GamePad Digital XD
This gaming emulator is built into a gamepad and has garnered quite a cult following online, but is it really much cop?
“There are handhelds that are smaller, faster, cheaper or more powerful, but the GPD XD is one of those rare things: being greater than the sum of its parts.”
You’ve probably not heard of the GamePad Digital (GPD) XD, but it’s a device that’s been getting a bit of an internet cult following. It’s built into a shell that mostly resembles a Nintendo DS, but runs Android with a software package optimised for gaming (particularly emulation). Although it’s Chinese-made, the build quality is solid.
New eBay prices range from $250–$270, depending on whether you buy the 16, 32 or 64GB version, and yes, it does have a microSD slot. Price is kept low by leaving out Bluetooth and a camera. Android is Kit-Kat 4.4.4 old.
Where the money has been spent is on the things that truly matter: the quad-core CPU, GPU, HDMI-out and a generous 2GB of RAM. This combination punches way above its weight in terms of performance — the XD can emulate surprisingly modern hardware, and it runs modern Android games excellently. Expect around 8 hours of battery for solid, processor-intensive gaming and 10+ for lighter usage.
Minuses? Well, it’s only using Android 4.4.4 — this is great for optimisation, but only time will tell whether or not needed OS updates will arrive. On top of this is a rubbish Windows 8-style interface that novices may enjoy, but anyone remotely experienced will want to change immediately to a standard Android UI.
There’s also almost no documentation: the official website is a joke (complete with broken English), and if you want any information, you’ll need to search YouTube, blogs and message boards.
The XD also relies on hulking monolith software like Happy Chick to deliver near-instant gaming and emulation. This is fine for anything 8- or 16-bit, but performs badly for anything more modern. It also seems rather unsafe: things that shouldn’t be available, were. Our recommendation: forget Happy Chick and install your normal, known emulator.
So how do the newer consoles stack up? Chances are smooth gaming is entirely possible for your favourite machine, but you’ll probably need to tweak the settings. 3DO is great. DS is great. PS1 runs great, but experiments with PS2 were dodgy. PSP is well worth a go: some run nicely, others awfully ( Gran Turismo being an unfortunate casualty). N64 is mostly bang on, but choose your emulator and settings wisely. Dreamcast can be graphically buggy but otherwise runs beautifully.
We’re going to go out on a limb and say this is a future classic, destined to be sought after by collectors. There are handhelds that are smaller, faster, cheaper or more powerful, but the GPD XD is one of those rare things: being greater than the sum of its parts. People just want it and it’s very likeable. When we walked into a local PC outlet, all the staff members flocked around and wanted a go — many said they were going to buy one.
We feel harsh giving this a 3.5, but currently, there are just too many rough edges: it’s expensive (a brand-new Nintendo Switch is $470), it needs proper documentation provided by a native English speaker; more specific emulators with custom settings; and there are serious problems with ‘bricking’ regarding recharging and firmwares. If GPD fixes these things. we’ll add a point or two. If it helps, think of it as a 4/5 in waiting!