ONEXPLAYER 2

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The ONEXPLAYER 2, stylised as both OneXPlayer 2 and ONEXPLAYER 2, is an x86-64 based handheld gaming console that ships with Windows 11 in order to run PC-based software and games. It also functions normally as a dockable PC that has native Windows support, unlike the Steam Deck. I've fit it with this 2TB SSD to store my core content while keeping my larger PC games on an external drive. The OXP2 can only use single-layer SSDs due to its compact design. On this 2TB SSD, I have one Windows 11 install, as well as a Mint 21.1 Cinnamon Linux install on another partition.

Software

Windows 11

Using Windows 11 without a keyboard and mouse on the Steam Deck was a challenge, but it was eventually made tolerable when gestures and third-party software were made available. As the operating system gets updated, things such as the hidden taskbar still lend itself for great tablet use here when paired with gestures. Pulling up from the bottom of the screen ala iPhone X and onwards is a nice change of pace from scrambling to attach a keyboard to hit Start, on the Steam Deck.

OneXPlayer proprietary software, known as OXP Player Center, has a dedicated toggle button on the device, and can be used to adjust various statistics, like clock speed for the CPU/GPU, fan speed display brightness, and more, in real time. It is also a rudimentary game launcher that is accessible from any screen.

The only issue is the keyboard; no matter what you'd like to believe, typing on a 10 inch long device with two thumbs is never a fun experience. It's annoying to even unlock the OXP2 from the lock screen. With the singular USB-A port, however, one can choose to attach a small fingerprint sensor or a 2.4GHz keyboard dongle to alleviate these woes. While it is pathetic that I have to praise an OEM for including one (1) USB-A port, the praise is due when examining the competition, where I'd have to suffer unless I carried a Bluetooth keyboard with me. The main issue with Bluetooth keyboards is that Bluetooth doesn't exist in the UEFI, meaning that it's useless if I am trying to navigate the GRUB menu to boot into Linux.

Likewise, this console also has two full-featured USB-C ports; USB 3.2 at the bottom, and USB4 on top. This allows the user to run external displays or accessories while charging simultaneously, which is more than can be said for the competitors, which require a docking system to achieve the same freedom, leading to lost portability. Windows 11 performs fantastically and Player Center allows more granular, instantaneous adjustment of my computer than most laptops even have access to.

Linux Mint

The main issue is that the OXP2 display is really a portrait display rotated on its side to appear landscape. When various utilities in my installation address the display, it will be in the incorrect orientation. This also means that my lock screen is invisible until I blindly type in my password and manually change the display orientation, as it hasn't been saving for me.

Hardware

The OneXPlayer 2 offers detachable controllers that do not include a battery or wireless functionality. This does mean that the fact that controllers detach are, more or less, pointless. As a hardware technician, however, it does mean that repairs to the controls need not necessitate the RMA of the device itself. The controls can be damaged and replaced independently of the console. This objective benefit allows the OXP2 to stand on its own despite lacking the feature that would allow it to truly stand out in the handheld PC space.

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