Have You Guys Considered Making a Prebuilt Raspberry Pi Laptop?

[AndrewPiEater]

Yes, I've been questioned by airport security over a pi in a Pi casing, no screen. It showed up on x ray and they wanted to know what it was and when I explained I had to wait for someone senior to come and clear it, had to open the case. Yes, they are fine with it but I could do without the questioning.

The subject of this thread is not a DIY laptop, but a real Pi powered one. There are a couple of options out there apart from the Pi-Top 3 kermit the frog coloured one with CM4, which I already have. There's a Crow Pi and the other one, name I 've forgotten.

For many years people have been repurposing a Motorola docking station, Atrix was it? Can't remember.

I see someone else has suggested that I accept Pilsner instead of my favourite ale. Sigh. I already run ARM Debian on Parallels on an M2 Macbook Air so I have plenty of Pilsner already.

I have a niche requirement, I don't expect it to be fulfilled. Just wishful thinking.

[bjtheone]

My point was that many (or perhaps even most) Pi Laptop use cases don't actually require a Pi. For all those use cases, there are better, simpler, and most likely cheaper solutions than a DIY Pi based solution. I even specifically pointed out the two main use cases that really do require a Pi.

Many people vastly underestimate the engineering required to turn a SBC into a laptop form factor.

For example, my main use case is small form factor Linux desktop. A 4B is a fabulous solution. I also want small, portable, Linux laptop. A small Chromebook is my current solution. If you need a laptop form factor Pi either buy one of the existing solutions or spend a lot of engineering effort to built one. I would start with a CM4, as it has a better form factor.

[jondallimore]

for a pi laptop, I actually use an old x86 machine with rpi os for x86

[bjtheone]

for a pi laptop, I actually use an old x86 machine with rpi os for x86

Which is just x86 Linux with a rather dated LXDE DE and a RPiOS look and feel. Really very little advantage over just running Debian on it.

[peterlite]

I need a Pi

Do you need GPIO? The Pi camera? 32 bit or 64 bit? What else is specific to Pi?

I use a Pi 4 for dev when i need GPIO and the projects will move to a 3B or a Zero W. For 99% of the work so far, I could use my spare old Intel laptop.

If I had a Pi laptop, I would still use my new notebook computer on the road because it is faster for editing photographs and I do not need GPIO pins.

I think a Pi notebook with GPIO pins would be useful for testing things like a Pi based irrigation system on a farm. Something in a rugged case.

[cleverca22]

Yes, I've been questioned by airport security over a pi in a Pi casing, no screen. It showed up on x ray and they wanted to know what it was and when I explained I had to wait for someone senior to come and clear it, had to open the case. Yes, they are fine with it but I could do without the questioning.

they have never really asked me any questions, but with the heap of wires (laptop cables, hdmi, usb) they often swab my bag for explosive residue

as long as there is no explosives, it cant really do much harm, why ask what it is

[peterlite]

why ask what it is

Lithium batteries are explosive.

I had to remove one from an old laptop to show the guys. When you are surrounded by M16s, it is hard to say no.

[ame]

why ask what it is

Lithium batteries are explosive.

I had to remove one from an old laptop to show the guys. When you are surrounded by M16s, it is hard to say no.

What are they going to do? Shoot you?

[ejolson]

why ask what it is

Lithium batteries are explosive.

I had to remove one from an old laptop to show the guys. When you are surrounded by M16s, it is hard to say no.

What are they going to do? Shoot you?

According to Fido people with bigger guns have received more training than those with revolvers or no guns at all.

As a result Raspberry Pi laptops and machine guns go well together.

[ame]

Lithium batteries are explosive.

I had to remove one from an old laptop to show the guys. When you are surrounded by M16s, it is hard to say no.

What are they going to do? Shoot you?

According to Fido people with bigger guns have received more training than those with revolvers or no guns at all.

As a result Raspberry Pi laptops and machine guns go well together.

Fido is a dog.

[Gavinmc42]

Fido is a dog.

Smarter than most first time posters too.

[ConfuSomu]

I'm surprised that no one mentioned making a custom mainboard for the Framework laptop using a Raspberry Pi 4 Compute Module. That would be a logical continuation of their “upgradable mainboard” implementation as you be reusing an already existing chassis, keyboard, trackpad, display, battery, etc. The display is interfaced over eDP, so it would have to be connected to a compatible interface, perhaps through the use of a HDMI or MIPI DSI to eDP convertor.

Quickly looking online, I found the Texas Instruments SN65DSI86 MIPI DSI to eDP Bridge which might work.

Someone on the Framework laptop forums has though of the idea but unfortunately there haven't been any updates in a while.

[Gavinmc42]

Framework seems like a good idea.
If the CM5/6 has the same footprint then it would be great.
Assuming we still need computers and haven't been replaced by AI that does coding.

Ask AI to design it?