I love my GPD micro PC

I bought two computers this year: a beefy Macbook Pro with M1 Pro and a GPD Micro PC.

The MBP is supposed to be my mobile workstation, to meet all my needs whenever I need to work outside of my home office (at home I still mostly use a processor-based Mac Mini two-year Intel). The GPD was a whim. Maybe I'm at the stage in life where well-to-do men buy themselves Ferraris to ward off a midlife crisis; or maybe I just have a special heart for small computers.

Let's compare the two machines:

CPU Apple M1 Pro (8 cores at 2 – 3.2 GHz) Intel Celeron N4100 (4 cores at 1.1 GHz) RAM 32 GB 8 GB SSD 512 GB 128 GB Display 14.2″ 6″ Performance (Cinebench R15 multi-band) 1309 238 Price paid (EUR) 2550 300

Guess which of these two products I use the most? That's right, the GPD Micro. Admittedly, I've only had it for a month, so maybe it's a novelty effect that will fade over time, but still: I'm impressed. And, yes, I installed Ubuntu MATE (a semi-official distribution that has dedicated versions for this hardware) and Emacs on it, and I'm programming on it.

The GPD Micro PC running Emacs on Ubuntu MATE and a credit card for scale

So what do I like? Why should I look further for a device with poor performance, a screen you have to squint at to notice anything, and an uncomfortable keyboard?

It's ultra-portable. It permanently resides in my fanny pack (or fanny pack for my American readers) next to my wallet and phone, and I carry it around wherever I'm on the go. It's super light for a laptop (I barely feel the extra grams), and it only takes a second to reach, just like putting it away.

It's cheap and solid. I am very vigilant and always a little panicked when I transport the Macbook. Be careful in tight spaces! Better not ride a city bike with this one in my backpack, because what if I fall?

On the other hand, the Micro does not fear being carried or beaten. In many ways it reminds me of the Eee PC 1000HE which was my primary driver years ago. (Did I mention having a separate core for small computers?) If it breaks, it breaks; but who knows! I once accidentally dropped the Eee from about 1 meter high, chipping off some of the plastic from the chassis, but the computer continued to work. I wouldn't be surprised if the Micro proved to be just as durable.

Having a hacking environment at all times is very empowering. It's something I hadn't expected at all. I like long solitary walks, letting my mind wander; when I feel like thinking about code, I sometimes stop for a coffee and experiment. And if not, the very idea of ​​having a development environment always at hand makes me want to.

I walk, I lift, I lift the heart, the eyes

—Gerard Manley Hopkins, Hurrahing in Harvest

My hands in my pockets, and my pockets like an ocean,I walk slowly and look around

— Sławomir Wolski / Mariusz Lubomski, Walkology

The same on the subway: rather than mindlessly picking up the phone and skimming through the news, I choose to pull out the Microphone and read some code. I'm purposely not logged into any social media there, not working there (just hacking personal projects for fun) and staying offline unless I really need something on the Net.

It dual boots Windows and Linux and is my only x86-64 computer. I love a lot about macOS and the Apple ecosystem, but Apple's walled garden still irritates me. It's nice to have an escape hatch to the more open world of Linux (I'm hesitant to try Asahi on the Mac) and to be able to play the occasional Windows game.

Finally, this little thing has a soul. Like the Eee; like the 8-bit mics of yore. I don't know how to put it better. The Macbook Pro is a very capable workhorse, but I see it as just a tool. In contrast, the GPD just wants to be used, interacted with, tinkered with. Someday I'll find a use for its RS-232 serial port!