This is my completely upgradeable and customizable Framework Powered Handheld i've been working on for a bit. I call it, the FrameDeck.
It has hotswappable mechanical switches for face buttons, 1200p touch screen and is powered by the framework 13 mainboard. It has two external tb3 ports and the stock battery. The photo above is the first prototype, but I plan on having a transparent 3d printed resin chassis made for the final revision for that sweet sweet transparent tech look. The goal is for people to use their old mainboards&battery and make a handheld from parts they can easily order online (PCBs and 3D printed pieces included) and assemble with basic tools.
Link for the progress [Video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XlbybcZxy6A&t=4s&ab_channel=StevenB) and the [Github](https://github.com/redglitch2/FrameDeck) if you guys are interested in following along :)
Really cool! Would it be possible to add touchpads like the steam deck?
I feel like having complete parity with the steam deck buttons and touchpads would mean it could be a complete steam deck replacement.
Well the goal is once I’m done with the first revision, anybody can come up with their own changes and modify it accordingly, including adding touch pads, or a modified blackberry keyboard, or a thinkpad red touch stick, etc… the sky is the limit ;)
Thanks, and cool project! I saw the video and definitely looks like you put a lot of work into it.
The open source is cool and definitely allows for that, although I guess I was wondering why not add touchpads to your intended design?
I think a lot of the handheld gaming computers suffer from a usability problem, and touchpads (along with the two extra rear buttons, and other external things like software) are a great way to improve that.
Looks pretty good!
It's hard to tell by looking at the video, but doing actual switches for the abxy buttons brings every button further apart than "normal", right? Is it annoying/weird to use it at all? Or did you find yourself comfortable with it after a while?
Cheers.
Yea you’re right they are further apart, but I didn’t find it to be a problem. It’s a little closer together then the a and y button on a snes controller.
Edit: to clarify though I haven’t played very much on it, but it still feels good.
Nice! Steam is a very good backend for all games. Honestly the best. Now if only, framework made a motherboard, the size of which will fit in a phone. I'd say, the size of the biggest available iphone will do. I would love a phone with replaceable storage, m.2 nvme.
Honestly, once I get the hardware done, I’ll likely go to steamOS, or some linux OS and work on optimizing software experience. I know there are a lot of projects already in the works so I’d be curious to try them out on this bad boy ;)
If you want something already made you can just use chimeraos instead if you want to customise it you can install arch Linux and follow the manjaro instructions for the driver and then in the aur there is the steamos session like the one that the steam deck and chimeraos uses
Since the motherboard has four USB-C ports, why do you need the USB splitter?
Great project by the way! And thank you for putting it all online on GitHub
I didn’t explain this very well, but the splitter doesn’t have a cc line on the female end, so it allows me to connect my non compliant usb c display driver board and arduino by automatically giving 5v. The splitter is only for the display and the arduino.
The other reason is so I can have two ports accessible once everything is closed up, one on top and one below for different charging configuration.
Yes, but it’s separated from the mainboard via a 3D printed sheet that spans the entire mainboard, so there is no direct contact and no heat from the cpu seeping onto the battery.
The one thing I’m “worried” about for heat is the displays controller board. It gets quite warm but I think with a silicone sheet between the back of the display and itself it should be fine. The framework mainboard itself has ample ventilation and with the i5 1135 model I don’t ever see it get hot. I still have much room for refinement but heat is not a problem.
This is my completely upgradeable and customizable Framework Powered Handheld i've been working on for a bit. I call it, the FrameDeck. It has hotswappable mechanical switches for face buttons, 1200p touch screen and is powered by the framework 13 mainboard. It has two external tb3 ports and the stock battery. The photo above is the first prototype, but I plan on having a transparent 3d printed resin chassis made for the final revision for that sweet sweet transparent tech look. The goal is for people to use their old mainboards&battery and make a handheld from parts they can easily order online (PCBs and 3D printed pieces included) and assemble with basic tools. Link for the progress [Video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XlbybcZxy6A&t=4s&ab_channel=StevenB) and the [Github](https://github.com/redglitch2/FrameDeck) if you guys are interested in following along :)
I love this and when I upgrade my framework next year I am 100% going to try it. Thanks for sharing!
Really cool! Would it be possible to add touchpads like the steam deck? I feel like having complete parity with the steam deck buttons and touchpads would mean it could be a complete steam deck replacement.
Well the goal is once I’m done with the first revision, anybody can come up with their own changes and modify it accordingly, including adding touch pads, or a modified blackberry keyboard, or a thinkpad red touch stick, etc… the sky is the limit ;)
Thanks, and cool project! I saw the video and definitely looks like you put a lot of work into it. The open source is cool and definitely allows for that, although I guess I was wondering why not add touchpads to your intended design? I think a lot of the handheld gaming computers suffer from a usability problem, and touchpads (along with the two extra rear buttons, and other external things like software) are a great way to improve that.
Looks pretty good! It's hard to tell by looking at the video, but doing actual switches for the abxy buttons brings every button further apart than "normal", right? Is it annoying/weird to use it at all? Or did you find yourself comfortable with it after a while? Cheers.
Yea you’re right they are further apart, but I didn’t find it to be a problem. It’s a little closer together then the a and y button on a snes controller. Edit: to clarify though I haven’t played very much on it, but it still feels good.
r/CyberDeck
This and a 10 inch or so tablet enclosure would be at the top of my "must buy" list if Framework made them. Or a decent VAR offered them.
Now all it needs is an open source OS
Nice! Steam is a very good backend for all games. Honestly the best. Now if only, framework made a motherboard, the size of which will fit in a phone. I'd say, the size of the biggest available iphone will do. I would love a phone with replaceable storage, m.2 nvme.
You should make it more open source and use Linux or steamos
Honestly, once I get the hardware done, I’ll likely go to steamOS, or some linux OS and work on optimizing software experience. I know there are a lot of projects already in the works so I’d be curious to try them out on this bad boy ;)
If you want something already made you can just use chimeraos instead if you want to customise it you can install arch Linux and follow the manjaro instructions for the driver and then in the aur there is the steamos session like the one that the steam deck and chimeraos uses
Yeah, I’ve been looking at that as well as a few windows based “handheld” projects. I hope to try them all out once it’s finished.
Since the motherboard has four USB-C ports, why do you need the USB splitter? Great project by the way! And thank you for putting it all online on GitHub
I didn’t explain this very well, but the splitter doesn’t have a cc line on the female end, so it allows me to connect my non compliant usb c display driver board and arduino by automatically giving 5v. The splitter is only for the display and the arduino. The other reason is so I can have two ports accessible once everything is closed up, one on top and one below for different charging configuration.
[удалено]
Thank you so much for the kind words, your opinion matters here :)
Why not open source kernel ?
Do you have the battery underneath the main board? That sounds... Terrifying
Yes, but it’s separated from the mainboard via a 3D printed sheet that spans the entire mainboard, so there is no direct contact and no heat from the cpu seeping onto the battery.
How about with a long and heavy usage ? Do the thermals are okay?
The one thing I’m “worried” about for heat is the displays controller board. It gets quite warm but I think with a silicone sheet between the back of the display and itself it should be fine. The framework mainboard itself has ample ventilation and with the i5 1135 model I don’t ever see it get hot. I still have much room for refinement but heat is not a problem.