GPD Duo Laptop Review: A Game-Changing Dual-Screen Powerhouse

In a world where innovation is key to staying ahead in technology, GPD has made a bold move with its latest offering—the GPD Duo, a dual-screen laptop powered by AMD’s cutting-edge Ryzen AI9 HX 370 processor. This is not your ordinary laptop. The dual-screen design, paired with top-tier specs and functionalities, makes the GPD Duo an exciting and versatile tool, particularly for professionals and tech enthusiasts. As a top content writer, I’ve seen how critical it is to balance innovation with practicality, and the GPD Duo strikes a delicate, yet impressive balance.

This in-depth review will explore everything about the GPD Duo—from its hardware, software performance, and usability, to its battery life and versatility. Whether you’re a content creator, developer, or professional multitasker, the GPD Duo offers more than just a typical laptop experience. Let’s dive in and see if it lives up to the hype.

Key Specifications of GPD Duo

Design and Build Quality: Bold, Compact, and Practical

At first glance, the GPD Duo may seem like a futuristic concept, but once you get your hands on it, the thoughtful design starts to make sense. The dual 13.3-inch AMOLED displays are truly the standout feature, each offering a 2880×1880 resolution with a 16:10 aspect ratio. Not only are these displays vibrant with excellent color accuracy (133% sRGB, 100% Adobe RGB), but they also boast a 1ms response time, making them ideal for both productivity and creative tasks.

The hinge system is exceptional, supporting various viewing angles without compromising on stability. GPD has integrated a kickstand, but frankly, the hinge is so robust that the kickstand might feel redundant for most use cases.

Dual-Screen Flexibility: More Than Just a Gimmick

What truly sets the GPD Duo apart is its dual-screen versatility. The top screen can be used as an extended display or even as a separate monitor for another device. Imagine running a terminal or monitoring system on one screen while working on the main screen. This setup is perfect for developers, engineers, or anyone needing to juggle multiple workflows.

One of the most innovative features here is the external display mode—you can connect your smartphone or any device that supports USB-C video output, transforming the second screen into a standalone monitor. As someone who regularly works with multiple devices, this is an absolute game-changer.

Performance: Powered by AMD Ryzen AI9 HX 370

When it comes to performance, the GPD Duo does not disappoint. At its heart is the AMD Ryzen AI9 HX 370—a processor designed to handle heavy workloads and deliver exceptional multitasking capabilities. This 12-core, 24-thread CPU can ramp up to 60 watts, ensuring optimal performance for tasks like video editing, photo manipulation, and even real-time AI processing.

GPU Power: Radeon 890M with RDNA 3.5

The laptop also features the Radeon 890M GPU, boasting 16 compute units running at up to 2900 MHz. This provides excellent performance for both creative professionals and gamers. Benchmarks like Geekbench 6 (single-core score of 2,830, multi-core score of 15,525) and 3D Mark further prove the GPU’s prowess:

• 3D Mark Night Raid: 3598
• Fire Strike: 9,370
• Time Spy: 4,115

For real-world gaming, titles like Forza Horizon 5 run at high settings with 100+ FPS, and Cyberpunk 2077 hits around 72 FPS with FSR 3 enabled. If you need additional GPU power for AI tasks or gaming, the Oculink port allows you to connect an external GPU for enhanced performance.

Productivity & Usability: Optimized for Professionals

The GPD Duo is designed for multitaskers and professionals who need more than just a powerful laptop. Its full-size, backlit keyboard is comfortable for extended typing sessions, although the trackpad is smaller due to the compact form factor. Still, the trackpad supports PTP mode with left and right vibration feedback, ensuring precision control.

Extensive I/O: Designed for Flexibility

For professionals, connectivity is key. The GPD Duo features an impressive range of ports, including:

• USB 4.0 supporting 40Gbps data transfer
• Two USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports
• HDMI 2.1 with external GPU support
• Oculink for even faster GPU connectivity
• Full-size SD card slot
• Gigabit Ethernet

This makes the GPD Duo highly versatile for both content creation and engineering work, where port availability and high-speed data transfer are critical.

Battery Life: Impressive for a Dual-Screen Device

Considering it has dual AMOLED displays, you might expect the GPD Duo to compromise battery life. However, it comes with an 80Wh battery, and AMD’s efficient architecture ensures plenty of usage on a single charge.

• Dual-Screen Mode: Approximately 6 hours and 40 minutes with both screens at 50% brightness while streaming video.
• Single-Screen Mode: Up to 11 hours and 25 minutes with one screen active and minimal connectivity.

Additionally, the 100W fast charger included in the box can charge the battery from 0% to 50% in just 30 minutes, making it highly efficient for professionals on the go.

Software and Operating System: Windows 11 and More

The GPD Duo ships with Windows 11 but offers the flexibility to install Linux, making it an excellent option for developers or those who prefer open-source operating systems. Given the hardware’s raw power and dual-screen functionality, this laptop excels in both productivity and creative software environments.

You can run dual applications across the two screens, making it easier to multitask between tasks like video editing, coding, or writing. This is a boon for lawyers and content writers like myself, who often need to keep reference materials or research open on one screen while drafting documents on another.

Final Verdict: Who Is the GPD Duo For?

The GPD Duo is a device that takes innovation to the next level. It’s not just another laptop with a secondary display—it’s a workhorse designed for professionals who demand high performance, multitasking, and versatility. Here’s a quick summary of who will benefit most from the GPD Duo:

• Developers and Engineers: Dual-screen setup is perfect for running terminals, coding environments, and monitoring systems simultaneously.
• Content Creators: With powerful graphics and display capabilities, the GPD Duo is ideal for photo/video editing and rendering.
• Frequent Travelers: The ability to use the second screen as an external monitor reduces the need for extra peripherals, making this a compact, all-in-one solution.
• Gamers: The Ryzen HX 370 paired with Radeon 890M delivers a fantastic gaming experience, especially when paired with an external GPU via Oculink.

Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Dual AMOLED screens with excellent color accuracy and response time.
• AMD Ryzen AI9 HX 370 provides powerful multitasking and AI capabilities.
• Extensive I/O options, including USB 4.0 and Oculink for external GPU support.
• Impressive battery life given its dual-screen setup.
• Great for multitasking and external display usage.

Cons:

• The trackpad could be larger for better usability.
• A bit on the heavier side, but justified given its dual-display and robust build.

Conclusion: A Truly Unique Offering

The GPD Duo is not just a laptop, but a productivity powerhouse with two stunning AMOLED displays and some of the best internal hardware currently available. Whether you’re a professional, gamer, or someone who needs extra screens on the go, the GPD Duo sets a new standard for portable computing.

If you’re looking for a laptop that combines power, versatility, and cutting-edge design, the GPD Duo is an exceptional choice.

Source/reference: ETA PRIME Youtube Channel