The Ultra Mobile PC sadly seems to have been relegated to history, but here are 3 alternatives you can still buy today

[Redaktion]

UMPCs or Ultra Mobile PCs were an entire category not so long ago. Offering unheard of performance in a package that could literally fit in the palm of your hand. Having dropped off people's radar there are still many that miss the good old UMPC days. Here are 3 of the last few remaining UMPC options in 2024.

https://www.notebookcheck.net/The-Ultra-Mobile-PC-sadly-seems-to-have-been-relegated-to-history-but-here-are-3-alternatives-you-can-still-buy-today.874211.0.html

[Kelv1n]

I would say the last one on the list is a fairly killer box - the N100 is a fantastic CPU, in the past year it's become the defacto standard for low-powered devices, chomping away at large chunks of the Mini PC, and Raspberry Pi markets.

It's not surprising, it can take 32GB RAM (possibly 48GB with DDR5), and has enough grunt to run a dozen VMs or even larger number of containers.. also with a buit-in GPU, that is amazing for Teanscoding multiple 4k streame.

The 12GB RAM, is a DDR5 thing, like 24GB and 48GB DIMMs.. and its the minimum usually offered for LPDIMM (I.e. soldered on RAM), I guess it's related to the size of each DRAM chip.

[Rigged]

the N100 is a fantastic CPU

N100 is neither performant nor power efficient.
Rockchip 3588 SBCs do all the same with 30% of power consumed.

[/-Real NikoB/-]

If large companies really cared about the ecology of the planet, they would release new motherboards (and screens in the same size and format, but with high ppi and frequency with a new interface, but located in the same way, just to transfer the wires to new standards) specially compatible with old laptop cases - because there are plenty of them on the market and at home and they are quite successful if replaced.

For example, take the old Thinpad T series - there are plenty of them, millions of durable cases and internal chassis (I have one with a failed motherboard in my utility room at home) - it is enough to release new motherboards with exactly the same layout of connectors, but in new standards and the same CO, but improved taking into account the past years and especially on U chips with low PL1/PL2, replacing the screen with a better one, especially since there was eDP even 14 years ago, which is supported and is the main one on laptops to this day.

And in this way, only Lenovo could reduce millions of tons of garbage by turning them back into the latest durable laptops in old series cases, but with new energy-efficient and quiet hardware.

But large corporations in reality don't care about the ecology of the planet - the main thing is to maximize profits and for customers to buy new hardware junk as quickly as possible.

I even have a working netbook from MSI lying around in a desk drawer (even the battery is still working after 16 years!), but naturally it is impossible to use it even if you connect it to an external monitor - the 2008 Atom is too slow, any smartphone is faster than it, even 2015! And the built-in screen has too large a grain. Its case and keyboard are in perfect order. And so it is with many people... But if MSI would release a compatible motherboard with the latest technologies with the latest ports, located in the same way (well, except for dsub, although even there you can output miniDP or hdmi 2.1) - it would come to life again, rise from the ashes! For example, on Zen4, Zen5 or MeteorLake+ U series.

It seems that it is impossible to use the netbook and it is a pity to throw it away (as a memorable souvenir). I am not used to throwing away fully working hardware.

Corporations contribute to the growth of electronic waste on the planet and damage to the environment...

[GeorgeS]

Ahh yes the 'one laptop per child' project that morphed into 'Netbooks'. What started as very inexpensive and small+portable PC's quickly swelled into overpriced+spec'ed monsters that had very little resemblance to the 1st 'Netbooks'.

At my house it was 1st the (as I recall) the 7" Acer Aspire (single core Atom) followed by the 10" model (also with an Atom that had/has 'hyper threading' LOL!)

I did end up tossing the 7" but kept the 10". Some years later I upgraded the RAM and HD to a SSD and loaded what might be the very last 32bit Linux distro on it.

Just for kicks I just checked it and the battery is dead. (it is charging now)

Fun stuff!!

[randon]

'one laptop per child' project that morphed into 'Netbooks'

*into Chromebooks, and they are still around.
This failure in the very first sentence makes the rest of your post irrelevant.

[GeorgeS]

'one laptop per child' project that morphed into 'Netbooks'

*into Chromebooks, and they are still around.
This failure in the very first sentence makes the rest of your post irrelevant.

'Chromebooks' morphed out of 'Netbooks'.

Android was not even around when Netbooks 1st got invented.

[wondows]

'Chromebooks' morphed out of 'Netbooks'.

One laptop per child appeared later than netbook.

Android was not even around when Netbooks 1st got invented.

How android is even related to conversation.