Is anyone buying a GP2X Wiz?

Elixir · Post by **Elixir** » Sun May 24, 2009 10:25 am

There isn't much information, even on Wikipedia, about this thing. But I've recently discovered it and I've been trying to find out as much information about it as I possibly can. The most compelling thing I've discovered is that the processor is above the power of a Gamecube.

It also has about 8 times the amount of RAM as what the Gamecube did. I'm only using the Gamecube as an example here because it comes close. The PS2 is above and the Xbox is higher in terms of processor speed.

Official Site: http://www.gp2xwiz.com/
GP2X Community: http://www.gp32x.com/
GP2X Wiz Review: http://www.gsm4u.cz/
GP2X Wiz Review 2: http://play-asia-rulez.blogspot.com/

Videos:

Movies
CPS2 emulation
Unboxing
vs. GBA comparison

Specs:

* Chipset: MagicEyes Pollux System-on-a-Chip
* CPU: 533MHz ARM9 3D Accelerator
* NAND Flash Memory: 1 GB
* RAM: SDRAM 64 MB
* Operating System: GNU/Linux-based OS
* Storage: SD Card (with SDHC support)
* Connection to PC: USB 2.0 High Speed
* USB Host: USB 2.0
* Power: Internal 2000mAh Lithium Polymer Battery (approx. 7 hours game/video playback)
* Display: 320×240 2.8 inch AMOLED Touch Screen
* Microphone Input
* Physical size: 121 mm wide, 61 mm high, 18 mm deep
* Weight: 98 g (without battery), 136 g (with battery)
* 3D Acceleration and TV Out
* Chipset supports OpenGL ES 1.1
* 133M Texel/sec, 1.33M Polygon/sec [11][12].

In brief, it has the power to run CPS2 games like Mars Matrix, Giga Wing, Jojo's Bizarre Adventure and so on. It can't quite emulate PS1 games properly (about 11 fps in-game) but Megadrive and SNES games should be fine. It has an OLED screen which means there isn't motion blur which you often saw in GBA games.

I don't really like handhelds but one issue I've always had with them and emulation has been incorrect aspect ratios. The DS would be perfect for this, except for the fact that the DS is incredibly underpowered and most stuff that used special chips like Yoshi's Island and F-Zero, won't work. The Wiz looks pretty promising but I'm not sure I want to pay $180 + shipping for something that I'll probably play twice and put in my sock drawer for another 6 months.

Another thing I've noticed with the GP line is that they seem to release different versions of their handheld at least once every two years. I wouldn't have a problem with this but this will be the third. If SNES/Megadrive emulation is absolutely flawless, I might order one.

So what do you guys think? It's currently $179.90 at Play-Asia.

nem · Post by **nem** » Sun May 24, 2009 12:33 pm

They use different processor architectures, so they're not comparable by clock speed. I'm sure GameCube is faster, though.

I bought the GP2X when it came out, and I was really disappointed with it. Crappy joystick and a terrible screen. The Wiz doesn't look much better.

You might want to take a look at the Dingoo A320. It's comparable to the Wiz, but costs half as much.

TodayIsForgotten · Post by **TodayIsForgotten** » Sun May 24, 2009 1:09 pm

You'd think they'd give it a bigger screen than then the DS.

Etrian · Post by **Etrian** » Sun May 24, 2009 2:20 pm

TodayIsForgotten wrote:You'd think they'd give it a bigger screen than then the DS.

Looks bigger to me.

$180 bux is BS though, just to play Sonic 2 on the bus. I might consider 120 tops. It's hard to get behind a company that doesn't have much of a reputation.

iatneH · Post by **iatneH** » Sun May 24, 2009 4:31 pm

I also got a GP2X Mk.I on pre-order, it was rather underwhelming.

I forgot about the Wiz for a while, but I am still not warming up to it after today's reminder.

I may consider it if it can do perfect SFC emulation though, since I don't really have any handheld that can do it yet (aside from my Sony UX - but needs a USB joypad).

trivial · Post by **trivial** » Sun May 24, 2009 4:38 pm

I'd be all over this for less $ or if more great games were opensource.

OLED is damn sexy, don't kid yourself about the LCD consoles you married.

szycag · Post by **szycag** » Sun May 24, 2009 6:14 pm

are they still using that d-pad-as-buttons setup? do you know how awkward that has to feel?

edit: oh, watched one of the videos and he says they're all seperate buttons. Ok. I was thinking this thing would only be good for Robotron :p

Ex-Cyber · Post by **Ex-Cyber** » Sun May 24, 2009 10:14 pm

nem wrote:They use different processor architectures, so they're not comparable by clock speed. I'm sure GameCube is faster, though.

Looks that way. ARM explicitly claims 1.1 Dhrystone MIPS per MHz for ARM9; the claimed performance numbers I could find for PowerPC 750 (the basis of the GameCube CPU) reduce to something around 2 Dhrystone MIPS per MHz. In practice the memory architecture can play a big role, and I'd expect GameCube to have the advantage there as well.

Stormwatch · Post by **Stormwatch** » Tue May 26, 2009 8:53 am

I saw a vid of the Wiz choking with Quake 2; then I saw a vid of the Pandora running Quake 3 very smoothly. If I intended to buy a portable now, I'd go for it instead!

BryanM · Post by **BryanM** » Tue May 26, 2009 7:08 pm

11 fps on PS1 games? My Athlon 500mhz ran games from that console at 20+; the architecture does have to be weaksauce. Metal Slug 3 will choke that thing.

I dunno, for that kind of scratch I've been leaning more toward getting a laptop from Discount PC or something. With one with S-Video out, it'll have a hard drive of significant size, and would have around triple the raw performance.

Khan · Post by **Khan** » Tue May 26, 2009 7:45 pm

or you could just get yourself a psp for around $80 and get amazing ps1 emulation

Cthulhu · Post by **Cthulhu** » Tue May 26, 2009 9:35 pm

My old roommate had one of the old ones, it was neat but not especially impressive. I find it hard to get excited over the prospect of a new one, so no, I won't be purchasing one.

null1024 · Post by **null1024** » Tue May 26, 2009 11:09 pm

I'd get this, if only to run LittleGPTracker on it.
And maybe play Mars Matrix. And possibly SFIII.

Damnit, now I really want one.

Cthulhu · Post by **Cthulhu** » Wed May 27, 2009 12:41 am

null1024 wrote:I'd get this, if only to run LittleGPTracker on it.
And maybe play Mars Matrix. And possibly SFIII.

Damnit, now I really want one.

Mars Matrix on it would be really nice if it runs at full speed; I doubt SFIII (or any other fighting games, especially those that use more than 4 buttons) would play well on it.

KBZ · Post by **KBZ** » Tue Jun 02, 2009 4:29 am

GP2X left a sour taste in my mouth. It had potential, but GPH made so many mistakes and didn't listen to the community.

I'm looking forward to the Openpandora.

BryanM · Post by **BryanM** » Tue Jun 02, 2009 5:16 am

Mars Matrix and SF3 will run like unplayable poop on it. The SF:Alpha's and some of the King of Ze Fighters should run fine. Should.

originalz · Post by **originalz** » Sat Jun 13, 2009 1:32 pm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YasTVQq5a0U

Here's a video that shows off a couple of CPS2 shooters on the Wiz.

Right now the Wiz is kind of young, so there's not that much optimized software, it definitely has a lot of potential though! I picked one up and have been pretty satisfied with it, the screen is really beautiful! Works really good for shooters, heh.

lgb · Post by **lgb** » Sat Jun 13, 2009 3:06 pm

Stormwatch wrote:I saw a vid of the Wiz choking with Quake 2; then I saw a vid of the Pandora running Quake 3 very smoothly. If I intended to buy a portable now, I'd go for it instead!

Wikipedia wrote:Development of the Pandora began when Craig Rothwell, Fatih Kilic, Michael Mrozek and (later) Michael Weston teamed up and planned a portable system that would excel in the areas where they thought the GP32 and GP2X systems (from Gamepark and Gamepark Holdings respectively) were flawed. The Pandora was designed based on ideas and suggestions contributed by GP32X forum members, with the goal of creating the ultimate open source handheld device.

Elixir · Post by **Elixir** » Sat Jun 13, 2009 6:30 pm

originalz wrote:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YasTVQq5a0U

Here's a video that shows off a couple of CPS2 shooters on the Wiz.

Right now the Wiz is kind of young, so there's not that much optimized software, it definitely has a lot of potential though! I picked one up and have been pretty satisfied with it, the screen is really beautiful! Works really good for shooters, heh.

That would be the same link which I already posted in the OP weeks ago, yes.