Idea and research

“When life gives you mints, you make a cyberdeck with the box.” -Tsun su or something

Overview of the project and the plan

I got a Ricola box that reminded me of the cool cyberdecks I’ve seen on Pinterest, and I really wanted to make one.

I wanted to make a cyberdeck that is nature-themed (really matches with the mountainous terrain on the box), and is a general-purpose computer.

I would also prefer it if this could be used as a portable gaming console XD, running Pokemon Red or Doom or Tetris, etc.

I measured the dimensions, and it turns out it was exactly like an Altoids tin, which most people usually use to make cyberdecks and other stuff.

This will likely be powered with a Raspberry Pi Zero W for its compactness (and the fact that I already have one), and use 1 PCB for the keyboard (probably QMK). This is subject to change, but still a rough idea of what I’m aiming for.

What I need to work on

• I need to figure out the different components I will use and source them from Alibaba, preferably for a lower price and faster shipping due to my geographical advantage.
• Need to design the PCB for keyboard matrix layout and figure out what microcontroller to use.