The Chonky Palmtop is based on a Raspberry Pi and offers a fold-out keyboard with a 7-inch screen.
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The Chonky Palmtop isn’t pretty, but it’s interesting to look at.
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With the Raspberry Pi 400, the Foundation of the same name already offers a Raspberry Pi in a keyboard housing with a mouse, which only needs to be connected to a screen. The hobbyist Daniel Norris was inspired by this and developed his own laptop based on the Raspberry Pi 4 with the “Chonky Palmtop”.
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Foldable keyboard
This has a hinged case, a 7-inch touchscreen and a split keyboard. When closed, the construction is more reminiscent of a power supply unit than a laptop. There are numerous ventilation openings on the top, while the back is dominated by large hinges. When you open it, you can see the 7-inch screen diagonally. Below is a keyboard that can be opened like scissors. The typical connections of the Raspberry Pi 4 are accessible from the side.
Not final yet
The “Chonky Palmtop” still has a very good handicraft claim: the buttons on the screen are still uncovered, and the actual keys on the keyboard are not yet labeled. However, the computer is still functional. The mini-computer is ready for use a few seconds after switching it on. The screen is controlled via tiny buttons next to the display. The battery voltage can also be checked via this.
Construction plans for download
If you want to build the Chonky Palmtop yourself, you can find the necessary blueprints and a list of the required materials on GitLab. The design data for the 3D-printed housing is also available for download there.
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