No, this article isn’t being written in 2003 although one could be forgiven for assuming that. Somehow in the world of mobile first, 6.5” phablets, and multiple full tablet options, not to mention ultra books and convertibles, the venerable, bizarre and, (imo) more interesting than all of those, UMPC form factor has made an almost incomprehensible comeback! We can almost definitely thank the wacky computing market that is Asia, and the brutal competition to claw back anything from mobile that has driven efficiency enhancements in x86, for this odd development and for fans of the form factor, it’s a welcome surprise!

This generation comes in a few form factors, including tiny little 8.9” notebooks, but without a doubt the most interesting, and clearest throwback to the days of devices like the Viliv or Vaio UX, is the GPD Win series. It’s especially fascinating as this series is a serious attempt at building a Windows gaming focus clamshell. The latest incarnation in this series is the Win 2, which ups the power ante with the following specs some decent specs, including a Core m3-8100Y. As a huge fan of the category, it’s incredibly exciting to see this renaissance in the space and it’s one I will definitely be watching!