In modern times, handhelds have evolved tremendously from what they were a few years ago, not just in terms of the onboard specifications but also in terms of form factors and features. From "2-in-1" configurations to retro-style devices, gaming handhelds have seen a massive layer of innovation, and it seems like X-Plus is on the track to do something similar, with the newest G-Series1 handheld device.
X-Plus G-Series1 Gaming Handheld: Exceptional Build & Features Yet Performance Holds The Device Back
X-Plus was kind enough to send us a review sample of their G-Series1 handheld device. This device is also a gaming tablet but capable of running Windows, and you'll see in a bit why we are saying this.
This unit is indeed a budget-oriented device, which means that performance won't be too hardcore but ample enough for little-to-medium use, depending upon your particular usage. The Gseries1 features Intel's N95 "Alder Lake-N" CPU, and for those unaware of this lineup, it is categorized as a replacement for Team Blue's Celeron and Pentium SKUs, but with vastly superior performance.
The onboard CPU might have given you an idea of what to expect with the device in terms of performance. While we have conducted extensive benchmarks to analyze the performance, it's safe to say that one shouldn't expect too much out of it, but we'll dive into this later. For now, here's the unboxing experience.
X-Plus G-Series1 Handheld Unboxing Experience
Well, the unit sent to us had pretty minimal packaging since the handheld box itself doesn't reveal much about what's inside, unlike other mainstream counterparts, and that's something the company should work on. The box is pretty ordinary, coming in with "cardboard" packaging. It says "WinGame" on the very front, indicating that there's a Windows Gamepad inside.
In terms of what's inside the box, well, the handheld comes in well-protected packaging, surrounded by adequate cushioning to ensure that shipping doesn't damage the device. The device itself is wrapped up alongside its two other "Joycon-like" controllers, which we'll discuss later on, and given the massive size of the device itself, it certainly takes up most of the space inside. Alongside the G-Series1 handheld is a standard manual that, for starters, doesn't indicate much about the handheld, apart from what appears to be ordinary instructions for a "notebook" device, so that's something interesting.
Along with the handheld, you get a standard AC adapter for charging the device, and that is pretty much it. The packaging, in its entirety, is pretty ordinary and not too "welcoming," so X-Plus should work on improving it. However, since this is a review unit, it might differ from what actual consumers would get.
X-Plus G-Series1 Closer Look; Gigantic Screen & Innovative JoyCons For Real-Time Gaming Experience
When I first took the handheld out of its box, I was confused about whether it should be called a handheld or a gaming tablet, and it wouldn't be wrong to say that it's a mixture of both. The device features a giant 10.5-inch IPS 1080p display, one of the largest configurations I have seen in a handheld. There aren't many counterparts in this particular segment, so this is where the G-Series1 stands out.
The overall screen has sleek borders, and they are pretty thin to the point that while gaming or content consumption, they are unnoticeable. On the very top of the screen is a small camera cutout, which is a 30 FPS HD camera according to the company. It is quite unnoticeable at first glance, and unless you look closely at the screen, you won't be able to find it out. So, overall, with the display I am certainly impressed, and this is indeed a "pitching" point for the company.
The top view of the handheld is pretty much similar to many devices out there, coming in with all the port options you get with the device. Starting from the left, there's a 3.5mm microphone jack, alongside a MicroSD card reader, which is pretty nice to see in a handheld. Towards the right, there's the power button which is surrounded by volume control buttons as well. And, alongside it is the USB 3.0 x 2 and the charging port, along with an HDMI-mini interface and a USB 3.0 Type-C interface as well.
Overall, the connectivity interface is pretty decent for a device in this budget tier, and it provides all the options one would need for an average use case.
On the backside, well, there's the first bit of the device's branding, which says "Piccolo G-Series1", along with the "X-Plus" logo on the top. This area is where the device's cooling mechanism focuses on, since apparently, there are two dedicated fans for thermal dissipation at the back, which is done through cutouts running all around the back to get the heat out. There are also vents on the top of the device as well, to ensure ample cooling. Interestingly, there's a dedicated stand at the back as well, which has ample swivel to adjust viewing angles depending upon how you like it.
Lastly, the device has its built-in 1W speakers at the bottom, located at the very ends, and in terms of the sound performance, it isn't too high-end, but for average content consumption, they are ample enough, considering that the device is near to you, probably in your hands. That's it in terms of the device's overview, and while the design arrangement is certainly great, the addition of some form of RGB would certainly compliment the G-Series 1 tremendously, although that might be just my preference.
G-Series1 JoyCons & Unique Mounting Mechanism
It's not every day we see handhelds coming in with a JoyCon-like configuration, given that they aren't very popular amongst consumers of the handheld segment. However, they definitely add a touch to the overall gaming experience with the G-Series1, allowing users to have greater control over what they are playing. The JoyCons themselves are pretty sturdy, coming in with a solid plastic build, allowing different button configurations, with the left one featuring the directional buttons, along with the left stick, and volume control and "reload" button.
The right JoyCon features the conventional X/Y/A/B buttons, and the right stick is pretty similar to what the standard JoyCons come with. The mounting mechanism in the G-Series1 is pretty simple since, at both ends of the main device, there are magnetic mounts onto which you slide individual JoyCons, and they stick right into it pretty much without any issue. To connect the JoyCons to the main device, here are the steps to follow:
- Pick the left JoyCon first and hold the "Reload" button until a "green light" appears on the sides of the left stick.
- Keep holding the button until the in-built motor "vibrates" and the red light appears on the sides of the stick, indicating that the JoyCon is connected.
- Do the same for the right JoyCon, but with this, hold the "Windows" button until the JoyCon vibrates. This is pretty much it.
While the JoyCon does add its touch, I felt that they made the overall device pretty heavy and compromised portability, given that the main screen itself is way too massive.
Surely, playing with the JoyCons without moving around is great, but I felt like they did compromise on the purpose of having a handheld in the first place. overall, it is a solid addition, especially considering the pricing of the device, which we'll talk about later.
X-Plus G-Series1 Performance; Is It Really Worth The Money?
Before we dive into the performance figures, let's take a look at the specifications onboard. So our review unit featured Intel's N95 processor, which is a part of the Alder Lake-N family coming in with a 4C/4T configuration. This particular SoC comes with a TDP of 15W, along with max clock speeds of 3.4 GHz and a 6 MB cache count. For graphical performance, the SoC is equipped with an iGPU onboard that features a frequency of 1.2 GHz and 16 EUs, and for the most part, it isn't much of a capable unit in terms of providing high performance in gaming scenarios.
For memory and storage, our unit was equipped with 16GB DDR4-2400 SODIMM modules along with 512 GB "Kingsand P600" SSD. The unit is pretty beefed up in terms of providing ample storage to users, so that was indeed a delight to see, considering that the devices in this segment aren't equipped with such memory/storage capacities.
You might have inferred it from the specifications, but the Intel N95 is a low-end SoC in general, which is why we have said that the device delivers "underwhelming" performance. The benchmarks coming ahead, which will include both gaming and synthetic testing, with more focus on the earlier ones, will ultimately prove this.
Geekbench 6 (Single-Core)
Geekbench 6 (Multi-Core)
Gaming Benchmarks (720p)
It is important to note here that the gaming benchmarks were conducted under ideal environments, without overclocking or increasing the base TDP of the SoC, which could've squeezed in an extra 5%-8% performance.
The tests clearly show that modern-day AAA titles aren't feasible to be placed on the device, although older titles like Skyrim and Half-Life can played with a seamless experience. Moreover, the gigantic 1080p display was being under-utilized here, as all our testing was done at 720p low settings, which were the optimal ones to provide a consistent experience.
Conclusion:
The G-Series1 is a capable gaming device in general, but the SoC onboard is holding it back since the gigantic display demands more graphical performance. At $359.99, it certainly isn't the best device out there, but if you are looking for something best for content consumption and subtle gaming, the X1 might appeal to some users.
If you are interested in purchasing the unit, you can refer to the company's website here. I have been told they are preparing the next iteration, which will have more improved specifications, so that's something to look out for, too.
You can find additional information about our hardware review process and ethics policy here.
The G-Series1 is rather a "innovative" handheld concept, with an elegant display, along with unique JoyCons that definitely add up to the experience. However, with the onboard specifications, the performance is certainly disappointing and not capable for modern-day titles.
- Exceptional Display
- Sturdy Build Quality
- Fun-to-Play JoyCons
Pros
- Underwhelming Performance
- Poor Packaging
- Slightly Higher Pricing
Cons
About the author: Muhammad Zuhair is a hardware and technology reporter for Wccftech, specializing in the semiconductor industry and the complex interplay between technology, manufacturing, and geopolitics. His coverage focuses on the corporate strategies and technological roadmaps of industry giants like TSMC, NVIDIA, Samsung, and Intel. Zuhair's expertise lies in deconstructing complex topics such as fabrication nodes (e.g., 2nm process), the economic impact of policies like the CHIPS Act, and the strategic development of AI infrastructure from NVIDIA, AMD and Intel.
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