4 Cool Raspberry Pi Cyberdeck Projects To Inspire Your Own Build

Cyberdecks have recently been growing in popularity, where fans are encouraged to indulge their designer urges and create bold new forms of computers. Much like the steampunk scene of the last decade, a cult following has developed, breeding a new class of wacky custom machines. Although other computers are available, the system of choice for powering cyberdecks is usually the Raspberry Pi.

According to the Raspberry Pi foundation, this tiny computer was developed with the intention of improving coding skills among British school children, but quickly became the darling of hobbyists around the globe. Its compact size, open-source design, phenomenal price, enormous software library, and extensive third-party support already make the Raspberry Pi ideal for DIY projects. However, its in-built GPIO expansion pins in particular have enabled countless new creations, some of which truly boggle the mind.

In the hope of inspiring new cyberdecks — or leading you to projects you can replicate — we'll be showcasing some of the coolest decks around, ranging from sci-fi art pieces to daily computers that are genuinely useful. Of course, for the uninitiated, there is one glaring question.

The term originates with William Gibson's 1984 novel, "Neuromancer" — a foundational text in the dystopian sci-fi genre known as cyberpunk. Here Gibson refers to a "cyberspace deck" that projects the user's consciousness into the collective matrix. A number of competing products are referred to in the novel, all with the term "deck" applied. Future cyberpunk novels, such as 1991's "Find Your Own Truth" (Charrette, Zeleznik & Biske) and 2002's "Edging Into the Future" (Hollinger & Gordon) then refer to these devices with the broader term "cyberdeck."

Nowadays, the term cyberdeck is employed more loosely — freed from its strict sci-fi implications — and generally refers to some kind of DIY project featuring an unconventional form factor. Cyberdecks are usually based on compact single-board computers (SBCs), of which the Raspberry Pi is the most popular. Ideally, they should employ some kind of cyberpunk aesthetic and be either portable or wearable, but many different form factors now exist.

Top points for style and taste go to Lucas Dul's "the Cyberdeck". Inspired partly by the "Fallout" universe, Dul's creation is based around a Magnavox portable radio-television, which uses a 5-inch black-and-white cathode ray television (CRT). A Raspberry Pi 4 powers the Cyberdeck, and a custom keyboard is included, featuring Gateron Silent Brown switches.

Further controls are integrated into the front panel. The Magnavox switchgear still controls the contrast and brightness of the CRT, but some elements have been removed to add modern functionality. For instance, a touchpad sits in place of the channel selector and a USB port replaces the TV tuner.

A modern Linux desktop displayed through a black-and-white CRT is an exquisite anachronism. In his demonstration video, Dul shows off a custom desktop, uses a system terminal, does some word processing and web browsing, and plays a round of Descent. It's all very strange, but in the best possible way.

Evan Meaney's Raspberry Pi Crash Recovery Device (CRD) is built for a dystopian future where an EMP has taken out computing infrastructure and electrical power stations. Meaney's CRD is one of many cyberdeck projects built around Pelican's famous ruggedized waterproof cases. Inside, the case is lined with grounded copper to act as a Faraday cage during an electromagnetic pulse.

Open the case and a mechanical keyboard is built into the lid, acting as a clamshell design, similar to portable computers in the 1980s. The front-facing panel features a 7-inch touch screen, a collection of USB and network ports, an auxiliary jack, a series of switches for managing power, and a port that allows wired access to the Pi's GPIO pins. A 12,000mAh battery sits behind the panel which can be recharged via portable solar panels.

The CRD contains an offline snapshot of Wikipedia, Wikivoyage, and has other useful post-apocalyptic data such as regional maps, along with tutorials for building methods, medical emergencies, and sanitation. The extensive networking features allow other computers to connect to the CRD and share information — it can even be used as a DHCP server.

The uConsole is a commercially available product from indie computing company, Clockwork. Cyberdeck enthusiasts may hate the idea of something commercial, but a product like this is closer to Neuromancer's description of decks than the hobbyist projects normally associated with the scene. Unlike other cyberdecks here, this is something you might actually use.

The uConsole comes as an easy-to-assemble kit. The computer is highly modular and has the screen and controls all on one slab-like face. Powering the system is a Raspberry Pi CM4 compute module and Raspberry Pi OS. Clockwork includes a 1280x720 5-inch display, and above the thumb keyboard is a D-pad (doubling as arrow keys), trackwheel, and game buttons.

If you can find a uConsole (they're currently out of stock) it may be the perfect present for an engineering friend. The machine is powered by two industry-standard 18650 battery cells, and Raspberry Pi OS has an enormous software library with support for things like aircraft tracking and ham radio usage. The modular nature of the machine allows for expansion like 4G connectivity, and the CM4 compute module should theoretically be upgradeable with each new generation of Raspberry Pi.

The hgDeck is the brainchild of Igor Brkic (a.k.a. "1g0rb") and fulfills the cyberpunk vision of a deck better than anything else here. This deck is wrist-mounted, in proper sci-fi style, and can switch from a screen-only touch mode or open up to reveal a keyboard.

The hgDeck is made from a combination of popular Raspberry Pi add-ons and random parts Igor had lying around. It's based on a Raspberry Pi Zero W and uses a 3.5-inch Waveshare TFT screen as its primary monitor. A 1-inch OLED screen provides additional feedback, displaying a real-time oscilloscope-style waveform.

Other components include a small Bluetooth keyboard, an Adafruit thermal camera, a USB soundcard, and a hall sensor. The body is created from a combination of 3D printed panels and metal components. A DC motor is employed for the keyboard swivel mechanism, which emits a pleasingly gratuitous whirring during movement. The deck's exposed mounting gear only adds to its gritty cyberpunk aesthetic.

Admittedly, the hgDeck is more of a Hollywood prop. Regardless, you can still use the terminal — like any proper Linux computer — and the oscilloscope screen provides a brilliant sci-fi look, should you talk into your wrist or use speech synthesis.