The 10 Best Pocket Laptops
Editor's Notes
December 02, 2020:
These are some interesting little machines that fill a pretty specific niche between laptops and tablets. There's one company that you'll see mentioned a few times, and over the last couple years, they've done a lot more in this specialized space than just about anybody. The GPD Win Max is their latest and greatest offering, and it actually does a surprisingly good job at playing games for something its size. In fact, it's just about the only one out there right now that can play any big-name, high-intensity titles from the last decade such as GTA V.
The GPD Pocket 2 and its upgraded relative, the GPD P2 Max, aren't quite as fast as the Win Max, but as long as you're not playing 3D games, they're actually reasonably capable. Rounding out GPD's impressive lineup are the GPD Win 2, which has a built-in game controller, and the GPD MicroPC, which has a host of ports and a durable construction both ideal for use in professional installations or even in the field.
Thankfully, though, they're not the only ones making these handy devices. The One Netbook One Mix 1S isn't very new, but it's about as small as they get, and in this form factor, there's really only so much performance you can expect without making a huge investment. If you are okay with spending a little more on a mini laptop, the One Netbook One Mix 3 Pro and One Netbook OneGx1 are worth a look. Our only issue with these is that despite their high cost, they have subpar GPUs, so they're not great for demanding games. Keep an eye out for the OneGx1 Pro, though, which should be equipped with Intel's top integrated GPU.
Finally, the Samsung S20 Ultra and famous Samsung Galazy Fold Z are both certified for use with the Samsung Dex system. Using an ad hoc wireless connection, Dex lets you connect your smartphone to a Wi-Fi-connected TV or other display, as well as a Bluetooth mouse and keyboard, for a full-featured Android-based computing experience.
November 13, 2018:
Ooh boy, these are fun! Even the smallest laptops and 2-in-1s are bigger than these, while tablets of this size are sometimes underpowered and lack a built-in keyboard. The GPD Pocket 2 is a crowd favorite; in fact, it was actually crowd-funded. The One Mix 7 has an impressive fit and finish, and you should keep an eye out for its successor, the One Mix 2 (and 2S), which should hit the market in just the next few months. Also on the horizon is the TopJoy Falcon, which is designed for easier typing, and should fall into the middle of the price range. Of course, if you can afford it, it's hard to beat the Samsung Galaxy Note series when it comes to modern micro-computing.