Minibook X and Minibook 8 discontinued

Laptops MiniBook
1

Hello Chuwi
Minibook X disappeared today from the store and Minibook 8 is only available in Japan. Any chance to see a follower in the future?

2

Chuwi wonā€™t answer you.

My guess is that they will launch a new model soon.

The minibook x was riddled with issues. I have one that has a faulty USB-C entry already (Luckily thereā€™re two, thinking if i should send it to warranty still) , and a few more defects. My lid came a bit arched.

But, i still like itā€™s form factor, its amazing how productive i can be with such a small device. My bet is that the model X was a hit, they sold many, but ran into production issues. It happens.

I love my minibook X despite of its issues. So, i would buy a new , improved model in a heartbeat.

3

I kind of felt the Minibook X might not be around for long and bought it almost immediately, before I would actually need it for a trip.

I also love the form factor, other than the OneNetbook (which costs like 3x more) itā€™s literally the only device that is small enough to be easily portable and actually useful as a tablet, but large enough to be comfortable for typing and other real work. Itā€™s actually shocking, there are like two dozen Steam Deck knockoffs but apparently nobody wants to make a small 2-in-1.

Like tuganix says though thereā€™s a bunch of issues that are not fatal but very annoying. None of them are even expensive (like ā€œput an i7 in itā€) so hopefully Chuwi can address these in a new version and Iā€™d buy another one:

  • Battery life is the main downside for such a portable device. A bigger battery could easily fit in there and would only cost a few dollars more. And I also think something is wrong with the CPU configuration. It never goes below 1.4W package power even when idle, while in the Techtablets review you can see the Freebook 13" go to 0.6W with the exact same CPU/motherboard. This should be a free fix.
  • Sometimes the Ctrl button seems to stick on
  • Only two USB-C ports, one accepts PD charging so if youā€™re traveling with one charger (for the phone as well), you have to take up the ā€œfully featuredā€ port for it
  • No USB-A or SD reader. This could easily be on the board that has the 3.5mm jack now
  • The N5100 is a good choice for a budget and performance, but with a fan (like $5) it could sustain the maximum speed indefinitely so you can play games when plugged in
  • Using a standard tablet screen was a great idea. The hole-punch isnā€™t a deal breaker (I put the Start Button there) but surely thereā€™s a similar screen without the hole that could be used
1 Like
4

JacekJagosz pointed out in another thread that Chuwi actually teased a new version of the Minibook:

Thereā€™s an active cooling solution and a slightly smaller screen without the hole, but otherwise itā€™s not clear what else could change.

I actually fixed my touchscreen so really the main thing Iā€™d want to see is better battery life. Doesnā€™t seem likely if the space is used for the cooler though. A possible update could be the new processors that should be launched soon, maybe thatā€™s why the laptop isnā€™t out yet: Intel's N95 Processor Benchmark Leak: An Entry-Level 2023 CPU | Tom's Hardware

It looks like the direct replacement for the N5100 could be the N95 which is almost 30% faster. The N305 would be a significant boost, an 8 core version would be great. Of course these are all questionable benchmarks.

5

The Minibook (8") battery life isnā€™t so bad (it can be better of course) - I can achieve even 6 hours if I use it in power save mode, and I donā€™t run tasks that need a big load. But when I need long battery life, and I need to use high-consuming tasks, I bring myself this powerbank (there are similar models from other manufacturers too - but you chose such a model that supports Type-C PD charging): Mi 50W Power Bank 20000 - Xiaomi Global Official
One big advantage to use a separate powerbank that you can use other devices too and you can charge multiple devices simultaneously.

But I hope that there will be new Minibook 8 model in the future - I love this machine so much :slight_smile:

6

I think the only way you can get 6 hours on the Minibook x is to leave it idle on airplane mode and minimum brightness. Otherwise around 4 is the best case for actual use.

So the powerbank is pretty necessary unfortunately, which ruins the portability a bit. As I posted in the other thread, the new GemiBook seems to get the N100 processor which is quite a bit more efficient. I hope Chuwi can optimize and update the Minibooks this way too.

7

Yes, exactly - the 6 hours only achievable if I use the lowest power save settings with minimum brightness and limited wireless connections. When Iā€™m on a conference, I use the Minibook 8" for note-taking and sometimes checking e-mail/messaging - this is a rare scenario, but this is one of the use cases for that I bought it.
But it would be great if Chuwi chose a more power-efficient processor with optimized energy consumption.

8

Hi. Just so you know Chuwi just released Chuwi minibook 8" N100. Please sell your old minibook and buy this updated version. I have so many questions. Perhaps you could answer these questions about your current miniboook?
Hi. Few questions about your 8" minibook N100?

  1. can you please make at least 3 in a row Geekbench 6 tests with maximum power mode? Perhaps when plugged in. I said 3 in a row because if subsequent geekbench tests show much less score than first test, means the device is throttling and processor is overheating

  2. does usb c port can output hdmi(display out) signal when connected to appropriate monitor?

  3. I saw on some chinese websites that chuwi minibook n100 8" supports Chuwi H8 stylus. Can you test it and see if using stylus experience any good for note taking etc?

  4. how is the battery life in hours on average, on low brightness and: A) watching YouTube B) browsing internet, nothing intense ?

  5. any issues noticed while using your chuwi minibook 8" N100?

Thanks for your answers in advance.