Computers have been getting smaller and smaller for years now, but they've truly reached an impressive point in 2024. We now have mini PCs and PC gaming handhelds that pack the power of a laptop or full-size PC in an incredibly tiny form factor. That opens up a lot of new possibilities for computing. You can play full AAA gaming titles on a device that can be taken just about anywhere, whether it be a gaming handheld or a mini PC. Theoretically, there's no reason why a great mini PC can't replace every other computer in your life. So, I did the unthinkable: I took an Ayaneo Retro Mini PC AM02 with me on the go and found out if it could replace my laptop.

The premise

Why couldn't I use a mini PC with the right equipment?

The premise behind the idea is simple. The Ayaneo Retro Mini PC AM02 packs a lot of power in a relatively thin and light form factor, and it only draws 100W of power. That means that, in theory, something like the Ugreen 145W Power Bank or the Anker Prime Power Bank would be enough to keep the Retro Mini PC AM02 running. Ayaneo's latest mini PC retails for under $500, so it would be a steal if it replaced both your computer and laptop. I've been using the Retro Mini PC AM02 for about a week now, and it's crushed it at home. The only question left was whether it was usable on the go.

So, the power situation was figured out with a large-capacity power bank that could handle high power delivery. But there were still a lot of questions that needed to be answered, like how I could interact with the device. Surprisingly, the Retro Mini PC AM02 has a four-inch touchscreen, but I'd need something else for display output. I went with the Jsaux FlipGo Dual Portable monitor for the display, which isn't much bigger than your average laptop. For peripherals, I used a Lofree Flow keyboard and an MX Master 3 mouse.

What went right

I hardly noticed I was using a mini PC after getting it set up right

After connecting all the cables and peripherals to the monitor and Retro Mini PC AM02, the mini PC booted up normally to Windows 11. I was able to use the mini PC just like normal, with no indication that it was suffering from performance throttling. I did some light web browsing, and even wrote a portion of this article in our CMS with the mini PC running off of battery power. The setup process was a lot more intensive than opening up a laptop would be, but it took me less than five minutes to get everything hooked up and running.

One of the key benefits to using the Retro Mini PC AM02 over a laptop was the massive number of ports I had access to with the mini PC. My typical daily-driver laptop is an M2 MacBook Air with a MagSafe connector and two USB-C Thunderbolt ports. With the Retro Mini PC AM02, I had four USB-A ports, one USB-C port, a headphone jack, two Ethernet ports, an HDMI port, and DisplayPort. I've reviewed quite a few great Thunderbolt docking stations, but I haven't used a single one that includes every port listed above. You'd need a slew of adapters to match the connectivity of the Retro Mini PC AM02.

What went wrong

There were some inherent issues with powering a PC on battery

However, it wasn't all great. You'll run into some issues powering a PC with a portable battery, even something small like the Retro Mini PC AM02. First, the Retro Mini PC AM02 will need 100W power delivery from a capable source, but also a supported cable. I happen to have a few 100W and 200W cables lying around, but not everyone will. Although both the Anker and Ugreen power banks should have been able to power the mini PC, only the Ugreen one actually completed the task. All this is to say that there is way more nuance involved to using a mini PC on the go than a laptop, which you probably expected.

There's also the obvious problem — a portable mini PC deployment will look a lot more out of place than a typical laptop. I filled up most of a four-person table just with all the components and cables needed to run my mini PC on the go. If you get shorter cables, you can improve the look, but it's still a strange way to work in public.

Activating what I call "stealth mode" — hiding the Retro Mini PC AM02 and the power bank in a bag — definitely improved the appearance. Using this setup with most of the guts tucked away looked surprisingly normal, and could even be somewhat practical with a bit of fine-tuning.

Should you use a mini PC as a portable computer?

Probably not, but it was a pretty cool way to get more out of a mini PC

But to be clear, this is more of a proof-of-concept than a realistic solution for people. I was pretty uncomfortable using the mini PC outside, worried that a slight twist of a cable or a dying battery pack would result in lost work. In 2024, computers are so powerful and so compact that it's fairly agreed upon that most people don't need a laptop and a desktop computer. That's why a lot of people use a laptop for on the go and home use. Now, we know that the reverse — using a mini PC at home and on the go — is kind of possible.