If given the chance, I’d a lot reasonably use a desktop over a laptop computer or cellphone. Do not get me mistaken, I am glad I’ve my Android, however typing on telephones has by no means been simple for me. I like contact typing and I am superb at it (I needs to be, given how a lot I write).
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On the few events I’ve needed to truly write and edit on a cellphone, it was horrible, so I keep away from it in any respect prices. However what do I do after I’m on the go and I haven’t got room in my bag for a full-sized laptop computer?
I am going mini. Or, shall I say, tiny.
The Piccolo N150 Netbook is an eight-inch “mini laptop computer” that appears kind of like a pill or a type of old-school digital organizers from the ’90s. After I first acquired this system to evaluate, I used to be giddy upon dealing with it. I at all times beloved miniaturized issues as a child, and the Piccolo speaks to one thing nostalgic.
This eight-inch laptop computer is not a toy, nevertheless. Upon choosing it up, you may really feel the metallic chassis has a shocking quantity of weight to it. After I turned the N150 on, I used to be greeted by Home windows 11. It ought to come as no shock that I dislike Home windows. So what did I do? Clearly, I put in Linux.
To be extra particular, I put in KDE Neon. I knew I would choose the KDE Plasma UI as a result of I felt it could be the simplest to make use of on the small contact display. The set up was as simple as putting in any Linux distribution (which is to say… very) and there was just one problem with the audio.
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After a full KDE Neon improve, the onboard sound card was detected and every part was superb. I may use the Piccolo N150 as properly on Linux as I may on Home windows and I used to be a cheerful lil’ penguin.
The very first thing I spotted, nevertheless, was that it could take me some time to get used to the keyboard. The Piccolo’s structure is unusual, and my fingers wanted a second to get used to it.
I’ve skilled this earlier than, so know that it is quite common for such tiny units. You merely can not cram a full-sized keyboard onto an eight-inch body. Due to that, I see the structure as a intelligent work-around to maintain the vast majority of the keys full measurement. If the keys themselves had been bite-sized, it could be far worse.
So far as the remainder of the {hardware}, the show is far nicer than I’d have imagined for this manner issue, and it has a stable construct regardless of its miniature stature. The one factor (and that is to be anticipated) is that the sound could be very small and tinny — however a minimum of it is clear.
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Throughout my testing, I put in the Ollama/Msty combo to see how the N150 would deal with native AI and I used to be stunned it carried out fairly properly. It wasn’t practically as quick as my System76 Thelio, however that is evaluating apples to oranges. Even so, queries had been answered rapidly and I solely heard the fan kick on briefly.
I did not benchmark this tiny laptop computer however that is not likely of concern for such a small system. You do not purchase a laptop computer of this measurement for its efficiency, you purchase it for its portability and comfort. That the N150 was capable of run Linux to perfection was a serious bonus for me.
ZDNET’s shopping for recommendation
Laptops of this measurement aren’t for everybody. In case your fingers can adapt to the keyboard structure, it could be an incredible system to hold with you in your purse or bag, so you would write your novel whereas touring on the bus and even work on some code.
The Piccolo N150 netbook is not a toy however it’s additionally not one thing you’d use for something too severe. In the event you’re okay with the shape issue and you will get used to the cramped keyboard, this mini laptop computer could be an incredible addition to the tech you utilize. That being mentioned, it is not a super gaming laptop computer, though I think about one may set up Steam and play some that are not too graphically-intensive.
Piccolo N150 netbook specs
- CPU – Intel Alder Lake N100 with 4 cores, 4 threads, and a max turbo frequency of three.6 GHz
- GPU – Intel Graphics 24EUs 1000 MHz
- Dimension – 7.9″ x 5.142″ x .70″
- Weight – 1.45 kilos
- Show – IPS LCD at 1920 X 1200 with a 16:10 ratio
- Battery Polymer 7.4 v/300 mAh with a 6-hour life on a full cost
- RAM – 12GB on board.
- Storage – 512 GB
- Digicam (entrance solely) 2.0 MP
- Speaker – 1 W x 2.
- Connectivity – Bluetooth 5.2 and Wi-Fi 6
- Fingerprint learn constructed into the facility button
- Ports – MicroSD, 1 x USB 3.0 1 x USB 2.0, 3.5mm headphone jack, 1 mini HDMI
- Value $389 on the X-Plus web site
