Review: GPD Pocket 2

The decision to buy a tiny wee laptop for travel use during a nationwide lockdown might seem at first glance like a curious one. My excuse is that a) it was on offer, and b) my laptop is now plugged into so many auxiliary devices — external monitor, hard drive, microphone, cooling mat — that it’s basically immobile on my desk, so I needed something which I can use YouTube on while I do the washing up.

The first thing that strikes you about the Pocket is how well appointed it is for such a small, sleek unit. Lesser manufacturers might have been tempted to provide a single USB-C port and expect users to make do with an external hub, but GPD have been generous enough to cram in two full-sized USB ports, a MicroSD card slot, 3.5mm headphone jack and, of course, the obligatory USB-C for external screens.

Not that you’ll necessarily need one — the 1900x1200 display shoves a lot of pixels into a very small area, so the 7" screen is crystal clear, although I did find it wasn’t quite bright enough to compete with strong direct sunlight.

It’s about as user friendly as a device this small can get — wisely opting for fewer, bigger keys. You’re unlikely to be doing more than emails, word processing and YouTube through the GPD Pocket 2, so emphasising basic functionality over a full range of keys is a good call.