Cyberdecks used to look like little laptops, but now they’re getting more personal

# Cyberdecks used to look like little laptops, but now they’re getting more personal Source: [https://www.theverge.com/tech/943445/cyberdeck-tiktok](https://www.theverge.com/tech/943445/cyberdeck-tiktok) [](https://www.theverge.com/authors/stevie-bonifield) Stevie Bonifield is a news writer covering all things consumer tech\. Stevie started out at Laptop Mag writing news and reviews on hardware, gaming, and AI\. DIYer and TikTok user Annike Tan, who goes by[@ubeboobey](https://www.tiktok.com/@ubeboobey), can carry her cyberdeck around without anyone noticing because it[doesn’t look like a computer at all](https://www.tiktok.com/@ubeboobey/video/7615659061199080726)\. Tan, who has been featured in[*The Cut*](https://www.thecut.com/article/cyberdecks-anti-ai-resistance-trend.html)and[*Wired*](https://www.wired.com/story/cyberdecks-tiktok-ube-boobey-diy-computer-gadget/), went viral earlier this year with a mermaid\-themed cyberdeck she made inside an old purse\. She has since[upgraded it](https://www.tiktok.com/@ubeboobey/video/7617504220182269206)and built an[MP3 player](https://www.tiktok.com/@ubeboobey/video/7623801423934786838)and a[solar\-powered cyberdeck](http://tiktok.com/@ubeboobey/video/7622993723038666006)\. Tan and countless other DIYers are attracting millions of views showing off the personal computers they’ve built inside purses, jewelry boxes, toys, and old tech, hiding Raspberry Pi boards inside art projects\. Cyberdecks, but make it fashion The colorful, quirky builds popping up across social media are a drastic shift away from the typical look the cyberdecks[we’ve featured](https://www.theverge.com/circuitbreaker/2019/11/27/20983472/raspberry-pi-recovery-kit-apocalypse-cyberdeck-build-jay-doscher)have had, which often consisted of a 3D\-printed chassis or a rugged box like a Pelican case, usually with a cyberpunk\-style design\. Inside, these homemade devices are essentially mini Linux computers for specific tasks, usually done offline, like reading, journaling, or listening to music\. But now, a cyberdeck doesn’t have to look like a computer at all\. This new movement emphasizes using recycled or thrifted parts and leans more into the artistic side of making a cyberdeck\. One TikTok user who goes by @diypagancrafts created a cyberdeck out of a[retro TV\-themed purse](https://www.tiktok.com/@diypagancrafts/video/7626464489503755534?q=cyberdeck&t=1780595579900)with the screen on the outside and the Raspberry Pi, keyboard, and a game controller stored inside\. Almost anything with enough space for a single\-board computer and a screen can be a cyberdeck — a[Dunkin’ Donuts munchkin box](https://www.tiktok.com/@cocoasaesthetic_/video/7625346057433550094?_r=1&_t=ZP-95cwxfSpKfP), a[Pokeball](https://www.tiktok.com/@amora.davis/video/7638804672052006157), an[Altoids tin](https://www.tiktok.com/@tomstantom4/video/7639397953853066527?q=cyberdeck&t=1780595579900), a[plastic box stuffed with fake moss and flowers](https://www.tiktok.com/@krisydays/video/7635516152898178312?q=cyberdeck&t=1780595579900)\. **Follow topics and authors**from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates\. - Stevie Bonifield