MNT Research Unveils a Slimmer, Sleeker Open-Hardware Laptop Design: The MNT Reform Next
Lessons learned in shrinking the concept down to the netbook-style Pocket Reform will now be applied to a more traditional full-size laptop.
MNT Research founder Lukas F. Hartmann has confirmed that the company is working on a slimmer yet more powerful version of its aggressively-open MNT Reform laptop, tentatively titled the MNT Reform Next — bringing over changes made to the motherboard design for the compact MNT Reform Mini.
"I'm glad to be able to say that we are once again working with NLnet. This time they are funding the development of a future MNT Reform version (codenamed MNT Reform Next) that is thinner and powered by a next-gen processor such as [the Rockchip] RK3588," Hartmann announced on federated social networking service Mastodon. "Please note that we are still early in the process and want to [solicit] feedback and collaboration from other makers so that it is easy to contribute and reuse modules across projects."
The original MNT Reform started life half a decade ago as a project to create a fully-open modular laptop where everything can be tweaked, modified, and replaced — from the chassis itself to the keyboard, pointing device, and even its own motherboard. MNT Research's most recent revision to the Reform concept launched two years ago with some extremely impressive features, though wasn't without its issues — including relatively weak performance.
Earlier this year MNT Research opened orders for the Pocket Reform, a spin-off from the main MNT Reform project which reused the laptop's modular system-on-module (SOM) but in a more compact motherboard capable of squeezing into a chassis dominated by a 7" Full HD display. The MNT Reform Next, Hartmann explains, will take some of the size-reduction benefits from the Pocket Reform and bring them back to a more traditional large-scale laptop design — but one which is smaller and lighter than the chunky original MNT Reform.
"Ideally we would like to keep keyboards, displays, hinges, and CPU modules compatible [between MNT Reform and MNT Reform Next]," Hartmann explains. "The motherboard will be much smaller and an evolution of the Pocket Reform. Keep in mind that this is not a replacement for the classic, more bulky MNT Reform, as the trade-offs are very different. A downside of this model is that we will have to use Li-ion [Lithium Ion] pouch cells [instead of 18650 LiFePO4 cells.]"
The project is currently described as being in the very early stages, with no word yet on pricing and availability.