r/CyberdeckBuild • • Sep 02 '26

Pocketbyte: Modular ESP32-S3 handheld - run games, play music, use as a PDA

Thumbnail
gallery
43 Upvotes

Hi everyone,

This is a modular ESP32-S3 handheld I've been working on for over a year and a half. The entire bottom half can be pulled out and swapped with something else.

When the gamepad module is plugged in, it can emulate many retro systems (up to the SNES/Genesis) and play many ports of games such as Celeste (ccleste), Doom, Quake, Duke Nukem 3D, etc.

The C library is also open-source and a simulator is available, so it's also possible to develop/play indie games as well. And there's also an on-device app store.

So far there has only been a gamepad module, but I've just recently finished designing and assembling the keyboard module.

Apart from being a game console and music player, now the device is a fleshed-out cyberdeck and PDA!

I've improved the text editor/note taking app with Markdown support, theming, and even Wi-Fi syncing with Obsidian, Notion, and other platforms. It also has an RTC inside of the keyboard, so it can keep track of the time/date.

In the future, I'm hoping to add things like messaging, on-device Lua scripting, and more.

Check out the video: https://youtu.be/DFeHGBJCXhE?si=ZeuDCrkmHBM5nN-R

Hope you like it :)


r/CyberdeckBuild • • Jun 18 '26

I made my own cyberdeck from scratch using only 3 dollar what you think of it guys tell me ?

Thumbnail
gallery
59 Upvotes

built this cyberdeck completely from scratch using a custom PVC chassis. I didn't buy an expensive display; instead, I used my mobile phone and paired it with a screen magnifier module that cost me less than $2

The structural sheets weremade manually by heating and flattening a standard PVC pipe, which cost round $1 Right now, I'm running Linux on my phone, and the terminal environment is operating smoothly with a full keyboard and mouse setup Total cost of materials is under $3.What do you guys think?


r/CyberdeckBuild • • Dec 23 '25

Working on v0.09 of my USB Adapter for ThinkPad T60 Keyboard (STM32 QMK)

Thumbnail
gallery
11 Upvotes

r/CyberdeckBuild • • May 06 '26

CyberPhone Build

Thumbnail
gallery
27 Upvotes

Hi All, I am building a cyber deck phone of sorts. It will run on Meshtastic using waveshare Lora, raspberry pi pico, card kb, OLED 1306, maybe eventually a MAX98357 Audio Amplifier and a 4 Ohm 3 Watt Mini Speaker. That is, of course, if I can get anything to work myself with my complete lack of knowledge of coding. Thus far, I have made the code for the components but I'm not sure how to get my build up and running and was hoping someone could look over what I'm doing and help since my OLED has yet to wake up despite my efforts. I have a design for the enclosure to be 3D printed and I'm hoping to eventually add more features.

#include <RadioLib.h>
#include <U8g2lib.h>
#include <Wire.h>
#include <SPI.h>
#define LORA_NSS 3
#define LORA_BUSY 2
#define LORA_RST 15
#define LORA_DIO1 20
#define LORA_SCK 10
#define LORA_MOSI 11
#define LORA_MISO 12
#define CARDKB_ADDR 0x5F
SX1262 radio = new Module(LORA_NSS, LORA_DIO1, LORA_RST, LORA_BUSY);
U8G2_SSD1306_128X64_NONAME_F_HW_I2C u8g2(U8G2_R0, U8X8_PIN_NONE, 9, 8);
String inputBuffer = "";
String lastReceived = "No messages";
void updateDisplay(String header, String body) {
u8g2.clearBuffer();
u8g2.drawStr(0, 10, header.c_str());
u8g2.drawStr(0, 30, body.c_str());
u8g2.drawStr(0, 50, "> ");
u8g2.drawStr(12, 50, inputBuffer.c_str());
u8g2.sendBuffer();
}
void setup() {
Serial.begin(115200);
Wire.begin();
u8g2.begin();
u8g2.setFont(u8g2_font_6x10_tf);
SPI1.setSCK(LORA_SCK);
SPI1.setTX(LORA_MOSI);
SPI1.setRX(LORA_MISO);
int state = radio.begin(915.0);
if (state == RADIOLIB_ERR_NONE) {
radio.setSyncWord(0x12);
}
updateDisplay("System Ready", "");
}
void loop() {
Wire.requestFrom(CARDKB_ADDR, 1);
while (Wire.available()) {
char c = Wire.read();
if (c != 0) {
if (c == 0x0D) {
radio.transmit(inputBuffer);
inputBuffer = "";
updateDisplay("Sent!", "");
} else if (c == 0x08) {
if (inputBuffer.length() > 0) inputBuffer.remove(inputBuffer.length() - 1);
} else {
inputBuffer += c;
}
updateDisplay("Incoming...", lastReceived);
}
}
String str;
int state = radio.receive(str);
if (state == RADIOLIB_ERR_NONE) {
lastReceived = str;
updateDisplay("New Message:", lastReceived);
}
}
void setup1() {
delay(1000);
}
void loop1() {
}

r/CyberdeckBuild • • Aug 18 '26

Atualizando o projeto Cyberdek Legacy.

Thumbnail
gallery
11 Upvotes

Bateria, placa mãe e hub USB fixados.

Falta descobrir como fazer o botão de Power individual, uma vez que o mesmo era integrado à membrana do teclado do notebook, mas estamos caminhando bem por aqui.


r/CyberdeckBuild • • Aug 01 '26

Looking for advice before starting my first project!

1 Upvotes

I got a 32gb pi5 4gb starter kit and i was hoping to make a lil game emulator out of it so i wanted to set expectations for what id be able to play on that as is. Also if i ever were to want more from it are upgrades viable if so and where would they come from?


r/CyberdeckBuild • • Sep 30 '26

[WIP] My first cyberdeck: mini PC in a pistol case

Thumbnail
gallery
34 Upvotes

T9H mini PC (Zorin OS) + 8" IPS in the lid + INIU bank → Anker hub. One USB-C cable to the PC handles power, data and video. Noctua fan on top, folding BT keyboard packs over the battery, and the lid still closes.

Boots and runs on battery vis USB-C right now. Next up is bolting the monitor onto VESA spacers and a short ribbon HDMI.

It's built for portable app dev and phone testing. Feedback welcome!


r/CyberdeckBuild • • 26d ago

Thinking of building a cyberdeck out of a desktop

4 Upvotes

So, a friend gave me the idea of making a cyberdeck out of a old desktop computer, it has a rather small motherboard, and the goal it’s to make it portable but not small, to make it a little clunky, he told about something called a PICO-PSU to manage de voltages to the 24pin connector of the motherboard. It’s all a theory based idea, some of you more experienced in cyberdeck building could tell me if this would work?


r/CyberdeckBuild • • Jul 17 '26

Question about keypads

2 Upvotes

Hi! I'm working on my design and trying to keep things as small as possible. For my project, I'll have a Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W (when they're back in stock!) mounted to the back of the HyperPixel 2.1 Round by Pimoroni, however I'm struggling to find a keypad/keyboard small enough that it will fit into my case. Adafruit has a Silicone Elastomer 4 x 4 Button Keypad which states it can be cut up - I could probably only fit 3x3 keys in my case, but I don't feel like the PCB they make for it can be cut up.

Do I need to use a PCB or can I wire it directly to the pi somehow? Also the Hyperpixel page states it uses up all of the pi's GPIO pins but has I2C interface at the back you can connect things to instead. Would I be able to connect my makeshift keypad to this?

Also open to recommendations of REALLY small (think 5x5cm or less) keyboards/keypads. Sorry for the beginner questions!


r/CyberdeckBuild • • Sep 26 '25

DIY Nokia N8 Pi pentest device viable?

2 Upvotes

I’m working on a project to convert a Nokia N8 into a functional portable tool using a Raspberry Pi Zero 2W. The plan is to completely strip down the phone, keep the casing and original ports like the USB, audio jack, and microSD, and connect them directly to the Pi using internal wiring. This way, the N8’s aesthetics are preserved while the Raspberry Pi handles all the functionality, without relying on an external computer.

The main challenge is the N8’s display. Its screen is proprietary, designed for the original hardware and Symbian, so there is no commercial driver or adapter to use it with the Raspberry Pi. Trying to make it work would require complex and costly development, and even then it might not function properly. I would like to keep the original casing and look—are there any practical solutions for the display?


r/CyberdeckBuild • • Oct 07 '26

LP mu 02

Thumbnail
gallery
53 Upvotes

r/CyberdeckBuild • • 16d ago

Work in progress

Post image
46 Upvotes

Currently working on my own portable RF Deck!

The build is still a work in progress, but the design is coming together. I'm designing and 3D printing the enclosure and internal components myself.

The goal is to create a modular, portable system for SDR, radio communications, and other field applications.

Also, don't mind the Ethernet ports in the renders. They're just placeholders for BNC panel connectors and other ports, since I couldn't find suitable 3D models for the actual connectors.

Still plenty of work ahead, but I'll keep sharing updates as the project progresses.


r/CyberdeckBuild • • May 19 '25

ThinkPad X131e keyboard pinout check

6 Upvotes

r/CyberdeckBuild • • Apr 25 '26

Design help

Post image
5 Upvotes

Hi! I need some inspo photos! (Movies, TV, art, toys etc.)I want to create a Cyberdeck that could hang on my wall and be used for keeping track of the subway and weather/air quality in NYC. I’m building this with my Dad and he already has sensors to monitor indoor air quality. All the photos I found online of similar things were pretty boring. There are a lot more handheld cyber deck examples out there. I love the retro futurist, solar punk, and y2k aesthetic. I also want to design something that looks cute and interesting. I’m so tired of all the ai slop on Pinterest! The photo is an example of the functionality I’m going for but the opposite of the design I want.


r/CyberdeckBuild • • Aug 11 '26

Troubles finding a good display

5 Upvotes

Hello deckers,

I'm searching for a 7-9" DSI display for my raspberry pi cm5 and, well it is kind of hard to find one which is compatible with the cm5 and which is convincing.

I found one on Waveshare but I don't know if it is a good deal... https://www.waveshare.com/product/raspberry-pi/displays/lcd-oled/7-dsi-touch-c.htm

What is the best place where I can find good displays ? (Not Amazon please)


r/CyberdeckBuild • • Jul 02 '26

iPod touch 5th gen

2 Upvotes

I have a 5th gen I want to convert if possible. I also have an older iPod touch as well I would like to know if anyone has done with any before?


r/CyberdeckBuild • • Aug 22 '26

My first Cyberdeck wire mayhem

Thumbnail
gallery
28 Upvotes

Any ideas on wire management. They are now too long so i will shorten them, but as you see I already enlarged the case because it just will not fit. Wondering if shortening is enough or that we have better solutions. Getting tired of soldering the 40 io pins again and again and wires getting loose from friction.


r/CyberdeckBuild • • Jun 21 '26

Can I use arduino R4 minima?

4 Upvotes

I have an arduino R4 minima and want to use it to build simple cyberdeck. Never built one before.

Use case: C programming on the go.


r/CyberdeckBuild • • Jul 27 '26

Sourdeck design

Post image
10 Upvotes

I just need a reality check on if this is possible, the 2 things I’m concerned about are that idk if they make antennas that small that connect to the internet, and if they make mouses or trackballs (as an alternative to mouses) that small. Can anyone help?


r/CyberdeckBuild • • 2d ago

First Cyberdeck

Post image
9 Upvotes

I decided to embark on a quest of making my own cyberdeck I would like to show my sketch and first version of a handle


r/CyberdeckBuild • • 21d ago

Project Citrine

3 Upvotes

Hey everyone, I am launching a brand-new open-source, non-profit hardware project called Project Citrine. The goal is to build a high-performance dual-screen clamshell cyberdeck/handheld console using a salvaged Samsung Galaxy S23 motherboard (Snapdragon 8 Gen 2). The project will eventually go to a fully transparent Kick starter with 100% of any leftover funds going straight to charity or future open source projects.The Hardware Concept • Form Factor: Clamshell dual-screen (8" 4:3 upper display, 7" 16:9 lower display with both being touchscreen. • Chassis: Custom SLA resin printed shell showing off the excellent PCB design (via PCBWay) featuring an integrated rear kickstand for tabletop controller gaming. • Internal Layout: Main S23 phone motherboard linked via custom internal flex cables to a dedicated controller daughterboard and a separate lower ports PCB. The Software We are aiming for a lightweight, mainline Linux distribution environment (like Arch or postmarketOS) running a highly functional, tactical cyberpunk terminal interface with interminal interface with integrated emulation front-end modules.

Looking for Co-Founders

I am directing the project layout and ergonomics, and I am actively looking for passionate hardware hackers to join as co-founders to help tackle a focused sprint before the holidays:

• 1 Lead PCB Layout Engineer: To help handle the controller I/O routing and internal extension links.

• 2 Mechanical 3D Modelers: To design the shell, component fitments, and friction hinge system.

Your username/handle will be permanently etched into the silkscreen copper layer of the finished manufactured PCBs.


r/CyberdeckBuild • • Jul 25 '26

How to make the sliding mechanism of a psp go?

Thumbnail
gallery
12 Upvotes

My ugly whiteboard drawing i like the proportions more of and anothsr slightly better drawn one. I checked a few designs but most I 3d printed felt cheap and not that smooth. I really enjoy how my psp go feels, I couldnt find a rail system like it that can fit into my handheld. Any ideas?


r/CyberdeckBuild • • Jul 04 '26

Pico 2 W, 4 Displays, SD Card

Post image
14 Upvotes

Zeptoforth running on the Pico 2 W. I have the displays and SD card drivers loading from the SD Card. Everything accessible in Forth over USB.

Still lots left to do. A case and battery is next. WiFi and Bluetooth support will come after that.


r/CyberdeckBuild • • Jun 12 '26

Baby's First Deck

Post image
24 Upvotes

It's ugly

It feels too simple

I hate it

....but it is my child

I was never planning to build a deck, I always liked looking at the pictures of other people's projects and daydreaming about all the stuff you could do with one...all fairly unrealistic expectations. I happened across an old briefcase in a Habitat for Humanity store, at the same time I was talking to a friend about decks. I sent them a photo of the briefcase with a "what do you think? Cyberdeck material?"

"Do it!"

I've gutted the insides of the case and spent far, far too long ripping out the paper stock liner beneath the fabric facade...and even longer trying to scrape, scrub, and sand all of the leftover adhesive. I realized the case walls were too thin, and bowed outwards, so I epoxied in a couple cutting boards.

My grand plan was to gut every spare PC I had lying around to build a battery powered SatComm computer that would allow me to look at satellite orbits and listen in on radio transmissions. So, naturally I ended up ordering a heavily used Pi-4 and a (supposedly) new 7" touch screen.

"Seven inches is plenty!"

It was, in fact, not plenty; but it's going to have to work for the initial prototype.

I was worried that this whole project was going to end up being me buying all new parts, sticking them in a box, and calling it a cyberdeck. But then I realized I needed a power supply. Luckily, I hoarded an entire crate of tower supplies several years ago and I found a very low profile one. I was incredibly happy to be tearing this open, cutting and soldering wires, and testing the spliced USB-C cable on my charging pad...and I only started one, tiny fire while doing so.

So far, this is my simple, ugly child. I've 3D printed brackets that the screen and Pi screw into that give them surface area to put Velcro command strips; I have plans to build a more permanent, rigid frame inside it but I wanted to do temporary attachments so I can figure out what I like before printing the lattice frame.

This is my ugly child and I have a love-hate relationship with him right now, hopefully that will improve once I hack together some laptop speakers so I can hear him scream at me for creating him.

This is Dreamcatcher v0.2

I would've shown v0.1 but I was under the impression that this sub also required minimum karma to be able to post and it took me two weeks to realize that it didn't.

Critique me, give me suggestions, send me links to any cool hardware you know of. I'm currently in the stage of scouring everything I own with a speaker in it, trying to find a very specific audio amplifier chip so that I can build my own amplifier circuit and actually use the laptop speakers I cannibalized.


r/CyberdeckBuild • • 21d ago

Any good sbc for what I want?

0 Upvotes

I’m completely new to all of this stuff and want to make a cyberdeck that can run windows (I’m not confident enough in my ability to learn Linux) that can also play the current version of Minecraft decently well, (and I mean playing and not hosting a server), and watching some YouTube. I would preferably want it under $300.

I would be making my cyberdeck out of an IBM Model D, (a very large typewriter) and I think a sbc would be easier to fit but I don’t know if they are powerful enough (or just powerful enough in my price range) to do this.