Well, I haven't reviewed laptops in a while now, especially the type of laptops that are on my desk right now. There's a company in the market called "X-Plus" that offers portable hardware in "very unique" form factors, whether it is handhelds, laptops, or mini-PCs. We have reviewed the company's GSeries1 gaming handheld in the past, which was basically an Intel N100 unit with a massive IPS screen slapped right onto it. This time, the company was kind enough to send their "2-in-1" laptop, called the Piccolo Series81, and upon the first-look, the first thought that came into my mind was "Why?"
Look, I am an advocate for innovation, and I do admire designs that are simply out of this world, even if they don't have much use case, but the Piccolo Series81 laptop is a product that is astonishing, even for a "tech-savvy" guy like me. I don't know whether to call it a laptop, tablet, or even a mobile, considering its form factor, but full marks to the manufacturer for the creativity in the design of the "2-in-1" laptop. Here's a quick look at the specifications of the Piccolo Series81:
| Category | Specification |
|---|---|
| CPU | Intel N100 (4 cores, 4 threads, up to 3.4 GHz, 6 MB cache, 6 W TDP) |
| GPU | Intel UHD Graphics (up to 750 MHz) |
| RAM | 12 GB LPDDR5 (4800 MHz, soldered, non-upgradable) |
| Internal Storage | 512 GB M.2 2242 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD (user-upgradeable, up to 2 TB) |
| Expandable Storage | MicroSD (TF) card slot, supports up to 1 TB |
| Display | 8" IPS touchscreen, 1920×1200 (16:10), 10-point multi-touch, 350 nits |
| Ports | - 1× USB 3.0 Type-A - 1× USB 2.0 Type-A - 1× USB-C (PD charging, DisplayPort, data) - 1× mini-HDMI 1.4 - 1× 3.5 mm audio jack - 1× MicroSD slot |
| Wireless | Wi-Fi 6 (Intel AX101, dual-band), Bluetooth 5.2 |
| Camera | 2 MP front-facing webcam |
| Biometric | Fingerprint reader (integrated in power button) |
| Battery | 7.6 V / 3500 mAh (≈25.9 Wh), up to 6 hours runtime |
| Charger | USB-C PD, 12 V / 3 A (36 W) |
| Dimensions | 200.6 × 130.6 × 17.9 mm |
| Weight | ≈658 g |
Piccolo Series81: Unboxing & First-Look Experience
Well, despite the laptop's compact design, the packaging with the unit was pretty solid, not something that you would expect for such a device. The laptop comes in an all-white box, and actually contains a dedicated pouch inside to keep the laptop, which is definitely appreciative. Along with that, you can find the usual manual and a standard 12V/3A Type-C charger for the device. I didn't have a great experience unboxing the GSeries1 from the same manufacturer, so the packaging was a nice surprise for me, to say the least.
When you look at the Piccolo Series81 laptop, you would surely be amazed by the compactness of its unit. This device features an 8-inch screen with a keyboard that covers all the edges of the platform, which shows that the manufacturer really did squeeze in everything in order to get the unit functional. X-Plus, the manufacturer, says that the laptop acts as a compensation to a full-sized laptop, but we'll be the better judge of that.
The device features a 360-degree rotatable hinge that allows users to use it either as a laptop or a tablet-like configuration, along with a "tent-mode", in case you need viewing angles to watch your favorite movie. On top of this, the laptop features a keyboard size that is probably one of the smallest configurations out there, and in case you are wondering how X-Plus compensated for the mouse touchpad, well, they inserted a tiny trackball. The good thing is that no keyboard buttons are missing at all, so in terms of functionality, the Piccolo Series81 doesn't compromise at all.
One great thing about this unit is the manufacturer's ability to squeeze in a decent number of ports into such a small unit. The laptop offers 1x USB 3.0, 1x USB 2.0, a mini-HDMI port, and a microSD slot, which is simply an amazing number of options when you consider that the laptop houses just an eight-inch screen. Interestingly, the device also offers an in-built fingerprint reader which is located right on the power button, and it really adds a great touch to the "premiuness" of the device, although there's nothing much high-end about it.
Piccolo Series81: Performance & Functionality
Well, let's talk a bit about the performance of such a compact unit. The laptop features Intel's "Alder-Lake" N100 CPU, which comes with a 4C/4T configuration, with a maximum clock speed of 3.4 GHz. For graphics, the CPU offers Intel UHD onboard, coming in with 24 EUs and 750 MHz frequency, which isn't suitable enough for gaming at all. However, just for the benefit of doubt, we decided to test out some titles, and here were the results:
Gaming Benchmarks (720p)
Well, the above benchmarks clearly show that this device isn't for gaming at all, but the one thing that really bothered me was the continuous spikes in CPU utilization, partly due to the bottleneck with the onboard iGPU. Now, with gaming, another interesting fact is that the laptop became very hot, rising up to in temperatures, with the onboard fans spinning almost all the time, so we definitely don't recommend to game with this unit at all.
However, on a broader outlook, I did find it pleasant to do my daily tasks with the Piccolo Series81, such as navigating the browser and even media consumption, since the IPS screen has a great touch to it. Since the unit is so small, you can almost take it anywhere with you, and that's an awesome point, at least for me, who desires portability over performance. Moreover, with an onboard 3500 MAh battery, it gave me a downtime of more than four hours, which is yet again decent enough.
I did ask X-Plus about whether they plan on upgrading the laptop with relatively higher specifications, but they said that it would require beefing up the cooling system, which would compromise the compactness. Intel's Alder Lake SKU definitely fits perfectly here, since it is a budget-friendly option, and most importantly, consumes very little power, which is why the laptop runs in such a form factor in the first place. Overall, for any kind of office work or content consumption, the Piccolo Series81 is an awesome option if you are into "hardcore" portability.
Piccolo Series81: Conclusion
Reviewing this device was indeed an awesome experience, since I love the creativity and innovation that come from manufacturers. The performance does hold the device back, but the design features and its compactness make me realize that the device does have practicality amongst consumers out there. If you are interested in getting a unit, make sure to visit X-Plus's official website and get the Piccolo Series81 through here.
About the author: Muhammad Zuhair is a hardware and technology reporter for Wccftech, specializing in the semiconductor industry and the complex interplay between technology, manufacturing, and geopolitics. His coverage focuses on the corporate strategies and technological roadmaps of industry giants like TSMC, NVIDIA, Samsung, and Intel. Zuhair's expertise lies in deconstructing complex topics such as fabrication nodes (e.g., 2nm process), the economic impact of policies like the CHIPS Act, and the strategic development of AI infrastructure from NVIDIA, AMD and Intel.
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