Have It Your Way

Mass-produced electronics, such as laptops, are designed to appeal to as wide a group as possible. As such, they tend to work pretty well for a lot of people, but they are not perfect for any one person. Chances are that you would change a few things about your laptop if you could, but for some reason no manufacturers ever seem to ask you what you want. So why not make your own laptop?

As YouTuber ExplainingComputers recently demonstrated, it is not as difficult as you might think. Sure, it is going to take a little elbow grease to get the job done, but you don’t need a degree in computer engineering or a semiconductor foundry in your bedroom to make it work. Just a box filled with off-the-shelf components and some basic tools can move your dream rig from your head to your lap.

This build was centered around the powerful Radxa X2L single-board computer. It comes equipped with a quad-core Intel Celeron J4125 CPU and 4GB of RAM. And for the hacker, it also has a Raspberry Pi RP2040 microcontroller onboard to play with. ExplainingComputers also included a 256GB SSD for storage, a wireless module for Wi-Fi communication, a 12.3-inch 1920x720-pixel touchscreen display, and a mini laptop-style keyboard in the design.

So far, so good. This is the point where a 3D-printed case is typically created. But while these work just fine, they tend to be rough around the edges. ExplainingComputers didn’t want to compromise on the look of the laptop, so the case was cut out of sheets of ABS plastic. In total, 66 parts were produced. These were welded together with solvent, sanded, and painted to give the machine a finished look.

Far and away, the most complex part of this build was the case. The electronics were just hooked together with standard cables that are hidden inside. But that effort was well worth it — the build looks amazing! Now ExplainingComputers has the perfect little machine for writing, browsing the web, and other casual tasks.