For a long time, my daily tech setup has been predictable: one laptop for work, and a tablet for everything else like watching videos and browsing the web. While this works, it means dealing with multiple chargers and a bag that always feels a bit too heavy. I’ve often wondered if a modern ultrabook could truly handle both jobs. To get a real answer, I decided to put it to the test. For an entire week, I put my usual laptop and tablet aside and used only the GPD MicroPC 2 for daily use. This is a log of how it performed.

Day 1: A Day at the DROIX Office

The week began with my standard train ride into the office. The small size of the GPD MicroPC 2 for daily use was a benefit right away. I could hold it easily and use its backlit keyboard to answer a few important emails. It’s a lot quicker than typing on a phone, but not as clumsy as opening one of the usual lightweight laptops on a busy train.

Once I got to the DROIX office, I connected it to my desk. My desk is usually a bit of a mess, so instead below is a photo of it with a foldable triple monitor setup we have in the office, plus it looks far nicer with some lighting! It took just one USB-C cable to connect to my main 4K dual monitor setup. I used my full-sized keyboard and mouse for my work, and the GPD MicroPC 2 kept up without any issues, even with my typical workload of a dozen browser tabs, Slack, Discord, and a few other programs running all day. It was impressive how this small device could power a complete desktop setup without any lag. The GPD MicroPC 2 for daily use showed it was a very capable work machine on day one.

Day 2: The Central London Meeting

Today I had a work meeting in central London. The day started on the London Underground, where there isn’t much room to get work done. The GPD MicroPC 2 for daily use was excellent here. I could comfortably stand and hold it with one hand to make some final changes to my presentation notes, which is something you just can’t do with a regular laptop.

When I got to the meeting, I plugged the GPD MicroPC 2 straight into the large presentation TV on the wall with its full-size HDMI port. The presentation ran perfectly right from the device. Using a full Windows machine means you don’t have to stress about the compatibility issues you sometimes get with tablets. In the discussion that followed with a contact from the meeting, I folded the screen back into tablet mode and used a stylus to jot down some notes. The whole setup was very professional and efficient, making it one of the most practical laptops for business when you’re on the move.

Day 3 & 4: Weekend Downtime

After the work week, it was time to see how the GPD MicroPC 2 for daily use handled the weekend. On Saturday, I focused on some hobbies. I paired a controller to it and was soon playing some classic PlayStation titles on an emulator, which it ran really well. It’s also great for PC games that aren’t too demanding. Later, I used the built-in microSD card reader to get photos and videos from my filming camera for another product review. I was able to sort through and edit them with full desktop software, which was very convenient.

On Sunday, the GPD MicroPC 2 was useful around my flat. I used its 2-in-1 design to stand it up in tablet mode on the kitchen counter while following a recipe. In the evening, I connected it to my TV with an HDMI cable to catch up on the Alien Earth TV series (a great show, by the way!). It was a perfect, quiet little media player.

Day 5: The Chester Work Trip

I went on a work trip to Chester with some of the DROIX team for a conference presentation. We left in the evening after work, and during the long drive, I was able to finalise the presentation from the passenger seat. The device’s small size meant it wasn’t awkward to use in the car, which would have been difficult passing it around with my larger work laptop. It’s one of the few small-sized laptops that you can genuinely use while travelling.

Day 6: The Presentation

The following day was presentation time. I connected the GPD MicroPC 2 for daily use straight to the projector on the stage using HDMI and controlled the slides with a Bluetooth remote. It all worked without any problems. It’s a big advantage having a full Windows PC for these events, as you can be confident there won’t be any technical issues. It handled all my other work during the trip, like emails and editing documents, perfectly. This makes it one of the best ultra-portable notebooks for any professional who travels.

Day 7: The Journey Home

The drive back to London from Manchester was pretty quiet as we were all tired and… let’s just say some a bit hungover from the night before! I used the journey to watch the Dexter Resurrection TV series and reply to a few emails. It was nothing too demanding, but the GPD MicroPC 2 kept me busy on what would have otherwise been a very boring trip home.

Final Thoughts: My Verdict After a Week

So, can a 2-in-1 mini laptop really take the place of both a laptop and a tablet? Based on my test, I would say yes. The GPD MicroPC 2 for daily use managed everything I threw at it, from office work and presentations to retro gaming and movie nights, without any trouble.

Of course, there are some things to keep in mind. The keyboard is small, so if you’re typing for a long time at a desk, you’ll want to connect a full-sized one, and probably multiple monitors if that’s what you’re used to. But when you are out of the office, you have the 2-in-1 functionality of both a mini laptop and a tablet. That’s the whole point of its flexibility. It’s no longer just a niche device for IT geeks or an interesting option among laptops for students; it has proven to be a mature, capable, and very impressive primary computer for nearly any daily task.

GPD MicroPC 2

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What are your thoughts on using a single 2-in-1 mini laptop to replace all your other devices? Could a device like the GPD MicroPC 2 fit into your daily life? We invite you to share your experiences, questions, and feedback in the comments section below!