I think this shows how much framework changed notebooks in general. It doesn't have the freedom that desktop PCs have but now we can literally build our own notebooks ourselves. Hopefully something like this comes to smartphones and other devices.
Well, it's not like you've got much freedom with pc parts too - a new generation of CPUs likely won't even work with your motherboard and everything is chunky asf
This video is so great on so many levels. As a 60 yo who's been involved with electronics since 1980, I'm amazed at what is being done today. You have to have so many skills to not only design and build a project like this, and then your video is top notch. Really cool, my projects aren't even in the same universe. I feel like a team of people is behind this channel, but I trust you that it's just you. Some people are gifted.
You know you can find some older AIO PC's that are just old and the mainboards for those can be as small as the pedestal it sits on. No more than 1ft² at most. Also you could try to find silicone wrapped wires since they are much more flexible than standard plastic coatings on wires. The only downfall is they are usually pricier.
Framework does intend for their motherboards to be added into custom enclosures, it's a big part of being able to upgrade the laptop and reuse the components
"Cyberdecks" in Neuromancer, Cyberpunk, and Shadowrun were described as basically being keyboards. Maybe a little thicker than typical keyboards. With many special function keys/controls, large (book-sized) slots for storage modules, and a phone jack. But without any kind of display - since, of course, a decker/jacker/hacker is completely immersed in some sort of virtual/cyber environment. (You could always pay extra to install a display screen. So the rest of your team would be able to see your situation and progress.)
Screen sharing is a common feature of networking software now, like Teams. AR glasses would make a great addition - plugged in, to reduce the number of batteries required.
The people in Neuromancer were always "jacked in" to their Cyberdeck. So their neuroreceiver and brain were the screen. In this day and age using a screen is totally acceptable.
The framework actually uses an internal USB for the keyboard/fingerprint reader and you can get breakouts for it so you dont need to loose a usb port for input. Framework also is going to start selling an eDP cable so you dont need to give up the other port for the display.
Yeah, that was something that kinda bugged me about that setup. If he can adapt a PS2 to USB using a middleman microcontroller, why not just make an adapter to run them to the keyboard and trackpad IO instead of using up a USB port? Keep in mind, I'm not saying I'm not impressed. I am more curious about the design choice
@@benmakeseverything it looks like framework has an eDP cable on their shop right now, but I am not sure if that is the right one. I saw a thread on the framework forums discussing trying to use the built in eDP on the mainboard for things like media PCs and the main complication appears to be that the framework mainboard eDP is not entirely standard. the last comment is about two weeks ago, so I have a feeling that the cable listed on their site doesn't really help us here. I'm hoping it will work though because I kinda want to get started on tweaking your design a bit to make it a clamshell, and whether or not we can use the eDP port will play into how I make those design tweaks.
This is the kind of custom build I think of whenever the modularity of Framework is mentioned. It shows just how versatile such a platform is, and that you don't need to be limited to just their options for the chassis the parts fit into. And when framework releases a motherboard with a better processor, you can just swap it in knowing that everything will still be in the same place as the old one. A laptop with a practical CPU upgrade path that isn't just "buy a new one" has been needed for a long time and it's finally here.
This is be good for 3d modeling and programming? How far could u go with this? I'm just beginning so I'm sure it has everything I need for now just want to double check
@@jomitoh5111Would be great for programming, but 3D modeling benefits from a dedicated GPU that afaik these don't have. But they might eventually be compatible with external GPUs so there would be a lot of options for a custom "dock" for home use.
@@jomitoh51113d modelling works pretty fine on a fairly new CPU as long as you don't wanna do rendering, bigger simulations or scenes. (I don't recommend doing those things on a laptop anyways)
This is one of those rare examples of someone making their own system and it genuinely looking like it's come from a big manufacturer somewhere... This is impressive, in appearance and design, I genuinely love the look of this.
I thought the same thing. This looks like it could have been a commercial product... Maybe from that alternative time line... Maybe from one of the seasons of Archer 🤔
There must be shops that specialize in fabricating a custom computer design along the lines of what you did according to a client's specs and drawings. 3D printers allowing custom form design were not around when I was young back in the 8-bit processor days. DIYers had to buy project boxes or forms from a third party. This is truly a new era for design and invention. Thanks for sharing this.
TBF, the 100's of employees aren't working on concepting and producing the initial design. The majority of them will be marketing, purchasing, sales, legal, etc. Initially building a product is about 5% of what's involved. The majority of the work is in making something that can be mass produced at a relatively low cost that people will buy at scale and will be profitable. This is a cool project and the fact that anyone can throw one together is a good thing, but as a product it doesn't make a ton of sense unless the manufacturer was operating at a much larger scale. Otherwise there's almost no reason for people to buy one from you rather than just assembling it themselves unless they're lazy (which isn't likely with niche tech products like this).
You've just convinced me that the world needs laptops with cinema wide screens. It's a little amusing that the old portable computers from back in the day got unusually close to this on accident.
This is such a neat build! One design suggestion for your next iteration: when you're trying to make a semi handheld device, it's really useful to split your mouse buttons out to the opposite side of the enclosure from your trackball/pad/stick/whathaveyou. This lets you click and drag things relatively comfortably with both thumbs.
Thanks, that's a good idea! The trackball module did have buttons on the board already so that's why I did it this way, but I could have wired up some additional ones to use instead.
Good idea! Maybe add a scroll wheel to the mouse click buttons on the opposite side of this Cyberdeck? So Trackball for the right thumb and moise buttons and scroll wheel for the left thumb? And of course we need a mirrored version for all those lefthanded people.
The aesthetics of the exposed guts on the back is absolutely approved of from here. Right on the dot with the cyberdeck theme, if you ask. in stead of the trackball I personally would have gone for the IBM trackpoint. I'm old enough to have used and appreciated that little gem and can still this day still recommend it. Love the energy, love the design, love the recycling!!!!1!1!11!! Also, first vid I see and an immediate subscribe.
I'm not a hardware guy and cyberdecks are not my cup of tea, but I have seen pictures/videos of a few cyberdecks, and this is the nicest-looking and most ergonomic one I have seen so far. So congratulations on your excellent work. On a tangential note, there is one particular feature of this that I wish mainstream laptop manufacturers would adopt: the 2400x900 display. Imagine a clam-shell laptop with such a screen, a keyboard, and instead of having a trackpad, there is either a Trackpad-style nipple and two small buttons underneath the space bar, or there is a trackball and buttons like in this cyberdeck. The benefit of such a clam-shell laptop is that it would fit on the seat-back tray that is commonly found on airline/train seats in economy class.
That makes me wish Vaio was still trying to make subcompacts work. Imagine what the Vaio P could've been if it wasn't handicapped by the Intel Atom processors
@@syloui Thanks for reminding me of that. The hypothetical clam-shell laptop I describe above would be very much like a Vaio P, except scaled up in size to have a laptop-size keyboard (and *anything* other than an Atom processor).
@@paulhorn24 actually it's more interesting. They first had their C1 Picturebook line of products in the late 90s, and the Vaio P was an attempted revival of the form factor during the very short lived Netbook craze. It failed due in part by trying to be a luxury netbook (with luxury msrp) in a market segment known for it's cheapest entry prices, and this was made worse because of the abysmal performance of the early Atom processors, and because it's weird aspect ratio screen with a high resolution came before Windows had properly implemented high DPI scaling Now even though the software and hardware has reached the point of viability for this form factor, no manufacturer is willing to experiment with Vaio P-like subcompacts. Im just glad things like the Framework and Raspberry Pi are opening the door again to Homebrew style computers like what kicked this all off in the 70s, as evidenced by all the different "cyberdeck" projects that have popped up on youtube
You can implement scroll with another mouse button. Hold that button and the trackball can scroll up-down *and* left-right. This is how Lenovo Trackpoint works. I would love to fork this project and design it with a Lenovo Keyboard. The missing trackpoint is the main thing keeping me from trying a Framework TBH. I even considered an HP with a track point, but they didn't have the middle button for scroll. Great project! I liked your useful inclusion of a dock and Arduino. You got 2 USB A, a USB C, and HDMI ports for your trouble.
Thanks! You can actually find trackpoint modules by themselves online, I though about using one early in the design phase but opted for the trackball instead.
Loved every minute of this video. Absolutely brilliant design and it was a pleasure to watch being built! I didn't know Framework sold just the boards but now I am super intrigued. Best Cyberdeck to date!
Happy to hear an upgrade in the audio departament - your workshop medium shots does not hurt my ears anymore, like they used to in your previous videos. Important note here: I write this 'nitpicking flavoured' part of the comment solely because you asked for suggestions (mine is: keep up with the good quality audio and thank you for doing so!) But apart from that - I'm just blown away by your passion, quality control (both in product design and video production), and straight to the point attitude. Thanks for sharing all that! I love it and will stick with your channel for sure. Kudos from Poland! :)
I love it, Great video outlining your design process and execution. The one feature I didn't expect and loved, the extra display inputs. Awesome idea for a potable computer!
For scroll wheel you could use the trackball and one of the unused apple keys to switch between modes. Or add a button to the arduino to change between scroll wheel and mouse pointer movement
Incredible concept. A few ideas to consider for v2. 1. Try moving the ports backwards so the wires don't bother you when typing. 2. Apple keeps the speakers in sealed ports, firing upwards for good sound. 3. Track balls can be finnicky; you might be able to squeeze in a slightly bigger one moving the board. 4. Consider a few air intake ducts (boost cooling efficiency and reduce fan sound). 5. File down the alu screen bezel to remove friction before it kills the hinge 6. Use loc-tite on hinge bolts (be careful using it on plastics). 7. Touchscreen would be ultimate flex but I don't know if it would be useful in practice, maybe with a stylus.
As a kid I remember drawing what I would later learn was a cyberdeck. I was obsessed with not just the functionality but the blocky look as well. Really cool! Maybe I'll actually build one of these one day
A idea for the swappable connectors. The tiny sucction cups that you get with some bathroom hooks and stuff for windsheilds might fit and give you some leverage. Cool video.
he could also use some 3M pads or other adhesives to glue on friction bars. Perfect little pc tho. Definition of built to order, all in it's... disorder.
This totally reminds me of the Toshiba Lbretto from the 90s! I remember seeing it as a kid and wanting one (despite not having any use for it at the time) 😅
This little thing blew my mind, it did not need it, did not have the money but it was just so awesome. Thought about buying a used one not that long ago 😅
@@Webshadow I almost did back in around 2005. Found one unit in a display case at a local computer repair shop - it was a novelty item they put on display and didn't expect to even sell it. When I asked for the price, they couldn't even quote me and needed to have a discussion before asking for (equivalent of) USD150 (to be fair, it was in good working condition and did boot into Win 95 except the battery was dead and needed to be plugged in to work). However, I couldn't justify buying it at the time as I still didn't have a use for a 486 running Win95 nor was it vintage enough to be collectible. Not to mention I was still a poor student back then and it would have wiped out a substantial part of my savings.
This is one of the most incredible and capable portable computers I've seen. It can do anything, program stuff, has very good performance and even can take video input! I clicked on this video randomly from my main youtube page and got amazed by your skills and ideas.
Very cool! But please don't use black electrical tape, it will turn into a sticky mess after a while, which will be very difficult to remove if you have to disassemble device again! Acetate cloth high temperature tape is best for this applications!
@@SchoolforHackers Probably the black cloth tape you can find being used in automobiles. It's more cloth like, and almost always black. Sometimes, you can find this in older laptops holding down cables (e.g. older IBM Thinkpads' heatsink fan assembly etc.)
@@SchoolforHackers Yes, exactly as @Dreamslacker said. But only with an acrylic adhesive layer, not with a rubber one. This is now used in all modern laptops, at 2:10 you can see a small piece that holds the wires from the cooler in place. It holds up very well, and it's very easy to work with and remove. You can Google it: acetate cloth tape for laptops
This is so cool. Framework is absolutely changing the game in the laptop AND the diy/enthusiast space. Love seeing their parts used in projects like this.
A great video. I also love the aesthetic of the old computers being fairly old myself - my first computer was a ZX Spectrum! This would have seemed bleeding edge tech, just going back ten years, so it's not that far out there. Very entertaining video.
Fusion360 - the software I designed this in has a line render style. So I did the animation in there and rendered it (it was black lines on white background) then brought into the video editing software (Davinci Resolve) and inverted it, then applied a color filter for the orange color.
Ben, my build is complete. I just wanted to say thanks for posting all your hard work. The "cyberdeck" functions perfectly and went together easily. I did source the aluminum from PCBway and I went with black anadized plates. I looked for a company in the states who could source the work for me, they either did not respond or the price was too high. The CAD files you provided were invaluable in making custom expansion cards (and I am building a mechanical keyboard with bell and whistles). Anyway, just wanted to say thanks!!! oh, I love the trackball, way better than a touch pad.
I like your idea, and even more the fact you turned this idea into a real useable computer 🙂 Given its Framwork h/w roots, I guess running Linux should not be a problem
Loving your build. v2 could be: custom keyboard utilizing QMK, custom made pcb and chok switches. You could use custom layout, remove unnecessary keys, add some chords, home row mods etc etc... Overall smaller design, remove hinges, let it be flat. Trackball is a nice touch, but consider lenovo trackpoint since keyboard could be custom made. Could be fun and open source portable terminal that outperforms smth like devterm.
Great project! It turned out really well. I have one of those trackball modules as well. Apparently there's a pinout that will make it work on USB as well. I used to use an old piece of software called Applekeys which provided keymapping for the Apple Pro keyboard in Windows. I have no idea if it'll work on Apple's newer hardware, but it's something to look out for. To make the slide in modules easier to remove, you could mill a shallow notch on the underside, so you can hook your thumbnail into it.
Really cool project! It's common to see DIY electronics projects, but it's rare to find one that genuinely looks fully thought out and very usable! Great one!
Such an awesome build. Well done. Would AutoHotKey allow you to map those Mac buttons to functions? Also, as much as I love trackballs, I wonder if one of the Thinkpad style TrackPoint input would be a better option since it is more compact and, if I remember correctly, pressure sensitive for how fast the mouse moves. All in all, this is probably my favorite custom build projects I have ever seen. Well done!
This is honestly a great project , fairly convenient for builders who mostly create stuff with arduino and raspberry pi. Despite being in med, I'm still regretting on shifting from my 2nd year in engineering but everyday I get inspired by creators like you to continue on the passion I have on creating stuff.
This is simply amazing! I love the concept of a DIY portable PC, especially using the Framework. It's a brilliant way to customize tech for your own needs. Well done!
🎯 Key Takeaways for quick navigation: 00:00 🛠️ The video showcases the creation of a custom Cyberdeck using a Framework laptop motherboard, providing a fully capable Windows computer with unique features. 00:28 📝 A Cyberdeck, inspired by William Gibson's term, is essentially an artisan-crafted computer with a unique design and features, allowing for individual interpretation. 01:37 💻 Framework is a company that produces laptops with a modular and upgradable design, allowing users to build, upgrade, and repair their laptops themselves. 02:05 💽 The chosen hardware for this Cyberdeck is based on a Framework laptop motherboard, offering good performance and modular IO system, making it suitable for customization. 04:09 🖥️ The Cyberdeck features a 2400x900 IPS display, which allows a more usable 8x3 aspect ratio compared to 32x9 displays, and it's capable of being powered and supplied with video via a single USBC cable. 05:32 🔍 The Cyberdeck incorporates a mini Optical trackball and uses an Arduino to interface with it, providing a unique navigation method. 06:28 🎛️ The device maintains the swappable expansion port cards, offering additional functionality and customization options. 07:50 🛠️ The device's housing is created by 3D printing a skeleton and using aluminum plates for a sturdy yet aesthetically pleasing finish. 08:32 🏭 The aluminum plates can be cut and customized with various tools, making them accessible for DIY projects. 09:55 🎮 The device is equipped with additional video inputs, allowing it to function as a monitor for other devices, and the external buttons can be customized for specific functions. 16:55 🎮 Despite its unconventional design, the Cyberdeck offers good performance for various tasks, including playing games like Doom and Overwatch 2. Made with HARPA AI
Definitely wanna see a version 2 of this!! Challenge: Version 2 must use a corsair keyboard, and have a streamer setup style(stream labs, capture card feature, and use some sort of audio xlr input with compatibility to an audio mixer)
You either spend ages on CAD and do few iterations (note, I said _few_ not _perfect at 1st try_ ) or you do a bunch of iterations. True in the professional realm as well, don't worry about it being some kind of lack of experience, it can at best reduce the amount of iterations and silly mistakes, but they still do happen.
Hi Ben, randomly stumbled on this video, one thing you could look into is Cerakoat. Would be pretty cool to color your raw aluminum. They have lots of crazy colors. I would recommend the air dry kind you can spray it with a small cheap HVLP gun harbor freight sells. I did a bunch of car parts two weekends ago that turned out killer! Cheers. Cool project!
I’ve wanted to build my own laptop for years. This design is awesome! Here’s a few ideas for the Apple keys: B1 Hold to scroll with trackball B2 Hold to increase trackball speed B2 single press and flick trackball to move the cursor to a common area of the screen (corners, center, etc)
Man, that is brilliant. I'm really glad to see the content like this. It looks like now I want to create something like that too, lol. Hope, I'll have a time soon. Respect
Dude, this is so cool! I just learned how to swap and clone an hdd to sdd and I thought I was cool. I have so much more to learn. Thanks for the great video.
Fantastic! I always wish more laptops and portable devices would let you use the screen for another device. Adding the integreated arduino is great too. I love that it actually plays a role in the function of the computer.
this is so cool. i am planning on building something similair but with either a dell mobo or a raspberry pi(maybe even do both. who knows) the idea of having a small pc on the go instead of a bulky laptop sounds so cool to me and the fact that its home build is even more unique.
As other comments mention the stick in the center of the ThinkPad keyboards, I looked at Wikipedia for the exact name: A pointing stick (or trackpoint, also referred to generically as a nub or nipple) is a small analog stick used as a pointing device typically mounted centrally in a computer keyboard. Unlike other pointing devices, it reacts to sustained force or strain rather than to gross movement, so it is called an "isometric" pointing device. IBM introduced it commercially in 1992 on its laptops under the name "TrackPoint", and patented it in 1997 (but the patent expired in 2017). It has been used for business laptops, such as Acer's TravelMate, Dell's Latitude, HP's EliteBook and Lenovo's ThinkPad (formerly produced by IBM until they sold it to Lenovo in 2005).
Pretty slick! Amazed you are old enough to remember the Model 100. Would like to make a survivalist phone/tablet, for long distance hiking. Ultra low-power, with one of those bi-color E-Ink displays to display a map, when powered off.
Ben, very nice idea and very good „end-product“ for a Version 1 of your idea. Hopefully the viewers might suggest improvements or variations in their comments. This idea can become the base of new products like the „Gridfinity“-idea or the like.
I love this video! I'm an old tech from the 80's til now and I would suggest making some kind of cover to protect the cyberdeck from being damaged or dust covered. Keep up the amazing work.😁
the video input is very nifty for a spare mobile monitor that runs with it's own battery/power supply. I also agree the only demerit is that the mouse lacks a vertical scroll, I think you could use a D-Pad for a combination of vertical and horizontal scrolling lol... That would make it look unique for sure.
Never heard of the term „D-pad“ before, so thank you for telling us about it. Wikipedia: … Directional pad is a flat, typically thumb-operated, directional control. D-Pads are found on nearly all modern gamepads, handheld game consoles, and audiovisual device remote controls. End quote. Very interesting 👍
I really love this design. Gonna be eagerly watching to see if other people iterate on it. The most obvious areas to improve off the top of my head: protecting the internals while the screen is flipped up, more slack to replace those two modules without unscrewing anything, and of course the keyboard.
I think this shows how much framework changed notebooks in general. It doesn't have the freedom that desktop PCs have but now we can literally build our own notebooks ourselves. Hopefully something like this comes to smartphones and other devices.
Well, it's not like you've got much freedom with pc parts too - a new generation of CPUs likely won't even work with your motherboard and everything is chunky asf
@@ruslan_yefimovAMD supported the am4 socket for like 5 years+
framework phone?!
@@ruslan_yefimov "a new generation of CPU" this a given. but literally everything else has freedom for 7+ Years. i can use a GPU from 2005 ffs.
this shows my ass
This video is so great on so many levels.
As a 60 yo who's been involved with electronics since 1980, I'm amazed at what is being done today.
You have to have so many skills to not only design and build a project like this, and then your video is top notch.
Really cool, my projects aren't even in the same universe.
I feel like a team of people is behind this channel, but I trust you that it's just you.
Some people are gifted.
u get off yt @windowsxdproffesional
respect the elderly@windowsxdproffesional
@windowsxdproffesionalson, don't be this guy
@windowsxdproffesional you're a squid troll I shouldn't even waste my breath on.... Isn't it time for your diaper change?
@@OlimpiodosSantosFilho windowsxpunprofessional
It's an interesting idea to use Framework parts in totally custom enclosures. I, too, find Raspberry Pi and such to be a bit too limited.
You know you can find some older AIO PC's that are just old and the mainboards for those can be as small as the pedestal it sits on. No more than 1ft² at most. Also you could try to find silicone wrapped wires since they are much more flexible than standard plastic coatings on wires. The only downfall is they are usually pricier.
You could say you're using Framework as a framework
Framework does intend for their motherboards to be added into custom enclosures, it's a big part of being able to upgrade the laptop and reuse the components
its freaking genius
Limited and underpowered, if you're gonna use it as a PC and not with rpi-specific software/modules then its not worth it.
"Cyberdecks" in Neuromancer, Cyberpunk, and Shadowrun were described as basically being keyboards. Maybe a little thicker than typical keyboards. With many special function keys/controls, large (book-sized) slots for storage modules, and a phone jack. But without any kind of display - since, of course, a decker/jacker/hacker is completely immersed in some sort of virtual/cyber environment.
(You could always pay extra to install a display screen. So the rest of your team would be able to see your situation and progress.)
Closest you could get right now is using a pair of the AR glasses that cost far too much money as a screen.
Screen sharing is a common feature of networking software now, like Teams. AR glasses would make a great addition - plugged in, to reduce the number of batteries required.
The people in Neuromancer were always "jacked in" to their Cyberdeck. So their neuroreceiver and brain were the screen. In this day and age using a screen is totally acceptable.
I would love this able to connect to a quest 2 as usb c high res display
The framework actually uses an internal USB for the keyboard/fingerprint reader and you can get breakouts for it so you dont need to loose a usb port for input. Framework also is going to start selling an eDP cable so you dont need to give up the other port for the display.
Yeah, that was something that kinda bugged me about that setup. If he can adapt a PS2 to USB using a middleman microcontroller, why not just make an adapter to run them to the keyboard and trackpad IO instead of using up a USB port?
Keep in mind, I'm not saying I'm not impressed. I am more curious about the design choice
I didn't know you could get breakouts for that. I do hope they start selling just the eDP cables, that would be great!
@@benmakeseverything it looks like framework has an eDP cable on their shop right now, but I am not sure if that is the right one. I saw a thread on the framework forums discussing trying to use the built in eDP on the mainboard for things like media PCs and the main complication appears to be that the framework mainboard eDP is not entirely standard. the last comment is about two weeks ago, so I have a feeling that the cable listed on their site doesn't really help us here.
I'm hoping it will work though because I kinda want to get started on tweaking your design a bit to make it a clamshell, and whether or not we can use the eDP port will play into how I make those design tweaks.
an EDP445 cable??
@@benmakeseverythingCan you make an 18.4 inch laptop With the desktop style keyboard. Video request
This is the kind of custom build I think of whenever the modularity of Framework is mentioned. It shows just how versatile such a platform is, and that you don't need to be limited to just their options for the chassis the parts fit into.
And when framework releases a motherboard with a better processor, you can just swap it in knowing that everything will still be in the same place as the old one. A laptop with a practical CPU upgrade path that isn't just "buy a new one" has been needed for a long time and it's finally here.
This is be good for 3d modeling and programming? How far could u go with this? I'm just beginning so I'm sure it has everything I need for now just want to double check
@@jomitoh5111Would be great for programming, but 3D modeling benefits from a dedicated GPU that afaik these don't have. But they might eventually be compatible with external GPUs so there would be a lot of options for a custom "dock" for home use.
@@0v_x0 theres already GPU modules + you could use the usb-c ports to use like a usb-c gpu dock or something
@@jomitoh51113d modelling works pretty fine on a fairly new CPU as long as you don't wanna do rendering, bigger simulations or scenes. (I don't recommend doing those things on a laptop anyways)
@@0v_x0 so what is the main purpose these are used for? I'm new to these in general
This is one of those rare examples of someone making their own system and it genuinely looking like it's come from a big manufacturer somewhere... This is impressive, in appearance and design, I genuinely love the look of this.
I thought the same thing. This looks like it could have been a commercial product... Maybe from that alternative time line... Maybe from one of the seasons of Archer 🤔
Reminds me of the uConsole DevTerm, awesome design.
Honestly it looks better and more rugged than a commercial product from 2023. You just don't see stuff made with this much metal anymore.
There must be shops that specialize in fabricating a custom computer design along the lines of what you did according to a client's specs and drawings. 3D printers allowing custom form design were not around when I was young back in the 8-bit processor days. DIYers had to buy project boxes or forms from a third party. This is truly a new era for design and invention. Thanks for sharing this.
instead of black electrical tape, because it will turn into goo over time, consider using something like 'liquid tape' or whatever brand. great build!
The best thing would probably be to use some heatshrink tubing, though carefully applied kapton tape would do in a pinch.
@@jnhartonyep heatshrink is definitely best for sure
Tesa Tape is also good!
You are so organized and neat. You did what probably hundreds of employees in a large company did. Genius!
TBF, the 100's of employees aren't working on concepting and producing the initial design. The majority of them will be marketing, purchasing, sales, legal, etc.
Initially building a product is about 5% of what's involved. The majority of the work is in making something that can be mass produced at a relatively low cost that people will buy at scale and will be profitable.
This is a cool project and the fact that anyone can throw one together is a good thing, but as a product it doesn't make a ton of sense unless the manufacturer was operating at a much larger scale.
Otherwise there's almost no reason for people to buy one from you rather than just assembling it themselves unless they're lazy (which isn't likely with niche tech products like this).
You've just convinced me that the world needs laptops with cinema wide screens. It's a little amusing that the old portable computers from back in the day got unusually close to this on accident.
I would buy that if it existed as an official product. The aesthetics, design, size and mobility is spectacular.
Your choice to put the hinge screws into the base metal just put you head and shoulders above probably 98% of laptop designs. Very cool!
If laptop makers could reduce the cost of manufacturing by 2 cents by selling their grandma, they'd do it 💀
@@vlc-cosplayer the market is the consumer's dictatorship. They are only responding to what you choose to buy.
This is such a neat build! One design suggestion for your next iteration: when you're trying to make a semi handheld device, it's really useful to split your mouse buttons out to the opposite side of the enclosure from your trackball/pad/stick/whathaveyou. This lets you click and drag things relatively comfortably with both thumbs.
Thanks, that's a good idea! The trackball module did have buttons on the board already so that's why I did it this way, but I could have wired up some additional ones to use instead.
Good idea! Maybe add a scroll wheel to the mouse click buttons on the opposite side of this Cyberdeck? So Trackball for the right thumb and moise buttons and scroll wheel for the left thumb?
And of course we need a mirrored version for all those lefthanded people.
The aesthetics of the exposed guts on the back is absolutely approved of from here. Right on the dot with the cyberdeck theme, if you ask.
in stead of the trackball I personally would have gone for the IBM trackpoint. I'm old enough to have used and appreciated that little gem and can still this day still recommend it.
Love the energy, love the design, love the recycling!!!!1!1!11!!
Also, first vid I see and an immediate subscribe.
I'm not a hardware guy and cyberdecks are not my cup of tea, but I have seen pictures/videos of a few cyberdecks, and this is the nicest-looking and most ergonomic one I have seen so far. So congratulations on your excellent work.
On a tangential note, there is one particular feature of this that I wish mainstream laptop manufacturers would adopt: the 2400x900 display. Imagine a clam-shell laptop with such a screen, a keyboard, and instead of having a trackpad, there is either a Trackpad-style nipple and two small buttons underneath the space bar, or there is a trackball and buttons like in this cyberdeck. The benefit of such a clam-shell laptop is that it would fit on the seat-back tray that is commonly found on airline/train seats in economy class.
That makes me wish Vaio was still trying to make subcompacts work. Imagine what the Vaio P could've been if it wasn't handicapped by the Intel Atom processors
@@sylouiThe P series from Sony Vaio was too early for it time, wasn’t it? It is sad, that it was discontinued in 2011 or 2012.
@@syloui Thanks for reminding me of that. The hypothetical clam-shell laptop I describe above would be very much like a Vaio P, except scaled up in size to have a laptop-size keyboard (and *anything* other than an Atom processor).
@@paulhorn24 actually it's more interesting. They first had their C1 Picturebook line of products in the late 90s, and the Vaio P was an attempted revival of the form factor during the very short lived Netbook craze. It failed due in part by trying to be a luxury netbook (with luxury msrp) in a market segment known for it's cheapest entry prices, and this was made worse because of the abysmal performance of the early Atom processors, and because it's weird aspect ratio screen with a high resolution came before Windows had properly implemented high DPI scaling
Now even though the software and hardware has reached the point of viability for this form factor, no manufacturer is willing to experiment with Vaio P-like subcompacts. Im just glad things like the Framework and Raspberry Pi are opening the door again to Homebrew style computers like what kicked this all off in the 70s, as evidenced by all the different "cyberdeck" projects that have popped up on youtube
You can implement scroll with another mouse button. Hold that button and the trackball can scroll up-down *and* left-right. This is how Lenovo Trackpoint works. I would love to fork this project and design it with a Lenovo Keyboard.
The missing trackpoint is the main thing keeping me from trying a Framework TBH. I even considered an HP with a track point, but they didn't have the middle button for scroll.
Great project! I liked your useful inclusion of a dock and Arduino. You got 2 USB A, a USB C, and HDMI ports for your trouble.
i think holding caps lock would work well for this, i bet that's something that can be enabled in software
Thanks! You can actually find trackpoint modules by themselves online, I though about using one early in the design phase but opted for the trackball instead.
since he has that useless button on the mac keyboard that doesn't do anything, maybe he can map it to enable scrolling?
@@goof3209That would suck for those of us who use caps lock for typing.
Have the arduino treat the trackball as a scroll if you click both mouse buttons at the same time.
Loved every minute of this video. Absolutely brilliant design and it was a pleasure to watch being built! I didn't know Framework sold just the boards but now I am super intrigued. Best Cyberdeck to date!
Happy to hear an upgrade in the audio departament - your workshop medium shots does not hurt my ears anymore, like they used to in your previous videos. Important note here: I write this 'nitpicking flavoured' part of the comment solely because you asked for suggestions (mine is: keep up with the good quality audio and thank you for doing so!) But apart from that - I'm just blown away by your passion, quality control (both in product design and video production), and straight to the point attitude. Thanks for sharing all that! I love it and will stick with your channel for sure. Kudos from Poland! :)
Thanks! I am slowly trying to upgrade my gear to make better quality videos.
I love it, Great video outlining your design process and execution.
The one feature I didn't expect and loved, the extra display inputs. Awesome idea for a potable computer!
For scroll wheel you could use the trackball and one of the unused apple keys to switch between modes.
Or add a button to the arduino to change between scroll wheel and mouse pointer movement
I just pooped my pants daniele
Exactly what I was thinking.
Incredible concept. A few ideas to consider for v2.
1. Try moving the ports backwards so the wires don't bother you when typing. 2. Apple keeps the speakers in sealed ports, firing upwards for good sound. 3. Track balls can be finnicky; you might be able to squeeze in a slightly bigger one moving the board. 4. Consider a few air intake ducts (boost cooling efficiency and reduce fan sound). 5. File down the alu screen bezel to remove friction before it kills the hinge 6. Use loc-tite on hinge bolts (be careful using it on plastics). 7. Touchscreen would be ultimate flex but I don't know if it would be useful in practice, maybe with a stylus.
Thank you for the feedback, definitely some good suggestions!
As a kid I remember drawing what I would later learn was a cyberdeck. I was obsessed with not just the functionality but the blocky look as well. Really cool! Maybe I'll actually build one of these one day
A idea for the swappable connectors. The tiny sucction cups that you get with some bathroom hooks and stuff for windsheilds might fit and give you some leverage. Cool video.
he could also use some 3M pads or other adhesives to glue on friction bars. Perfect little pc tho. Definition of built to order, all in it's... disorder.
Or use the CNC to give them all some texture for better grip. I'm not sure how much force is needed, so this may not be enough.
@@jakeaustin901 Yeah, serrations like a pistol slide
This is one of coolest thing I saw on UA-cam for a long time
This totally reminds me of the Toshiba Lbretto from the 90s! I remember seeing it as a kid and wanting one (despite not having any use for it at the time) 😅
This little thing blew my mind, it did not need it, did not have the money but it was just so awesome. Thought about buying a used one not that long ago 😅
@@Webshadow I almost did back in around 2005.
Found one unit in a display case at a local computer repair shop - it was a novelty item they put on display and didn't expect to even sell it. When I asked for the price, they couldn't even quote me and needed to have a discussion before asking for (equivalent of) USD150 (to be fair, it was in good working condition and did boot into Win 95 except the battery was dead and needed to be plugged in to work).
However, I couldn't justify buying it at the time as I still didn't have a use for a 486 running Win95 nor was it vintage enough to be collectible. Not to mention I was still a poor student back then and it would have wiped out a substantial part of my savings.
Super cool Ben!
I love this cyberdeck. There are plenty projects on here, but this one is both cool, and practical day to day. Very inspiring!
This is one of the most incredible and capable portable computers I've seen. It can do anything, program stuff, has very good performance and even can take video input! I clicked on this video randomly from my main youtube page and got amazed by your skills and ideas.
Very cool! But please don't use black electrical tape, it will turn into a sticky mess after a while, which will be very difficult to remove if you have to disassemble device again! Acetate cloth high temperature tape is best for this applications!
Thanks for the suggestion! I'll try to get some and replace it since this thing is easy to take apart.
@@benmakeseverything Also a small USB C extender to access the hidden port on the 6 way bringing it to the side next to the HDMI ?
Are you talking about what I know as kapton tape, or something more cloth-like?
@@SchoolforHackers Probably the black cloth tape you can find being used in automobiles. It's more cloth like, and almost always black. Sometimes, you can find this in older laptops holding down cables (e.g. older IBM Thinkpads' heatsink fan assembly etc.)
@@SchoolforHackers Yes, exactly as @Dreamslacker said. But only with an acrylic adhesive layer, not with a rubber one. This is now used in all modern laptops, at 2:10 you can see a small piece that holds the wires from the cooler in place. It holds up very well, and it's very easy to work with and remove. You can Google it: acetate cloth tape for laptops
This is so cool. Framework is absolutely changing the game in the laptop AND the diy/enthusiast space. Love seeing their parts used in projects like this.
A great video. I also love the aesthetic of the old computers being fairly old myself - my first computer was a ZX Spectrum! This would have seemed bleeding edge tech, just going back ten years, so it's not that far out there. Very entertaining video.
Incredibly cool, imaginative and well executed. Good job man!
How did you made those 2d outline drawing of the 3d cad models and then animate them 0:10 ?
Fusion360 - the software I designed this in has a line render style. So I did the animation in there and rendered it (it was black lines on white background) then brought into the video editing software (Davinci Resolve) and inverted it, then applied a color filter for the orange color.
Ben, my build is complete. I just wanted to say thanks for posting all your hard work. The "cyberdeck" functions perfectly and went together easily. I did source the aluminum from PCBway and I went with black anadized plates. I looked for a company in the states who could source the work for me, they either did not respond or the price was too high. The CAD files you provided were invaluable in making custom expansion cards (and I am building a mechanical keyboard with bell and whistles). Anyway, just wanted to say thanks!!! oh, I love the trackball, way better than a touch pad.
Awesome! I'd love to see a picture if you feel like sharing.
@@benmakeseverything I will, working on mechanical keyboard with rotary encoders for it, then I will share. I freaking love this thing!
@@benmakeseverything ua-cam.com/video/sntIK3BV1fU/v-deo.html
@@benmakeseverything ua-cam.com/video/sntIK3BV1fU/v-deo.html A short video.
Well done Ben! Also using it as a KVM is going to appeal to tons of makers. A scroll wheel on the left edge would be nice.
This is super cool! Was waiting when a scene for this will start popping up, hopefully others get inspired by you.
I like your idea, and even more the fact you turned this idea into a real useable computer 🙂
Given its Framwork h/w roots, I guess running Linux should not be a problem
Would you like a cookie?
I enjoy little cool projects like this. Cool vid 👍
Loving your build. v2 could be: custom keyboard utilizing QMK, custom made pcb and chok switches. You could use custom layout, remove unnecessary keys, add some chords, home row mods etc etc... Overall smaller design, remove hinges, let it be flat. Trackball is a nice touch, but consider lenovo trackpoint since keyboard could be custom made. Could be fun and open source portable terminal that outperforms smth like devterm.
A project like this and QMK/VIA seem like a fantastic match.
The fact that this kind of device is buildable now is so cool. Good call on using the framework PC.
Great project! It turned out really well. I have one of those trackball modules as well. Apparently there's a pinout that will make it work on USB as well. I used to use an old piece of software called Applekeys which provided keymapping for the Apple Pro keyboard in Windows. I have no idea if it'll work on Apple's newer hardware, but it's something to look out for. To make the slide in modules easier to remove, you could mill a shallow notch on the underside, so you can hook your thumbnail into it.
Very, very good ideas/suggestions!
Pretty cool project! Best outcome of this video is “Computers should be fun“ 😊 Thanks for showing!
Really cool project!
It's common to see DIY electronics projects, but it's rare to find one that genuinely looks fully thought out and very usable!
Great one!
I can't remember the last time a UA-cam video impressed me so much. I never comment on videos. Dude......Awesome.
Congrats on the build: really well thought out, and I think very much in the spirit of the framework ecosystem!
That's for sure, one of the best diy projects of the UA-cam. Amazing project.
hey at 0:46 what in the bottom left? the laptop thing?
Look up: Vadem Clio. It was a hybrid laptop/tablet thing from 1999.
@@benmakeseverything Thanks for the reply.
I absolutely love it my friend. I also appreciate your take on the uniqueness of our computers from the past... I do miss the 90s.
Such an awesome build. Well done. Would AutoHotKey allow you to map those Mac buttons to functions? Also, as much as I love trackballs, I wonder if one of the Thinkpad style TrackPoint input would be a better option since it is more compact and, if I remember correctly, pressure sensitive for how fast the mouse moves.
All in all, this is probably my favorite custom build projects I have ever seen. Well done!
AHK would probably need some kind of special plugin, since the apple buttons arent mapped to anything in windows i dont think
This is honestly a great project , fairly convenient for builders who mostly create stuff with arduino and raspberry pi. Despite being in med, I'm still regretting on shifting from my 2nd year in engineering but everyday I get inspired by creators like you to continue on the passion I have on creating stuff.
I love seeing the things people come up with. This definitely does not disappoint! Very cool.
This is one of the more cool and useful projects I've seen in a while. Very cool in my opinion.
He...he made a laptop...
Yes, a laptop that isn't usable.
But those eye glances made me feel so sure of what he’s doing
@@patek2385how is it not usable?
@@ryeser4864 screen is too small, format of the screen is not productive, no proper touchpad, no full keyboard layout, I can go on
@@patek2385 don't exaggerate, please.
the computer is perfectly useable and useful. you just don't have a use case for it.
It's awesome seeing Framework components used like this! Great job on the build. 👍
Why not use a steamdeck's track pad?
Not a bad idea actually! Maybe if I build another one...
First video I’ve ever seen from this channel.. SUBSCRIBED!
This is simply amazing! I love the concept of a DIY portable PC, especially using the Framework. It's a brilliant way to customize tech for your own needs. Well done!
🎯 Key Takeaways for quick navigation:
00:00 🛠️ The video showcases the creation of a custom Cyberdeck using a Framework laptop motherboard, providing a fully capable Windows computer with unique features.
00:28 📝 A Cyberdeck, inspired by William Gibson's term, is essentially an artisan-crafted computer with a unique design and features, allowing for individual interpretation.
01:37 💻 Framework is a company that produces laptops with a modular and upgradable design, allowing users to build, upgrade, and repair their laptops themselves.
02:05 💽 The chosen hardware for this Cyberdeck is based on a Framework laptop motherboard, offering good performance and modular IO system, making it suitable for customization.
04:09 🖥️ The Cyberdeck features a 2400x900 IPS display, which allows a more usable 8x3 aspect ratio compared to 32x9 displays, and it's capable of being powered and supplied with video via a single USBC cable.
05:32 🔍 The Cyberdeck incorporates a mini Optical trackball and uses an Arduino to interface with it, providing a unique navigation method.
06:28 🎛️ The device maintains the swappable expansion port cards, offering additional functionality and customization options.
07:50 🛠️ The device's housing is created by 3D printing a skeleton and using aluminum plates for a sturdy yet aesthetically pleasing finish.
08:32 🏭 The aluminum plates can be cut and customized with various tools, making them accessible for DIY projects.
09:55 🎮 The device is equipped with additional video inputs, allowing it to function as a monitor for other devices, and the external buttons can be customized for specific functions.
16:55 🎮 Despite its unconventional design, the Cyberdeck offers good performance for various tasks, including playing games like Doom and Overwatch 2.
Made with HARPA AI
This is cool, thanks!
This is a really nice build, great video!
Definitely wanna see a version 2 of this!! Challenge: Version 2 must use a corsair keyboard, and have a streamer setup style(stream labs, capture card feature, and use some sort of audio xlr input with compatibility to an audio mixer)
I love this project! I'd love to see a version 2 that solves the main problems you ran into (hinge, exposed PCB and wires, etc).
7:42 as a 3d print hobbyist, i can confirm this is true 😂
You either spend ages on CAD and do few iterations (note, I said _few_ not _perfect at 1st try_ ) or you do a bunch of iterations.
True in the professional realm as well, don't worry about it being some kind of lack of experience, it can at best reduce the amount of iterations and silly mistakes, but they still do happen.
I’m looking to create my own Wii Zapper with built in Wii mote & nunchuck. Thanks for the help and inspiration!
Hi Ben, randomly stumbled on this video, one thing you could look into is Cerakoat. Would be pretty cool to color your raw aluminum. They have lots of crazy colors. I would recommend the air dry kind you can spray it with a small cheap HVLP gun harbor freight sells.
I did a bunch of car parts two weekends ago that turned out killer! Cheers. Cool project!
You can anodize pretty easily too with some items you may have in the garage
I love it, BY FAR the cleanest, nicest Cyberdeck build I've ever seen
you forgot to add a floppy drive
This is so cool and polished I thought it was made by Framework
This would be interesting for people with disabilities. To customize a pc for issues that normal people don’t face
Dope cyberdeck, dude! I'm glad you made your video and I'm glad I found it!
Well done! Nice attention to detail.
Love it dude!
Great job.
This gave me an idea! Use the framework mobo to make myself a Steam Deck
Seriously nice build there and well done presenting it. Framework is finding a new life in unexpected ways,
Love the Arduino integration and the fact that you can connect a Raspberry Pi to the monitor. Really cool tinkering machine
looks super clean. Love it.
I’ve wanted to build my own laptop for years. This design is awesome!
Here’s a few ideas for the Apple keys:
B1 Hold to scroll with trackball
B2 Hold to increase trackball speed
B2 single press and flick trackball to move the cursor to a common area of the screen (corners, center, etc)
That is one amazing machine you made there.
Wish I could have one.
Love the form factor too.
Man, that is brilliant. I'm really glad to see the content like this.
It looks like now I want to create something like that too, lol. Hope, I'll have a time soon.
Respect
Amazing Idea and Fantastic implementation
You could argue that cyberdeck, or at least what William Gibson envision is probably how we use our mobile phones today.
Awesome! I will never get tired of cyberdeck builds.
Those extra video input ports are a killer feature! Amazing!
Dude, this is so cool! I just learned how to swap and clone an hdd to sdd and I thought I was cool. I have so much more to learn. Thanks for the great video.
i love this type of content i remember watching people take windows 7 era laptops and try to make them smaller before 3d printers
This is incredibly good! Well done Sir.
Very nice project! Cool style and design.
Good shit. Looking forward for the next iterations for the same.
Fantastic! I always wish more laptops and portable devices would let you use the screen for another device. Adding the integreated arduino is great too. I love that it actually plays a role in the function of the computer.
This is nuts AND extremely satisfying to watch :) Good work!
It was a pleasure to watch this. Thank you.
this is so cool. i am planning on building something similair but with either a dell mobo or a raspberry pi(maybe even do both. who knows) the idea of having a small pc on the go instead of a bulky laptop sounds so cool to me and the fact that its home build is even more unique.
Amazing use of framework parts and one sick build! keep it up!
As other comments mention the stick in the center of the ThinkPad keyboards, I looked at Wikipedia for the exact name:
A pointing stick (or trackpoint, also referred to generically as a nub or nipple) is a small analog stick used as a pointing device typically mounted centrally in a computer keyboard. Unlike other pointing devices, it reacts to sustained force or strain rather than to gross movement, so it is called an "isometric" pointing device.
IBM introduced it commercially in 1992 on its laptops under the name "TrackPoint", and patented it in 1997 (but the patent expired in 2017).
It has been used for business laptops, such as Acer's TravelMate, Dell's Latitude, HP's EliteBook and Lenovo's ThinkPad (formerly produced by IBM until they sold it to Lenovo in 2005).
Pretty slick! Amazed you are old enough to remember the Model 100.
Would like to make a survivalist phone/tablet, for long distance hiking. Ultra low-power, with one of those bi-color E-Ink displays to display a map, when powered off.
To be fair, it was a little before my time. But my dad still had a commodore 64 when I was a kid in the 90s, so I've always enjoyed the older designs.
@@benmakeseverything Am hoping Cyberdeck will make a Risk-V CPU board.
Ben, very nice idea and very good „end-product“ for a Version 1 of your idea. Hopefully the viewers might suggest improvements or variations in their comments. This idea can become the base of new products like the „Gridfinity“-idea or the like.
I love this video! I'm an old tech from the 80's til now and I would suggest making some kind of cover to protect the cyberdeck from being damaged or dust covered. Keep up the amazing work.😁
the video input is very nifty for a spare mobile monitor that runs with it's own battery/power supply.
I also agree the only demerit is that the mouse lacks a vertical scroll, I think you could use a D-Pad for a combination of vertical and horizontal scrolling lol... That would make it look unique for sure.
Never heard of the term „D-pad“ before, so thank you for telling us about it.
Wikipedia: … Directional pad is a flat, typically thumb-operated, directional control. D-Pads are found on nearly all modern gamepads, handheld game consoles, and audiovisual device remote controls.
End quote.
Very interesting 👍
I really love this design. Gonna be eagerly watching to see if other people iterate on it. The most obvious areas to improve off the top of my head: protecting the internals while the screen is flipped up, more slack to replace those two modules without unscrewing anything, and of course the keyboard.
I would love a right side mini track ball on my lap top. Such a great design for couch use.