GPD Duo Laptop Review: Dual-Screen Productivity For Experienced Users

The GPD Duo: A Powerful Dual-Screen Laptop Hampered by Software Issues

Mobile productivity gets a boost with the GPD Duo's innovative dual-screen design. However, significant software shortcomings prevent it from reaching its full potential.

Rating: 6/10 The GPD Duo offers impressive dual displays and unique features, but struggles with subpar software integration and questionable hardware choices.

Pros:

• Highly productive dual displays.
• Excellent display quality.
• Touch and pen input support.
• Video input capability for the top display.
• Versatile usage orientations.

Cons:

• Poorly performing trackpad and fingerprint reader.
• Bulky and heavy design.
• Difficult initial setup and update process.
• Occasional system instability.
• Pen not included.

Price and Availability:

The GPD Duo is available from Amazon and GPD, with prices starting at $1750 (excluding sales). The reviewed configuration (Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 CPU, 64GB LPDDR5X RAM, 2TB PCIe 4.0 storage) costs $2200 (excluding sales). The package includes the laptop, a 100W USB-C adapter, a USB-C cable, and documentation.

Specifications:

• Operating System: Windows 11
• CPU: Ryzen AI 9 HX 370
• GPU: Radeon 890M
• RAM: 64GB
• Storage: 2TB
• Battery: 80Wh, PD 3.0
• Displays: 2 x 13.3-inch AMOLED (2880 x 1800)
• Camera: Yes
• Speakers: Stereo
• Ports: 2x USB-A 3.2 Gen 2, 3.5mm combo jack, SD card slot, USB-C 4.0 DP, USB-C 4.0, RJ45 Ethernet, Oculink, HDMI 2.1, USB-C DisplayPort Alt Mode
• Dimensions: 11.69 x 8.25 x 0.94 inches
• Weight: 5 lbs.

Design and Hardware:

The GPD Duo's standout feature is its integrated 13.3-inch dual displays. While convenient, this adds to its bulk (13 inches thick when closed) and weight (over 7 pounds). The hinged second display allows for various configurations, including use as a single-screen laptop or a tablet (with touchscreen and pen support). The keyboard is satisfactory, but the trackpad is severely lacking. The numerous ports offer excellent connectivity, although the fingerprint reader is unreliable. The device is also a fingerprint magnet.

Display and Audio:

Both displays are high-quality Samsung OLED panels (2880 x 1800, 255 PPI), offering excellent brightness, detail, and color accuracy. The 60Hz refresh rate is sufficient for non-gaming use. However, the bottom display is prone to reflections, and the top display disconnects when the laptop sleeps. Touch and pen input are responsive, although a pen isn't included. The webcam is adequate for video conferencing, and the speakers provide good clarity but lack bass.

Performance and Software:

The GPD Duo's performance is strong, excelling in productivity tasks. However, significant software issues mar the experience. The initial setup defaults to Simplified Chinese, and initial Wi-Fi connectivity problems required a manual firmware update using Rufus. Occasional crashes persist even after updates. The fingerprint reader is unreliable. Benchmark scores are impressive, indicating excellent performance in productivity and gaming (at lower settings). The Oculink port allows for eGPU expansion. Wi-Fi and Ethernet performance is excellent. Battery life is around 5-10 hours.

Should You Buy It?

The GPD Duo's dual-display setup is highly productive when functioning correctly. However, its software instability, poor trackpad, and bulky design make it unsuitable for most users. Only technically inclined users tolerant of occasional issues should consider it. A more refined iteration from GPD or a competitor is needed to fully realize its potential.

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