The Penkesu is a Do it yourself retro handheld Personal computer with a mechanical keyboard

The Penkesu is a Do it yourself retro handheld Personal computer with a mechanical keyboard

There are not a lot of extremely-moveable handheld PCs any more, outside of the GDP pocket and its gaming-targeted successors. With tablets, smartphones, and even handhelds like the Steam Deck diluting the marketable desires of proudly owning a notebook, there isn’t much house for mini laptops beyond the easy joy of proudly owning a enjoyment-sized variation of a conventional computer.

But which is not stopping Do-it-yourself-er Penk Chen from setting up their personal handheld Pc named the Penkesu — a retro-futuristic ultraportable notebook with a mechanical keyboard. It could extremely very well have existed as a doing work sci-fi film prop in the ’90s or an R&B video plot unit in 2002.

The situation for the Penkesu is designed applying 3D printed areas paired with hinges made for the Video game Boy Progress SP. The clamshell lid is equipped with a vast 400 x 1,280 7.9-inch capacitive touch display screen, wired through the hinge with a ribbon cable carrying the HDMI signal to a Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W at the base.

Then a USB interface with charging, furthermore a Li-ion battery round off the primary laptop parts, subsequent Chen’s target to use a negligible amount of electronics. All that is left for the Penkesu is the keyboard, which is made up of an Arduino controller with reduced-profile Kailh Choc V1 switches, lower profiles keycaps, and the rest of the electronics.

The innards of the Penkesu
Graphic: Penk Chen by means of GitHub

The end result is a swanky handheld laptop or computer that kind of reminds me of the Raspberry Pi 400 compact keyboard that properties an ARM-driven personal computer — but with a display screen.

This is not the 1st retro-tastic Raspberry Pi notebook we have found, as there was also the apocalypse surviving Raspberry Pi cyberdeck laptop. Like the Penkesu, it also has a mechanical keyboard. But as an alternative of a compact layout, the cyberdeck’s factors are wrapped in a rugged drinking water-evidence pelican digital camera situation.

Compact notebook layouts have long gone by phases at many factors, suppliers raced to develop compact and economical web-concentrated netbooks or joined Intel’s war on the MacBook Air with Ultrabooks. But handheld PCs like the tremendous fascinating clutch-style Sony VAIO P could under no circumstances pretty capture on. In the circumstance of the VAIO P, this was simply because it was not incredibly usable owing to the slow Intel Atom processor, odd 8-inch 1600 x 786 resolution monitor, and a practically $900 value tag.

sony vaio p

Would be interesting if brands made compact pcs like the Sony VAIO P again.

But if you cherished the kind element of the VAIO P and have a use situation for a Raspberry Pi, then probably this great retro handheld is a little something for you. If you simply cannot believe of a motive to make 1, just bear in mind it could be the best laptop for hackers.

If you’re imagining of using on the job, Penk Chen has posted all the info

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