Back in the late 1990s, people who spent their evenings fiddling with their motherboards and looking for the latest driver updates frequently fantasized about the day when a full-fledged PC could fit in a backpack. Laptops did exist, of course, but they were similar to carrying a little anvil and running hot enough to give you a warm glow, almost like a space heater. The goal was to create something far more portable, light enough to fit into an everyday carry without hesitation. Fast forward to 2025, and that dream has finally come true thanks to modder Changliang Li, who converted a surplus Pentium processor into a handheld system that boots directly into – you guessed it – Windows 98.
Li had a goal in mind that sounded quite simple when he wrote it down, but once the project began, downsizing became a necessity. The build’s heart is an ancient Intel Pentium MMX 166 MHz desktop CPU that he found somewhere – most likely in an old tower PC – and a Kontron MOPS/686+ motherboard. When combined with 32MB of EDO RAM (those thin SIMM sticks you recall), you have just enough memory to get some classic games working smoothly.
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Storage is provided by a CompactFlash card formatted for the era, which has the Windows 98 installation as well as a few period software such as a web browser that probably can’t handle modern websites. A 3.7-volt lithium-polymer battery. connected to a USB-C PD board, powers the entire setup.
Assembly needed a unique combination of fabrication and off-the-shelf components. The CPU and its supporting chips are housed on the main board, which is etched on a double-layer PCB the size of a credit card. These chips include a basic Super I/O for keyboard and serial ports, as well as a VGA controller for display. That display is a 5.6-inch 480p color LCD taken from an outdated portable DVD player. Input is a split mechanical keyboard, while navigation is handled by a Logitech trackball mouse located on the upper left of the screen. We can’t forget about the custom-designed, 3D-printed case either.
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