The idea of keyboards hiding full computer systems isn’t new. Think of the Commodore 64, although it’s not the only example. Similarly, folding keyboards for mobile devices have existed since the era of the Palm Pilot.
However, recent advancements in mobile technology and portable power have allowed an innovative company to combine these two ideas into a single device.
Enter the Ling Long keyboard, which initially looks like any Bluetooth folding keyboard you can find on Amazon. However, this one has a unique twist: underneath its compact keys is a fully functional Windows system.
We’re not dealing with a basic Arm or Atom system here. The Ling Long keyboard comes equipped with a Ryzen 7 8840 APU, up to 32GB of RAM, and 1TB of M.2 storage—specs akin to those of a mid-range laptop.
The keyboard also includes an internal battery, a speaker, and a small touchpad next to the space bar. You can connect it to a portable monitor for complete untethered use, or use a USB-C dock (or a USB-C monitor with similar capabilities) to turn it into a full desktop setup.
According to the company’s promotional materials seen by Tom’s Hardware, it’s rated for ten hours of use, though this can vary depending on what you’re doing. Running a portable monitor alongside tasks demanding enough to activate the cooling system will certainly shorten this time.
It’s an intriguing idea, and considering the specs and the engineering behind the folding mechanism, the starting price of 3000 yuan (around $412 USD) is quite appealing.
That said, I find it hard to imagine a situation where this gadget would be preferable to a standard laptop or tablet. At 1.7 pounds and measuring 6 inches on each side, it needs a portable screen to be functional. It really only makes sense if you know you have a USB-C desktop setup where you’re headed and don’t need a PC during your journey.
The tiny right Shift key and compressed punctuation layout to fit in the touchpad suggest it might not be ergonomic to use. It seems so uncomfortable that I’d prefer almost any laptop keyboard. Since I wouldn’t be using this thing in transit, I might as well set up a full keyboard and mouse at my destination and replace it with one of those small “portable” desktops.
But that’s just my skeptical side talking. I admit that the design work on the Ling Long is impressive, and I’d be interested in trying it out to see if it changes my mind. While it seems unlikely that this device will make it out of China in its current form, maybe someone will recognize its potential and import it or license the design.