Penkesu is a hand-made laptop computer with a mechanical keyboard

There aren’t many ultra-powerful laptops out there anymore, out of range GDP pocket and his focus on games successors. With tablets, smartphones, and even portable devices like Steam Deck easing the marketing needs of owning a laptop, there’s not much room for small laptops other than the fun of owning a fun-sized version of a traditional PC.

But that doesn’t stop DIY-er Penk Chen Build their own laptops It’s called Penkesu – an all-in-one laptop with a mechanical keyboard. It could have existed as a generic backing for a ’90s science fiction movie or R&B video plot device in 2002.

The Penkesu case is built using 3D-printed parts paired with hinges designed for the Game Boy Advance SP. The clamshell cover is equipped with a wide 7.9-inch 400 x 1,280 capacitive touch screen, which connects via the hinge with a ribbon cable carrying an HDMI signal to the Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W in the base.

Then the USB interface with charging, as well as the Li-ion battery locking down the main computer components, follow Chen’s goal of using a minimal amount of electronics. All that’s left for the Penkesu is the keyboard, which consists of an Arduino controller with Kailh Choc V1 low-profile switches, low profile keycaps, and the rest of the electronics.

Photo: Penk Chen via GitHub

The result is a fancy laptop that kind of reminds me of Raspberry Pi 400 A built-in keyboard that houses an ARM-powered computer – but with a monitor.

This isn’t the first old-fashioned Raspberry Pi laptop we’ve seen, as there’s also been a disaster alive Raspberry Pi Cyberdeck Computer. Like the Penkesu, it also has a mechanical keyboard. But rather than a compact design, Cyberdeck’s components are packaged in a rugged, waterproof swan camera case.

Small laptop designs have gone through phases; At various points, manufacturers have raced to build a compact and affordable Internet-focused netbooks Or join Intel War on MacBook Air with Ultrabooks. But laptops like the coveted high-end Sony VAIO P will never be able to catch up. In the case of the VAIO P, this was because it was Very unusable Due to a slow Intel Atom processor, a strange 8-inch screen with a resolution of 1600 x 786, and a price around $ 900.

But if you like the look of VIAO P and you have Use case for Raspberry PiThen maybe this cool portable device is just the thing for you. If you can’t think of a reason to build one, just remember that it might be the perfect computer for him pirates.

If you are considering taking on the project, Penk Chen has posted all the information you need on github, including 3D-printable STL files. And yes, the Matrix wallpaper setting would be great on this device.