4 ms·

Ask HN: Does anyone make portable PCs?

If I always use my laptop with an external keyboard and display, why do I need to carry these around with me? They largely determine the form factor of the PC. A suitably robust box, housing CPU and storage, could be much smaller and do the job just as effectively. Does anyone sell such a device?

RetroTechie 3y ago
Raspberry Pi? If needed, RPi-like computers come in x86 flavour too.
gregjor 3y ago
Apple sells the Mac Mini. Intel and numerous other companies sell NUCs.
- mike-the-mikado 3y ago
  These are small, but I don't see them specifically marketed as portable - i.e. robust enough to withstand the sort of treatment a laptop is expected to withstand.
  - linusg789 3y ago
    I have one of these, they are just as durable as an actual laptop. Even more so, as a matter of fact.
  - ThrowawayR2 3y ago
    Any bump severe enough to significantly damage a micro PC would also be enough to crack the screen or otherwise damage a laptop too. Shock resistant, dustproof, etc. industrial computer modules do exist but you'd be paying something like 10x the price of an ordinary computer so it's not worthwhile.
  - gregjor 3y ago
    Because not many people carry a PC, monitor, keyboard, etc. around. We have laptops for that. You can get a sturdy case like a Pelikan if you want to protect it.
jqpabc123 3y ago
Go to amazon.com and search for "mini PC'.
- milsorgen 3y ago
  This but on eBay. Depending on hardware requirements there are some fantastic deals to be found compared to Amazon.
Finnucane 3y ago
There are pc cases made to be carried around—you could diy it.
simonblack 3y ago
Portable PC have gone out of fashion. The 'Notebook' design took over. But we used have these: https://medium.com/geekculture/the-1983-compaq-plus-portable-when-computers-were-glorious-9ddcb8ed9329 https://medium.com/geekculture/the-1983-compaq-plus-portable...
haspoken 3y ago
Something like https://mind.khadas.com/ https://mind.khadas.com/ ? https://www.cnx-software.com/2023/07/22/khadas-mind-raptor-lake-portable-mini-pc-supports-desktop-dock-laptop-dock-and-external-gpu-dock/ https://www.cnx-software.com/2023/07/22/khadas-mind-raptor-l...
- mike-the-mikado 3y ago
  It looks they have spotted this gap in market. It will be interesting to see prices when it becomes available.

RetroTechie 3y ago

Raspberry Pi? If needed, RPi-like computers come in x86 flavour too.

gregjor 3y ago

Apple sells the Mac Mini. Intel and numerous other companies sell NUCs.

mike-the-mikado 3y ago
These are small, but I don't see them specifically marketed as portable - i.e. robust enough to withstand the sort of treatment a laptop is expected to withstand.
- linusg789 3y ago
  I have one of these, they are just as durable as an actual laptop. Even more so, as a matter of fact.
- ThrowawayR2 3y ago
  Any bump severe enough to significantly damage a micro PC would also be enough to crack the screen or otherwise damage a laptop too. Shock resistant, dustproof, etc. industrial computer modules do exist but you'd be paying something like 10x the price of an ordinary computer so it's not worthwhile.
- gregjor 3y ago
  Because not many people carry a PC, monitor, keyboard, etc. around. We have laptops for that. You can get a sturdy case like a Pelikan if you want to protect it.

jqpabc123 3y ago

Go to amazon.com and search for "mini PC'.

milsorgen 3y ago
This but on eBay. Depending on hardware requirements there are some fantastic deals to be found compared to Amazon.

Finnucane 3y ago

There are pc cases made to be carried around—you could diy it.

simonblack 3y ago

Portable PC have gone out of fashion. The 'Notebook' design took over. But we used have these: https://medium.com/geekculture/the-1983-compaq-plus-portable-when-computers-were-glorious-9ddcb8ed9329 https://medium.com/geekculture/the-1983-compaq-plus-portable...

haspoken 3y ago

Something like https://mind.khadas.com/ https://mind.khadas.com/ ? https://www.cnx-software.com/2023/07/22/khadas-mind-raptor-lake-portable-mini-pc-supports-desktop-dock-laptop-dock-and-external-gpu-dock/ https://www.cnx-software.com/2023/07/22/khadas-mind-raptor-l...

mike-the-mikado 3y ago
It looks they have spotted this gap in market. It will be interesting to see prices when it becomes available.