so huge and missing the two touchpads. i would really appreciate it + the ability to detach the controllers and possibly even swap them out for different ones (different layouts etc)
Kind of like it, it’s basically a traditional iPad size screen with controllers attached. Would be nervous dropping $900 on it without any sort of handheld track record though.
@@Deadguy2322forreal we've used surfaces at work for years, and I have a surface at home personally. zero issues with them "dying". not a fanboy - i have no horse in the race. but please dont spread misinformation about stuff.
Yeah, I think most people have a perfectly good gaming device in their pocket or their desk drawer, that just needs "joycons". Props to you for making your own solution. Therefore you are original, you are saving money, and you're not contributing more e-waste than "average John Doe" Those 3 wins are a lot better than shelling out extra dough for a specialized device that ties you down with a proprietary kerfuffle dongle knickknack buying adventure. You didn't feel the need to get a shiny new shiny device that will one day disappoint you or be outdated for its single purpose use case. For example: I paid $45 for a rechargeable gummy bear waterslide adventure theme park, yet I eventually eat the gummy bears, so they can't enjoy their water park in groups, which is the most fun way to enjoy an outdoor entertainment center. And really, I would have been just as happy with the $30 non-electric hand-cranked version of the water park, because electrocuting gummy bears in water doesn't work. They are nonconductive. Very likely you who are reading this have made a similar food theme park playset product purchase that you regret in hindsight. This issue has haunted me for as far back as I can remember. I was one of the suckers who bought sea monkeys (sea monkeys were marketed by a white supremacist. That is why the ads suddenly stopped appearing in the back of comic books. The comic book companies found out sea monkey peddler was a klansman). There were sea monkey accessories as well, which of course, I bought before I got the monkeys (mistake #2). There was a "water race" where you had some underwater pipes in a circle shape, and a 'pump trigger button' that forced air into the pipe, propelling the hapless monkeys around the circle, so that you could race the monkeys, and place bets upon which microscopic bribe shrimp would win. To facilitate the identification process, you could dye the shrimps with food coloring, but you had to race them quickly, because the dye was somehow eventually fatal. I wasted all my money on a sea monkey "horse" racing numbers racket that didn't make me any money, and actually cost me some friends, due to the idea being so ahead of its time that people assumed I was crazy. Now sea monkey race bookies make thousands of dollars a month, but some other asshole gets the credit for the invention. Follow your dreams. You can reach your goals, I'm living proof. BEEFCAKE! BEEFCAKE!
Suggestion: similar to size demonstration relative to other handhelds, can you come up with a way to create a system of demonstrating audio testing between devices by “side-by-side” demonstrations versus other devices? Once you record footage with each device, it can become reusable “stock” footage for future comparisons, of course, and while comparisons will always be subject to the various challenges in accurately presenting audio as it would be in “real life,” a standardized system pitting the devices against one another would at least provide valuable insights as to how each might perform. Just a suggestion, of course, love your work, as always!
Awesome review, as always. Even though I don't think I'd buy this handheld do to the "unknowns" you mentioned, I am very glad they made it. the manufacturer is showcasing what is possible and that main producers of handhelds need to take note, because the consumers aren't going to accept them taking the "cripple hammer" to they're current offerings. Like giant bezels around small screens and non-hall effect thumb stick doomed to drift. Good job Shipmate, keep up the good work!
All I really want is a massive screen, good controls, and WiFi 6 to use as a game streaming device. I have a beefy PC, and I just want to play it while in bed. I know the Logitech G Cloud exists, but $350 is too much when I only want to use it for streaming.
Steam Deck and the Ally crossed that line, for sure. Part of what makes a handheld so niche is it's pocketability and lack of heavy weight, allowing for more comfort and transportability. Yes, you can throw them in their dedicated "bag", but it means nothing if it takes up more space in a backpack, and you can't even pocket the thing.
I love this, the size is something I really want to try out. I can't justify buying it because I already have a gpd Win4. But of all the other handhelds I've seen, this is the most tempting to me, along with the aokzoe A1 pro
I know what this needs - a kickstand and removable folio keyboard like a microsoft surface. Protects the screen, that screen size is legitimately usable as a laptop, and then kickstand for a controller or pop off the keyboard for handheld mode. That's actually a very competitive early bird price. But for $800 at launch for a base model..... nah. If it had the folio keyboard i described, maybe though
That would bring the price up over a grand. Might as well just get a Surface and a wireless controller. That way you'll also have a full PC that can play any retro game you want as well as some lightweight modern ones.
@@nope-z5y I agree but think there would still be a somewhat compelling use case. I'd genuinely consider it because I often have to bring my Lenovo 2 in 1 with me (basically a surface pro) and then also bring a gaming handheld because i don't always find myself in a position where I can set it up and use a controller. It's could basically a wingpd laptop but more specific for gaming, which I think has a merit, but it'd kinda combine my steam deck and laptop into one, which personally, has merit. And it might not even balloon the price that much. Adding a kickstand is fairly trivial to the shell, and all you need for a keyboard is to just pop some magnets and a pogo pin on that big flat bottom edge I know we're just hypothesizing, but I can see a use case where I would use this over something like a gpd laptop where I'm holding the whole ass keyboard, and then use it to take notes. But man, imagine if it also had the grips be removable like a switch or the pimax portal or Lenovo legion, AND the folio type cover. I would genuinely pay $1500-1700 for that.
Can you carry an entire meal with this tray? 😂 By the way, I really like the concept of this device, because I think it can satisfy the needs of those gamers who don't need a portable device, but only something to move inside the house. Russ, is a Loki Mini Pro review close in your schedule? 😊
Really appreciate your reviews and information. I'm definitely interested in a large screen such as this. Just concerned with the unknowns on this one. Keep up the good work.
Cheers Russ, definitely not as daft as first impressions suggested. Streaming to a tablet or similar for couch sessions and having something more portable for travel seem more sensible solutions to me though.
Bro, Russ, I know it wasn’t intentional but your face and just how a human build looks while holding this thing had me rolling laughing 4:06 to 4:30. I couldn’t stop it’s just so comically huge.
2.5 lb handhelds NEED a kickstand. My biggest hand held is a Asus Z13 with 3D printed Joycon attachment. Not only does it have 13.4 inch screen, it weighs just a little bit more than this handheld, has 3050ti and a kickstand.
All following reviews need a direct speaker comparison to the ROG ally 💯. The only reason I always end up picking my ally up over the deck is I don't need headphones. It's a one and done device. 8inch screen would be nice but I'm cool with 7in .
This is basically a 'Surface Go' made for gaming. Potential to double as a tablet (no kickstand though) It only seems big to many consoles gamers because for decades they have gotten use to small 'Gameboy' sized handhelds. People forget these are PCs and something like this in the PC world isn't that large. We already have a 10" screen "handheld" PC for some time now in the GPD Win Max series, though it is a clamshell/laptop form factor. Other than that, I'm making the plunge to get this and trick it out with an 8TB SSD. - Good ergonomics can help balance and mitigate weight - A bigger chasis allows for better thermals, larger batteries and more features like dedicated GPUs, as purported by the upcoming Aya Neo Next II. A docking station or kickstand (which I don't know why they didn't have one for it) + KB/M one also has a portable desktop PC.
thanks for the nice review and feedback. Short travel triggers are good FPS or action/adventure games, but yeah driving games or Planet of Lana could be a pain, thanks for the update on the controller ergonomics (ally isn't ergo for me nor is it exactly like an xbox controller MS or 3rd party), glad theres more grip to these, is the right stick left of the x button or underneath it like on the ally (ally is off set at least 5mm to the right compared to an xbox controller right stick), its also missing back buttons but USB port means controller with back buttons, ETA prime had a working unit, so anyone check that out. . Worried about QC issues as well. I think the price is worth it for the 7840U 32GB RAM 7500mt/s and 2T, the ROG Ally smaller screen, no HAll effect sticks, smaller battery, 2230 vs 2280 in this device, only 1 port, 16gb of slower RAM and 512gb SSD which an upgrade to 1TB is at least 90-110$ (so $810 and more if you want more RAM or hall sticks and 90 degree 2280 adapter, hall sticks and RAM mods are a pain to do and done by some one with know-how, but 16gb of is more than enough). Yeah they could've reduced the price from our POV to be more competitive, but based on what's on the market Ally and SD and then anything from GPD, Ayaneo, oneX, etc it is. The only price and HW competitive device coming out soon with all these devices is the Legion Go. That being said the screen being not as vibrant, which hopefully is do your unit being defective or not being able to adjust settings, is disappointing but expected given the 220+ ppi 10.1 inch sceen. But i think if you're getting into windows handhelds the 7640U might be good enough, as some reviews show 10-20% FPS difference between these 2, depending on what you're doing with it, and you can upgrade the SSD and 16GB RAM is good enough. Pricing between the 2 is fair given more expensive chip, more RAM and SSD. You must have really liked this device that right stick looked dirty AF from use. One more note, as far weight goes, A swtich user before SD, "I'm not using that its too heavy and big." switch user after SD use and muscles getting stronger, " this thing totally replaced my switch and i can play all my Steam games." After using heavier or larger device ppl get used to it and stronger and it will be an afterthought. Larger screen will alot of games more enjoyable, whether 10 inches or 8.4/8 inches is better idk, but it will better than 6-7 inches
Did they also send you a TJD T80 for review, that one seems a more interesting option with the newer Rockchip that will hopefully be showing up in the future in devices from the likes of Anbernic and Retroid.
Being a 40s gamer with bad eyes, this intrigues me. I have a hard time with my Steam Deck when playing handheld. But I have smaller hands as well, and this thing is massive. Maybe I can find happiness in the middle ground, stuff like the Legion Go with the nearly-9 inch screen. We'll see.
The consideration about the grip ergonomics is interesting. The more I watched this video, the more I thought TJD should just make a tablet PC (Personally I’d want an 8” or 7” display) and bundle it with a TJD controller. I don’t like holding up my (much lighter!) 9.7” or 11” iPads for long, so I think a tablet with a built-in kickstand or case with a stand function also makes sense for a gaming tablet. I’m sure the TJD engineers are crestfallen that the engineering sample broke in shipping, with realistically no more chances to get a sample in the hands of a reviewer before the crowdfunding campaign is over. Further, I would have the concern that a consumer unit could also be damaged in shipping, or even if the retail packaging is really good I wonder how robust the device itself is. I don’t expect most handhelds this weight to survive a 3 foot drop… but as Russ said, he doesn’t even have a large enough case for it, so it might get rattled around, pressed, and strained as it is placed in the large compartment of a backpack, or more likely it might get knocked off a sofa or chair at some point.
The massive size and odd shape remind me of the original Razer Edge. That thing was huge and of a very strange form factor, although the ability to detach the controls and use it as a Windows tablet was pretty innovative. In theory, at least. I'm not quite sure who the market for this thing is!
This seems like it would fit the niche of being a handheld you'd keep in your camper/rv, or if you're a trucker and don't have a flat space for a laptop.
Can you navigate windows with the joystick and also how was using the keyboard I like how the steam deck has mousepads and the keyboard is very easily usable on it as well. Thanks for your feedback
While I admit There are people who Enjoy big Handheld Devices I feel like they are Missing the term "HANDHELD" because at this point, if it's as Heavy as you say your better off just getting a Laptop, cause your gonna need a Backpack to carry with you
I built an 11.6" one for streaming games in bed. I found laying on my back with elbows on the bed then the grips on my palms meant I was balancing the device not lifting it.
You forgot to mention that it uses a 2280 m.2 SSD. Those are a lot cheaper than the 2230 SSDs that the Deck and the Ally use. Also you could use a 4 TB, or if you are crazy a 8 TB SSD.
One is not crazy for using an 8TB SSD It just means one wants the largest internal storage options available, espeicially if they invest in a device that could potentially be ones main PC for a few years.
Yeah. Concerning the weight, they should have given it a tabletop mode with detachable controllers and a big stand like the Lenovo legion go. I really hope something this big comes out where it's just a tablet. $600 and 1tb sound absolutely amazing. I'm considering just buying this over the legion go just because of the size and the price and the storage space. Also, if you bought a Nintendo Switch you know how frustrating it is to play ported games on it where the UI or the gameplay itself is not made for a tiny screen. So bigger screens seem to make more sense.
Well the Kun has trackpads, style and Aya Neo at least have a rep for their build quality. The Legion Go is definitely a bigger threat to the Kun, than this. Since Aya Neo misstepped in the Kun's dpad, this could have beat it that way, rather than just price, but this dpad looks as bad or worse.
Was very interested this when I saw it first announced due to the screen size, but will be going for the legion go for now just due to the peace of mind of being able to return it if needed
Definitely a lot of “hopefully it’s not like this on the release version”. With the company’s past with cheap tablets this is a product anyone interested in should wait to purchase until they can see a review of the full release.
fair enough. I plan on getting this, but I admit I have my reservations and will not make the plunge until after I see "final" version reviews. Have 2 x handhelds from OneNet, though they more or less have an established reputation, along with Aya and GPD. (customer support and logistics all need improving though)
I have a gaming laptop so when you said at the end, you can take a laptop instead I was a little bit confused. Because this really seems like a tablet, it doesn't have a touchscreen? It was not mentioned at all. In that case one could use it also as a tablet and a good android tablet doesn't cost so much less than that. But if it doesn't have touchscreen then yeah I don't see the point in having it
Well, I do have reading glasses, and use them for portable gaming, so the large screen is tempting but, I get by fine with my SteamDeck. This is one I am going watch.... $600 does not seem bad but, if it's a bad device, buying a used one will be cheaper. As I have seen the Ally used now days for under $500. I still love what the deck does... so not sold on moving on yet....
Those off white thumb sticks look dirty against the white body of the device... also kind of worries me that the controls could break so easy in shipping.
A 14" laptop plus a wireless controller I would say it's a better option and a more compact one. I have a Thinkpad T14 Gen3 AMD with a Ryzen 7 6850u (up to 25w), 16 gb of Ram, bought it used for 750Euro, still in warranty for 2 more years, 1200p IPS 400nits display. Great laptop, great for portability, long battery life, 4g LTE, that's what I mainly use for PC gaming on the go. I also have a Switch Lite and a modded PSP. I realy have to learn more about the emulators on windows.
Video idea: recommended Android games with controller support. It would be interesting to see which games work on something like a 405m/rp3+ and see if the pocket air’s controller toggle support changes compatibility.
The steam deck kinda popularized a bigger screen and very ergonomic controls with okay portability. And this Device seems like there were a lot of good ideas here, especially with the ultra ergonomic controls. But then it's kinda breaching into the "maybe I should just get a laptop instead" territory. The screen size is just too much. Just 2 inches less and it'd be a little more practical. Hopefully you get a better unit later to test a little more. Great review!
Nice ergonomics and the dpad looks better than the one on the Kun for some reason, pity you can't test them. Screen looks kind of bad though, tried adjusting the color temperature in radeon utility? Looks too cool here if it's not your camera capture issue. Would be interesting to see a total power draw test/comparison with the Kun and other devices. Larger battery size don't necessarily equate to the proportional increase in battery life if the total power draw at the same TDP is higher than competition.
There will be some extra power draw from the screen but not that much compared to the Ally. It has about the same resolution, so the only significant extra power draw is going to be from the extra LED backlights due to the screen size. Shouldn't be enough to completely offset the larger battery though, so it should still have more life than the Ally.
@@CreativityNull there are other stuff in play like the efficiency of the different electrical components on the boards etc, the screen is not the only factor. And a larger screen size not necessarily uses more power than a smaller one (at least a slightly smaller one) as well, so it would be interesting to see tests for these handhelds.
@samh5886 you're right, it does depend on the panel, but overall the technology of the Ally screen is about the same as this screen on basic specs (IPS screens, Ally is 1080p 16x9 and this is 1200p 16x10.) However, I completely forgot that the Ally has a 120hz refresh rate, so the Ally's screen might be sucking up more juice than the T101's 60hz if you're running it in 120hz mode. As far as "efficiency of other electronic parts" motherboard components and other electronic components to make the main components work are going to be miniscule in difference, and most likely insignificant. So, we're probably going to be looking at the main components, which will follow standards for design, including power efficiency, and overall the devices have very similar major power sucking components. The only things the t101 has that "might" suck up more power depending on how much you use is the RAM. It has much more of it and it's running at a much higher frequency. Otherwise the OS is the same and the CPUs are similar enough (to the Z1 extreme) that there shouldn't be a significant difference in drain at the same wattages, nor a significant difference in performance. Maybe if the CPU governors are different (which is very possible) there might be more significant differences in power draw, but the hardware itself isn't going to play a huge role in that. The only real unknown for power draw between the two is the wifi cards. Those can also be significant differences, but I don't really know which ones they're using. However, I don't think this will make enough of a difference to make a 60WH battery perform the same or worse than a 40WH battery. Ultimately, it may just come down to software the two companies put in to optimize power use, but that can always be worked around by a motivated tinkerer. In pure hardware potential, I think the T101 wins in battery life.
This thing is comically gargantuan. When Russ was holding it while standing, it almost looked like he was ready to go surfing with it. 😅
😂
so huge and missing the two touchpads. i would really appreciate it + the ability to detach the controllers and possibly even swap them out for different ones (different layouts etc)
I hope Legion Go gets alternative con-joy layouts
Kind of like it, it’s basically a traditional iPad size screen with controllers attached. Would be nervous dropping $900 on it without any sort of handheld track record though.
It's 600
The only version worth considering, 7840u starts at $950 @@Rossbrian1
I'd love a 10" android based handheld around $300. G Cloud works well but text is small when streaming PC games.
Ah yes, Steam had a lot of handhelds before the deck.
That screen is FAR from Apple quality though.
The look of that thing gives me anxiety. I can't explain why but I'm actually uneasy looking at it 😳
I can’t even imagine what you’re going to be sharing with us 3 years from now. Pretty exciting. Keep up the great work Russ!
If Sloth from the Goonies was a handheld
Lol
Their marketing " HEY YOOOUU GUUUYYYSSS!!" 😂
Bro
I feel what you mean
I was impressed by your too excellent analogy.
When I saw initial renders I kinda laughed at it. Now I'm like "ok, that's neat, but not for me". Thanks as always!
We’re slowly reinventing laptops
Server > Personal Computer > Notebook > Laptop > Smartphone > Tablet > Laptop > Notebook > Personal Computer> Server.
Lmfao
I 3d printed joycon adapters for my Microsoft Surface tablet. Works surprisingly well as a gaming handheld.
A Surface tablet that hasn’t died yet is working “surprisingly well”, to be honest.
@@Deadguy2322forreal we've used surfaces at work for years, and I have a surface at home personally. zero issues with them "dying". not a fanboy - i have no horse in the race. but please dont spread misinformation about stuff.
Yeah, I think most people have a perfectly good gaming device in their pocket or their desk drawer, that just needs "joycons".
Props to you for making your own solution. Therefore you are original, you are saving money, and you're not contributing more e-waste than "average John Doe"
Those 3 wins are a lot better than shelling out extra dough for a specialized device that ties you down with a proprietary kerfuffle dongle knickknack buying adventure.
You didn't feel the need to get a shiny new shiny device that will one day disappoint you or be outdated for its single purpose use case.
For example: I paid $45 for a rechargeable gummy bear waterslide adventure theme park, yet I eventually eat the gummy bears, so they can't enjoy their water park in groups, which is the most fun way to enjoy an outdoor entertainment center.
And really, I would have been just as happy with the $30 non-electric hand-cranked version of the water park, because electrocuting gummy bears in water doesn't work. They are nonconductive.
Very likely you who are reading this have made a similar food theme park playset product purchase that you regret in hindsight.
This issue has haunted me for as far back as I can remember. I was one of the suckers who bought sea monkeys (sea monkeys were marketed by a white supremacist. That is why the ads suddenly stopped appearing in the back of comic books. The comic book companies found out sea monkey peddler was a klansman). There were sea monkey accessories as well, which of course, I bought before I got the monkeys (mistake #2). There was a "water race" where you had some underwater pipes in a circle shape, and a 'pump trigger button' that forced air into the pipe, propelling the hapless monkeys around the circle, so that you could race the monkeys, and place bets upon which microscopic bribe shrimp would win. To facilitate the identification process, you could dye the shrimps with food coloring, but you had to race them quickly, because the dye was somehow eventually fatal.
I wasted all my money on a sea monkey "horse" racing numbers racket that didn't make me any money, and actually cost me some friends, due to the idea being so ahead of its time that people assumed I was crazy.
Now sea monkey race bookies make thousands of dollars a month, but some other asshole gets the credit for the invention.
Follow your dreams. You can reach your goals, I'm living proof. BEEFCAKE! BEEFCAKE!
@@nefariou5dead guy is just upset because Bill Gates took his girlfriend and kicked sand in his face at the beach.
I fitted mine into a coffee table and used it as one of those old retro emulation style coffee table arcade machines.
I was really hoping you would test its pocketability. 😆
This one is more suited to a “suitcaseability” test!
😂
Yes, that would be very funny 🤣
You gave me a good laugh. Tnd 😂
Its super pocketable, can even put in your pants' back pocket
Suggestion: similar to size demonstration relative to other handhelds, can you come up with a way to create a system of demonstrating audio testing between devices by “side-by-side” demonstrations versus other devices? Once you record footage with each device, it can become reusable “stock” footage for future comparisons, of course, and while comparisons will always be subject to the various challenges in accurately presenting audio as it would be in “real life,” a standardized system pitting the devices against one another would at least provide valuable insights as to how each might perform. Just a suggestion, of course, love your work, as always!
Oh yes, this one is really big. I want to play it right now. Thank you and greetings from RetroGameCity 🤗
i love all these handhelds coming out!! i always wanted these handhelds when i was a kid, when we had gameboys in the 90s!! such a great time
I really like the screen size, I welcome more competition in this space and hope they're successful.
Awesome review, as always.
Even though I don't think I'd buy this handheld do to the "unknowns" you mentioned, I am very glad they made it. the manufacturer is showcasing what is possible and that main producers of handhelds need to take note, because the consumers aren't going to accept them taking the "cripple hammer" to they're current offerings. Like giant bezels around small screens and non-hall effect thumb stick doomed to drift.
Good job Shipmate, keep up the good work!
*their handhelds
All I really want is a massive screen, good controls, and WiFi 6 to use as a game streaming device. I have a beefy PC, and I just want to play it while in bed. I know the Logitech G Cloud exists, but $350 is too much when I only want to use it for streaming.
There's a point in where a handheld is too big that it's not a handheld
Technically this is a lapheld
Agree. It's more like a tablet with gaming controls.
deck already crossed that line
"Yowr Smawll Amerrrkian hawnd Jajajaja"
Steam Deck and the Ally crossed that line, for sure. Part of what makes a handheld so niche is it's pocketability and lack of heavy weight, allowing for more comfort and transportability. Yes, you can throw them in their dedicated "bag", but it means nothing if it takes up more space in a backpack, and you can't even pocket the thing.
I love this, the size is something I really want to try out. I can't justify buying it because I already have a gpd Win4. But of all the other handhelds I've seen, this is the most tempting to me, along with the aokzoe A1 pro
Fan any good? Thinking of using it as a hotplate.
Considering I play the deck 99% on the couch or bed, this is appealing to me. That screen would be awesome.
Already received. It works like a charm. I was testing it with steam and the ps2 emulator.
I know what this needs - a kickstand and removable folio keyboard like a microsoft surface. Protects the screen, that screen size is legitimately usable as a laptop, and then kickstand for a controller or pop off the keyboard for handheld mode.
That's actually a very competitive early bird price. But for $800 at launch for a base model..... nah. If it had the folio keyboard i described, maybe though
That would bring the price up over a grand. Might as well just get a Surface and a wireless controller. That way you'll also have a full PC that can play any retro game you want as well as some lightweight modern ones.
@@nope-z5y I agree but think there would still be a somewhat compelling use case. I'd genuinely consider it because I often have to bring my Lenovo 2 in 1 with me (basically a surface pro) and then also bring a gaming handheld because i don't always find myself in a position where I can set it up and use a controller.
It's could basically a wingpd laptop but more specific for gaming, which I think has a merit, but it'd kinda combine my steam deck and laptop into one, which personally, has merit.
And it might not even balloon the price that much. Adding a kickstand is fairly trivial to the shell, and all you need for a keyboard is to just pop some magnets and a pogo pin on that big flat bottom edge
I know we're just hypothesizing, but I can see a use case where I would use this over something like a gpd laptop where I'm holding the whole ass keyboard, and then use it to take notes.
But man, imagine if it also had the grips be removable like a switch or the pimax portal or Lenovo legion, AND the folio type cover. I would genuinely pay $1500-1700 for that.
Can you carry an entire meal with this tray? 😂
By the way, I really like the concept of this device, because I think it can satisfy the needs of those gamers who don't need a portable device, but only something to move inside the house.
Russ, is a Loki Mini Pro review close in your schedule? 😊
They need to put out legs for it as an accessory, so it can be used as a portable table.
I think a 10" android based device purely for local streaming could do well. It would be significantly lighter and cheaper.
I'll wait for them to bring out an 11" screen version. This one is a bit small for me.
🤣🤣
Lol this made me actually chuckle
lol.. I'll be waiting for a 13" screen handheld to use as my daily driver.
Really appreciate your reviews and information. I'm definitely interested in a large screen such as this. Just concerned with the unknowns on this one. Keep up the good work.
Use the Google translate feature on your phone with the phone camera and you can read all of the menus
Same thoughts about the 7840U pricing, so I backed the 7640U model, which is quite affordable.
Cheers Russ, definitely not as daft as first impressions suggested. Streaming to a tablet or similar for couch sessions and having something more portable for travel seem more sensible solutions to me though.
I am genuinely interested in this device- I hope they make another next year!
Are you reviewing the Aya Neo Kun soon?
Bro, Russ, I know it wasn’t intentional but your face and just how a human build looks while holding this thing had me rolling laughing 4:06 to 4:30. I couldn’t stop it’s just so comically huge.
2.5 lb handhelds NEED a kickstand. My biggest hand held is a Asus Z13 with 3D printed Joycon attachment. Not only does it have 13.4 inch screen, it weighs just a little bit more than this handheld, has 3050ti and a kickstand.
Ooooh that's an interesting idea!
I've wanted a z13, but no money :(
All following reviews need a direct speaker comparison to the ROG ally 💯. The only reason I always end up picking my ally up over the deck is I don't need headphones. It's a one and done device. 8inch screen would be nice but I'm cool with 7in .
This is basically a 'Surface Go' made for gaming. Potential to double as a tablet (no kickstand though)
It only seems big to many consoles gamers because for decades they have gotten use to small 'Gameboy' sized handhelds. People forget these are PCs and something like this in the PC world isn't that large.
We already have a 10" screen "handheld" PC for some time now in the GPD Win Max series, though it is a clamshell/laptop form factor.
Other than that, I'm making the plunge to get this and trick it out with an 8TB SSD.
- Good ergonomics can help balance and mitigate weight
- A bigger chasis allows for better thermals, larger batteries and more features like dedicated GPUs, as purported by the upcoming Aya Neo Next II.
A docking station or kickstand (which I don't know why they didn't have one for it) + KB/M one also has a portable desktop PC.
Seems a lot cheaper than i expected based on the specs
You should be receiving the media machine soon, I'm looking forward to your ODIN2 review, my friend
you always make my day with these vids thanks!!!!
It would have been a notable pinch smaller if it was a bezelless display. Given its size, they should have done that.
Are the thumb sticks beige? Or just dirty? They look worn out..
Can you compare to gpd win max 2? The only other 10 inch unit with controls built in?
Second this!
thanks for the nice review and feedback. Short travel triggers are good FPS or action/adventure games, but yeah driving games or Planet of Lana could be a pain, thanks for the update on the controller ergonomics (ally isn't ergo for me nor is it exactly like an xbox controller MS or 3rd party), glad theres more grip to these, is the right stick left of the x button or underneath it like on the ally (ally is off set at least 5mm to the right compared to an xbox controller right stick), its also missing back buttons but USB port means controller with back buttons, ETA prime had a working unit, so anyone check that out. . Worried about QC issues as well. I think the price is worth it for the 7840U 32GB RAM 7500mt/s and 2T, the ROG Ally smaller screen, no HAll effect sticks, smaller battery, 2230 vs 2280 in this device, only 1 port, 16gb of slower RAM and 512gb SSD which an upgrade to 1TB is at least 90-110$ (so $810 and more if you want more RAM or hall sticks and 90 degree 2280 adapter, hall sticks and RAM mods are a pain to do and done by some one with know-how, but 16gb of is more than enough). Yeah they could've reduced the price from our POV to be more competitive, but based on what's on the market Ally and SD and then anything from GPD, Ayaneo, oneX, etc it is. The only price and HW competitive device coming out soon with all these devices is the Legion Go. That being said the screen being not as vibrant, which hopefully is do your unit being defective or not being able to adjust settings, is disappointing but expected given the 220+ ppi 10.1 inch sceen. But i think if you're getting into windows handhelds the 7640U might be good enough, as some reviews show 10-20% FPS difference between these 2, depending on what you're doing with it, and you can upgrade the SSD and 16GB RAM is good enough. Pricing between the 2 is fair given more expensive chip, more RAM and SSD. You must have really liked this device that right stick looked dirty AF from use. One more note, as far weight goes, A swtich user before SD, "I'm not using that its too heavy and big." switch user after SD use and muscles getting stronger, " this thing totally replaced my switch and i can play all my Steam games." After using heavier or larger device ppl get used to it and stronger and it will be an afterthought. Larger screen will alot of games more enjoyable, whether 10 inches or 8.4/8 inches is better idk, but it will better than 6-7 inches
Did they also send you a TJD T80 for review, that one seems a more interesting option with the newer Rockchip that will hopefully be showing up in the future in devices from the likes of Anbernic and Retroid.
Best way to prop that up is a heavy metal mini tripod. That has a spring fastened adapter while sitting at a table.
Now that thing is a monster!
Being a 40s gamer with bad eyes, this intrigues me. I have a hard time with my Steam Deck when playing handheld. But I have smaller hands as well, and this thing is massive.
Maybe I can find happiness in the middle ground, stuff like the Legion Go with the nearly-9 inch screen. We'll see.
Love big handheld. Feel so much sturdier
The Rites of Spring tee. Right on, brother.
Great review.
The consideration about the grip ergonomics is interesting. The more I watched this video, the more I thought TJD should just make a tablet PC (Personally I’d want an 8” or 7” display) and bundle it with a TJD controller. I don’t like holding up my (much lighter!) 9.7” or 11” iPads for long, so I think a tablet with a built-in kickstand or case with a stand function also makes sense for a gaming tablet.
I’m sure the TJD engineers are crestfallen that the engineering sample broke in shipping, with realistically no more chances to get a sample in the hands of a reviewer before the crowdfunding campaign is over. Further, I would have the concern that a consumer unit could also be damaged in shipping, or even if the retail packaging is really good I wonder how robust the device itself is. I don’t expect most handhelds this weight to survive a 3 foot drop… but as Russ said, he doesn’t even have a large enough case for it, so it might get rattled around, pressed, and strained as it is placed in the large compartment of a backpack, or more likely it might get knocked off a sofa or chair at some point.
I recall you saying your son often would grab the aokzoe, ill be interested to hear if he goes for this instead. That will be really telling.
Will you be doing something about the upcoming Gameforce Ace? The current preorder price is prety amazing for its power and feature set
This reminds me of the JXD Singularity from back in the days, really interesting!
Any chance your going to look at the tjd t80 that's the one I'm most interested in!!
The massive size and odd shape remind me of the original Razer Edge. That thing was huge and of a very strange form factor, although the ability to detach the controls and use it as a Windows tablet was pretty innovative. In theory, at least. I'm not quite sure who the market for this thing is!
Holy shit !! That Size Absolute Unit !
This seems like it would fit the niche of being a handheld you'd keep in your camper/rv, or if you're a trucker and don't have a flat space for a laptop.
Can you navigate windows with the joystick and also how was using the keyboard I like how the steam deck has mousepads and the keyboard is very easily usable on it as well. Thanks for your feedback
Look at the Windows start menu button. It has the older XP~7 era logo on it. Isn't that some fantastic anachronism?
While I admit There are people who Enjoy big Handheld Devices I feel like they are Missing the term "HANDHELD" because at this point, if it's as Heavy as you say your better off just getting a Laptop, cause your gonna need a Backpack to carry with you
I built an 11.6" one for streaming games in bed. I found laying on my back with elbows on the bed then the grips on my palms meant I was balancing the device not lifting it.
will u review gpd wini mini once they fix the heat issue?
You forgot to mention that it uses a 2280 m.2 SSD. Those are a lot cheaper than the 2230 SSDs that the Deck and the Ally use. Also you could use a 4 TB, or if you are crazy a 8 TB SSD.
I do mention that it’s a 2280 m.2 slot in the spec section! Very happy to see they used it.
One is not crazy for using an 8TB SSD
It just means one wants the largest internal storage options available, espeicially if they invest in a device that could potentially be ones main PC for a few years.
@@AdmiralBison true, but about 1000 bucks for a SSD used in a device that costs about the same is maybe just a little crazy for me😜
Cool Rites of Spring tee!
Oh damn thats big boy.
That's what they all say 🫡🥴💀🤖
Yeah. Concerning the weight, they should have given it a tabletop mode with detachable controllers and a big stand like the Lenovo legion go. I really hope something this big comes out where it's just a tablet. $600 and 1tb sound absolutely amazing. I'm considering just buying this over the legion go just because of the size and the price and the storage space.
Also, if you bought a Nintendo Switch you know how frustrating it is to play ported games on it where the UI or the gameplay itself is not made for a tiny screen. So bigger screens seem to make more sense.
I have a question about any handheld device. after 2 or 3 years, these triggers and buttons will work fine?! Do we have support to replace it 🤔
Just the thing im looking and waiting for
Handheld pc
If there is a magnetic cover keyboard come along it will be awesome
was hoping you'd compare the size to the rg nano...
I was wondering if you were going to try to put it into your pocket during the portability shot
that bezel is huge
The existence of this handheld + the Legion Go really put the Ayaneo Kun in a horrible position
Well the Kun has trackpads, style and Aya Neo at least have a rep for their build quality. The Legion Go is definitely a bigger threat to the Kun, than this. Since Aya Neo misstepped in the Kun's dpad, this could have beat it that way, rather than just price, but this dpad looks as bad or worse.
Was very interested this when I saw it first announced due to the screen size, but will be going for the legion go for now just due to the peace of mind of being able to return it if needed
In my opinion the moment the screen is taller than the controls, that's when you know you've gone too big (or the controls are too small, I guess😑).
Gaming and swoll biceps all in one? Count me in.
Definitely a lot of “hopefully it’s not like this on the release version”. With the company’s past with cheap tablets this is a product anyone interested in should wait to purchase until they can see a review of the full release.
fair enough.
I plan on getting this, but I admit I have my reservations and will not make the plunge until after I see "final" version reviews.
Have 2 x handhelds from OneNet, though they more or less have an established reputation, along with Aya and GPD. (customer support and logistics all need improving though)
I have a gaming laptop so when you said at the end, you can take a laptop instead I was a little bit confused. Because this really seems like a tablet, it doesn't have a touchscreen? It was not mentioned at all. In that case one could use it also as a tablet and a good android tablet doesn't cost so much less than that. But if it doesn't have touchscreen then yeah I don't see the point in having it
I almost bought this, but I’ll wait for TJD to be in the handheld game a bit longer.
Well, I do have reading glasses, and use them for portable gaming, so the large screen is tempting but, I get by fine with my SteamDeck. This is one I am going watch.... $600 does not seem bad but, if it's a bad device, buying a used one will be cheaper. As I have seen the Ally used now days for under $500. I still love what the deck does... so not sold on moving on yet....
the grips being shorter than the screen is a good idea
Those off white thumb sticks look dirty against the white body of the device... also kind of worries me that the controls could break so easy in shipping.
Once you see it you can't unsee it.
This thing reminds me of back in the day having a gamegear when other kids were still using gameboys
A 14" laptop plus a wireless controller I would say it's a better option and a more compact one. I have a Thinkpad T14 Gen3 AMD with a Ryzen 7 6850u (up to 25w), 16 gb of Ram, bought it used for 750Euro, still in warranty for 2 more years, 1200p IPS 400nits display. Great laptop, great for portability, long battery life, 4g LTE, that's what I mainly use for PC gaming on the go. I also have a Switch Lite and a modded PSP. I realy have to learn more about the emulators on windows.
GPD Win Max 2 be like: "What am I chopped liver?"
Well, the thing is, I don’t consider it to be a handheld 😎
Video idea: recommended Android games with controller support. It would be interesting to see which games work on something like a 405m/rp3+ and see if the pocket air’s controller toggle support changes compatibility.
The steam deck kinda popularized a bigger screen and very ergonomic controls with okay portability. And this Device seems like there were a lot of good ideas here, especially with the ultra ergonomic controls. But then it's kinda breaching into the "maybe I should just get a laptop instead" territory. The screen size is just too much. Just 2 inches less and it'd be a little more practical. Hopefully you get a better unit later to test a little more.
Great review!
The bigger screen is better for your eye sign. 7 inch handhelds are kinda small for grown people. Maybe for kids its ok
I understand that this isn't the final version of the product but a kickstand is definitely needed with a device this size regardless. 🤔
That thing is massive 😰 I wouldn’t consider buying it for that reason alone
Sure it's big, but I must say, it looks really comfortable and those specs aren't that bad.
I said the same thing about the Steam Deck but apparently others love that device.
living under the name portable but they are heavy
Does this has the same performance as the rog ally?
Really good price too
Great content as always bruh, but I'm tryna figure out why this thang ain't got no dang kickstand? lol.
Nice ergonomics and the dpad looks better than the one on the Kun for some reason, pity you can't test them.
Screen looks kind of bad though, tried adjusting the color temperature in radeon utility? Looks too cool here if it's not your camera capture issue.
Would be interesting to see a total power draw test/comparison with the Kun and other devices.
Larger battery size don't necessarily equate to the proportional increase in battery life if the total power draw at the same TDP is higher than competition.
There will be some extra power draw from the screen but not that much compared to the Ally. It has about the same resolution, so the only significant extra power draw is going to be from the extra LED backlights due to the screen size. Shouldn't be enough to completely offset the larger battery though, so it should still have more life than the Ally.
@@CreativityNull there are other stuff in play like the efficiency of the different electrical components on the boards etc, the screen is not the only factor.
And a larger screen size not necessarily uses more power than a smaller one (at least a slightly smaller one) as well, so it would be interesting to see tests for these handhelds.
@samh5886 you're right, it does depend on the panel, but overall the technology of the Ally screen is about the same as this screen on basic specs (IPS screens, Ally is 1080p 16x9 and this is 1200p 16x10.) However, I completely forgot that the Ally has a 120hz refresh rate, so the Ally's screen might be sucking up more juice than the T101's 60hz if you're running it in 120hz mode.
As far as "efficiency of other electronic parts" motherboard components and other electronic components to make the main components work are going to be miniscule in difference, and most likely insignificant. So, we're probably going to be looking at the main components, which will follow standards for design, including power efficiency, and overall the devices have very similar major power sucking components. The only things the t101 has that "might" suck up more power depending on how much you use is the RAM. It has much more of it and it's running at a much higher frequency. Otherwise the OS is the same and the CPUs are similar enough (to the Z1 extreme) that there shouldn't be a significant difference in drain at the same wattages, nor a significant difference in performance. Maybe if the CPU governors are different (which is very possible) there might be more significant differences in power draw, but the hardware itself isn't going to play a huge role in that.
The only real unknown for power draw between the two is the wifi cards. Those can also be significant differences, but I don't really know which ones they're using. However, I don't think this will make enough of a difference to make a 60WH battery perform the same or worse than a 40WH battery.
Ultimately, it may just come down to software the two companies put in to optimize power use, but that can always be worked around by a motivated tinkerer. In pure hardware potential, I think the T101 wins in battery life.
It should have detachable controller considering the size. Anyway good effort
The handheld she told you not to worry about.
Can they play ground branch?
Nice Rites of Spring shirt
I was super excited about this until I saw the d pad and now I think I'll just go with the legion GO
Still it's cool but ... looks so weird with the massive screen 🙄
I want a TJD T101 but can't afford one at the moment. Maybe I'll be able to afford one later.
I'd say it's still portable, just not pocketable.
It’s a luggable video game system!
Why is the controller shrunken? It’s not like they were worried about it being portable.
Bro, do you even lift (handheld PC's)?