From Junk to Cyberpunk
Your old hardware isn't junk — it's a project. ETA PRIME turned a Razer Edge gaming tablet into a custom cyberpunk laptop.
Aging computing hardware may struggle with modern workloads, but it isn't necessarily ready for the scrap heap. The fact of the matter is, today’s equipment is way overpowered for most of the tasks we throw at it. So before you consider tossing an old device in the junk drawer, consider how you might repurpose it. Sometimes the most interesting devices are cobbled together from yesterday’s hardware.
Take ETA PRIME’s pocket-sized cyberdeck, for instance. He transformed a second-hand Razer Edge handheld into a miniature clamshell laptop using little more than 3D-printed parts, magnets, and an inexpensive Bluetooth keyboard. The Android-based gaming device — powered by a Snapdragon G3x Gen 1 processor — was purchased for just $80. Since it didn’t come with its original controller, it was an ideal candidate for experimentation.
A custom enclosure originally designed by a Printables user was modified to precisely fit the handheld’s dimensions. A printed hinge pin system provides adjustable friction so the display can remain open at different viewing angles, while sliding locks on the front keep the device securely shut when carried. Instead of permanently fastening the tablet, ETA PRIME used a MagSafe-style magnetic mounting setup with adhesive metal plates, allowing the screen to detach instantly and still function as a normal handheld.
The finished device looks like a tiny cyberpunk laptop straight out of a sci-fi movie prop department — complete with a black-and-orange keyboard chosen purely for aesthetic purposes.
As an Android computer, the cyberdeck can handle typical productivity tasks such as web browsing, media playback, and light photo or video editing. It even runs novelty software like a Windows 98 simulator for retro fun.
Cloud streaming services including Steam Link and GeForce Now run smoothly, aligning with the handheld’s original design purpose. Emulation performance is also respectable: GameCube and PlayStation 2 titles can run at modestly upscaled resolutions, and certain PC games are playable at a stable 60 frames per second through emulation tools, though modern high-end titles are obviously out of reach.
For hobbyists, makers, and tinkerers, this project is a good reminder that yesterday’s gadgets still have plenty of life left—sometimes as something far more interesting than what they were originally designed to be.