GPD WIN - How viable for Word / Excel, etc.

[lordbobjones]

Hey everyone,

I am seeking opinions.

Currently I am using a Debian laptop that is ancient and is beginning to fail. So I need to replace it.

Currently I am running Libre Office to access my office docs and spreadsheets and need dropbox access for cloud storage along with some mild wine app access for some older apps. All of this could be run under windows 10 and I use a win 10 laptop at home for all this. And of course Chromium and firefox for web, filezilla for ftp and other minor programs. Because it is stationary I would not need battery life as it would remain plugged in most of the time.

I have been pricing laptops, etc, and was wondering:

Is the GDP WIN a viable PC for office work? Office 2016, usb bluetooth keyboard, mouse and a large monitor via mini hdmi.

Just curious if it would be a good solution. I love the idea of dropping it into my bag and heading home at the end of the day and have old school game options for the bus trip home. monitor and keyboard and mouse I already have so just need some opinions.

I have my trusty pandora for games now for the bus trip, but find the Pandora output to my large monitor to be too grainy for long day of office work. Also have not found easy dropbox access for pandora so that is serious limitation.

Let me know some opinions.

Thanks!

 

[NetBLOKS]

Well, if you are into Windows 10, the solution with an external monitor, mouse and keyboard works really well, I tested it.
And on a device of that size MS Office is free in a limited loadout.
But beware the standby bug, bluescreens etc. posted and listed in the GPD Win thread.

 

[lordbobjones]

Thanks I will check out the blue screen bugs, etc.

 

[ElPoco]

If you hook it to a monitor, mouse and keyboard, it's a regular PC with decent specs. You'll just have to be careful of the battery, and if you plug it in, of the heat. I haven't used it much when charging, but I have the impression that the heat of the CPU + the heat of the charging battery might be a bit too much.

 

[NetBLOKS]

I've had it working for quite a while on battery and charger. No problems there if you activate the fan.
But you are right, it gets hotter than without the charger.

 

[PCXT]

Anyone tried installing Linux on GPD Win?
How's the battery life?
I was also thinking about GPD Win, but Win10 is definitely not a system for me, as I think terminal systems should be ran on thin clients.

 

[NetBLOKS]

Well, it won't get much thinner than the Win
If Windows is not for you, better wait for the Pyra or until GPD fullfills their promise on releasing linux for the GPD Win.
There are attempts to make it work completely with linux, but they are not finished yet.

 

[PCXT]

With this amount of computational power and connectivity, Pyra is better in openness - at least I've seen the initial schematics. Some Zaurus or HP LX has so small power, that it won't steal your data (or you'll see it quickly, it of course doesn't cover side-channel attacks). With more power and Linux with its relatively higher hardware demands, openness starts to be necessary.
I've seen these attempts to run Linux on GPD Win and logs from systems diagnostics. The device is really hard to discover, what is supported/connected where.
And... because Win10 is one big cash-making machine selling user's profiles - I think GPD won't help in opening their product enough to make some open drivers.