6 DIY Laptops & Projects to Build Your Own Laptop

You’ve heard of building your own PC, but can you build a laptop from scratch? The problem with laptops is that the components don’t meet certain standards. Hence, the closest thing to building a laptop is a RAM and possibly storage upgrade.

But with the help of special equipment, complete computers and 3D printing, you can create your own laptop. These six laptop kits and project ideas will help you get started.

1. Pi-Top Raspberry Pi DIY laptop kit

There are so many Raspberry Pi laptop project kits around, but which one is the best? We think it’s a Pi-top, a modular laptop with a slide-out keyboard. This is where you place your Raspberry Pi, connect it to the Pi-top connection module, and start using the computer.

Designed for portable productivity and Raspberry Pi experimentation, the rail mount system supports additional hardware. There’s also a cooling jumper to allow you to overclock the pi for better performance without overheating. The end result is an easy-to-use Raspberry Pi experience capable of completing any project you may be using.

This is not the only Raspberry Pi laptop available. See our guide to Raspberry Pi laptops. for more design ideas using the popular small PCB.

2. DIY a laptop with cardboard and an old tablet

This DIY homemade laptop project is based on having a 10″ tablet and a keyboard. Oh, you’ll also need lots of cardboard, a decent knife, and a good supply of glue.

When cutting the map, take your time to plan ahead. In the end, most likely, your tablet and keyboard models do not match. Everything needs to be adjusted, even if it’s only a little. With some care, you can replicate this design on any old tablet — the thinner the better!

It’s easy to laugh, but there’s something genius about this project. The care that went into the design is clear, and relying on an old tablet is inspiring. You’ll need a keyboard and mouse, of course, but for a DIY laptop, this is better than most laptops.

Looking for more cardboard projects? Check out our collection of DIY cardboard Google headsets.

3. Windows 10 laptop mini computer

For a truly compact DIY portable laptop, try this project that uses a LattePanda compact computer. You will also need an affordable IPS LattePanda display for this Windows 10 laptop.

The design also uses the standard wireless keyboard and mouse combo, much of which is based on an impressive 3D printer. You can find printable STL files on the Thingiverse developer page.

By the end of the build, you should have a Windows 10 Pocket PC smaller than a laptop. It might not be what you are looking for in a DIY project, but you will agree that it is impressive.

4. Xbox One S laptop by Ben Heck

After destroying the relatively thin Xbox One S, YouTuber Ben Heck had just the parts. His decision? Turn your Xbox One S into a portable gaming machine—essentially an Xbox laptop.

With a motherboard, Blu-ray drive, power supply and hard drive, the laptop is equipped with a 15-inch display and an aluminum stand.

The video of the project is long, but you will see how Heck made some interesting design decisions and moved the components. Also find out if the finished product is enough for gaming. Of course, you can’t print on it; There are no word processing apps on Xbox.

As a high-performance device, this is a serious failure, but as a gaming laptop, it is extremely efficient.

5. Create your own gaming laptop

For a less complex gaming laptop with a keyboard, try this project for your laptop.

Relying on available components from Amazon (or your preferred hardware reseller), the secret of this project lies in this. Barebones laptop cases can be purchased online equipped with just the display, keyboard, motherboard, and CPU/GPU. They can be bought as is or with selected settings added by the seller.

This project uses random variations and offers several improved component suggestions. The result is a DIY project with high-speed RAM, fast SSD storage and m.2 SSD for OS. Of course, you can make your own customizations depending on your budget.

Various online retailers supply barebones laptops. One example is RJTech.com, where you’ll find a good selection of portable laptops for all budgets.

6. Pizza Box Laptop

Have you ever broken a laptop and found no options? When the case itself collapses, it can seem like the end of the world. This is especially frustrating if it’s a cover — you suddenly can’t use a perfectly good computer.

One answer is to sell the laptop. The other is to find a new home for him. But you’re unlikely to find a case that matches your hardware components exactly. So what’s the answer?

Well, why not consider a pizza box?

Admittedly a somewhat fun choice, this pizza box laptop has two interesting qualities:

It is working
You can see how the components are arranged

This second point is important as it can inform you about your future laptop project. On any computer, the position of the components is of paramount importance. Even more so on a laptop.