To be honest, the OneXPlayer 2 Pro is a lot of. Creating a complete PC undoubtedly goes further than many other dedicated portable gaming PCs, but probably too far in some ways, and not far enough in others.
It's marketed as a three-in-one device, although you'll often only see it in its natural portable state. And this is how it looks quite normal. However, slap the magnetically attached keyboard on the bottom of it and it looks anything but. That's a kind of secondary 'mode', like a Microsoft Surface-style laptop thing, with its tertiary mode being like a tablet with just one screen.
Because of this multi-functional design, the first thing you'll notice once you take it out of the box is that it ships without the controls attached. Because, yes, this is another handheld like the Legion Go, and the Switch before it, that has removable controllers. But these removable pads are like dumb sticks, so to speak, with no batteries or wireless connection interfaces inside, so you need a separate, optional accessory to plug these in and create a pseudo wireless controller.
The next thing you'll notice is that this chonky boi is fat. Perhaps because it doesn't come with those controllers attached, it looks disproportionately chunky, so putting those on makes it feel more sensible. But when you compare it to the Steam Deck and even the Ayaneo Kun, the main unit has a distinct bulk that isn't particularly aesthetically pleasing.
2 Pro specs
CPU: AMD Ryzen7 7840U
GPU: AMD780M
Memory: 32GB LPDDR5-7500
Storage: 1TB NVMe SSD (2280)
Ports: 2x USB Type-C (1x USB 3.2, 1x USB 4), 1x USB Type-A 3.0, MicroSD 4.0, 3.5mm audio
Display: 8.4-in
Original resolution: 2560×1600
Brightness: 350 nits
Battery: 65.5 Wh
Weight: 848g (709g without controllers)
Price: $949
And that makes it very strange to use in any of the laptop or tablet modes. But let's be honest: that 8.4-inch "IPS level" screen is also too small to be used reliably in either of those two use cases if you're talking about a Windows 11 device.
The story continues
There's also the fact that when you plug in the keyboard it completely removes one of your charging/USB Type-C ports, although at least it's the USB 3.2 port and not the full USB 4 plug.
I briefly tried doing my work entirely on the device in laptop mode, but it turned out to be far too frustrating an experience for the short time I could tolerate it. The trackpad on the keyboard is small, especially for a 2560 x 1600 screen, and regularly refused to register that I'd swiped my fingers across it either. The keys themselves have a surprising amount of travel, but again proved too tight for comfortable typing in the long term.
You also won't catch me trying to type in public on a tiny handheld PC with a fiddly keyboard. I don't have much self-esteem, but even I have to draw the techie line somewhere.
What you probably take away from my criticism of the OneXPlayer 2 Pro's proposed versatility in this review is that I'm not a fan. And that is certainly the case. I've been impressed with other OneXPlayer devices I've played with - the OneXFly is still one of my favorite small handhelds, and the OneXPlayer a lot, it's too much.
It's too big and that's largely due to its proposed versatility; a versatility that I simply don't see anyone taking on as manufacturers. The bundle, which includes the keyboard and wireless controller plug-in, is still only about $70, but when the 1TB version of the base OneXPlayer 2 Pro already costs $949, that's hard to justify.
It's especially hard to justify when we're still talking about the same AMD Ryzen 7 7840U silicon we've seen in a host of other handhelds, with the same 30W power limit and essentially the same level of gaming and system performance as you come from with the considerably cheaper Lenovo Legion Go. And while I'm not as much of a fan as Jacob when it comes to the overall design of the Lenovo handheld, it's still a much more attractive package than the OneXPlayer 2 Pro.
Sure, the spec list on the OneXPlayer looks generally more attractive than the Legion Go - with its 32GB LPDDR5-7500 and 1TB SSD and that 65Wh battery - but honestly, none of it will cost you the extra $300 must justify spending. on the OneXPlayer 2 Pro. At least not for me.
If that extra scale to the device gave it some edge in the benchmarks then maybe there could be some justification for this "Pro" handheld, but I'm still seeing the same kind of gaming framerates as the rest of the similarly specced devices. over there. And I'm still not sold on the idea of putting a 60Hz 2560 x 1600 display on a Ryzen 7 7840U powered machine. The power of the 780M iGPU still impresses me at a lower level, but it's far too much to ask for gaming performance at its native resolution, and too small a panel to be effective at Windows-based tasks.
OneXPlayer 2 Pro next to the OneXPlayer X1Buy as...
✅ You always felt like the Steam Deck needed a keyboard: The optional keyboard is probably the only thing that really makes the OneXPlayer 2 Pro stand out... and not necessarily for the right reasons.
Don't buy if...
❌ You are unsure between laptop or handheld: This 3-in-1 device is not the solution. It doesn't perform convincingly, either as a dedicated handheld device or as a mini laptop.
❌ You wanted Switch-like detachable controls: Sure, it has that, but so do the cheaper Legion Go, and these require a separate optional extra to function as a discrete wireless gamepad that's detached from the case.
The OneXPlayer 2 Pro also lacks the premium feel I'd expect from a nearly $1,000 handheld. The removable controllers are a big deal here because while they are responsive and the connection reliable, the fit with the base unit itself is too wonky for my taste. There is far too much movement to feel good in the hand. So even if we forget about tablet or mini laptop mode, regular handheld mode is just not enough for me.
And that's a real shame. The company's OneXFly is almost the complete antithesis of the OneXPlayer 2 Pro: that's a rather nice, well-built and pleasant little device that always makes me smile when I pick it up. It's not that I'm against larger handhelds either; the AOKZOE A1 Pro remains one of my favorites, with its large 1920 x 1200 screen and beautiful design, and like I said, I'm extremely impressed with my time so far with the 11-inch OneXPlayer X1. Although I have yet to try that with the removable controllers as they are still not finalized for the prototype I am currently testing.
The OneXPlayer 2 Pro strives to show itself as something unique, taking the concept of a portable gaming PC to its fullest, but it doesn't really do anything that other devices don't do individually better, although perhaps not all at once. However, the unique elements don't offer enough benefits to justify the cost of the product as a whole and it doesn't have the kind of premium or 'Pro' feel you'd want to exude to make you think that. maybe worth spending that little bit extra on
