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| The ultra-compact Tenku Note Pro AI laptop features a 10.51-inch display and a 12-core CPU. |
If you're the type who gets excited about impossibly small laptops—especially ones from Japanese brands—you've probably stumbled across Tenku at some point. This company has carved out a niche for itself by specializing in ultra-compact machines, and their 10.51-inch Note Pro has been a favorite among those who prioritize portability above all else.
Now Tenku is back with an updated version of that laptop, and this time it's running on Intel's Core Ultra 5 125U processor. The form factor remains the same incredibly tiny 10.51 inches, which makes it perfect for field engineers, on-site technicians, or anyone who just hates carrying around a bulky laptop.
The Tenku Note Pro AI ultra-compact laptop might be a solid choice for portability enthusiasts.
Meteor Lake Power in a Tiny Package
The Note Pro AI is powered by Intel's mid-range "Meteor Lake" chip, which features a 12-core setup: two performance cores, eight efficiency cores, and two additional low-power efficiency cores. You can configure it with up to 16GB of LPDDR5 RAM, though that's actually half of what the previous generation could handle.
Based on benchmark numbers, the 15W Core Ultra 5 should perform roughly on par with an AMD Ryzen 5 8540U APU. It also maintains about a 15% performance lead over the newer Ryzen AI 5 430 "Gorgon Point" chips found in many budget laptops these days.
The 10.51-inch IPS display rocks a 1920 x 1280 resolution, which works out to around 219 PPI—pretty sharp for a screen this size. You also get 10-point touch input with stylus support featuring 4,096 levels of pressure sensitivity. Port selection is admittedly sparse: dual USB 3.1 Type-C ports and a 3.5mm headphone jack. Wireless connectivity comes via Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2.
The Tenku Note Pro AI laptop features a classy and minimal design.
2-in-1 Flexibility and Solid Build Quality
Like many ultra-portables in this category, the Note Pro AI features a 360-degree hinge that lets you flip it into tablet mode. The chassis is made from aluminum and weighs just 960 grams (about 2.1 pounds), with dimensions of 243 x 177.6 x 17.5mm—roughly 9.57 x 7 x 0.7 inches. That's genuinely pocketable territory for a full Windows machine.
Other noteworthy specs include an 8,000 mAh battery, 512GB of M.2 storage, USB-C ports with DisplayPort output and power delivery support, a 21 TOPS NPU for AI tasks, and an M.2 2280 slot for storage upgrades. For more details on the hardware, you can check out the official product page here or read the press release.
Pricing and Availability
The laptop is already available through several Japanese online retailers, including Amazon Japan, where it's listed at ¥150,280—approximately $953 USD. That configuration includes the Core Ultra 5 chip, 16GB of LPDDR5 RAM, and a 512GB M.2 SSD. You can find the Amazon listing here.
Since Tenku primarily focuses on the Japanese domestic market, a global release seems unlikely—though not entirely impossible. International buyers can always go the import route if they're determined enough. For a deeper dive into what makes this machine tick, LaptopsCheck has a thorough breakdown worth reading.
Looking for Something Bigger?
Of course, not everyone wants to squint at a 10-inch screen all day. If you'd prefer a more traditional 15-inch laptop, the ARM-powered IdeaPad Slim 5X is currently available for $818 over at Lenovo. It's a solid option for those who want Snapdragon efficiency in a more conventional form factor.
