The GPD WIN Max handheld gaming laptop is now on Indiegogo, starting at $779. The PC features an 8-inch screen for portable PC gaming, a built-in gamepad, and an Intel Core i 5 chip.

The GPD WIN Max has only one configuration, which GPD believes can run AAA games at 60Hz at moderate settings:

The Core i5 1035G7 is not the top of the line Ice Lake chip in terms of raw processing power, but it has the largest number of execution units possible 64, and our experience with similar chips like those found in the Dell XPS 13 and Razer Blade Stealth is that the chip should give you half-decent gaming performance in games with relatively low system requirements. However, you can see game benchmarks by the company on WIN Max's Indiegogo page.

WIN Max also offers three configurable TDP levels (15W, 20W, 25W), which should help provide higher performance when needed, even at the expense of system battery.

What makes this particular Ice Lake laptop a more portable gaming machine than others is the integrated gamepad on top of the keyboard. It has twin analog sticks, ABXY keys, a D-pad, and L2/R2 shoulder buttons. Certainly not the most ergonomic looking controller, but it will get the job done on the move better than an integrated trackpad.

Speaking of trackpads, the WIN Max's trackpad is located in the center of the laptop, just below the screen hinge. While this may be tricky if you want to use this laptop for anything other than gaming, it is understandable why GPD placed the trackpad there. I can't help but think that a TrackPoint-like stick instead of a trackpad would have sufficed, but that would have come with its own design challenges.

GPD compares the WIN Max to Alienware's Project UFO and Smach Z-two handheld PC gaming devices that fill similar niches. However, this is an unfair comparison, as GPD quotes a retail price of $1,400 for the Project UFO, while Alienware has not announced the Project UFO, nor have they released any specs for the system. [The GPD WIN Max Indiegogo campaign reached its goal within hours of its launch, and more than 1,000 handheld PCs have already been sold. It has now raised a total of $884,912 and several options for purchase remain.

GPD expects to fill orders this July, which is a fairly quick turnaround for an Indiegogo campaign; let's hope GPD can keep to this schedule.