Mini Laptops

Laptops have been around in one form or another for over 30 years. Over the years laptops have evolved from heavy suitcase sized portable PC’s to laptop and mini laptop sizes. Laptops are generally around the standard size and layout as each other, usually requiring a dedicated laptop bag or backpack. But what if you require something even more portable while keeping the performance found in a laptop? Enter the mini laptop!

A mini laptop is essentially a small laptop, usually defined by its screen size. Where a laptop may have a 14” display, these mini laptops are in the 8-9” range. This reduces the physical size of the laptop, turning it into a mini laptop, sometimes also known as an Ultrabook.

The benefits of using a mini laptop are great, the main reason is portability. These mini laptops are generally around 8 x 6 inches in size and around half an inch in thickness when the lid is closed. They also weigh less than a traditional laptop, This means it can be stored in a small bag or even a jacket pocket when carrying it, instead of a laptop case or bag. And they are not heavy enough to be held in your hands while walking for example.

Despite the smaller form factor than a traditional laptop, mini laptops still keep the features such as a QWERTY keyboard, a trackpad or nub to control mouse input, with fast WiFi 6 and Bluetooth. This also extends to the hardware specifications ranging from power saving Pentium processors up to high performance i7 processors suitable for video editing and even gaming on.

Mini laptops typically come with Windows installed on them, but there is a growing trend and desire for Linux. Many mini laptops support various flavours of Linux such as Ubuntu and Fedora.

GPD are the innovators and leaders in the mini laptop industry. Starting as a gaming handheld company, they have also moved into the portable office PC market amongst others. GPD has a range of different designs and features aimed towards a specific use. The GPD Pocket 3 is aimed towards home and office work, the Micro to industry, both with very useful RS232 ports for hardware diagnosis. And not forgetting the GPD MAX to both work and gaming.

A mini laptop is ideal for those who do a lot of travelling. For example a construction worker that needs to visit multiple locations in a day, or an IT Technician who needs to move between offices to keep vital hardware up and running. These small laptops for office work provide ease of carrying in a hand while working or even while travelling. They have an all day battery life to ensure your tasks are completed without having to recharge.

A mini laptop is also very beneficial for the home. They take up very little space, so you can work in the home office but just as easily sit on the sofa or in a garden chair. And after work you can enjoy some light video gaming or a film to relax by connecting it to a TV or monitor..

If you require a highly portable PC that has great battery life, high performance and all the features you would expect to find on a laptop or desktop PC, then a mini laptop is the perfect choice. If you are not sure what to buy, you can read our best mini laptops guide here, there is a mini laptop suited for every requirement!