The Piccolo Series81 by X-Plus is undoubtedly one of the most compact and unique 2-in-1 laptops you can find today. With its tiny 8-inch screen, this laptop attempts to pack functionality into a remarkably small form factor, and it truly stands out from traditional laptops.
The question remains though: does such a compact device actually meet the needs of its users?
Priced at $389.99, the Piccolo Series81 arrives in an impressively well-packaged box. Inside, you’ll find a sturdy pouch to keep the device safe, along with the usual documentation and a 12V/3A Type-C charger. The unboxing experience was quite a pleasant surprise, especially after my previous encounter with the manufacturer’s other product, the GSeries1 handheld.
At first glance, this laptop’s compactness is striking. With an 8-inch screen and a keyboard that extends to cover every edge of the platform, the design seems almost impossible for such a small device. X-Plus has even managed to include a 360-degree rotatable hinge that lets you use it in laptop, tablet, or tent mode, making it versatile for various use cases. The laptop features a tiny trackball as a mouse input, which is a clever workaround considering the limited space.
The design doesn’t stop at just the aesthetics; X-Plus has managed to squeeze a respectable number of ports into this compact machine, including USB 3.0 and USB 2.0, a mini-HDMI port, and a microSD slot. Additionally, the device has a built-in fingerprint reader on the power button, adding a touch of premium feel to a budget device.
Powering the Piccolo Series81 is Intel’s Alder Lake N100 CPU, which includes 4 cores and 4 threads, with a maximum clock speed of 3.4 GHz. While the laptop is not designed for gaming, it performed decently in a few games-though the results were far from impressive. For instance, in titles like Counter-Strike and Far Cry 3, the FPS stayed around 30-60, which is not playable at higher settings. Furthermore, the device heated up significantly during these tests, which is not ideal for extended gaming sessions.
On a more practical note, the Piccolo Series81 shines in daily tasks such as web browsing and media consumption. The IPS display is vibrant, making videos and photos look great, and the 3500mAh battery lasts for over four hours-pretty impressive for such a small unit. The portability factor is definitely a major selling point, as this laptop can be carried virtually anywhere without much hassle.
However, the performance limitations are clear, and X-Plus acknowledges that any improvements would require beefing up the cooling system, which would likely increase the device’s size. Despite these shortcomings, the Piccolo Series81 offers a creative and functional solution for those prioritizing portability over raw power. For office work, media consumption, and casual browsing, it’s an excellent choice.
In conclusion, the Piccolo Series81 is an impressive feat of engineering in the 2-in-1 laptop category, but it’s clear that it’s not a device for gaming or intensive workloads. For those who value portability and unique design, this could be a great option. However, if you need more power, you might want to look elsewhere.