The GPD Pocket 4 is a mini-laptop that seems like a natural evolution of the GPD Pocket 3 that first launched nearly three years ago. The new model has a similar design that includes a QWERTY keyboard, a hinge that lets you swivel the screen and fold it down over the keyboard for use in tablet mode, and a modular port system that gives you a little more control over the functionality of the computer than you get with most laptops or handhelds.
But the new model has a bigger screen with a higher refresh rate and faster memory. And instead of an 11th-gen Intel Core processor, it’s powered by a shiny new AMD Ryzen AI 300 series chip. Details about the GPD Pocket 4 first leaked in August, but this week the company officially introduced its mini-laptop and says it will go up for pre-order soon through an Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign.
For the most part the new model looks a lot like its predecessor. But it’s a little larger: the new model has an 8.8 inch 2.5K display rather than an 8 inch FHD+ screen. In order to make room for the larger display the GPD Pocket 4 has a slightly larger case, but if you believe the promotional pictures it may also have slimmer bezels around the screen.
Another change? Like the GPD Pocket 3, the new Pocket 4 has a modular port section that lets you choose whether you want an extra USB Type-A port, an RS-232 port, or a KVM module.
But GPD may also be planning to offer a few new modules, including a UHS-I microSD card reader module and a 4G LTE module. The company never released an official 4G module for the Pocket 3 (although there is an unofficial one).
But perhaps the biggest change is that instead of a 2021-era Intel processor, the GPD Pocket 4 is powered by an AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 “Strix Point” processor with Zen 5 CPU cores, Radeon 890M integrated graphics with 16 RDNA 3.5 cores, and a Ryzen AI NPU with up to 50 TOPS of AI performance.
Some things that haven’t changed? The mini-laptop is so small that there’s not much room for a traditional touchpad. But instead of the optical touch sensor used in the GPD Pocket 2, the Pocket 3 and 4 do have a touchpad. It’s just a small one that’s positioned above the right side of the keyboard, with left and right click buttons on the left. This makes it a touchpad that you can use while holding the computer in two hands… but I suspect that it’ll be easier to use an external mouse if you plan on using the little PC on a desk or table.
GPD hasn’t announced how much the Pocket 4 will cost or when it will be available. But since GPD is a relatively small company that typically focuses on one product launch at a time, I suspect we won’t see the full announcement until after the GPD Duo dual-screen 13.3 inch laptop starts shipping.
Here’s how the new model stacks up against the Pocket 3:
| GPD Pocket 4 (expected) | GPD Pocket 3 (2024) | GPD Pocket 3 (2022) | |
| Processor | AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 12 cores / 24 threads (4 Zen 5 + 8 Zen 5C) 2 GHz base / 5.1 GHz max 36MB cache 15 – 54W TDP (28W typical) AMD Strix Point architecture 50 TOPS NPU | Intel Pentium Gold 7505 2 cores / 4 threads 2 GHz base / 3.5 GHz max 4MB cache 15W TDP Intel Tiger Lake architecture | Intel Core i7-1195G7 4 cores / 8 threads 2.9 GHz base / 5 GHz max 12MB cache 12W – 25W TDP Intel Tiger Lake architecture |
| Graphics | AMD Radeon 890M 16 x RDNA 3.5 GPU cores Up to 2.9 GHz | Intel UHD for 11th-gen 48 execution units 350 MHz base / 1.25 GHz Max | Intel Iris Xe with 96eu 96 execution units 400 MHz base / 1.4 GHz max |
| Display | 8.8 inches 2560 x 1600 pixels 343 ppi 144 Hz IPS LCD 500 nits peak brightness 10-point multitouch input 180 degree hinge | 8 inches 1920 x 1200 pixels 248 ppi 60 Hz IPS LCD 500 nits 10-point multitouch180 degree hinge | |
| RAM | 32GB or 64GB LPDDR5x-7500 | 16GB LPDDR4x-3733 | 16GB LPDDR4x-3733 |
| Storage | 2TB or 4TB M.2 2280 PCIe 4.0 x4 NVMe SSD | 512GB M.2 2280 PCIe 3.0 x4 NVMe SSD | 1TB M.2 2280 PCIe 3.0 or 4.0 x4 NVMe SSD |
| Modular port | USB-A (included) RS-232 (optional) UHS-I microSD card Xreader (optional) KVM / USB input (optional) 4G LTE module (optional) | USB-A (included) RS-232 (sold separately) KVM / USB input (sold separately) | |
| Other Ports | 1 x USB4 (40 Gbps) 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Tyep-A 1 x USB 2.0 Type-A 1 x HDMI 2.1 1 x 2.5 GbE Ethernet 1 x 3.5mm audio | 1 x Thunderbolt 4 2 x 3.2 Gen 2 USB Type-A 1 x HDMI 2.0b 1 x 2.5 GbE Ethernet 1 x 3.5mm mic/headphone combo | 1 x Thunderbolt 4 2 x 3.2 Gen 2 USB Type-A 1 x HDMI 2.0b 1 x 2.5 GbE Ethernet 1 x 3.5mm mic/headphone combo |
| Wireless | WiFi 6E Bluetooth 5.3 | Intel AX210 WiFi 6E Bluetooth 5.2 | Intel AX210 WiFi 6E Bluetooth 5.2 |
| Keyboard | QWERTY chiclet-style keys Backlit | ||
| Webcam | 2592 x 1944 | 2MP (1600 x 1200) 77 degree field of view | |
| Battery & Charging | 44.8 Wh battery | 38.5Wh mAh battery 45W USB-C charger (20V/2.25A) | |
| Audio | Stereo speakers 3.5mm audio jack | ||
| Security | Fingerprint reader | ||
| Cooling | Active (fan) | ||
| Stylus | Microsoft Pen Protocol 2.0 4096 levels of pressure sensitivity Sold separately | ||
| Materials | Aluminum unibody chassis | ||
| Dimensions | 207 x 145 x 22mm | 198 x 137 x 20mm | |
| Weight | 770 grams | 725 grams | |
| Price (during crowdfunding) | ? | $573 for Pocket 3 $673 for Pocket 3+ modules | $982 for Pocket 3 $1015 for Pocket 3 + modules |
One more thing to keep in mind is that models with 64GB of storage may be exclusively available during crowdfunding: the company hasn’t decided whether it will continue selling a GPD Pocket 4 with 64GB of RAM once retail sales begin.
via VideoCardz, Tom’s Hardware, and @AnhPhuH
This article was first published August 14, 2024 and most recently updated November 1, 2024.
