Pi-powered Cyberdecks are the retro futuristic PCs of our dreams

Example of a cyberdeck by gian. — (Image credit: Cyberdeck Café)

We've officially been sucked into this new modding trend. Basically people are designing portable Raspberry Pi cases, expertly modded and complete with keyboards and other accessories, to look like sci-fi 'Cyberdecks.'

When Twitter user Supership79 posted about these Cyberdecks being their new obsession we just had to alert you guys to their existence. These incredible creations are meant for a range of uses, portable coding coming in at the top of the list. They come in a plethora of shapes and sizes, some with split keyboards, some tucked neatly into little cases for extra portability, and some even include solar panels for on the go charging, which is pretty sweet.

my current obsession: "cyberdecks" or home-brew laptops built off Raspberry Pis and small LCD screens. rad as hell pic.twitter.com/GwApNxxVCFJuly 5, 2022

These little machines really have the Cyberpunk 2077 aesthetic nailed down, and some are truly reminiscent of the retro PCs of yesteryear. And sadly, although you can achieve a lot with a Raspberry Pi today, most certainly won't be able to play Cyberpunk 2077 itself. At least they're not as expensive to make as it would be to buy something like the $20,700 Expanscape Aurora A7, every new-age hacker's dream.

In the thread, Supership78 points interested parties to the Cyberdeck Café, where users post their Raspberry Pi projects, project processes, and some incredible beauty shots. There's even a build guide for prospective modders, which breaks down the entire process so you can get started on your own projects.

If this ends up becoming your new obsession, too, there's a Reddit page for you to get your fix, and even a Redbubble store for anyone who wants to advertise their association with the trend. And at the same time these t-shirt designs stand up pretty well on their own as just some swanky cyberpunk apparel. What do you think?

Having been obsessed with game mechanics, computers and graphics for three decades, Katie took Game Art and Design up to Masters level at uni and has been writing about digital games, tabletop games and gaming technology for over five years since. She can be found facilitating board game design workshops and optimising everything in her path.