The OneXplayer X1 was revealed earlier this week, and now that it has a price, I can honestly say it's a bit disappointing. You could grab not one, but two Steam Deck OLEDs for the same price as the base Intel Core Ultra 7 X1 model.
Whether or not the X1 is a real competitor for being the best handheld gaming PC remains to be seen, as we still don't have a firm release date. What I can safely say, is that the OneXPlayer X1 is of no concern to dedicated gaming handhelds thanks to a confusing price structure that doesn't even include the controllers.
OneXPlayer revealed the price of its X1 devices and there are four models in total:
- Intel Core Ultra 5 125H + 16GB RAM + 1TB storage - $925
- Intel Core Ultra 7 155H + 32GB RAM + 1TB storage - $1,100
- Intel Core Ultra 7 155H + 32GB RAM + 2TB storage - $1,180
- Intel Core Ultra 7 155H + 64GB RAM + 4TB storage - $1,490
While the recently revealed MSI Claw will only pack in 16GB of RAM, it will use the same Intel Core Ulta 7 155H featured in most of the X1 models. It also comes with a base 1TB SSD storage solution for just $699.
This is a competitive price that matches most of the market. The X1, however, will cost twice as much and won't even come with gamepads, as they cost an extra $52 to add on. A Steam Deck OLED at $549 seems like a steal in comparison.
It was clear when looking through the initial reveal of the X1 that it was a product that was trying to do too much. Being a 3-in-1 device in 2024 is going to be hard. It will be viewed by many as a gimmick and now with the prices revealed, it's a gimmick that few people will be willing to take a risk on.
I suspect that the performance of the most expensive X1 will be great, given the specs, anything else would be a complete letdown. That doesn't mean it's worth the cost when the existing gaming handheld market is operating on such a different level.
You can check out our MSI Claw preview from CES right now, to read our thoughts after going hands-on with an Intel Core Ultra gaming handheld.
