takes a different approach. It's basically a 10.5 inch Windows 11 tablet with an FHD+ display, detachable game controllers, support for up to 32GB of RAM and… an Intel N95 Alder Lake-N processor featuring Intel UHD graphics.
That chip is a 15-watt, 4-core, 4-thread processor designed for cheap laptops and mini PCs. It supports CPU frequencies up to 3.4 GHz and features an integrated GPU with 16 execution units and support for frequencies up to 1.2 GHz.
It should be fine for playing some indie games, emulating older game consoles, or streaming games from more powerful hardware. But you're certainly not going to be playing the latest AAA titles on this handheld.
That said, the system does have a few things going for it. First, it's relatively inexpensive: You can pick up a Crelander-branded model for $340 and up from AliExpress, or pay $295 and up for a NWNLAP-branded version (1)(2).
Both have at least 16GB of RAM and an M.2 2280 slot for user-upgradeable storage. The starting price for the Crelander version is for a handheld with 16GB of LPDDR4-4800 memory and a 256GB SSD, while the NWNLAP model starts at 16GB/1TB.
And while the Intel N95 processor isn't exactly a speed demon compared with other chips for Windows PCs, it's actually pretty powerful compared with the ARM-based processors found in many low-cost Android and Linux handheld game consoles, which could actually make this handheld a decent option for emulation or streaming… as long as you're not looking to emulate any consoles newer than a GameCube or PlayStation 2.
The handheld, which NWNLAP calls the HL108G, consists of a chunky tablet with a 10.95 inch 1920 x 1280 pixel IPS LCD touchscreen display and a 37(ish) Wh battery, a fan and copper heat pipes, a built-in kickstand, and a set of ports that includes:
There's also a 2MP webcam and support for WiFi 4 and Bluetooth 4.2, and the detachable controllers feature linear triggers and RGB backlit analog sticks.
There are some inconsistencies in the product descriptions, and I can't easily tell whether some are actual differences between one model and the next, or just errors. So it's unclear whether some or all models will have 5,000 mAh or 4,500 mAh batteries, for example or if the unit weighs 1kg (2.2 pounds) or 1.26 kg (2.78 pounds).
I'm pretty sure that the physical dimensions are 235 x 170 x 20mm (9.25″ x 6.7″ x 0.79″) as shown on the Crelander product listing though, rather than 450 x 220 x 80mm (17.72″ x 8.66″ x 3.15″) as NWNLAP claims. Maybe those are the dimensions for the box that the unit ships in?
There's also mention of support for accessories including a stylus and a keyboard, but I haven't found any information about how to order those.
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