The picture in the article reminds me of the GPD Win 2, which has physical buttons and runs Windows 10. The Win 2 doesn't really give the impression of a laptop or a mobile phone, more like a portable game console that runs PC software. Maybe there are some form factors in between laptops and phones/tablets that are worth exploring further.

It would be nice if the GPD hardware had better dockability. All the available docks are 3D printed by enthusiasts.

Also, the GPD has made me realize that I don't really want a tablet-style input device for ultraportable use. Having the physical knobs and buttons works better if the environment is that of a desktop PC. Remember that weird trend that started in the 2010's where every laptop manufacturer felt the need to make their screens into touchscreens? There were plenty of people I saw who would switch between the touchscreen and mouse awkwardly, as if the touchscreen was beckoning them but they realized five seconds later that navigating Windows with touch regions that small was too cumbersome to bother with. And yet the cycle kept repeating, because the touchscreen wasn't going away.