I have been working on this project for quite a while, and since the prototyping parts arrived, I thought it was best to share this with everyone now! It is called the CG Deck. The idea was to build a handheld pc which was capable of running both windows or linux, powerful enough to run Blender 3D, and fit a retro cyberpunk form factor & style.
My goal was to create a ultra small handheld PC that was entirely self contained and can be thrown in a backpack or large cargo pants pocket (The entire device is 7.4" x 4.6" x 2.25"), with a high enough standard of hardware capable of being actually useful for things like high end game emulation, local A.I. tools, CAD design/doing light modelling tasks in Blender, coding, graphic design, music, video editing and most importantly, gaming with my steam library!
I also wanted the device to be modular so it can be upgraded depending on how it is being used, and adapt the device depending on your gaming style or workflow. For example, upgrading the memory with a full sized 2280 SSD, connecting an external full size GPU with PCLe, LTE/sim card support for work on the road, in addition to more cosmetically functional changes like swapping out the face/back plates to change the look, upgrading the HID in the future with the extra space, antennas for extended connection range, etc. I wanted to create a device that acted like a foundation that is supposed to be sculpted and built out the way you want, and so the CG Deck was born!
These are a few renders of the production builds of the device. The project will be Open Source and I will be releasing everything along the way for the project so you can build your own. I will also be creating a youtube video showcasing the build process and highlighting the trials and challenges of creating a "Production" device. The "Documentary" will be going over everything from building the BOM and figuring out hardware to designing the shell in CAD, assembly, etc.
I would love to hear your thoughts on it everything, and if you have any questions or feedback, I would love to answer and hear it all!
It has been a massively fun project so far, and I cannot wait to start playing with the first prototype. If you are interested in following along with the project or learning more, you can find everything from specs, more details, links to the open source github repository and more.
Once I start wrapping up the project, I will be launching a Kickstarter to help fund a full production run of the device for anyone interested in helping support the project and getting a CG Deck of their own. I am planning to release some build kits and pre-assembled devices with the Kickstarter, and if you have any questions about that, I would love to answer them!
Here is the link to the website to learn more about the project if you are interested: https://mogozen.com