Chinese PC maker Linglong has just introduced a tiny PC that fits into a foldable keyboard. The company shared its live presentation via video sharing site bilibili, where the presenter pulled out the actual device from his back pocket. The keyboard PC also has a built-in trackpad, so you don't need to bring a mouse to use it. Interestingly, the portable mini PC lacks a built-in display, but the presenters had one interesting reason as to why it didn't include one.
Before we dive into the details of the Linglong foldable keyboard PC, let's first check out its key specifications:
Linglong presented its foldable PC as the ultimate mobile device of the future. Its tiny dimensions make it even smaller than other mini PCs, like the MinisForum AtomMax X7. And instead of using a bulky display on its computer, the company suggested that users pair it with AR or VR glasses. The company's marketing material also showed the device being attached to a TV, tablet, or phone, allowing these devices to double as the screen for it, instead.
The company boasts ten hours of battery life for light office work and up to six hours for watching movies. However, heavy workloads and gaming will cut down its useful life to just four hours or so. We should also consider that this doesn't yet take into account the power use of a display. So, if you plug in a screen that takes juice from the keyboard PC, you can expect the battery life to go down significantly if the screen you're using doesn't have its own power supply.
Unfortunately, if you're interested in the possibilities of this device, you won't be able to try it out yet. There are only 200 units available for Beta testing, and we have no news yet as to when this will become available for retail, either in China or globally.
But even though some users say that this is an overpriced device, this is an interesting new form factor that takes advantage of the prevalence of screens everywhere. Linglong aims to revolutionize laptops by allowing its mini PC to use other displays that are available around us (or to even use AR glasses that give users a wider view angle without taking up a lot of space).
