Turning my Framework laptop into a tiny desktop

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2023/08/turning-my-framework-laptop-into-a-tiny-desktop-was-fun-now-it-needs-a-job/

by interpol_p • 3 years ago

134 27 3 years ago

This guy on YouTube has some great Framework custom project videos if you are into such things (I am): https://www.youtube.com/c/elevatedsystems

bitwize• 3 years ago

The best part is the cat. "If not for sits, why is it made of warm?" is universally applicable.

bloopernova2• 3 years ago

For a tiny desktop, I've used my lenovo M900 tiny thinkcentre. It's also good as a very capable home server and runs practically silently.

datadrivenangel• 3 years ago

These are great little boxes. Got a few second hand and they are power efficient and quite capable.

shortrounddev22• 3 years ago

I've always wondered what those types of PCs are for, other than enterprise workstations in offices. What do you use your home server for? Serving media?

mcronce2• 3 years ago

I've got one in use (it was my father-in-law's desktop PC when he was still alive) as a node in my k8s cluster. It's currently got a couple of Gitlab's microservices, one of Harbor's microservices, ntfy, Nextcloud, coredns, and a couple ephemeral MySQL backup processes running.

bloopernova2• 3 years ago

General "thing" to ssh into.

Dev box for local development.

File serving.

Home Assistant server.

Testing Container stuff.

ja27• 3 years ago

I have one (i7-6700T, 32GB RAM) that cost me about $250. Runs proxmox. A few VMs for trying new BSD/linux releases, Plan 9, etc. A Windows VM. A minecraft server. A couple dev/test servers. I have another small PC next to it running stuff like Plex and webhosting that I'd like to containerize and move to a VM on proxmox.

ranger207• 3 years ago

Right now my homelab hosts a MediaWiki instance for personal writing, a couple of instances of Foundry Virtual Tabletop for playing D&D over the internet, and a handful of video game dedicated servers. Most importantly though it's a practice environment for genetal systems administration

indymike• 3 years ago

This is a really nice idea. It's also small enough you could hide it behind the living room TV and it would probably make a nice little media center PC.

Sphax• 3 years ago

I still have my old 11th gen mainboard and thought about doing this but I don't really have a use case for it sadly.

benterix• 3 years ago

I have an idea for you:

https://www.lakka.tv/ [0]

Endless hours of nostalgic fun, especially if you invite a colleague from the same generation.

[0] And many others like Batocera.org

saidinesh5• 3 years ago

Just having a server to back up your data using syncthing? You can install steam os and have some couch gaming experience too..

vidarh• 3 years ago

I don't know what I'd use one more machine for, but having the option certainly will be firmly in the "pro" column when considering whether to get a Framework laptop next time, because even if I don't find a use for it, it increases the chance it might be useful for someone else...

flapjaxy• 3 years ago

It's refreshing to see a company follow through on their promised use case. Especially since a lot of devices (home automation bridges, nas, media set tops, etc) are just purpose dedicated computers. I'd love for my next home server to be a laptop upgrade and 3d print away.

belltaco• 3 years ago

Linus has a video of doing this live at Computex with Framework engineers guiding him. https://youtu.be/iU_iWa9LL_s?t=354

itherseed• 3 years ago

The man next to Linus is not just an engineer, is the CEO of the company. Just wanted to point that out.

stevefan1999• 3 years ago

Maybe he's the Chief Engineering Officier given that he used to work at Oculus

JamesLeonis2• 3 years ago

A long time ago I put a full desktop tower in my car to run as a headless music player. It was as impractical and terrible as you can possibly imagine, and I loved every second of it. I can easily imagine a Framework repurposed as a headless in-car assistant. I might explore this idea when it comes time to upgrade.

EDIT: Thinking about it, with a couple of Nintendo Switch controllers and a screen, you can make a DIY Steam Deck.

vlod• 3 years ago

That would be a sight. lol. Pictures?

JamesLeonis2• 3 years ago

Unfortunately no, but I guarantee it's one of the mangled beige boxes at the bottom of this photo [0] stuffed behind the drivers side seat and a keyboard in the passenger side.

[0] https://drive.google.com/file/d/1hIvRzj39l45E2JyrXXtdubt7my4...

abeisgreat• 3 years ago

I recently did my own case build around a framework motherboard in a retro style https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YsOAE5c7YXs it worked pretty well and I actually met up with the Framework CEO, Nirav, when I was recently in SF to discuss ways to better enable this type of project. I truly believe they want to support creative re-use.

037• 3 years ago

Really funny project and video!

trustingtrust• 3 years ago

I just got a new USB-C monitor that delivers 65W watt. I think something like this would be a wonderful desktop for me and I might just get one for a desktop.

hurutparittya• 3 years ago

If only they had an anodized black option.... The fact that you have to resort to breaking out the rattle-can or use janky stickers on your $3000+ machine just to have it in the most popular computer color is simply maddening.

Turning my Framework laptop into a tiny desktop

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